How far did the Nazis achieve total control in Germany between 1933 and 1945?

1
How far did the Nazis achieve total control in
Germany between 1933 and 1945?

• Another 10 mark question which asks you to show a
  two-sided, balanced answer with a concluding
  paragraph on how far.

2
Explain examples of control

• The Hitler Youth provided opportunities for Nazi
  leaders to put across Nazi beliefs and members
  were encouraged to report on teachers and
  parents. It was made compulsory in 1936
• The Nazis established new schools to train the
  next SS elite and army recruits such as Hitler
  Schools, and NAPOLAS.
• The most important act the Nazis implemented was
  the Enabling Act of March 1933 which gave the
  Nazi Government Emergency Powers for the rest of
  their rule.

• The Night of the Long Knives eliminated
  opposition in the party and settled old scores
  with people who had previously opposed the Nazis
• The creation of the DAF and the Dachau summer
  removed trade unionism from Germany and gave
  workers little say towards their employers
• The Concordat with the Catholic Church silenced
  its criticisms of Nazi problems
• Concentration camps removed opponents of the
  regime and sent them away
• SS-Gestapo kept order and control through fear
  and terror

3
Explain examples of lack of control

• During the war years there was increasing
  discontent within Germany at the lack of
  organisation and oppression.
• Many assassination attempts including the last by
  Stauffenberg came from high ranking army
  officials disgruntled by the war and Nazi
  Euthanasia and Killing policies.
• The Edelweiss Pirates were a motley crew of
  different youth organisations across Germany who
  purposely disobeyed orders to join the HJ and
  even went around beating up its members

• The Swing Youth were another group of youths who
  disliked the Nazi Youth and education and set
  about defying the state by listening to foreign
  music and reading banned literature
• The White Rose Movement attempted to bring a
  student uprising with subversive literature about
  the state and how it should be undermined.
• Martin Niemoller and Archbishop Galen spoke out
  and preached about Nazi atrocities in sermons.
• Many people were passive supporters so as not to
  attract attention

4
Conclusion

• Although the Nazis started their regime strongly
  and had control mechanisms in place it wasnt
  until the grievances of war and the policy of
  Night and Fog did true opposition rise up.
• Although opposition was subdued it was present
  from open acts of aggression like the bomb plots
  and the White Rose Movement and it shows just how
  worried the Nazis were by these plots that they
  punished the perpetrators so severely.
• However control was strong and far reaching in
  the Nazi era and their hold on power up to 1945
  was only jeopardised by their defeats in war.