Historical Content
The Nazi Party
- The Nazi party started numbering their membership cards at five hundred rather than one to create an impression of a much larger organization.
- The Nazis hardly ever called themselves "Nazis". The term -an abbreviation for National Socialist - was developed by the German press. Hitler disliked it intensely and it was rarely used within the party itself.
- Emil Maurice, Hitler’s head bodyguard and a co-founder of the SS was part-Jewish. Maurice’s Jewish heritage was uncovered by an investigation in 1935. Hitler then granted him ‘honorary Aryan’ status. Several other high-ranking Nazis or military officers had their Jewish heritage ‘overlooked’ or ‘forgiven’ on Hitler’s orders.
- The early group that the Nazi party was formed from was originally named the German Workers' Party.
- Under Nazi rule all other political parties were banned.
- Before the Nazis adopted it as their symbol, the Swastika was a good luck symbol.
- In the July 1932 elections, the Nazi Party obtained 37.3 percent of the vote for the Reichstag (Germany's parliament), making it the controlling political party in Germany.
- For many in Germany the government had failed them and was still failing them, and the continual failure of the coalitions left these people open to a different answer: Nazis
- The term Nazi is German and stems from Nationalsozialist.
- Initially, Nazi political strategy focused on anti-big business, anti-bourgeois, and anti-capitalist rhetoric, although such aspects were later downplayed in order to gain the support of industrial entities, and in 1930s the party's focus shifted to antisemitic and anti-Marxist themes.
Adolph Hitler and Mein Kampf
- Hitler dictated "Mein Kampf"; He was not able to write easily.
- Hitler was convicted of treason before WWII, but served less than a year of his five year sentence.
- During his sentence he dictated his book, "Mein Kampf," or "My Struggle."
- Sales of Hitler's political autobiography "Mein Kampf," sometimes referred to as the bible of the Nazi Party, made him a millionaire.
- From 1933 to 1945, free copies were given to every newlywed German couple.
- "Mein Kampf" outlined Hitler's political ideology and future plans for Germany.
- Hitler originally wanted to call his book Viereinhalb Jahre (des Kampfes) gegen Lüge, Dummheit und Feigheit, or Four and a Half Years (of Struggle) Against Lies, Stupidity and Cowardice.
- There are two volumes; "A Reckoning" and "The National Socialist Movement."
- The narrative describes the process by which he became increasingly antisemitic and militaristic, especially during his years in Vienna. Yet, the deeper origins of his anti-semitism remain a mystery.
- By the end of the war, about 10 million copies of the book had been sold or distributed in Germany.
Persecution of the Jews and the Holocaust
- Jews were forced to wear yellow stars on their clothing in public so everyone would know they were Jewish.
- Many Jews tried to escape Germany, but many countries closed their borders to Jewish refugees.
- Despite its strong isolation from the outside world and its alliance with Germany, Japan played a significant role in helping out Jewish refugees. Japanese diplomats in Europe, China, and Manchukuo issued visas to refugees to allow them to settle in Shanghai. 24,000 Jews escaped via China and Japan between 1938-1941 on their way to United States, Canada, Palestine and other countries that would accept them.
- The Holocaust claimed the lives of approximately 6 million Jewish men, women, and children.
- There were about 1.6 million Jewish children, ranging from infants to teens, living in Europe at the start of World War II. Of these, only about 11 percent survived the war. Some left their homes to seek refuge in other countries. Many parents chose to hide their children in order to save them.
- In most cases, arrangements to hide these children were made through personal contacts. Some non-Jews, motivated by moral concern and good will, risked their lives in order to save the lives of Jewish children. They later became known as "righteous Gentiles.”
- A great concern among hidden children was that their true families would not survive the war, and even if they did survive, that they may not be able to find and reunite with their parents. Since many children were taken in by complete strangers, it was very possible that these children would never see their parents or siblings again.
- During the Holocaust, a ghetto was an isolated section of a city in which Jews were forced to live. The conditions the Nazis created in the ghettos were horrible and unhealthy - - usually cramped, dirty, and with little food.
- When officials from other countries visited the ghettos early in the war to ensure that the Jews were safe there the Nazis had Jews living there clean the outer areas of the ghetto, gave them extra food and better clothing, and allowed only those who were unattractive or looked like a stereotypical Jew to be seen.
- Some ghettos were "open." Jews could leave them fairly easily, but had to return there at night. These quickly became "closed," however.
- For more information on the life of a child during the war, read The Yellow Star.
Daily life of the German people during the war
- The were bewitched by Hitler's speech and followed whatever he said.
- After WWI many Germans were angry, and there was a strong sense of nationalism at that time.
- They experienced bombing from the Allied Forces.
- There were food shortages, and a high level of unemployment before and during the war.
- Many tried to pass off their friends Jewish friends children as their own, something that was highly illegal.
- If you did not worship or agree with Hitler you were taken to prison, or a concentration camp.
- Nazi soldiers were set up to monitor streets.
- A draft enlisted the men without choice.
- Many were imprisoned for aiding Jews.
- In the beginning, they saw the Nazis as a minority political party.
- To find out about the life of a German child during the war read The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas.
The Hitler Youth
- Consisted of 2,400-3,600 members.
- Children trained in academies similar to preparatory schools.
- Had it's own flag, an eagle with black and gold scroll.
- It was made up of: theHitlerjugend proper, for male youth aged 14 to 18; the younger boys' section, Deutsches Jungvolk(German Youth), for those aged 10 to 14; and the girls' section, the Bund Deutscher Mädel (the League of German Girls).
- Motto: Blut und Ehre ("Blood and Honor")
- Following the abortive Beer Hall Putsch (in November 1923), the Nazi youth groups were ostensibly disbanded but many elements simply went underground, operating clandestinely in small units under assumed names.
- In April 1932, the Hitler Youth was banned by Chancellor Heinrich Brüning in an attempt to stop widespread political violence. But by June the ban was lifted by his successor, Franz von Papen as a way of appeasing Hitler.
- The Hitler Youth were used to break up Church youth movements, and in anti-Church indoctrination, used to spy on religious classes and Bible studies, and interfere with church attendance.
- After the boy scout movement was banned through German-controlled countries, the HJ appropriated many of its activities, though changed in content and intention. For example, many HJ activities closely resembled military training, with weapons training, assault course circuits and basic tactics.
- Some cruelty by the older boys toward the younger ones was tolerated and even encouraged, since it was believed this would weed out the unfit and harden the rest.
Effects of Military Air Strikes.
- Estimated 353,000 German civilians were killed by American and British forces.
- Air warfare was a major component of World War II.
- Some victims of the atomic bomb were vaporized instantly, many survivors were horribly disfigured, and death from radiation was uncertain—it might not claim its victims for days, weeks, months, or even years.
- Many lost family members and their houses.
- Children were orphaned.
- Bomb raids were often in one place.
- English children in London were sent away to escape the bombing.
- Many say that the atomic bomb's dropping caused the cold war.
- Destroyed Germany's supply of oil.
- Destroyed Germany's transportation system.
Culture, Education, and Art in Germany in WWII
- Education focused on racial biology.
- Jews were banned from schools.
- Fitness tests were mandatory; those who didn't pass were expelled.
- History was based on the glory of Germany - a nationalistic approach was compulsory. The German defeat in 1918 was explained as the work of Jewish and Marxist spies who had weakened the system from within; the Treaty of Versailles was the work of nations jealous of Germany's might and power; the hyperinflation of 1923 was the work of Jewish saboteurs; the national resurgence which started under the leadership of Hitler etc.
- "Racial Instruction" started as the age of 6. Hitler himself had decreed that "no boy or girl should leave school without complete knowledge of the necessity and meaning of blood purity." Pupils were taught about the problems of heredity. Older pupils were taught about the importance of selecting the right "mate" when marrying and producing children.
- Jewish art was burned.
- Geography taught pupils about the land Germany had taken away from her in 1919 and the need for Germany to have living space
- The curriculum required that the principles of shooting be studied; military aviation science; bridge building and the impact of poisonous gasses.
- Girls had a different curriculum in some regards as they studied domestic science and eugenics - both of which were to prepare young girls to be the perfect mother and wife. In Eugenics, girls were taught about the characteristics to look out for in a perfect husband and father.
- At every opportunity, teachers were expected to attack the life style of the Jews. Exam questions would also include areas the government wanted taught by teachers in the nation's search for a master race: "To keep a mentally ill person costs approximately 4 marks a day. There are 300,000 mentally ill people in care. How much do these people cost to keep in total? How many marriage loans of 1000 marks could be granted with this money?"