2004-2005 Season: Hannah and Martin

The Means to An End

“Under conditions of tyranny it is far easier to act than to think.” – Hannah Arendt

Reasons for the Rise of Fascism in Germany

  • The economic collapse of Germany after 1929
  • The lack of democratic roots in Germany under the Weimar republic
  • It was impossible to secure a majority in parliament (this depicted democracy as a weak governmental system)
  • The president had the authority to declare a state of emergency (Hitler used Hindenburg’s ability to do this in order to establish his dictatorship)
  • The fear of communism (Hindenburg appointed Hitler as chancellor as a result of such fears)
  • The Nazis exploited the weakness of the Weimar system and often used violence against their opponents
  • The Nazis made use of propaganda to shape public opinion

 Characteristics of National Socialist Rule

  • Germany became a one party state
  • Hitler was supreme within the party and he was taken as the personification of National Socialism
  • Totalitarianism was introduced
  • Education was controlled
  • Strict censorship of the media
  • All non-Nazi youth movements were banned and replaced (i.e. by movements such as Hitler Youth)
  • The churches were brought under Nazi control
  • Trade unions and strikes were banned
  • The use of terror was made to crush all resistance
  • The army was brought under Nazi control
    • Officers swore loyalty to Hitler
    • The non-Nazi commander and war minister were removed in scandals engineered by the Nazis
    • The S.S. was expanded
  • The Nazis made great use of propaganda
  • Racism – the Aryan Germans were declared to be the “Master Race”
  • Expansionism – Hitler claimed to reunite all Germans and Nazi interests centered on obtaining land in Europe
  • There was a close identity between party and state
  • Centralization of power

See Also: