1. GCSE History Revision Life in Nazi Germany

2. The Purpose of Dictatorship Hitler had 3 main purposes: To rebuild Germany’s ruined economy To make Germany powerful again To make Germany ‘pure’ by eliminating ‘inferior races’

3. Work and Bread(1) There were 6 million unemployed in 1933 The National Labour Service provided manual work for thousands Hitler put them into uniform and they lived in work camps

4. Work and Bread (2) 1935 Reich Labour Service Law said all men between 18-25 must join Labour Service for 6 months Nazis built motorways by hand Rearmament – all 18- 25 year olds had to do 2 years in Army

5. How successful was Hitler? Unemployment fell rapidly Workers were poorly paid – often they got little more than pocket money Many were skilled men doing labouring jobs Re-armament swallowed up many unemployed By 1939 there was a labour shortage! Workers lost rights eg to be in a union

6. Racism (1) Hitler wrote about Germans being racially pure – Aryans Jews had been badly treated in Europe for centuries Anti-Semitism was a major feature of Nazi policy

7. Racism (2) Key dates were: 1935 The Nuremberg Laws 1938 Krystallnacht 1942 The start of the ‘Final Solution’ – the extermination of Jews in Europe Other persecuted groups included gypsies, Jehovah’s Witnesses & homosexuals

8. How racism worked Newspapers and magazines contained negative images of Jews German girls with Jewish partners were publicly humiliated Jews had to wear a Star of David badge Children were taught that Jews were evil Hitler blamed all of Germany’s problems on the Jews

9. Control (1) Germany was controlled by the Nazi Party & the police Police network run by the SS - one of most feared branches was the Gestapo ½ million Party members snooped on their neighbours and informed on them

10. Control (2) The Nazis made extensive use of propaganda They controlled the press, radio and cinema 70% German homes had a radio – “The People’s Receiver”

11. Women in Nazi Germany Women were to bear healthy babies for the Army “Kinder, Kirche & Kucher” Early marriage encouraged Women were sacked from jobs Unsuitable mothers were sterilised

12. Young People (1) Hitler and the Nazis worked hard to win the support of the young Girls joined the League of German Maidens The boys joined the Hitler Youth

13. The Hitler Youth All youth groups merged into Hitler Youth Movement 1936 1939 Membership compulsory Girls raised to be mothers Boys trained to be soldiers

14. Young Rebels Not all young Germans joined the HY Groups like the Edelweiss Pirates deliberately challenged Nazi ideals As the war went on sometimes they helped deserters and carried out acts of sabotage

15. Christianity & the Nazis Concordat signed with the Pope 1933 Nazis set up a ‘Reich Church’ - churches had pictures of Hitler Martin Niemoller set up the Confessional Church Other religious groups were banned

16. “Strength Through Joy” KDF set up to encourage workers The ‘People’s Car’ was launched Thousands of German workers enjoyed cheap holidays abroad on new cruise ships