Nazi Germany: Dictatorship, Terror, Path to War

The Nazi Regime in Germany

Establishment of the Dictatorship

In 1933, the Nazis, led by Adolf Hitler, established a dictatorship in Germany. All political parties and trade unions were dissolved, the Reichstag (parliament) was effectively rendered powerless, elections were abolished, and individual liberties were suppressed. A systematic persecution of political opponents commenced, with only the Nazi Party (NSDAP) being authorized.

Workers were compelled to join the German Labour Front (Deutsche Arbeitsfront), the sole permitted trade union, which operated under National Socialist principles. The public administration was "purified" through laws, such as the Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service, authorizing the dismissal of officials for political reasons or Jewish ancestry. The judiciary lost its independence, becoming an instrument of the regime.

Nazi ideology was founded on the supposed superiority of the Aryan race and the principles of National Socialism. Cultural life was brought under strict control:

• Literary and artistic production was censored, and art deemed "degenerate" was suppressed.
• Authors considered "un-German" or politically undesirable were persecuted.
• Lists of banned books were created.
• Public book burnings of works considered "pernicious" or contrary to Nazi ideology were organized.

The Nazis assigned women a specific social role, ideally confined to the "3 Ks": Kinder, Küche, Kirche (children, kitchen, church). The Hitler Youth (Hitlerjugend) for boys and the League of German Girls (Bund Deutscher Mädel) for girls were established to indoctrinate and control the upbringing, education, and leisure activities of young Germans.

A Reign of Terror

The German state rapidly transformed into a police state, imposing its totalitarian regime through powerful instruments of terror. Key organizations responsible for enforcing conformity and crushing any form of dissent included:

• The SS (Schutzstaffel), which evolved from Hitler's personal bodyguard into a vast state-within-a-state, controlling police forces, intelligence, and concentration camps.
• The Gestapo (Geheime Staatspolizei), the secret state police, notorious for its brutality and surveillance.

These organizations, largely under the supreme command of Heinrich Himmler, were tasked with persecuting any perceived opposition and maintaining absolute order through pervasive surveillance, intimidation, torture, and extrajudicial killings.

Persecution of Jews and Concentration Camps

Anti-Semitism was a central tenet of Nazi ideology and policy, leading to the systematic persecution and eventual genocide of Jews. This escalated through several stages:

• In April 1933, a nationwide boycott of Jewish businesses, doctors, and lawyers was organized.
• In 1935, the Nuremberg Laws were enacted. These laws stripped Jews of German citizenship, prohibited marriage and extramarital relations between Jews and individuals of "German or related blood," and excluded Jews from many aspects of public and professional life.
• In 1938, persecution intensified, notably with the "Kristallnacht" pogrom. Jews were increasingly forced to wear a distinctive yellow Star of David (though this became widespread later in occupied territories).

Beginning in 1933, concentration camps (Konzentrationslager) were established. Initially, these camps were primarily used to detain political opponents such as communists, socialists, and trade unionists, as well as other groups deemed "asocial" or enemies of the Reich. Increasingly, Jews were targeted, arrested, and interned in these camps, where they were subjected to brutal conditions, forced hard labor, and, during World War II, systematic extermination in extermination camps.

Economic Policy, Autarky, and Remilitarization

The Third Reich implemented an economic policy focused on national revival, achieving economic self-sufficiency (autarky), and preparing Germany for aggressive military expansion. Key elements of this policy were:

• Economic Revival and Autarky: The Nazi government, under Hitler's direction, aimed to transform Germany into a dominant economic power, independent of international markets and resources, and capable of challenging established powers like France and Great Britain. Significant emphasis was placed on heavy industry, which was vital for rearmament.
• Public Works Programs: To address widespread unemployment, the regime initiated large-scale public works projects. The most famous of these was the construction of the Autobahn highway system, along with other infrastructure developments. These projects also served propaganda and military preparedness purposes.
• Remilitarization: A primary goal was the complete rebuilding of Germany's armed forces, in direct violation of the Treaty of Versailles. This involved several key actions:
  • The reintroduction of compulsory military service in 1935.
  • The creation of a new, powerful army (Wehrmacht).
  • The development of a modern air force (Luftwaffe) and expansion of the navy (Kriegsmarine).

With a revitalized economy increasingly oriented towards war production and a rapidly growing military, Hitler felt Germany was prepared to pursue its expansionist foreign policy objectives: the creation of a "Greater German Reich" and the conquest of Lebensraum (living space) in Eastern Europe. These aggressive ambitions placed Germany on a direct collision course with other European powers, making World War II imminent.