Domestic Policies of Hitler: Economy, Education, Arts, Media, and Propaganda

Domestic Policies of Hitler: Domestic Policies of Hitler: Economy, Education, Arts, Economy, Education, Arts, Media, and PropagandaMedia, and Propaganda

Hitler and the Economy – Hitler and the Economy – Dealing With UnemploymentDealing With Unemployment

Hitler knew if he could do the following, he would Hitler knew if he could do the following, he would secure more support:secure more support:

Get the unemployed back to workGet the unemployed back to work Get small businesses to become sufficiently profitable againGet small businesses to become sufficiently profitable again Provide security and promotionProvide security and promotion opportunities for civil opportunities for civil

servantsservants Improve benefitsImprove benefits: pension, sickness leave, workman’s : pension, sickness leave, workman’s

comp, insurance and vacation dayscomp, insurance and vacation days

From Hitler’s appointment until Nov. 1938, From Hitler’s appointment until Nov. 1938, unemployment fell (6 mil 1933 - 2.5 mil 1936unemployment fell (6 mil 1933 - 2.5 mil 1936))

Hitler and the Economy - Economic Hitler and the Economy - Economic Policies of Hjalmar SchachtPolicies of Hjalmar Schacht

StabilizedStabilized the German the German currencycurrency after the inflation of 1923 after the inflation of 1923PersuadedPersuaded major major industrial companies to support the industrial companies to support the Nazis in elections Nazis in elections and and urged Hindenburg to appoint Hitler urged Hindenburg to appoint Hitler chancellorchancellorHis reward was appointment as the President of the His reward was appointment as the President of the Reichsbank in 1933 and Economic Minister in 1934Reichsbank in 1933 and Economic Minister in 1934 Successfully promoted tradeSuccessfully promoted trade IntroducedIntroduced the “New Plan” – the “New Plan” – public workspublic works Created the National Labor Service Created the National Labor Service – men aged 18-25 – men aged 18-25

were required to join and learn basic skills for the most were required to join and learn basic skills for the most needed workneeded work

Clashed with Hitler’s plan to rebuild the military; Schacht Clashed with Hitler’s plan to rebuild the military; Schacht felt it would drain money from where it was really neededfelt it would drain money from where it was really needed

Hitler and the Economy – Hitler and the Economy – Four-Year PlanFour-Year Plan

Four-Year Plan (1936) – Hermann Goring Four-Year Plan (1936) – Hermann Goring shifted the economy to wartime productionshifted the economy to wartime production

It created It created huge public works projects huge public works projects and and armament expenditure was rapidly increased, armament expenditure was rapidly increased, while taxes were loweredwhile taxes were lowered

It was based on deficit spendingIt was based on deficit spending

Hitler and the Economy – Hitler and the Economy – Economic HelpEconomic Help

FarmersFarmers – With – With guaranteed prices for their guaranteed prices for their produceproduce, farmers recovered during the first , farmers recovered during the first three years of the regimethree years of the regimeSmall businesses Small businesses – Were helped with – Were helped with state state spending and loansspending and loansIndustry – Grants and loans Industry – Grants and loans were made to were made to install machineryinstall machineryUnemployed – Work was created Unemployed – Work was created in slum in slum clearance, housing, road repairs, hospitals, clearance, housing, road repairs, hospitals, schools, and Autobahn constructionschools, and Autobahn construction

Hitler and the Economy – Hitler and the Economy – Various Important PoliciesVarious Important Policies

In In Apr. 1933, Jewish businesses were boycottedApr. 1933, Jewish businesses were boycotted

In Jun. 1933, loans were provided on condition that In Jun. 1933, loans were provided on condition that female spouses leave their jobs (and make babies)female spouses leave their jobs (and make babies)

In In 1935, conscription was reintroduced1935, conscription was reintroduced, drawing , drawing working-age men from the laborworking-age men from the labor

By 1938, 75-80% of all business By 1938, 75-80% of all business that had been Jewish that had been Jewish as of 1933 as of 1933 had been Aryanized had been Aryanized - Aryanization is the - Aryanization is the process of taking over Jewish-owned firms through process of taking over Jewish-owned firms through discrimination, pressure, force, or shady legal meansdiscrimination, pressure, force, or shady legal means

Kristallnacht – Night of the Broken Glass (Nov. 1938) Kristallnacht – Night of the Broken Glass (Nov. 1938) – Thousands of Jewish businesses were destroyed– Thousands of Jewish businesses were destroyed

Hitler and the Economy – Hitler and the Economy – Wartime Economy 1939-1942Wartime Economy 1939-1942

Hitler didn’t envision war in 1939 because he Hitler didn’t envision war in 1939 because he believed that it would take Germany another believed that it would take Germany another four years to be readyfour years to be ready

The wartime gains between 1939-42 didn’t The wartime gains between 1939-42 didn’t bring about the gains that might have been bring about the gains that might have been suspected because:suspected because: A full-scale domestic war effort wasn’t achieved A full-scale domestic war effort wasn’t achieved

until the later years of the waruntil the later years of the war There was no body with overall responsibility for There was no body with overall responsibility for

organizing the war effortorganizing the war effort

Hitler and the Economy – Hitler and the Economy – Albert SpeerAlbert Speer

In 1942, Speer was appointed head In 1942, Speer was appointed head Minister of Armaments and War Minister of Armaments and War ProductionProduction Streamlined industryStreamlined industry Communicated better with managersCommunicated better with managers Freight movement was streamlinedFreight movement was streamlined Industrial plants were more flexible in what Industrial plants were more flexible in what

they could producethey could produce

Doubled German armament productionDoubled German armament production 1942 – 4,500 tanks; 1944 – 17,300 tanks1942 – 4,500 tanks; 1944 – 17,300 tanks

Hitler’s Germany - EducationHitler’s Germany - Education

German Teacher’s League - Teachers had to German Teacher’s League - Teachers had to belong to this league. Those who didn’t were belong to this league. Those who didn’t were dismisseddismissed

Children were encouraged to inform authorities Children were encouraged to inform authorities if teachers don’t teach Nazi valuesif teachers don’t teach Nazi values


Textbooks were rewritten to Textbooks were rewritten to emphasize:emphasize: The German army had been “stabbed in The German army had been “stabbed in

the back”the back” Economically drained by the JewsEconomically drained by the Jews How to recognize a JewHow to recognize a Jew The superiority of the AryansThe superiority of the Aryans


History – blamed JewsHistory – blamed Jews

Biology – Social DarwinismBiology – Social Darwinism

Geography – LebensraumGeography – Lebensraum

Science – war slantScience – war slant

Math – war slantMath – war slant

PE – very important to instill war values. PE – very important to instill war values. Sports with a potential military application Sports with a potential military application were emphasizedwere emphasized


Hitler’s Youth Hitler’s Youth – a group to train – a group to train boys 14-18 boys 14-18 to to have Nazi virtueshave Nazi virtues

German Young Folk German Young Folk – younger – younger 10-14 year old 10-14 year old version of Hitler’s Youthversion of Hitler’s Youth

Both became Both became compulsory in 1939compulsory in 1939 Boys would even dress in uniforms and do regular Boys would even dress in uniforms and do regular

military drillsmilitary drills


League of German Maidens League of German Maidens – Female counterpart of – Female counterpart of Hitler’s YouthHitler’s Youth

Young Girls LeagueYoung Girls League – Female counterpart of German – Female counterpart of German Young FolkYoung Folk

Both became Both became compulsory in 1939compulsory in 1939Girls were taught to be dutiful wives and mothersGirls were taught to be dutiful wives and mothers

Hitler’s Germany – The ArtsHitler’s Germany – The Arts

All culture had to be German or NaziAll culture had to be German or NaziControls were placed onControls were placed on:: MusicMusic TheaterTheater LiteratureLiterature RadioRadio PressPress Visual artsVisual arts FilmFilm

Hitler’s Germany – ArtsHitler’s Germany – ArtsOutdoor theater emphasized the Outdoor theater emphasized the theme of “Blood and soil” and theme of “Blood and soil” and reinforced the kinship between reinforced the kinship between modern Germans and ancient modern Germans and ancient GreeksGreeks

All actors had to be members of the All actors had to be members of the Nazi party and only books by Nazi party and only books by approved authors could be readapproved authors could be read

Student groups conducted book Student groups conducted book burnings burnings to demonstrate their disdain to demonstrate their disdain toward intellectualismtoward intellectualism

Hitler’s Germany – The ArtsHitler’s Germany – The ArtsIn 1933 in Berlin, a In 1933 in Berlin, a book burning of book burning of over 20,000 books over 20,000 books took placetook place

Texts included:Texts included: Jewish authors – Jewish authors –

Einstein & FreudEinstein & Freud HemingwayHemingway KellerKeller

Hitler’s Germany – Hitler’s Germany – Media and PropagandaMedia and Propaganda

The goals of propaganda The goals of propaganda were to:were to: Promote the Promote the German nation as supremeGerman nation as supreme To To ridrid the nation of the nation of all Jewish influencesall Jewish influences To develop the To develop the Fuhrer as a faultless leader Fuhrer as a faultless leader to to

whom all Germans owed obediencewhom all Germans owed obedience To encourage To encourage pride in the Aryan race pride in the Aryan race as the as the

highest form of human developmenthighest form of human development


Newsreels, movies and Newsreels, movies and booksbooks were impossible were impossible to publish without prior to publish without prior approval and censorship approval and censorship by Goebbels' ministryby Goebbels' ministry

He made sure that it He made sure that it presented Germany's presented Germany's domestic and foreign domestic and foreign policy aims in terms of policy aims in terms of Nazi ideologyNazi ideology


Hitler emphasized Hitler emphasized the importance of the importance of propaganda in propaganda in Mein KampfMein Kampf:: The masses find it difficult to understand politics, their The masses find it difficult to understand politics, their

intelligence is small. All intelligence is small. All effective propaganda must be effective propaganda must be limited to a very few pointslimited to a very few points

The function of propaganda is, for example, not to weigh The function of propaganda is, for example, not to weigh and ponder the rights of different people, but exclusively and ponder the rights of different people, but exclusively to emphasize the one right which is has set out to argue to emphasize the one right which is has set out to argue forfor. Its task is not to make an objective study of the . Its task is not to make an objective study of the truth…truth…

Only after the Only after the simplest ideas are repeated thousands of simplest ideas are repeated thousands of timestimes will the masses finally remember them will the masses finally remember them


Goebbels Goebbels also also pioneeredpioneered the use of the use of broadcasting in mass propaganda, broadcasting in mass propaganda, promoting the distribution of promoting the distribution of inexpensive inexpensive single frequency radio single frequency radio receivers (the so-called receivers (the so-called VolksempfängerVolksempfänger ( (People's radioPeople's radio)) to )) to the German publicthe German publicThis ensured that millions of people This ensured that millions of people heard the output of the Reich's heard the output of the Reich's propaganda ministry while being propaganda ministry while being unable to receive news and other unable to receive news and other broadcasts from outside Germanybroadcasts from outside Germany


He played probably the most important He played probably the most important role in creating an atmosphere in Germany role in creating an atmosphere in Germany that made it possible for the Nazis to that made it possible for the Nazis to "clean" the Reich of Jews, homosexuals "clean" the Reich of Jews, homosexuals and other minoritiesand other minorities

Hitler’s Germany – Hitler’s Germany – Media and Media and

PropagandaPropaganda

Rallies were held in Rallies were held in Nuremberg each year Nuremberg each year from 1923-1938from 1923-1938400,000 attended 400,000 attended these ralliesthese ralliesHitler gave a speechHitler gave a speech150 search lights lit up 150 search lights lit up the skythe sky

Bombers flying in the shape of a swastika

Spotlights at a Nuremburg Rally

1936 Nuremburg Rally

Nuremburg Rally, 1938

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Domestic Policies of Hitler: Economy, Education, Arts, Media, and Propaganda