Contrary to the party name, its members were hostile to the socialist economic policies of Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin and had no affinity for worker's unions. Nazism is generally classified as a right-wing movement because of its emphasis on nationalism and military strength, but it does not fall anywhere within the left-right spectrum as we know it today. It can best be understood as an acute political reaction to the economic hardships and death toll generated by World War I and its aftermath.
For this reason, it is not sensible to refer to anyone as a contemporary Nazi. The term "neo-Nazi" has been designated to refer to modern-day individuals who openly claim to adhere to Nazi ideology, absent its original cultural and economic context.
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Please tell us how Germany exemplified Nazism:
ReplyDeleteJohnotan--family aspect
Kacy-Ann--education aspect
Alexcil--military aspect
Claudene--religious aspect
Daveniel--anti-Semitism
Feel free to add any other relevant information.
Please begin with a solid definition of Nazism.
ReplyDeleteNazism
ReplyDeleteNazism was an ideology based on the beliefs of the German National Socialist Workers Party which was spearheaded by Adolf Hitler between 1920-1945. Nazism was characterized by fascism, aimed to according to Sherman and Salisbury the West in the World to “revive both the German’s people’s shattered pride and military might.” Furthermore, as Nazism promoted nationalism and the superiority of the Aryan Race, it had at its core, strong anti-Semitic sentiments. Nazism was present in every aspect of German life and by the beginning of World War Two, Germany was the Nazi society. Of paramount importance, Nazism was evident in education, a key feature needed to spread Nazism.
To spread Nazism and to secure the power of the Nazi party, the Nazis began with the family. Sherman and Salisbury noted that “the Nazis set out to bring family and private life under their control.” Men and women were brainwashed by Hitler and his comrades with Nazi beliefs which were German Nationalism, the superiority of the Aryan Race and the hatred for the Jews. Parents soon began socializing their children into these values and hence, the cycle of Nazi beliefs were shared from generation to generation.
The Nazi party also ensured that their ideology reached every boy and girl. If it did not touch their ears in the home, it would be cemented into their brains in school. John Traynor noted that “For a regime bent on indoctrinating the youth with a new set of values, education was clearly a vital area” HE further stated that “in the first place, they tried to ensure that the teaching profession was both politically reliable and ideologically sound.” Unreliable teachers were sacked and replaced with the Professional Civil Service as of 7 April 1933 and the curricula was changed to one which the Nazi favoured, eradicating all socialist and communist literature and socializing into a key feature of Nazi German policy- Hatred of the Jews.
Even in the social aspect of education, Nazism was present. The Hitler Youth played a key role in education teenage German boys and girls into nationalistic, productive German citizens. Through the Hitler Youth, boys and girls were socialized into what the Nazis determined were the gender roles for boys and girls respectively. Education for boys was to centre on military training and girls were trained to be housewives, the perfect complement to the Nazi soldier. However, both gender groups were socialized into the core Nazi values aforementioned.
Nazism refers to the political organisation or movement which was led by Adolf Hitler, during the 1930’s that promoted strong German patriotism and held the belief that the Aryan race was the most superior race in existence and was to be kept from being contaminated by the other races. According to John Traynor, the Nazi was close knit and unified behind the leadership of Adolf Hitler, spoke of their desire to bring about a classless society and intended to bring about the extermination of the Jewish race in Europe. The Nazis accomplished this with the use of both the religion and the justice or legal system. According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia, ‘Religion is defined as the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power’. This is the perfect representation of what Hitler grew to become within the European nation of Germany. The entire society was all structured in the name of Hitler. Both soldiers and civilians had to pledge their allegiances to Hitler’s cause. Hitler’s Nazi followers were extremely loyal. No one could disobey Hitler. He was the ‘all ruling supreme’. Within six years of his rule, the German Census of May 1939 indicated that 54 per cent of Germans considered themselves Protestant and 40 per cent considered themselves Catholic with 3.5 per cent claiming to be neo-pagans “believers in God”. It can be argued that this was due to Hitler’s rule as he supported Christianity and discouraged any other religion. He used this to control the minds of the German people. One way in which this was possible was in brainwashing the young girls and women that God’s sole will and purpose for them on the earth was to reproduce. I will further elaborate…………….
ReplyDeleteAlso according to a number of historians it is clearly evident that during the time of Hitler’s rule from 1933-1945, there was a significant decrease in church membership. This further adds to the compelling and cult like effect which the Nazi had on the German people. Due to Hitler’s rule they did not feel the need for church as he had become their master and every utmost of their being belonged to him. Hitler had become such a strong influence that his personal omitting of church attendance had an impact and was reflected within the German population. Many believed that the Nazi conjured strange spirits and followed occult practices that had laid dormant in Europe for thousands of years. Now documents prove that their beliefs were based on perversion of pagan law a twisting of mythical battle between forces of sight and darkness and of terrifying journey. Whether or not religion was a real aspect of the Nazi movement is still an issue of great suspicion today……….I will further elaborate
ReplyDeleteFor further proof that Hitler was somewhat placed on a Godlike pedestal is the prayer that was fashioned in his honour which closes resembles the Lord’s Prayer.
ReplyDeleteHere is an extract:
Führer, mein Führer, von Gott mir gegeben, beschütz und erhalte noch lange mein Leben
Du hast Deutschland errettet aus tiefster Not, Dir verdank ich mein tägliches Brot
Führer, mein Führer, mein Glaube, mein Licht
Führer mein Führer, verlasse mich nicht
This translates roughly as:
Leader, my Leader, given to me by God, protect me and sustain my life for a long time
you have rescued Germany out of deepest misery, to you I owe my daily bread
Leader, my Leader, my belief, my light
Leader my Leader, do not abandon me
Hitler’s inner circle itself was suspected to be an occult. His deputy, Deputy Rudolf was devoted to astrology and the casting of the stars. Nazi commission for philosophy and education, Alfred wrote a book entitled, “Laying out the Tenets of the Nazi Religion”. This implies that Nazism was viewed by those even within Hitler’s inner circle as a form of religion in which to control the minds of the people. Similar to the Marxists claim that of religion being opium of the people so was Nazism. It was opium, refuge, saviour for the people.
Military Aspect (Alexcil’s response)
ReplyDeleteUnder the Treaty of Versailles, this was established after World War I. One of the clauses listed in the treaty was directed at Germany to cripple its military power. The treaty stated that Germany’s militia based on man power wasn’t to exceed 100,000 men. He was kind of following the footsteps of William II with his statement “Just as my grandfather recognized his army, I shall unswervingly complete the task of recognizing my navy so that it shall be in the position, internationally, to win for the German Reich that place which we have yet to achieve…” By 1934 Adolf Hitler had built up his army with a number of 4,500,000 men, estimated. Hitler believed that in order to bring Germans their pride back to their country of Germany Hitler saw it fit to build up his military strength and revolutionize the face of war with some of his most creative ideas. He did this when established the following;
Bismarck - this was Germanys flagship which held the pride of Germans especially Hitler - The goal of Germany's navy, the Kriegsmarine, was to cut off Britain's supply line. Under these circumstances, one of the most famous naval battles in history took place, with the German battleship Bismarck, Germany's largest and most powerful warship, attempting to break out into the Atlantic and raid supply ships heading for Britain. Bismarck was sunk – but not before sending Britain's largest warship, the battlecruiser HMS Hood, to the depths of the ocean. This was said to be due to faulty mechanics.
Heinkel 162 - a jet fighter designed to be mass-produced by minimally trained workers, using available non-strategic materials, and to be flown by minimally trained pilots. Just 69 days after being given the contract, Heinkel successfully flew the new jet fighter, and production started.
Ruhrstahl Fritz-X - the world's first guided bomb. On its first operational use, on Sept. 9, 1943, two Fritz-X bombs dropped from a German bomber hit the Italian 45,000 ton battleship Roma so hard that it exploded. Like a modern 'bunker buster' bomb, the big radio-controlled Fritz-X was built to penetrate the thickest armor. It weighed 3460lb : 20% explosives, the rest hard metal.
Schrage Musik - upward firing guns installed in night fighters and automatically triggered by a photoelectric sensor when flying under the target bomber's night shadow. This was a very efficient weapon which enabled swift and lethal surprise attacks from below.
These were some of the ideas that were displayed in Hitler’s military to display their strengths and if some of these weapons were mass- produced Germany would have had the advantage in World War II and they would have actually won.