Option 31: Key topic 3: Nazi control and dictatorship, 1933–39 - 4 Opposition, resistance and conformity — Edexcel GCSE History
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Option 31: Key topic 3: Nazi control and dictatorship, 1933–39 - 4 Opposition, resistance and conformity explained
Assessing the true level of support for the Nazi regime is challenging due to the pervasive atmosphere of terror and propaganda.
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While many Germans genuinely supported Hitler due to economic recovery, the reversal of the Treaty of Versailles, and the restoration of national pride, others merely conformed out of fear of the Gestapo and concentration camps. The 'Hitler Myth' cultivated by Goebbels created widespread admiration for the Führer, even when the Nazi Party itself was unpopular. Historians debate whether the lack of mass opposition indicates genuine enthusiasm or passive acceptance.
Opposition from the Churches, including the role of Pastor Niemöller.
Despite Nazi attempts at control, significant religious opposition emerged. In the Protestant Church, Pastor Martin Niemöller helped establish the Confessing Church in 1934, which rejected the Nazi-aligned Reich Church and the dismissal of Jewish converts. Niemöller's outspoken sermons led to his arrest in 1937 and imprisonment in a concentration camp from 1938. Catholic opposition also grew, notably when Pope Pius XI issued the encyclical 'With Burning Anxiety' in 1937, condemning Nazi breaches of the Concordat and their racial ideology. Both examples highlight moral resistance to totalitarianism.
Opposition from the young, including the Swing Youth and the Edelweiss Pirates.
Youth opposition to the Nazi regime often took the form of cultural rebellion against the strict conformity of the Hitler Youth. The Swing Youth, mainly middle-class teenagers in large cities, defied Nazi cultural policies by listening to banned American jazz, growing their hair long, and organising illegal dances. In contrast, the Edelweiss Pirates were predominantly working-class youths who engaged in physical confrontations with the Hitler Youth, went on hiking trips to escape surveillance, and sang anti-Nazi songs. Both groups demonstrated that the Nazis failed to achieve total control over German youth.
Your focus
- Identify the main reasons why different groups in German society supported the Nazi regime.
- Explain the difference between active support and passive conformity.
- Assess the impact of the 'Hitler Myth' on the stability of the Nazi government.
Show all 9 objectives
- Describe the actions taken by Pastor Niemöller and the Confessing Church to oppose the Nazis.
- Explain how the Catholic Church demonstrated opposition to the Nazi regime.
- Evaluate the effectiveness and limitations of religious opposition in Nazi Germany.
- Identify the key characteristics and activities of the Swing Youth.
- Describe the methods used by the Edelweiss Pirates to oppose the Hitler Youth.
- Analyse the reasons why some young people chose to rebel against Nazi youth policies.
Option 31: Key topic 3: Nazi control and dictatorship, 1933–39 - 4 Opposition, resistance and conformity exam tips
Marking Points
- Identify economic recovery and reduced unemployment as key reasons for genuine support.
- Explain the role of the 'Hitler Myth' in separating Hitler's personal popularity from the actions of the Nazi Party.
- Discuss how foreign policy successes, such as remilitarising the Rhineland, boosted national pride and support.
- Evaluate the difficulty of measuring true support in a totalitarian state where opposition was severely punished.
- Describe the formation of the Confessing Church as a direct reaction against the pro-Nazi Reich Church.
- Explain Pastor Niemöller's role in leading Protestant opposition, his arrest in 1937, and his subsequent imprisonment in 1938.
- Identify the 1937 papal encyclical 'Mit brennender Sorge' as a key moment of Catholic opposition.
- Analyse the limitations of Church opposition, noting it rarely challenged the regime's broader political existence.
- Identify the Swing Youth as a middle-class movement focused on cultural rebellion through jazz music and fashion.
- Describe the Edelweiss Pirates as working-class youths who actively avoided Hitler Youth meetings and engaged in physical altercations.
- Explain that youth opposition was largely a reaction against the regimentation and militarisation of the Hitler Youth.
- Evaluate the threat level of these groups, noting they were primarily a social nuisance rather than a political danger before 1939.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Use the concept of 'conformity' to explain why people who did not actively support the Nazis still obeyed them.
- 💡Provide specific examples of policies that generated support, such as the Strength Through Joy (KdF) programme.
- 💡When evaluating support, always mention the context of terror and the fear of the Gestapo.
- 💡Contrast the methods of opposition used by Protestant leaders like Niemöller with the institutional opposition of the Catholic Church.
- 💡Remember that Church opposition was largely defensive, aiming to protect religious independence rather than overthrowing Hitler.
- 💡Use Niemöller's arrest in 1937 and imprisonment in 1938 as evidence of the regime's intolerance for any dissenting voices.
- 💡Compare and contrast the methods of opposition used by the Swing Youth and the Edelweiss Pirates.
- 💡Use these groups as evidence to argue that Nazi attempts to control the youth were not entirely successful.
- 💡Be careful to distinguish between the pre-war activities of these groups and their more radical actions during World War II.
Common Mistakes
- Error: Assuming all Germans were brainwashed by propaganda. Correction: Acknowledge that many supported the regime for practical reasons like employment, while others conformed out of fear.
- Error: Equating a lack of rebellion with total support. Correction: Differentiate between active support, passive conformity, and silent opposition in a totalitarian state.
- Error: Believing the Gestapo was everywhere. Correction: Note that the Gestapo was relatively small and relied heavily on denunciations from ordinary citizens, showing a complex layer of support.
- Error: Thinking Niemöller opposed the Nazis from the very beginning. Correction: Note that Niemöller initially welcomed Hitler's rise but turned against the regime when it interfered with the Church.
- Error: Assuming the Churches opposed the Holocaust. Correction: Clarify that Church opposition was primarily focused on defending their own institutions and opposing interference, rather than speaking out against the persecution of Jews.
- Error: Believing the Pope supported Hitler. Correction: Recognise that Pope Pius XI publicly condemned Nazi policies and breaches of the Concordat in his 1937 encyclical.
- Error: Viewing the Edelweiss Pirates as a highly organised political resistance group. Correction: Understand that they were loosely organised local groups primarily focused on social rebellion and avoiding the Hitler Youth.
- Error: Confusing the social backgrounds of the youth groups. Correction: Remember that the Swing Youth were mostly middle-class, while the Edelweiss Pirates were predominantly working-class.
- Error: Assuming youth opposition posed a serious threat to the regime before 1939. Correction: Recognise that their activities were mostly an irritant and a rejection of Nazi culture rather than a political threat during this period.