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... ultra. While the Nazis may have successfully changed mainstream culture, there were uncouthly sub-cultures that emerged underground. These underground groups, which formed, had no real power, as they could never meet in any reasonable numbers and due to the Gestapo's surveillance if they were even to plan a meeting would probably be caught. The press was a large obstacle to Hitler's control, there were over 4, 700 local and regional papers as well as magazines, all of these would have to be co-ordinated or shut down.
However this could not be done at once, people would notice many publications stopping and the remaining publications having one general theme, the Nazi's are brilliant. In 1933 when they came to power opposition papers were banned, and the Reich's press Law of 1933 called for "Racially pure journalism" and the elimination of Jewish, right wing and liberal papers. Membership of the newly formed Reich Association of German News Papers was compulsory and consequently all ideologically incorrect publications gradually disappeared. By 1939 there were less than 1500 newspapers left and Armani, the controller of the Reich association of German Newspapers, controlled 70 % of them. News papers had no choice but to comply and follow party guidelines, as a result they were drab and repetitive and as people grew tired of a diet of propaganda so readership declined. The Government was the one thing the Nazis had power over, but Hitler's government would not allow any opposition, or even civil rights.
After the Reichstag fire of 1933 and the following outlawing of Communists and socialists gave the Nazi party the extra votes they needed to guarantee a chancellor-ship for Hitler. Although the 43. 8 % was not the 2 / 3 's needed to change the constitution it did put him in charge of the government. A meeting if the deputies was called at the Kroll Opera House, the streets on the way there were lined with SA men and the inside of the hall full of SS men. The purpose of the meeting was to pass a new law, the enabling law. Under this law Hitler would have dictator like power for a period of 4 years. After.
Hitler made his speech to a cheering audience. The leader of the Social Democrats, Otto Wels, stood up and made a defiant speech, he rose to a hostile audience and to a background of chanting SA and SS he explained why his party would not vote for the bill. Hitler stood up, mocked his opponent and tore up his speech. With the support of the Nationalists and the Nazi's Hitler could depend on 341 of the 432 votes he needed to get the 23 majority to change the constitution. With the exclusion of the communists it lay with the catholic centre party.
Originally they were opposed to the act but the Nazis promised to respect the rights of the Catholic Church. As a result the e control of the government, the enabling law was just the first step, the legal system had to be controlled as well as the government. The courts were not easy for the Nazis to control, there was an efficient and democratic system in place, but this did not suit the Nazis. In 1933 - 34 Jewish and anti nazi judges were sacked and in there place Nazi party members. In 1934 treason cases were transferred to Peoples Courts where reliable Nazi judges could be counted on to deal with opponents to the regime.
A new act was passed in 1935 whereby people committing acts "Hostile to the National Community" could be punished in a way seen fit by the Judge, not only did this allow the Nazis to punish people for things which were not illegal and also allowed judges to make up there own punishments. This was one aspect of German life which the Nazis had considerable control, they could now essentially punish anyone for anything, the treason laws allowed the death sentence to be carried out on people as young as 14. The Nazi's had to be very careful when dealing with the church, as they had many supporters. Originally Hitler tried to keep on the good side of the churches, and although he did want control over them he signed a concordat with the Pope in 1933.
The churches tried to adapt to keep on the good side of the Nazi's, however they found it impossible to Christianity Nazism. Eventually church organisations were closed down and religious teachings banned. A new church was formed, The Reich's Church, this church seemed to worship Hitler and war more than any god. The bible was replaced with Mein Kampf and the cross replaced with a sword, which was to sit at the alter of every church.
At first glance it appears as though the Nazi's have effectively eradicated the threat of religion, however, it is extremely difficult to change peoples deepest beliefs and many would probably continued to worship in private and ignore the new Reich's Church. Hitler hated trade unions, they were immediately banned and living standards soon fell. To replace the trade unions the German Labour front was formed, but arguably it done nothing the help workers, it abolished limits on working hours and rights to wage rises. This organisation was more for show than to actually help the workers. The KdF was set up to compensate for the drop in living standards. Workers and there families could go to a Nazi holiday camp.
People could even get the chance to go on a luxury cruise to the Norwegian fjords or the Mediterranean at heavily subsidised prices. They also subsidised trips to theatres and sports facilities. A car was also designed, the Volkswagen, it was advertised that for 5 marks a week and you could own your own car. The KdF done little more than to sustain the belief that Nazism was working for the public.
Very few people actually went on the subsidised holidays the people shown in the advertisements were about the only people that went, and no one received their Volkswagen although it did create massive revenues. The Nazis control over every aspect of German life had mixed success, some things had been successfully taken over while others, although they were controlled were not popular with the public. Control of the media appears to be complete but people may not necessary pay any attention to the propaganda. Newspapers became drab and repetitive and the declining popularity shows that people grew bored of this. Schools curriculum had been changed to reflect nazi ideology although people may have realised that what they were being taught were lies.
The Hitler Youth needed a law to get full attendance and the churches, which superficially Hitler had control over, was not successful. Culture was changed but unseen cultures would emerge. The press and the government was one of the few things which Hitler had considerable control, although readership of newspapers declined after full control was achieved. If you like this essay e-me at ike I have tonnes more history and english essays
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