How much conformity, resistance and opposition to Hitler and the Nazis was there
amongst people in Germany in the 1930s? (women, the young, church, etc.)
Nazi policies towards the people of Germany were met with a mixture of conformity,
resistance and opposition.
Nazi policies towards women aimed to make them into housewives, mothers and loyal to
Hitler, nothing more. Women’s organisations were forced to merge with a new Nazi
organisation called the German Women’s Enterprise. If any organisation refused, they were
banned. Eventually the DFW had six million members and, by 1939, 1.7 million women had
attended Nazi courses on subjects such as childcare, cooking and sewing. These figures shw
that a large number of women supported the Nazi policies towards women. Policies such as
loans given to young couples to marry, changes to divorce laws and the achievement of the
‘Mother’s Cross’ for mothers who had large families encouraged large, Aryan families.
However, from 1933 to 1939 the birth rate only rose slightly, and the number of large
families dropped. Some women believed that Nazi ideas harmed the family and degraded
women. Some did not like Gertrud Scholtz-Klink and others felt that the domestic status of
women was demeaning.
The head of the Catholic Church, the Pope, met with Hitler and made agreements with him
about the future of Catholicism in Germany. As long as Hitler allowed freedom of worship
for Catholics and promised to not to interfere with Catholic schools in Germany, the Pope
would not stand against the Nazis. Many Protestants supported the Nazis for eliminating the
threat of non-religious Communism, with many Protestants voting for Hitler. The Protestant
Church formed the new Reich Church, which had a Nazi as its’ figurehead and taught Nazi
ideals. However, some parts of the Church opposed Hitler. Famously, a prominent
Protestant pastor, Pastor Martin Niemoller opposed Hitler. In 1934, Niemoller and a group
of pastors set up the Pastors’ Emergency League to campaign against Nazi actions and
formed the Confessional Church. It was in direct opposition to the Reich Church. About
2,000 Protestant pastors stayed in the Reich Church, but 6,000 moved to the Confessing
Church, in opposition to Nazi policy. Some pastors also spoke out against the Nazis. About
800 were sent arrested and sent to concentration camps. Some Catholic priests also spoke
out against the Nazis. Around 400 Catholic priests were imprisoned in the Priests’ Block at
Dachau concentration camp. In 1937, Niemoller was sent to a concentration camp and the
PEL was banned.
82% of young people in Germany in 1939 were part of The Hitler Youth, showing
widespread conformity to the Nazi’s policies towards the young. The Hitler Youth was
popular as it offered freedom, friendship and fun to both boys and girls. However, there was
opposition from groups such as the Edelweiss Pirates and the Swing Movement. However,
support for these groups was limited as it was compulsory by law to be part of the Hitler
Youth. By 1939, membership of the Edelweiss Pirates was about 2,000. Membership of the
Hitler Youth by that date was about eight million. Nazi control of education may have
contributed to the high conformity from the youth, as they were indoctrinated into Nazi
ideology from a young and impressionable age.
There was also opposition from trade unions, the army and politicians. The KPD continued
to encourage workers to oppose the Nazis. Workers sometimes undermined Nazi building
amongst people in Germany in the 1930s? (women, the young, church, etc.)
Nazi policies towards the people of Germany were met with a mixture of conformity,
resistance and opposition.
Nazi policies towards women aimed to make them into housewives, mothers and loyal to
Hitler, nothing more. Women’s organisations were forced to merge with a new Nazi
organisation called the German Women’s Enterprise. If any organisation refused, they were
banned. Eventually the DFW had six million members and, by 1939, 1.7 million women had
attended Nazi courses on subjects such as childcare, cooking and sewing. These figures shw
that a large number of women supported the Nazi policies towards women. Policies such as
loans given to young couples to marry, changes to divorce laws and the achievement of the
‘Mother’s Cross’ for mothers who had large families encouraged large, Aryan families.
However, from 1933 to 1939 the birth rate only rose slightly, and the number of large
families dropped. Some women believed that Nazi ideas harmed the family and degraded
women. Some did not like Gertrud Scholtz-Klink and others felt that the domestic status of
women was demeaning.
The head of the Catholic Church, the Pope, met with Hitler and made agreements with him
about the future of Catholicism in Germany. As long as Hitler allowed freedom of worship
for Catholics and promised to not to interfere with Catholic schools in Germany, the Pope
would not stand against the Nazis. Many Protestants supported the Nazis for eliminating the
threat of non-religious Communism, with many Protestants voting for Hitler. The Protestant
Church formed the new Reich Church, which had a Nazi as its’ figurehead and taught Nazi
ideals. However, some parts of the Church opposed Hitler. Famously, a prominent
Protestant pastor, Pastor Martin Niemoller opposed Hitler. In 1934, Niemoller and a group
of pastors set up the Pastors’ Emergency League to campaign against Nazi actions and
formed the Confessional Church. It was in direct opposition to the Reich Church. About
2,000 Protestant pastors stayed in the Reich Church, but 6,000 moved to the Confessing
Church, in opposition to Nazi policy. Some pastors also spoke out against the Nazis. About
800 were sent arrested and sent to concentration camps. Some Catholic priests also spoke
out against the Nazis. Around 400 Catholic priests were imprisoned in the Priests’ Block at
Dachau concentration camp. In 1937, Niemoller was sent to a concentration camp and the
PEL was banned.
82% of young people in Germany in 1939 were part of The Hitler Youth, showing
widespread conformity to the Nazi’s policies towards the young. The Hitler Youth was
popular as it offered freedom, friendship and fun to both boys and girls. However, there was
opposition from groups such as the Edelweiss Pirates and the Swing Movement. However,
support for these groups was limited as it was compulsory by law to be part of the Hitler
Youth. By 1939, membership of the Edelweiss Pirates was about 2,000. Membership of the
Hitler Youth by that date was about eight million. Nazi control of education may have
contributed to the high conformity from the youth, as they were indoctrinated into Nazi
ideology from a young and impressionable age.
There was also opposition from trade unions, the army and politicians. The KPD continued
to encourage workers to oppose the Nazis. Workers sometimes undermined Nazi building
