Nazi System
System of the Nazis
It is still a surprise to many people that the Nazi system was able to exert such power over such large groups of people. Many people do not fully comprehend the system of influences that the Nazis established in Germany, which allowed them to exert complete control over all aspects of citizens’ lives. National-socialism was regarded by its adherents as more than just a theory that could be put into practice; rather, it was regarded as a kind of worldview, world vision, or, in German, “Weltanschauung.” It had to encompass all aspects of life, it had to determine everything that a person might possibly become engaged with, and, in fact, it had to determine what a person could become involved with and how he or she could become associated with it. Hitler and his followers strove to emulate the competing Marxist philosophy, which they did not agree with and, in some ways, despised, but which they recognized and intended to exploit for its advantages.
Similarly to the church, this was the story in many respects at the time. Hitler, as well as many other members of the National-socialist party who held positions of authority, despised the church. They despised the effect that the Catholic Church had on German society and on the lives of ordinary people. In many ways, this hostility was motivated by envy rather than simply by hatred or disgust. It has always been the case that the Catholic Church has stood in opposition to secular power and authority in the world. This was likewise true in the case of the Nazis. Many members of the Catholic Church in Germany were active in the resistance movement, which included many members of the congregation.
In this context, it is crucial to recall that the Evangelical church enjoyed much more popularity among Germans at the time. The evangelical church, on the other hand, proved to be considerably more difficult for the Nazis to influence. The congregation of the Evangelical church had a far better time comprehending the philosophy than the rest of the congregation. In addition, a movement of German Christians began to emerge in the 1930s. They created a sort of religious codex in 1932, which was recognized by the community. In total, there were 10 points in this codex, which served as a type of mash-up of provisions from both Christianity and the personality cult. Hitler was a firm believer in the viability of national-socialism as a religious substitute for the Roman Catholic Church. It is the theory of national-socialism in which people should place their trust. Hitler is rumored to have said, “We are the church as well,” in reference to the Catholic Church.
Also formed were other religious positions inside the government such as Reichsbischof and other similar ones. The Nazis were able to achieve complete control over the church and the religious and spiritual lives of the majority of the population in this manner. In light of the high level of religiosity in the population, there was strong support for the entire machine, which provided power and strength to the entire machine.
One of the pillars on which the Nazis’ power was built was, without a doubt, the economy. Adolf Hitler was widely regarded as having achieved enormous victories for the German economy, as well as important successes in the international diplomatic arena, throughout his lifetime. This enabled the Nazis to make substantial advances without even waging a war, and without suffering any human or economic casualties in the process. These advancements aided in the rebirth of the country’s economic situation. Moreover, the recovery was so remarkable that not only German professionals, but even international experts referred to it as a miracle. In 1932, the unemployment rate in Germany was extremely high. There were as many as 6 million individuals out of work at the time. After four years, the number of unemployed people has fallen to less than a million people. When compared to the previous five-year period, industrial production increased by 102 percent in five years.
To put it mildly, industrial development moved at breakneck speed. However, rearmament served as the true foundation of the German economy and the primary driver of its expansion. To focus the work force (which comprised both workers and employers) on weapon manufacture of various types, creation of new types of weaponry, invention, and so on, the Nazi dictatorship made enormous efforts, which were ultimately successful in doing so. During World War II, Nazi leaders referred to Germany’s economic situation as “war economy.” It was designed in such a way that it would be able to function correctly both during the period of peace and throughout the years of conflict that followed. The officials in charge of economic affairs, particularly Schacht, who was primarily responsible for economic development during the early years of the Third Reich, were so skilled that, according to some estimates, there were periods of time when the Reichs Mark could be traded at as many as 34 different exchange rates at the same time during the course of the war. Schacht was successful in generating a substantial quantity of foreign currency for his country through a variety of market manipulations on the world stage.
In addition to generating money, he used a traditional technique on which he relied extensively. Schacht was able to build extraordinarily profitable business relationships with foreign countries without ever exchanging money, instead simply exchanging commodities. His philosophical viewpoint was that the greater one’s ownership of the country, the greater the number of commercial prospects available. However, in 1936, the economic authority was given to Gering, who was just as ignorant of economics as Hitler himself was at the time. He adopted a totalitarian economic model, the purpose of which was to put in place the essential arrangements within four years that would allow the country to be self-sufficient in the event of a conflict with the Soviet Union. It was necessary in order to ensure that a war blockade would have no effect on the economy. The volume of imported goods and commodities was reduced to a bare minimum, and the state exerted tight control over both pricing and wages, as well as interest rates and bond yields. Massive plants were being constructed to meet internal demand by manufacturing things from raw resources that were readily available in Germany. Owners of businesses in the industry were having their own celebrity moments. Their revenues increased dramatically as a result of the absence of foreign competition, and they were able to maintain a monopolist position on the market.
Another major aspect in the regime’s overall success was its use of propaganda to spread its message. The idea that it was the only foundation for it has been floated on numerous occasions, however this is incorrect. It was the government’s goal at the time to build “Volksgemeinschaft,” which means “people’s community,” or “unity of people” who hold similar beliefs in a variety of different areas of life. It was necessary for the classes to cohabit in true peace. The intellectuals were the primary conduits via which propaganda was able to influence the general public. Teachers who outline their lessons are particularly important among them. They began working on instilling notions into the minds of children at a very young age.
Another key component in providing the Nazis with justification for their rule was culture. Culture was likewise subject to toil control, and Goebbels was well-known for being the man in charge of this absolute control. The Nazis established the “Reichskulturkammer,” which served as a sort of cultural ministry under the direction of Goebbels. Its primary purpose was to maintain tight control over all forms of art and to ensure that any work of art that was made publicly available served the regime’s goal of furthering its establishment as a whole. Another purpose was to encourage the development of such works of art by inspiring artists to devote their time and energy to incorporating propaganda into their work.
These are only four of the most important variables that played a role in the growth and creation of the Nazi system in Germany during the first half of the twentieth century. There were other factors involved as well, but when it comes to summarizing their influence, it is worthwhile to emphasize once more that the main ideological approach that allowed the Nazis to exert such strong control over German society was their orientation towards total control over all spheres of social life, beginning with religious life and ending with economic processes. Other factors were involved as well, but when it comes to summarizing their influence, it is worthwhile to emphasize once more that the main ideological approach that allowed the Nazis to exert such strong control over German society was In this regard, it must be acknowledged that the Nazis had achieved remarkable accomplishment, which explains why such large numbers of people mindlessly followed their orders throughout World War II.
