Nazi Germany as a Totalitarian State

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Nazi Germany as a Totalitarian State

Goebbels once said "the aim of the Nationalist Socialist Revolution

must be a totalitarian state, which will permeate all aspects of

public life"

In reality to put this into practise was a lot more difficult. From

the outside, people assume that the Nazis had brainwashed every German

citizen during their reign. By booking more closely, through Germanys

archives we can see a better picture of what Germany was really like.

Totalitarian states must have a number of things, primarily being one

main leader, government control of all aspects of life and create

committed members of state.

In 'Weimar and Nazi Germany' by John Hite and Chris Hinton, they give

us the essential features of a totalitarian regime. In order to see

how well the Nazis achieved this, it is better to go through the key

points one by one.

" A one party state, led by one powerful leader, the centre of a

personality cult"

Hitler achieved a one party state in July 1933 by banning other

opposition parties. However these opposition parties had underground

parties: the SDP had the Berlin Red Patrol and the KDP had the red

orchestra, so Hitler didn't completely get rid of his opposition. A

major area of debate about the 3rd Reich concerns the role played by

Hitler. There are two schools of thought. The traditional view is that

Hitler was the all-powerful dictator, he made all the decisions and

disciplined his followers into implementing his wishes. Hugh Trevor

Roper and Bullock back this view. The Revisionalist view is that

Hitler was weak dictator, and was not involved in the decision making

process. Other Nazis such as...

... middle of paper ...

...successful in controlling certain areas but were not successful in

everything as Historian Stephen Lee says:

" In theory the Nazi state was totalitarian in that it eradicated

institutions allowing of the formal expression of dissent and

opposition and then proceeded to use the SS and Gestapo to pick off

individual acts of anti Nazi behaviour. By and large this combined

process was successful. Yet, the fact that oppositions did develop in

such a variety of forms indicates that totalitarianism was only party

successful"

I believe this statement is true, as the evidence clearly shows.

Hitler was not the tyrant that everyone believed him to be, especially

when there is opposition to his party and their ideals. It shows that

even with all the propaganda, and control of institutions, people

cannot easily be dictated.

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