Many didn't believe the DAF was working in their
interest but few expressed discontent
depoliticised and working-class
organisations were broken up
Biggest method of opposition was to withdraw
their Labour or sabotage production, which was
even more frequent during rearmament when Jews
were forced to work in munitions factories
Strikes
37 strikes recorded in 1935 - 25,000 strikers
Of the 25,000 who participated
over 4,000 spent short periods
of time in prison
In the last quarter of 1936 there was 100
strikes and 250 over the whole of '37
17-minute stoppage in Opal, 7 ring leaders were
arrested by the Gestapo and either sent to
concentration camps or executed
Political Resistance
KPD
Were more prepared to
oppose than the SPD
Cell network established and Newspapers printed but
broken up by Gestapo
Word and Mouth to prevent being caught
(Survival not revolution)
first political party to be banned
SPD
Largest Union in Europe, opposed
against the enabling acta dn was
subjected to SA violence and
suppression
Not very well prepared for underground activities
In 1933 thousands of activists murdered or put
under 'protective custody'
Smuggled propaganda posters
out of and around Germany
Reduction in unemployment
meant that these groups lost
support rapidly
Churches
Protestants
Martin Neimoller - Protestant Pastor,
Berlin - rejected the aryan paragraph
Founder of Pastor's Emergency Act and was held up as a martyr in the
confessional Church
Catholics
Papa Von Galen - issued pamphlets
rejecting Rosenbergs views of racial soul. As
a result double the normal attendance at
annual July procession to show support for
their Bishop 19,000
Papal Encyclical - posted by Pope entitled 'with
burning concern'. Smuggled into Germany and
printed in 12 different places (Pope in Italy)
No official protest
Youth
Loss of interest in Hitler Youth once
it became copulsary and towards late
30's more militant
stopped paying dues or simply didn't attend
Stauber of Danzig - group
waylaid and robbed soldiers at
home on leave from the army
White Rose Group - Sophie and Hans Scholl
Elites
After Hindenburgs death there was
only a military coup which had the
power to overthrow Hitler
Elites did however support Hitlers plans for Germany
despite his methods so very few actually opposed the
Nazis
growing unease over rapid rearmament and drift of
Foreign Policy, opposition of forcing Germany into a
war it was not yet prepared for
General Beck opposed Hitlers plan to
invade Czechoslovakia as it was almost
definitely going to cause a war, London and
Paris were informed of the military coup but
France and Britain did not put up any fight