Hitler’s Political Policies

Herman Goering leader of Geheime Staatspolizei (Gestapo)

• Germany became a police state and they enforced Nazi policies
• Political parties were banned
• The state police known as the Gestapo (Germany for Secret State) was responsible for law enforcement
• Genuine opposition became unknown
• Civil servants were purged
• Many people were arrested and tortured in prison for opposing the new government
• Many died in prisons before they were tried
• Hitler reintroduced military conscription in 1933
• Hitler also introduced the Schutzstaffell which provided him with personal bodyguards and performed many of the ruthless killings of the Jews
• There was also the Death Head’s Units which was in charge of concentration camps and they were the toughest
• They were convicted criminals released to torture people
• The Weimer Republic Police was brought under the wings of the Nazi
• The law courts were also placed under Nazi Rule
• Hitler set up concentration camps for Jews, members of opposition camps and Trade unionists and these were death traps for those imprisoned
• All media houses and book publishing houses were brought under Nazi control
• All films had to feature Nazi ideologies and radio stations had to follow suit

To access more topics go to the History Notes page.