Nazi Germany

Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, is the common name for the country of Germany while governed by Adolf
Hitler and his National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) from 1933 to 1945. Third Reich (German: Drittes
Reich) denotes the Nazi state as a historical successor to the medieval Holy Roman Empire (9621806) and to the
modern German Empire (18711918). Nazi Germany had two official names, the Deutsches Reich (German Reich),
from 1933 to 1943, when it became Grodeutsches Reich (Greater German Reich).
On 30 January 1933, Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany. Although he initially headed a coalition
government, he quickly eliminated his government partners. At this time the German national borders still were
those established in the peace Treaty of Versailles (1919), between Germany and the Allied Powers (United
Kingdom, France, the United States, Italy, Japan et alii.) at the end of the First World War (191418); to the north,
Germany was bounded by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east, it was divided into two and
bordered Lithuania, the Free City of Danzig, Poland, and Czechoslovakia; to the south, it bordered Austria and
Switzerland, and to the west, it touched France, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, the Rhineland, and the
Saarland. These borders changed after Germany regained control of the Rhineland, Saarland and the Memelland and
annexed Austria, the Sudetenland and Bohemia and Moravia. Germany expanded into Greater Germany during the
Second World War, which began in 1939 after Germany invaded Poland, triggering the United Kingdom and France
to declare war on Germany.
During the war, Germany conquered and occupied most of Europe and Northern Africa. The Nazis persecuted and
murdered millions of Jews and other minorities in the Holocaust Final Solution. Despite its Axis alliance with other
nations, mainly Italy and Japan, by 1945 Germany had been defeated, and was occupied by four of the Allied powers
(France, Soviet Union, UK and US).

History
Nazi Germany arose in the wake of the national shame, embarrassment, anger, and resentment resulting from the
Treaty of Versailles (1919),[1] that dictated, to the vanquished Germans, responsibility for:
Germany's acceptance of and admission to sole responsibility for causing World War I[2]
The permanent loss of various territories and the demilitarization of other German territory[3]
The payment by Germany of heavy reparations, in money and in kind, such payments being justified in the
Allied view by the War Guilt clause[4]
Unilateral German disarmament and severe military restrictions[5]
Other conditions fostering the rise of the Third Reich include nationalism and Pan-Germanism, civil unrest attributed
to Marxist groups, the global Great Depression of the 1930s (consequent to the Wall Street Crash of 1929),
hyperinflation, the reaction against the counter-traditionalism and liberalism of the Weimar Republic, and the rise of
communism in Germany, i.e. the growth of the KPD (Communist Party of Germany). Many voters, seeking an outlet
for their frustrations, and an expression for their repudiation of parliamentary democracy, which appeared incapable
of keeping a government in power for more than a few months, began supporting far right-wing and far left-wing
political parties, opting for political extremists such as the Nazi Party, (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche
Arbeiterpartei, NSDAP, National Socialist German Workers' Party)[6]

Nazi Germany

2
The Nazis promised strong, authoritarian government in lieu of effete
parliamentary republicanism, civil peace, radical economic policy (including full
employment), restored national pride (principally by repudiating the Versailles
Treaty), and racial cleansing, partly implemented via the active suppression of
Jews and Marxists, all in name of national unity and solidarity, rather than the
partisan divisions of democracy, and the social class divisiveness of Marxism.
The Nazis promised national and cultural renewal based upon Vlkisch
movement traditionalism, and proposed rearmament, repudiation of reparations,
and reclamation of territory lost to the Treaty of Versailles.

The Nazi Party claimed that through the Treaty, the Weimar Republics liberal
democracy, the traitorous November criminals had surrendered Germany's
national pride, by the inspiration and conniving of the Jews, whose goal was
Adolf Hitler, Chancellor of
Germany, January 1933.
national subversion and the poisoning of the German blood.[5] To establish that
interpretation of recent German history, the Nazi propaganda effectively used the
Dolchstolegende (Dagger-stab in the Back Legend) explaining the German military failure.
From 1925 to the 1930s, the German government evolved from a democracy to a de facto conservativenationalist
authoritarian state under war hero-President Paul von Hindenburg, who disliked the liberal democracy of the Weimar
Republic, and wanted to make Germany into an authoritarian state.[7] The natural ally for establishing
authoritarianism was the German National People's Party (Deutschnationale Volkspartei, DNVP), "the Nationalists",
but, after 1929, with the German economy floundering, more radical and younger nationalists were attracted to the
revolutionary nature of the National Socialist Party, to challenge the rising popular support for communism.
Moreover, the middle-class political parties lost support as the voters aggregated to the left- and right- wings of the
German political spectrum, thus making majority government, in a parliamentary system, even more difficult.
In the federal election of 1928, when the economy had improved after the hyperinflation of the 192223 period, the
Nazis won only 12 seats. Two years later, in the federal election of 1930, months after the US stock market crash, the
Nazi Party won 107 seats, progressing from ninth-rated splinter group to second-largest parliamentary party in the
Reichstag. After the federal election of 1932, the Nazis were the largest party in the Reichstag, holding 230 seats.[8]
President Hindenburg was reluctant to confer substantial executive power to Adolf Hitler, but former chancellor
Franz von Papen and Hitler concorded an NSDAPDNVP party alliance that would allow Hitlers chancellorship,
subject to traditional-conservative control, for President Hindenburg to develop an authoritarian state. In the event,
Hitler consistently demanded to be appointed chancellor, in exchange for Hindenburgs receiving any Nazi Party
support of the cabinets appointed under his authority.
On 30 January 1933, President Paul von Hindenburg appointed Adolf Hitler as Chancellor of Germany, after
General Kurt von Schleichers failure to form a viable government (see Machtergreifung). Hitler pressured
Hindenburg through his son Oskar von Hindenburg, and via intrigue by former Chancellor Franz von Papen, former
leader of the Catholic Centre Party. By becoming the Vice Chancellor and keeping the Nazis a cabinet minority, von
Papen expected to be able to control Hitler. Although the Nazis had won the greatest share of the popular vote in the
two Reichstag general elections of 1932, they had no majority of their own, not even with the NSDAPDNVP
alliance that started governing in 1933 by Presidential Decree, per Article 48 of the 1919 Weimar Constitution.[9]
The National Socialist treatment of the Jews in the early months of 1933 marked the first step in a longer-term
process of removing them from German society.[10] This plan was at the core of Adolf Hitler's "cultural
revolution".[10]

Nazi Germany

Consolidation of power
The new government quickly installed a totalitarian dictatorship to Germany with legal measures establishing a
co-ordinated central government, (see Gleichschaltung). On the night of 27 February 1933, the Reichstag building
was set afire, and the Dutch council communist Marinus van der Lubbe was found inside; he was arrested, charged
with arson, tried, and then decapitated. The fire immediately provoked the response of thousands of anarchists,
socialists, and communists throughout the Reich; describing said free-speech exercises as insurrection, the Nazis
imprisoned many to Dachau concentration camp. The public worried that the fire had been a signal meant to initiate
communist revolution in Germany, as in 1919, so the Nazis exploited the arson with the Reichstag Fire Decree (27
February 1933), rescinding most German civil liberties, including habeas corpus, to so suppress their opponents.
In March 1933, with the Enabling Act, voted 44494 (the remaining Social Democrats), the Reichstag conferred
dictatorial (decree) powers to Chancellor Adolf Hitler; four years of political power authorizing him to deviate from
the Weimar Constitution; in the event, Germany officially became a single-party state on 14 July 1933. Forthwith,
throughout 1934, the Nazi Party ruthlessly eliminated all political opposition; the Enabling Act already had banned
the Communists (KPD), the Social Democrats (SPD) were banned in June, despite appeasing Hitler, and, in the
JuneJuly period, the Nationalists (DNVP), the People's Party (DVP), and the German State Party (DStP) were
like-wise obliged to disband. Moreover, at the urging of Franz von Papen, the remaining Catholic Centre Party,
disbanded on 5 July 1933 after obtaining Nazi guarantees for Catholic religious education and youth groups. On 14
July 1933, Germany was officially declared a single-party state.
In establishing the Dritte Reich, the Nazi rgime abolished the Weimar
Republic symbols, including the black-red-gold tricolour flag, and adopted
new and old imperial symbolism representing the dual nature of Germanys
third empire. The previous, imperial black-white-red tricolour, mostly disused
by the Weimar Republic, was restored as one of Germany's two, official,
national flags; the second was the swastika flag of the Nazi party, which
became the national German flag in 1935. The national anthem remained
Deutschland ber Alles (aka the Deutschlandlied, "Song of Germany"), but
only the first stanza was sung, immediately followed by the Nazi anthem
Horst-Wessel-Lied ("Horst Wessel Song"), accompanied by the Hitler salute.

Flag of the Weimar Republic, 191933

On 30 January 1934, Reich President and Chancellor Hitler formally

centralised government power to himself with the Gesetz ber den Neuaufbau
des Reichs (Act to rebuild the Reich), by disbanding Lnder (federal state)
parliaments, and transferring states rights and administration to the Berlin
central government. The centralization began soon after the March 1933
Flag of Nazi Germany, 193345, the
Enabling Act promulgation, when state governments were replaced with
Nazi Party flag
Reichsstatthalter (Reich governors). Local government also was deposed;
Reich governors appointed mayors of cities and towns with populaces of
fewer than 100,000; the Interior Minister appointed the mayors of cities with populaces greater than 100,000; and, in
the cases of Berlin and Hamburg (and Vienna after the Anschluss sterreichs in 1938), President and Chancellor
Adolf Hitler had personal discretion to appoint their mayors.
By spring of 1934, only the Reichswehr remained independent of government control; traditionally, it was separate
from the national government, a discrete political entity. The Nazi paramilitary Sturmabteilung (SA, "Storm
Detachment") had expected to assume command of the German military; the Reichswehr opposed SA Leader Ernst
Rhms ambition to subsume the Reichswehr to the SA. Moreover, Rhm also aimed to launch the "socialist
revolution" to complement the "nationalist revolution" occurred with the political ascendancy of Adolf Hitler to
German government. Rhm and the Sturmabteilung leaders wanted the regime to fulfill its campaign promise of
enacting socialist legislation for Aryan Germans.

Nazi Germany

At the risk of appearing to talk nonsense, I tell you that the Nazi movement will go on for 1,000 years! . . .
Dont forget how people laughed at me, 15 years ago, when I declared that one day I would govern Germany.
They laugh now, just as foolishly, when I declare that I shall remain in power!
Adolf Hitler to a British correspondent in Berlin, June 1934 ,[11]
Possessing only virtual absolute power without the Reichswehr, and wanting to preserve good relations with them,
and certain politicians and industrialists (weary of SA political violence), Hitler ordered the Schutzstaffel (SS) and
the Gestapo to assassinate his political enemies both in and outside the Nazi Party with the "Night of the Long
Knives". The purges of Ernst Rhm, his SA cohort, the Strasserist, left-wing Nazis, and other political enemies
lasted from 30 June to 2 July 1934.

March at Reichsparteitag, Nrnberg,

1935.

Upon the death of Paul von Hindenburg, on 2 August 1934, the Nazi-controlled
Reichstag consolidated the offices of Reichsprsident (Reich President) and
Reichskanzler (Reich Chancellor), and reinstalled Adolf Hitler as Fhrer und
Reichskanzler (Leader and Reich Chancellor). Until Hindenburgs death, the
Reichswehr did not follow Hitler, partly because the (multi-million-man)
Sturmabteilung was larger than the German Army (limited to 100,000 soldiers by
the Treaty of Versailles), and because the SA leaders sought to first subsume the
Reichswehr to the SA, and then launch the Nazi socialist revolution. The
assassination of Ernst Rhm and the SA leaders, fixed the Reichswehrs position
as the sole armed forces of the Reich, and the Fhrers imperial expansion
promises guaranteed him military loyalty. Hindenburgs death facilitated
changing the German soldiers oath of allegiance from the Reich of the German
Constitution to personal fealty to Adolf Hitler, the Fhrer of Germany.[12]

In the event, the Nazis ended the official NSDAPDNVP government alliance,
and began introducing Nazism and Nazi symbolism to public and private
German life; textbooks were revised, or re-written to promote the Pan-German racist fantasy of Grodeutschland
(Greater Germany) to be established by the Nazi Herrenvolk; teachers who opposed curricular Nazification were
dismissed. Furthermore, to coerce popular obedience to the state, the Nazis established the Gestapo secret state
policeindependent of civil authority. The Gestapo controlled the German populace with some 100,000 spies and
informers, thereby were aware of anti-Nazi criticism and dissent.
Happy with Nazi prosperity, most Germans remained silently obedient, while political opponents, especially the
Communists, Marxists, and international socialists were imprisoned; "between 1933 and 1945, more than 3 million
Germans had been in concentration camps, or prison, for political reasons".[13] [14] [15] "Tens of thousands of
Germans were killed for one or another form of resistance. Between 1933 and 1945, Sondergerichte (Nazi "special
courts") killed 12,000 Germans, courts martial killed 25,000 German soldiers, and civil justice killed 40,000
Germans. Many of these Germans were part of the government, civil, or military service, a circumstance which
enabled them to engage in subversion and conspiracy, while involved, marginally or significantly, in the
governments policies."[16]

Nazi Germany

World War II
Conquest of Europe
The "Danzig crisis" peaked in early 1939, around the
time that reports of controversy in the Free City of
Danzig increased, the United Kingdom "guaranteed" to
defend Poland's territorial integrity and the Poles
rejected a series of offers by Nazi Germany regarding
both the Free City of Danzig and the Polish Corridor.
Then, the Germans broke off diplomatic relations.
Hitler had learned that the Soviet Union was willing to
sign a non-aggression pact with Germany and would
support an attack on Poland. Germany invaded Poland
on 1 September 1939 and two days later, the United
Kingdom and France declared war on Germany. World
War II was underway, but Poland fell quickly,
German and Axis allies' conquests (in blue) in Europe during World
especially after the Soviets attacked Poland on 17
War II
September. The United Kingdom proceeded to bomb
[17]
[18]
Wilhelmshaven, Cuxhaven,
Heligoland
and other
areas. Still, aside from battles at sea, no other activity occurred. Thus, the war became known as "the Phony War".
The year 1940 began with little more than the UK dropping propaganda leaflets over Prague and Vienna[19] but a
German attack on the British High Seas fleet was followed by the British bombing the port city of Sylt.[20] After the
Altmark Incident off the coast of Norway and the discovery of the United Kingdom's plans to encircle Germany,
Hitler sent troops into Denmark and Norway. This safeguarded iron ore supplies from Sweden through coastal
waters. Shortly thereafter, the British and French landed in Mid- and North Norway, but the Germans de facto
defeated these forces in the ensuing Norwegian campaign.

British fisherman giving a hand to an Allied

soldier while a Stuka's bomb explodes a few
metres ahead. More than 300,000 troops were
evacuated from Dunkirk and the surrounding
beaches in May and June 1940.

In May 1940, the Phony War ended. Against the will of his advisors,
Hitler ordered an attack on France through the Low Countries. The
Battle of France ended with an overwhelming German victory.
However, with the British refusing Hitler's offer of peace, the war
continued.[21] [22] Germany and Britain continued to fight at sea and in
the air. However, on 24 August, two off-course German bombers
accidentally bombed London against Hitler's orders, changing the
course of the war.[23] In response to the attack, the British bombed
Berlin, which sent Hitler into a rage. The German leader ordered
attacks on British cities, and the UK was bombed heavily during The
Blitz.[24] This change in targeting priority interfered with the
Luftwaffe's objective of achieving the air superiority over Britain
necessary for an invasion and allowed British air defenses to rebuild

their strength and continue the fight.

Hitler hoped to break British morale and win peace. However, the British refused to back down; eventually, Hitler
called off the Battle of Britain strategic bombing campaign in favor of the long-planned invasion of the Soviet
Union: Operation Barbarossa. Germany and its allies invaded the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941. On the eve of the
invasion, Hitler's former deputy, Rudolf Hess, attempted to negotiate terms of peace with the United Kingdom in an
unofficial private meeting after crash-landing in Scotland. By contrast, Hitler had hoped that rapid success in the

Nazi Germany
Soviet Union would bring Britain to the negotiating table.
Operation Barbarossa was supposed to begin earlier than it did; however, failed Italian ventures in North Africa and
the Balkans concerned Hitler. In February 1941, the German Afrika Korps was sent to Libya to aid the Italians and
hold the British Commonwealth forces from British-held Egypt. As the North African Campaign continued, in spite
of orders to remain on the defensive, the Afrika Korps regained lost Italian territory, pushed the British back across
the desert and advanced into Egypt. In April, the Germans launched the invasion of Yugoslavia to aid friendly forces
and restore order in the midst of what was believed to be a British-supported coup. This was followed by the Battle
of Greece, again to bail out the Italians, and the Battle of Crete. Because of the diversions in North Africa and the
Balkans, the Germans were not able to launch Barbarossa until late in June. Moreover, men and material were
diverted to create the "fortified Europe" that Hitler wanted before Germany focused its attention on the East.
Nevertheless, Barbarossa began with great success. Only Hitler worried that the German Army and its allies were not
advancing into the Soviet Union fast enough. By December 1941, the Germans and their allies were at the gates of
Moscow; to the north, troops had reached Leningrad and surrounded the city.[25] Meanwhile, Germany and her allies
controlled almost all of mainland Europe, with the exception of neutral Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Portugal,
Liechtenstein, Andorra, Vatican City and Monaco.
On 11 December 1941, four days after the Japanese bombed Pearl
Harbor, Nazi Germany declared war on the United States. Not only
was this a chance for Germany to strengthen its ties with Japan, but
after months of anti-German hysteria in the American media and
Lend-Lease aid to Britain, the leaking of Rainbow Five and the
foreboding content of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Pearl Harbor speech
made it clear to Hitler that the US could not be kept neutral. Moreover,
Supply trucks on their way to Leningrad on the
Road of Life. In 1942 alone, the Siege of
Germany's policy of appeasement towards the US, designed to keep the
Leningrad claimed some 650,000 lives.
US out of the war, was a burden to Germany's war effort. Germany had
refrained from attacking American convoys, even if they were bound
for the United Kingdom or the Soviet Union. By contrast, after Germany declared war on the US, the German navy
began unrestricted submarine warfare, using U-Boats to attack ships without warning.
The goal of Germany's navy, the Kriegsmarine, was to cut off Britain's supply line. Under these circumstances, one
of the most famous naval battles in history took place, with the German battleshipBismarck, Germany's largest and
most powerful warship, attempting to break out into the Atlantic and raid supply ships heading for Britain. Bismarck
was sunk but not before sending Britain's largest warship, the battlecruiser HMSHood, to the depths of the ocean.
German U-Boats were more successful than surface raiders like Bismarck. However, Germany failed to make
submarine production a top priority early on and by the time it did, the British and their allies were developing the
technology and strategies to neutralize it. Furthermore, in spite of the submarines' early success in 1941 and 1942,
material shortages in Britain failed to fall to their World War I levels. The Allied victory in the Battle of the Atlantic
was achieved at a huge cost: between 1939 and 1945, 3,500 Allied ships were sunk (gross tonnage 14.5 million) at a
cost of 783 German U-Boats.[26]

Nazi Germany

Persecution and extermination campaigns

The persecution of racial, ethnic, and social minorities and "undesirables"
continued in Germany and the occupied countries. From 1941, Jews were
required to wear a yellow badge in public; most were kept in walled ghettos,
where they remained isolated from the general populace. In January 1942, the
Wannsee Conference, headed by Reinhard Heydrich (direct subordinate of SS
Chief Heinrich Himmler), redacted the plans for the "Final Solution of the Jewish
Question" (Endlsung der Judenfrage). From then until the end of the war some
six million Jews and many others, including homosexuals, Slavs, and political
prisoners, were systematically killed. In addition, more than ten million people
were put into forced labour. This genocide is called the Holocaust in English and
the Shoah in Hebrew. Thousands were shipped daily to extermination camps and
concentration camps.

An Einsatzgruppe D soldier shoots a

Jew kneeling before a full mass
grave, Vinnitsa, Ukraine, 1942.

Parallel to the Holocaust, the Nazis executed the Generalplan Ost (General Plan
East) for the conquest, ethnic cleansing, and exploitation of the populaces of the
captured Soviet and Polish territories; some 13,7 million Soviet civilians (including Jews) and 2,5 million Poles died
as a result of warfare, genocide, reprisals, forced labor or famine.[27] The Nazis' aggressive war for Lebensraum
(Living space) in eastern Europe was waged to defend Western Civilization against the Bolshevism of subhumans.
Estimates indicate that, had the Nazis won the war, they would have deported some 51 million Slavs from Central
and Eastern Europe.[28] Because of the atrocities suffered under Stalin, many Ukrainians, Balts, and other oppressed
nationalities, fought for the Nazis. The populaces of Nazi-occupied Soviet Russia who racially qualified as of the
Aryan race, or had no immediate Jewish ancestors, were not persecuted, and often were recruited to the Waffen
Schutzstaffel (Waffen-SS) divisions; eventually, the Nazi regime meant to Germanize the racially acceptable volk of
occupied eastern Europe.
Allied victory
In early 1942, the Red Army counter-attacked, and, by winters end,
the Wehrmacht were no longer immediately outside Moscow. Yet the
Germans and their fascist allies held a strong line, and, in the spring,
launched a major attack against the petroleum fields of the Caucasus
and the Volga River in south Russia. That established the conditions
for the definitive NaziSoviet confrontation, the Battle of Stalingrad
(17 July 1942 2 February 1943), wherein Germany and its allies
were defeated. After winning a major tank battle at Kursk-Orel in July
1943, the Red Army progressed west, to Germany; henceforth, the
Wehrmacht and allies remained on the defensive.

Field Marshal Rommel inspecting the Free India

Legion, France, 1944

Nazi Germany

In Libya, the Afrika Korps failed to break through the line at First
Battle of El Alamein (127 July 1942), having suffered repercussions
from the Battle of Stalingrad. Beginning in 1942, Allied bombing of
Germany increased, razing, among others, the cities of Hamburg,
Cologne and Dresden, resulting in the destruction more than 160 cities
and killing a total of more than 600.000 civilians, and causing hardship
for the survivors.[29] Contemporary estimates of Nazi German military
dead is 5.5 million.[30]
In November 1942, the Wehrmacht and the Italian Army retreated to
US soldiers cross the FrancoGerman Siegfried
Tunisia, where they fought the Americans and the British in the
Line
Tunisia Campaign (17 November 1942 13 May 1943). The Allies
invaded Sicily and Italy next, but met fierce resistance, particularly at
Anzio(22 January 1944 5 June 1944) and Cassino (17 January 1944 18 May 1944), and the campaign continued
from mid-1943 to nearly the end of the war. In June 1944, US and UK forces established the western front with the
D-Day (6 June 1944) landings in Normandy, France. After the successful Operation Bagration (22 June 19 August
1944), the Red Army was in Poland; and in East Prussia, West Prussia, and Silesia the German populaces fled en
masse, fearing Communist persecution, atrocity, and death.
Meanwhile, in the underground Fhrerbunker, Adolf Hitler, leader of Nazi Germany became psychologically
isolated and detached, exhibiting the signs of mental illness; in meeting with military commanders, he began
considering suicide, should Germany lose the war. In the event, the Red Army surrounded Berlin, leaving it
incommunicado from Greater Germany; despite the losses of armies and lands, the Fhrer neither relinquished
power, nor surrendered. Moreover, without communications from Berlin, Hermann Gring sent Hitler an ultimatum,
threatening to assume command of Nazi Germany in April if he received no replywhich he would interpret as
Hitler incapacitated. Upon receiving the ultimatum, the Fhrer ordered Gring's immediate arrest, and despatched an
aeroplane delivering the reply to Gring in Bavaria. Later, in northern Germany, Reichsfhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler
began communicating with the Western Allies about peace negotiations; Hitler responded violently, ordering the
Reichsfhrers arrest and execution.
In spring of 1945, the Red Army was at Berlin; US and UK forces had conquered most of west Germany and met the
Red Army at Torgau on the Elbe on 26 April 1945. With Berlin under siege, Hitler and key Nazi staff lived in the
armoured, underground Fhrerbunker while aboveground, in the Battle of Berlin (16 April 1945 2 May 1945) the
Red Army fought remnant German army forces, Hitler Youth, and the Waffen-SS, for control of the ruined capital
city of Nazi Germany.
Capitulation of German forces
On 30 April 1945, as the Battle for Berlin raged and the city was being overrun by Soviet forces, Hitler committed
suicide in his underground bunker. Two days later, on 2 May 1945, German General Helmuth Weidling
unconditionally surrendered Berlin to the Soviet General Vasily Chuikov.
Hitler was succeeded by Grand Admiral Karl Dnitz as Reich's President and Dr. Joseph Goebbels as Reich
Chancellor. No one was to replace Hitler as the Fhrer, a position Hitler abolished in his will. However, Goebbels
committed suicide in the Fhrerbunker a day after assuming office. The caretaker government Dnitz established
near the Danish border unsuccessfully sought a separate peace with the Western Allies. On 48 May 1945 most of
the remaining German armed forces throughout Europe surrendered unconditionally (German Instrument of
Surrender, 1945). This was the end of World War II in Europe.
The war was the largest and most destructive in human history, with 60 million dead across the world,[31] including
approx. 6 million people who perished during the Holocaust.[32] The Soviet Union lost around 27 million people
during the war,[33] about half of all World War II casualties.[34] One of every four Soviet citizens was killed or

Nazi Germany

wounded in that war.[35] Towards the end of the war, Europe had more than 40 million refugees,[36] the European
economy had collapsed, and 70% of the European industrial infrastructure was destroyed.[37]
With the creation of the Allied Control Council on 5 July 1945, the four Allied powers "assume[d] supreme authority
with respect to Germany" (Declaration Regarding the Defeat of Germany, U.S. Department of State, Treaties and
Other International Acts Series, No. 1520).

The Fall of the Third Reich

The Potsdam Conference in August 1945 created arrangements and an outline for a new government for the post-war
Germany as well as war reparations and resettlement. All German annexations in Europe after 1937, such as the
Sudetenland, were reversed, and in addition subject to a peace settlement Germany's eastern border was shifted
westwards to the Oder-Neisse line, effectively reducing Germany in size by approximately 25% compared to its
1937 border. The territories east of the new border comprised East Prussia, Silesia, West Prussia, two-thirds of
Pomerania and parts of Brandenburg. Much of these areas were agricultural, with the exception of Upper Silesia,
which was the second-largest center of German heavy industry. Many smaller and large cities such as Stettin,
Knigsberg, Breslau, Elbing and Danzig were cleansed of their German populations and taken from Germany as
well.
France took control of a large part of Germany's remaining coal deposits. Virtually all Germans in Central Europe
outside of the new eastern borders of Germany and Austria were subsequently, over a period of several years,
expelled, affecting about 17 million ethnic Germans. Most casualty estimates of this expulsion range between one to
two million dead. The French, US and British occupation zones later became West Germany (the Federal Republic
of Germany), while the Soviet zone became the communist East Germany (the German Democratic Republic,
excluding sections of Berlin).
The initial repressive occupation policy in Germany by the Western Allies was reversed after a few years when the
Cold War made the Germans important as allies against communism. West Germany recovered economically by the
1960s, in what was called the economic miracle (German term Wirtschaftswunder), mainly due to the currency
reform of 1948 which replaced the Reichsmark with the Deutsche Mark as legal tender, halting rampant inflation, but
also to a minor degree helped by economic aid (in the form of loans) through the Marshall Plan which was extended
to also include West Germany. West German recovery was upheld thanks to fiscal policy and intense labour,
eventually leading to the influx of Gastarbeiter ("guest workers").
The Allied dismantling of West German industry was finally halted in 1951, and in 1952 West Germany joined the
European Coal and Steel Community. In 1955 the military occupation of West Germany was ended. East Germany
recovered at a slower pace under communism until 1990, due to reparations paid to the Soviet Union and the effects
of the centrally planned economy. Germany regained full sovereignty in 1991.
After the war, surviving Nazi leaders were put on trial by an Allied
tribunal at Nuremberg for crimes against humanity. A minority were
sentenced to death and executed, but a number were jailed and then
released by the mid-1950s due to poor health and old age, with the
notable exception of Rudolf Hess, who died in Spandau Prison in 1987
while in permanent solitary confinement. In the 1960s, 1970s and
1980s, some renewed efforts were made in West Germany to take
those who were directly responsible for "crimes against humanity" to
court (e.g., Auschwitz trials). However, many of the less prominent
leaders continued to live well into the 1980s and 1990s.

The US Army blows up the swastika atop the

Nazi Party rally ground (Zeppelin field) in
Nuremberg.

Nazi Germany

10

The victorious Allies outlawed the Nazi Party, its subsidiary organizations, and most of its symbols and emblems
(including the swastika in most manifestations) throughout Germany and Austria; this prohibition remains in force.
The end of Nazi Germany also saw the rise in unpopularity of related aggressive manifestations of nationalism in
Germany such as Pan-Germanism and the Vlkisch movement which had previously been significant political ideas
there, and in other parts of Europe, before the Second World War. Those that remain are largely fringe movements.
In all non-fascist European countries there were legal purges to punish the members of the former Nazi and Fascist
parties. Even there, however, some of the former leaders found ways to accommodate themselves under the new
circumstances.
Nuremberg Trials
Nazi German war crimes and crimes against humanity revived
internationalism in Western Europe and the Eastern Bloc, resulting in
the establishment of the United Nations (26 June 1945). One of the
organizations first orders of business was establishing war crimes
tribunals to try Nazi officials in the Nuremberg Trials, held in the
Nazis' (former) political stronghold, Nuremberg, Bavaria. The first,
major and trial was the Trial of the Major War Criminals Before the
International Military Tribunal (IMT), of 24 key Nazi
officialsincluding Hermann Gring, Ernst Kaltenbrunner, Rudolf
The prosecutions principal defendant was
Hess, Albert Speer, Karl Dnitz, Hans Frank, and Julius Streicher.
Hermann Gring (left, first row ), the most
Many defendants were found guilty, 12 were sentenced to death by
important surviving Third Reich official.
hanging. Many of those hanged praised Hitler in their last seconds of
life, and a few officials evaded execution. Among them were Gring,
who committed suicide by ingesting cyanide; Hess, (a formerly close confidant of Hitler's, sentenced to life in prison
and stayed in Spandau prison until his death in 1987); Speer, (the state architect and later armaments minister who
served 20 years despite his use of slave labour); Konstantin von Neurath, (a Third Reich cabinet minister who was in
office before the advent of the Nazi regime); and another minister who also served in the pre-Nazi government, the
economist Hjalmar Schacht. Nonetheless, some have accused the Nuremberg Trials of being victors justice,
because no like action was taken to punish the war crimes and crimes against humanity of the victors.[38] [39]

Geography
Administration
To consolidate Adolf Hitlers control of
Germany, in 1935, the Nazi rgime de facto
replaced the administration of the Lnder
(constituent states) with gaus (regional
districts) headed by governors answerable to
the central Reich government in Berlin. The
reorganization politically weakened Prussia,
which had historically dominated German
politics.
Moreover,
despite
having
centralised and assumed the Gau
governments, some Nazis still retained
Administrative regions of Greater German Reich in 1944.

Nazi Germany

11

leadership title to the different Lnder; Hermann Gring was and remained the Reichsstatthalter (Reich state
governor) and MinisterPresident of Prussia until 1945, and Ludwig Siebert remained as MinisterPresident of
Bavaria.

Regions and protectorates

A 50 Korun note, the currency of the

German Protectorate of Bohemia and
Moravia.

In the years leading to war, in addition to the Weimar Republic proper, the
Reich came to include areas with ethnic German populations, such as Austria,
the Czechoslovak Sudetenland, and the Lithuanian territory of Memel (the
Klaipda region). Regions conquered after wars start, include
Eupen-et-Malmdy, Alsace-Lorraine, Danzig, and territories of Poland
(Second Polish Republic).

From 1939 to 1945, the Third Reich ruled Bohemia and Moravia as the
Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, with its own currency; conquered,
subjugated, and annexed before the war, like-wise, Czech Silesia was incorporated to the province of Silesia; and
Luxembourg was a wartime annexation in 1942. Central Poland and Polish Galicia were governed by the
protectorate General Government. Eventually, the Polish people were to be removed, and Poland proper then
re-populated with 5 million Germans. By late 1943, Nazi Germany had conquered the Province of Bolzano-Bozen
(South Tyrol) and Istria, which had been parts of Austria-Hungary before 1919, and seized Trieste after the
(erstwhile Axis Ally) Italian Fascist government capitulated to the Allies.

The Greater Germanic Reich

Beyond the territories directly annexed into Germany were the
Reichskommissariate (Reich Commissariats), administrative regions established
in a number of occupied lands that were ruled by Nazi civilian administrators
(Reichskommissars). Although outside of the Reich in a legal sense these were
intended for eventual incorporation into it, both as sources for Lebensraum and
to unite all the Germanic inhabitants of Europe into one nation. Nazi-occupied
Soviet Russia included the Reichskommissariat Ostland (encompassing the
Baltic states, eastern parts of Poland, and western parts of Belarus) and a
Reichskommissariat Ukraine. In northern and western Europe, there were the
Reichskommissariat Niederlande (the Netherlands) and the Reichskommissariat
Norwegen (Norway). In June 1944 a FrancoBelgian Reichskommissariat
A 42-pfennig postal stamp of Adolf
Hitler (1944). Germany became the
derived from the previous Military Administration of Belgium and North France
Grossdeutsches Reich in 1943.
was also established to facilitate the area's intended annexation into Germany.
This subsequently happened in December 1944 when it was split into three new
Reichsgaue: Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels of the Greater German Reich. This meant little in reality however as
the majority of Belgium had already been liberated by the Allied forces at that point, although the Wehrmacht did
make small gains in retaking Wallonia in the Ardennes offensive.
Adolf Hitler and other leading Nazi politicians believed that the non-German Germanic peoples of Europe, such as
the Scandinavians, the Dutch, and the Flemish, racially belonged to the superior Aryan Herrenvolk. Hitler announced
that he wanted to do away with the "unnatural" division of the Nordic race into many different countries
("kleinstaatengermpel"). This policy stated that since the union with Austria had transformed Germany into a
Greater German Reich (Grossdeutsches Reich), so would its union with the rest of Germanic Europe create a Greater
Germanic Reich (Grossgermanisches Reich). The British however were expected to be accorded a higher status then
other "Germanic" Europeans (who were to simply be absorbed into the Reich), as partners in the Nazi's New Order

Nazi Germany
rather than subjects. Hitler professed an admiration for the British Empire and its people as proof of Aryan
superiority in Mein Kampf.

Post-war changes
The de facto borders of the Reich changed long before its vanquishment in May 1945; as the Red Army progressed
westwards, the colonist German populaces fled to Germany proper, as the Western Allies advanced eastwards, from
France. At wars end, a small strip of land, from Austria to Bohemia and Moravia (and other isolated regions) was
the only area not occupied by the Allies. Upon its defeat, some have historians propose that the Reich was in
debellation. France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States, established occupation zones. The
prewar German lands east of the Oder-Neisse line and Stettin, and environs (nearly 25 per cent of pre-war German
territory) were under Polish and Soviet administration, sundered for Polish and Soviet annexation; the Allies
expelled the German inhabitants. In 1947, the Allied Control Council disestablished Prussia with Law No. 46 (20
May 1947); per the Potsdam Conference (6 July2 August 1945), the Prussian lands east of the Oder-Neisse Line
were divided and administered by Poland and the Kaliningrad Oblast, pending the final peace treaty Later, by
signing the Treaty of Warsaw (1970) and the Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany (1990),
Germany renounced claims to territories lost during the Second World War (193945).

Economy
In keeping with the political syncretism of fascism, the Nazi war economy was a mixed economy of free-market and
central-planning practices; historian Richard Overy reports: The German economy fell between two stools. It was
not enough of a command economy to do what the Soviet system could do; yet it was not capitalist enough to rely, as
America did, on the recruitment of private enterprise.[40]
When the Nazis assumed German government, their most pressing
economic matter was a national unemployment rate of approximately
30 per cent;[41] at the start, Third Reich economic policies were the
brainchildren of the economist Dr. Hjalmar Schacht, President of the
Reichsbank (1933) and Minister of Economics (1934), who helped
Reichskanzler Adolf Hitler implement Nazi redevelopment,
reindustrialization, and rearmament of Germany; formerly, he had been
Weimar Republic currency commissioner and Reichsbank
president.[41] As Economics Minister, Schacht was one of few
ministers who took advantage of the administrative freedom allowed
by the removal of the Reichsmark from the gold standardto maintain
low interest rates, and high government deficits; the extensive, national
20 Reichsmark note
public works, reducing the unemployment, were deficit-funded
policy.[41] The consequence of Economics Minister Schachts
administration was the extremely rapid unemployment-rate decline, the greatest of any country during the Great
Depression.[41] Eventually, this Keynesian economic policy was supplemented by the increased production demands
of rearmament, inflating military budgets, and increasing government spending; the 100,000-soldier Reichswehr
expanded to millions, and renamed as the Wehrmacht in 1936.[41]

12

Nazi Germany

13
While the strict state intervention into the economy, and the massive
rearmament policy, almost led to full employment during the 1930s (statistics
didn't include non-citizens or women), real wages in Germany dropped by
roughly 25% between 1933 and 1938.[42] Trade unions were abolished, as
well as collective bargaining and the right to strike.[43] The right to quit also
disappeared: Labour books were introduced in 1935, and required the consent
of the previous employer in order to be hired for another job.[43]

Polish-forced-workers badge

OST-Arbeiter badge

Nazi control of business retained a diminished investment profit-incentive,

controlled with economic regulation concording a companys functioning
with the Reichs national production requirements. Government financing
eventually dominated private investment; in the 193334 biennium, the
proportion of private securities issued diminished from more than 50 per cent
of the total, to approximately 10 per cent in the 193538 quadrennium. Heavy
profit taxes limited self-financing companies, and the largest companies
(usually government contractors) mostly were exempted from paying taxes on
profitsin practice, however, government control allowed only the shell of
private ownership in the Third Reich economy.[44]
In 1937, Hermann Gring replaced Schacht as Minister of Economics, and
introduced the Four Year Plan that would establish German self-sufficiency
for warwithin four yearsby curtailing foreign importations; fixing wages
and prices (violators merited concentration-camp internment); stock
dividends were restricted to six per cent on book capital, et cetera. Strategic
goals were to be achieved regardless of cost (as in Soviet economics): thus
the rapid construction of synthetic-rubber factories, steel mills, automatic

textile mills, et cetera.[41]

The Four-Year Plan is discussed in the German-expansion Hossbach Memorandum (5 November 1937)
meeting-summary of Hitler and his military and foreign policy leaders planning aggressive war. Nevertheless, when
Nazi Germany started the Second World War, in September 1939, the Four Year Plans expiry was not until 1940; to
control the Reich economy, Economics Minister Gring had established the Office of the Four Year Plan. In 1942,
the increased burdens of the war, and the accidental aeroplane-crash death of Reichsminister Fritz Todt, placed
Albert Speer in economics ministry command; he then established a war economy in Nazi Germany, which required
the large-scale employment of forced labourers. To supply the Third Reich economy with slaves, the Nazis abducted
some 12 million people, from some 20 European countries; approximately 75 per cent were Eastern European.[45]

Politics
Through staffing of most government positions with Nazi Party members, by 1935 the German national government
and the Nazi Party had become virtually one and the same. By 1938, through the policy of Gleichschaltung, local
and state governments lost all legislative power and answered administratively to Nazi Party leaders, known as
Gauleiters, who governed Gaue and Reichsgaue.

Government
Nazi Germany was made up of various competing power structures, all trying to gain favor with the Fhrer, Adolf
Hitler. Thus many existing laws were stricken and replaced with interpretations of what Hitler wanted. Any high
party/government official could take one of Hitler's comments and turn it into a new law, of which Hitler would
casually either approve or disapprove. This became known as "working towards the Fhrer", as the government was

Nazi Germany
not a coordinated, co-operating body, but a collection of individuals each trying to gain more power and influence
through the Fhrer. This often made government very convoluted and divided, especially with Hitler's vague policy
of creating similar posts with overlapping powers and authority. The process allowed the more unscrupulous and
ambitious Nazis to get away with implementing the more radical and extreme elements of Hitler's ideology, such as
anti-Semitism, and in doing so win political favor. Protected by Goebbels' extremely effective propaganda machine,
which portrayed the government as a dedicated, dutiful and efficient outfit, the dog-eat-dog competition and chaotic
legislation was allowed to escalate. Historical opinion is divided between "intentionalists", who believe that Hitler
created this system as the only means of ensuring both the total loyalty and dedication of his supporters and the
impossibility of a conspiracy; and "structuralists", who believe that the system evolved by itself and was a limitation
on Hitler's supposedly totalitarian power.
Cabinet and national authorities

Office of the Reich Chancellery (Hans Lammers)

Office of the Party Chancellery (Martin Bormann)
Office of the Presidential Chancellery (Otto Meissner)
Privy Cabinet Council (Konstantin von Neurath)
Chancellery of the Fhrer (Philip Bouhler)

Reich offices

Office of the Four-Year Plan (Hermann Gring)

Office of the Reich Master Forester (Hermann Gring)
Office of the Inspector for Highways
Office of the President of the Reich Bank
Reich Youth Office
Reich Treasury Office
General Inspector of the Reich Capital
Office of the Councillor for the Capital of the Movement (Munich, Bavaria)

Reich ministries

Reich Foreign Ministry (Joachim von Ribbentrop)

Reich Interior Ministry (Wilhelm Frick, Heinrich Himmler)
Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda (Joseph Goebbels)
Reich Ministry of Aviation (Hermann Gring)
Reich Ministry of Finance (Lutz Schwerin von Krosigk)
Reich Ministry of Justice (Otto Thierack)
Reich Economics Ministry (Walther Funk)
Reich Ministry for Nutrition and Agriculture (Richard Walther Darr)
Reich Labour Ministry (Franz Seldte)
Reich Ministry for Science, Education, and Public Instruction (Bernhard Rust)
Reich Ministry for Ecclesiastical Affairs (Hanns Kerrl)
Reich Transportation Ministry (Julius Dorpmller)
Reich Postal Ministry (Wilhelm Ohnesorge)
Reich Ministry for Weapons, Munitions, and Armament (Fritz Todt, Albert Speer)
Reich Ministry for the Occupied Eastern Territories (Alfred Rosenberg)
Reich Ministers without Portfolio (Konstantin von Neurath, Hans Frank, Hjalmar Schacht, Arthur Seyss-Inquart)

14

Nazi Germany

State ideology
National Socialism had some of the key ideological elements of fascism which originally developed in Italy under
Benito Mussolini; however, the Nazis never officially declared themselves fascists. Both ideologies involved the
political use of militarism, nationalism, anti-communism and paramilitary forces, and both intended to create a
dictatorial state. The Nazis, however, were far more racially oriented than the fascists in Italy, Portugal, and Spain.
The Nazis were also intent on creating a completely totalitarian state, unlike Italian fascists who while promoting a
totalitarian state, allowed a larger degree of private liberties for their citizens. These differences allowed the Italian
monarchy to continue to exist and have some official powers. However the Nazis copied much of their symbolism
from the Fascists in Italy, such as copying the Roman salute as the Nazi salute, use of mass rallies, both made use of
uniformed paramilitaries devoted to the party (the SA in Germany and the Blackshirts in Italy), both Hitler and
Mussolini were called the "Leader" (Fhrer in German, Duce in Italian), both were anti-Communist, both wanted an
ideologically driven state, and both advocated a middle-way between capitalism and communism, commonly known
as corporatism. The party itself rejected the fascist label, claiming National Socialism was an ideology unique to
Germany.
The totalitarian nature of the Nazi party was one of its principal tenets. The Nazis contended that all the great
achievements in the past of the German nation and its people were associated with the ideals of National Socialism,
even before the ideology officially existed. Propaganda accredited the consolidation of Nazi ideals and successes of
the regime to the regime's Fhrer ("Leader"), Adolf Hitler, who was portrayed as the genius behind the Nazi party's
success and Germany's saviour.
To secure their ability to create a totalitarian state, the Nazi party's paramilitary force, the Sturmabteilung (SA) or
"Storm Detachment" used acts of violence against leftists, communist, democrats, Jews and other opposition or
minority groups. The SA "storm troopers" violently clashed with the Communist Party of Germany (German
Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands KPD) which created a climate of lawlessness and fear. In the cities, people
were anxious over punishment or even death, if they displayed opposition to the Nazis. Given the frustrations of the
people (after World War I and during the Great Depression) it was easy for the SA to attract large numbers of
alienated (and unemployed) youth and working class people for the party.
The "German problem", as it is often referred to in English scholarship, focuses on the issue of administration of
Germanic regions in Northern and Central Europe, an important theme throughout German history.[46] The "logic" of
keeping Germany small worked in the favor of its principal economic rivals, and had been a driving force in the
recreation of a Polish state. The goal was to create numerous counterweights in order to "balance out Germany's
power".
The Nazis endorsed the concept of Grodeutschland, or Greater Germany, and believed that the incorporation of the
Germanic people into one nation was a vital step towards their national success. It was the Nazis' passionate support
of the Volk concept of Greater Germany that led to Germany's expansion, that gave legitimacy and the support
needed for the Third Reich to proceed to conquer long-lost territories with overwhelmingly non-German population
like former Prussian gains in Poland that it lost to Russia in the 19th century, or to acquire territories with German
population like parts of Austria. The German concept of Lebensraum ("living space") or more specifically its need
for an expanding German population was also claimed by the Nazi regime for territorial expansion.
Two important issues were administration of the Polish corridor and Danzig's incorporation into the Reich. As a
further extension of racial policy, the Lebensraum program pertained to similar interests; the Nazis determined that
Eastern Europe would be settled with ethnic Germans, and the Slavic population who met the Nazi racial standard
would be absorbed into the Reich. Those not fitting the racial standard were to be used as cheap labour force or
deported eastward.[47]
Racialism and racism were important aspects of society within the Third Reich. The Nazis combined anti-Semitism
with anti-Communist ideology, regarding the leftist-internationalist movementas well as international market
capitalismas the work of "Conspiratorial Jewry". They referred to this so-called movement with terminology such

15

Nazi Germany

16

as the "Jewish-Bolshevistic revolution of subhumans".[48] This platform manifested itself in the displacement,
internment, and systematic extermination of an estimated 11 million to 12 million people in the midst of World War
II, roughly half of them being Jews targeted in what is historically remembered as the Holocaust (Shoah), 2,5 million
ethnic Poles that died as a result of warfare, genocide, reprisals, forced labor or famine,[27] and another
100,0001,000,000 being Roma, who were murdered in the Porajmos. Other victims of Nazi persecution included
communists, various political opponents, social outcasts, homosexuals, freethinkers, religious dissidents such as
Jehovah's Witnesses, Christadelphians, the Confessing Church and Freemasons.[49]

Foreign relations
Foreign relations between Germany and the rest of Europe were riddled with political manuevres and opportunistic
decisions. Fearing a second world war, Britain and France sought a policy of appeasement towards Germany, and
refused aggressive foreign policies to satisfy the newly empowered Nazis. Hitler aims upon coming to power was
threefold; destroy Versailles, re-unite lost German territories under the decrees of Versailles, and Lebensraum. It is
said that Hitler eventually wanted Britain as an ally with eventual wars with the USSR, and eventually the USA.
Hitler used the Appeasement policies of Britain and France to his opportunistic advantage when he announced in
March 1935 that he would conscript men into his army and create the Luftwaffe; both a direct violation of Versailles.
His foreign policies were designed to test the nerve of Britain and France so he could see what else he was able to
get away with. His other concern was Italy, whom under Mussolini had become a similarly fascist country, but had
so much internal civil disruption Hitler wanted a more stable and powerful ally.
Although Germany's relations with Italy improved with creation of the Rome-Berlin Axis, tensions remained high
because the Nazis wanted Austria to be incorporated into Germany. Italy was opposed to this, as were France and
Britain. In 1938, an Austrian-led Nazi coup took place in Austria and Germany sent in its troops, annexing the
country. Italy and Britain no longer had common interests and, as Germany had stopped supporting the German
speaking population under Italy's control in Bolzano-Bozen (South Tyrol), Italy began to gravitate towards Germany.
Germany's annexation of the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia in
September 1938 came about during talks with British Prime Minister
Neville Chamberlain, in which Hitler, backed by Italian dictator Benito
Mussolini, demanded that the German territories be ceded.
Chamberlain and Hitler came to an agreement when Hitler signed a
piece of paper which said that with the annexation of the Sudetenland,
Germany would proceed with no further territorial aims. Chamberlain
took this to be a success in that it avoided a potential war with
Germany. However, the Nazis helped to promote Slovakian dissention
and declaring that the country was no more, seized control of the
Czech part.

Hitler with (from left to right) Neville

Chamberlain, douard Daladier, Benito
Mussolini, and Galeazzo Ciano pictured before
signing the Munich Agreement.

For quite some time, Germany had engaged in informal negotiations

with Poland regarding the issue of territorial revision, but after the Munich Agreement and the reacquisition of
Memel, the Nazis became increasingly vocal. Poland refused to allow the annexation of the Free City of Danzig.
Germany and the Soviet Union began talks over planning an invasion of Poland. In August 1939, the Molotov Pact
was signed and Germany and the Soviet Union agreed to divide Poland along a mutually agreed set boundary. The
invasion was put into effect on 1 September 1939. Last-minute Polish-German diplomatic proceedings failed, and
Germany invaded Poland as scheduled. Germany alleged that Polish operatives had attacked German positions, but
the result was the outbreak of World War II, as Allied forces refused to accept Germany's claims on Poland and
blamed Germany for the conflict.
From 1939-1940, the so-called "Phony War" occurred, as German forces made no further advances but instead, both
the Axis and Allies engaged in a propaganda campaign. However in early 1940, Germany began to concern that the

Nazi Germany

17

British intended to stop trade between Sweden and Germany by bringing Norway into an alliance against Germany,
with Norway in Allied hands, the Allies would be dangerously close to German territory. In response, Germany
invaded Denmark and Norway ending the Phony War (leapfrogging the British invasion troops bound towards
Norway by just 24 hours). After sweeping through the Low Countries and occupying northern France, Germany
allowed French nationalist and war hero Philippe Petain to form a fascist regime in southern France known as the
"French State" but more commonly referred to as Vichy France named after its capital in Vichy.
On October 23, 1940 Adolf Hitler and Francisco Franco,the
dictator of Spain, met in Hendaye to discuss Spain entering the
war. Franco asked too much from Hitler. Even though Spain
would remain neutral during WWII Spain and Nazi Germany
would remain allies during the war. Spain would send Volunteer
soldiers to fight for Germany but against the Soviet Union.
In 1941, Germany's invasion of Yugoslavia resulted in that state's
splintering. In spite of Hitler's earlier view of inferiority of all
Slavs, he supported Mussolini's agenda of creating a fascist puppet
state of Croatia, called the Independent State of Croatia. Croatia
was led by the extreme nationalist Ante Paveli a long-time
Croatian exile in Rome, whose Ustashe movement formed a
government in modern-day Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Ustashe were allowed to persecute Serbs, while Germany
contributed to that goal in German-occupied Serbia.
From 1941 to the end of the war, Germany engaged in war with
the Soviet Union in its attempt to create the Nazi colonial goal of
Lebensraum "living space" for German citizens. The German
occupation authorities set up occupation and colonial authorities called Reichskommissariats such as
Reichskommissariat Ostland and Reichskommissariat Ukraine. The Slavic populations were to be destroyed along
with Jews there to make way for German colonists.
Adolf Hitler visits Francisco Franco at Hendaye

As the fortunes of war changed, Germany was forced to occupy Italy when Mussolini was thrown out as Prime
Minister by Italy's king in 1943. German forces rescued Mussolini and instructed him to establish a fascist regime in
Italy called the Italian Social Republic. This was the last major foreign policy delivered. The remainder of the war
saw the decline of German power and desperate attempts by Nazi officials such as Heinrich Himmler to negotiate a
peace with the western Allies against the wishes of Hitler.

Law
Most of the judicial structures and legal codes of the Weimar Republic remained in use during the Third Reich, but
significant changes within the judicial codes occurred, as well as significant changes in court rulings. The Nazi party
was the only legal political party in Germany; all other political parties were banned. Most human rights of the
constitution of the Weimar Republic were disabled by several Reichsgesetze ("Reich's laws"). Several minorities
such as the Jews, opposition politicians and prisoners of war were deprived of most of their rights and
responsibilities. The Plan to pass a Volksstrafgesetzbuch ("people's code of criminal justice") arose soon after 1933,
but didn't come into reality until the end of World War II.
As a new type of court, the Volksgerichtshof ("people's court") was established in 1934, only dealing with cases of
political importance. From 1934-September 1944, a total of 5,375 death sentences were spoken by the court. Not
included in this numbers are the death sentences from 20 July 1944-April 1945, which are estimated at 2,000. Its
most prominent jurist was Roland Freisler, who headed the court from August 1942-February 1945.

Nazi Germany

Military
The military of the Third Reich the Wehrmacht was the name of the unified armed forces of Germany from
1935-1945 with Heer (Army), Kriegsmarine (Navy), Luftwaffe (Air Force) and a military organization Waffen-SS
(military branch of the Schutzstaffel, which was, de facto, a fourth branch of the Wehrmacht).
The German Army furthered concepts pioneered during the First World War, combining Ground and Air Force
assets into combined arms teams. Coupled with traditional war fighting methods such as encirclements and the
"battle of annihilation", the German military managed many lightning quick victories in the first year of the Second
World War, prompting foreign journalists to create a new word for what they witnessed: Blitzkrieg. The total number
of soldiers who served in the Wehrmacht during its existence from 1935-1945 is believed to approach 18.2 million.

Racial policy
The effects of Nazi social policy in Germany was divided between those considered to be "Aryan" and those
considered "non-Aryan", Jewish, or part of other minority groups. For "Aryan" Germans, a number of social policies
put through by the regime to benefit them were advanced for the time, including state opposition to the use of
tobacco, an end to official stigmatization toward Aryan children who were born from parents outside of marriage, as
well as giving financial assistance to Aryan German families who bore children.[50]
The Nazi Party pursued its racial and social policies through persecution and killing of those considered social
undesirables or "enemies of the Reich".
Especially targeted were minority groups such as Jews, Romani (also known as Gypsies), Jehovah's Witnesses,[51]
people with mental or physical disabilities and homosexuals.
In the 1930s, plans to isolate and eventually eliminate Jews completely in Germany began with the construction of
ghettos, concentration camps, and labour camps which began with the 1933 construction of the Dachau
concentration camp, which Heinrich Himmler officially described as "the first concentration camp for political
prisoners."[52]
In the years following the Nazi rise to power, many Jews were
encouraged to leave the country and did so. By the time the Nuremberg
Laws were passed in 1935, Jews were stripped of their German
citizenship and denied government employment. Most Jews employed
by Germans lost their jobs at this time, which were being taken by
unemployed Germans. Notably, the government attempted to send
17,000 German Jews of Polish descent back to Poland, a decision
which led to the assassination of Ernst vom Rath by Herschel
Grynszpan, a German Jew living in France. This provided the pretext
for a pogrom the Nazi Party incited against the Jews on 9 November
The aftermath of Kristallnacht, Jewish shops
1938, which specifically targeted Jewish businesses. The event was
vandalized.
called Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass, literally "Crystal Night");
the euphemism was used because the numerous broken windows made the streets look as if covered with crystals.
By September 1939, more than 200,000 Jews had left Germany, with the government seizing any property they left
behind.
The Nazis also undertook programs targeting "weak" or "unfit" people, such as the T-4 Euthanasia Program, killing
tens of thousands of disabled and sick Germans in an effort to "maintain the purity of the

18

Nazi Germany

19

German Master race" (German: Herrenvolk) as described by Nazi

propagandists. The techniques of mass killing developed in these
efforts would later be used in the Holocaust. Under a law passed in
1933, the Nazi regime carried out the compulsory sterilization of over
400,000 individuals labeled as having hereditary defects, ranging from
mental illness to alcoholism.
Another component of the Nazi programme of creating racial purity
was the Lebensborn, or "Fountain of Life" programme founded in
1936. The programme was aimed at encouraging German
soldiersmainly SSto reproduce. This included offering SS families
support services (including the adoption of racially pure children into
suitable SS families) and accommodating racially valuable women,
pregnant with mainly SS men's children, in care homes in Germany
and throughout Occupied Europe. Lebensborn also expanded to
encompass the placing of racially pure children forcibly seized from
occupied countriessuch as Polandwith German families.
The Nazis considered Jews, Romani people, Poles along with other
Slavic people like the Russians, Ukrainians, Czechs and anyone else
who was not an "Aryan" according to the contemporary Nazi race
terminology to be Untermenschen ("subhumans"). The Nazis
rationalized that the (Aryan) Germans had a biological right to
displace, eliminate and enslave inferiors.[54] [55] After the war, under
the "Big Plan", Generalplan Ost foresaw the eventual expulsion of
more than 50 million non-Germanized Slavs of Eastern Europe through
forced migration, as well as some of the Balts, beyond the Ural
Mountains and into Siberia. In their place, Germans would be settled in
an extended "living space" of the 1000-Year Empire. Herbert Backe
was one of the orchestrators of the Hunger Plan - the plan to starve tens
of millions of Slavs in order to ensure steady food supplies for the
German people and troops.[56] In the longer term,[57] the Nazis wanted
to exterminate some 30 million Slavs.[58] Had the Germans won the
war, they would have undertaken the largest genocide in history.[59]
At the outset of World War II, the German authority in the General
Government in occupied Poland ordered that all Jews face compulsory
labour and that those who were physically incapable such as women
and children were to be confined to ghettos.[60]

Naked Soviet POWs in Mauthausen

concentration camp. Between June 1941 and
January 1942, the Nazis killed an estimated 2.8
million Red Army POWs, whom they viewed as
[53]
"subhuman".

Senator Alben W. Barkley, a member of the US

Congressional Nazi crimes committee visiting
Buchenwald concentration camp shortly after its
liberation.

Lager Nordhausen concentration camp

To the Nazis, a number of ideas appeared on how to answer the

"Jewish Question". One method was a mass forced deportation of Jews. Adolf Eichmann suggested that Jews be
forced to emigrate to Palestine.[61] Franz Rademacher made the proposal that Jews be deported to Madagascar; this
proposal was supported by Himmler and was discussed by Hitler and Italian dictator Benito Mussolini but was later
dismissed as impractical in 1942.[62] The idea of continuing deportations to occupied Poland was rejected by the
governor, Hans Frank, of the General Government of occupied Poland as Frank refused to accept any more
deportations of Jews to the territory which already had large numbers of Jews.[62] In 1942, at the Wannsee
Conference, Nazi officials decided to eliminate the Jews altogether, as discussed the "Final Solution of the Jewish
Question". Concentration camps like Auschwitz were converted and used gas chambers to kill as many Jews as

Nazi Germany

20

possible. By 1945, a number of concentration camps had been liberated by Allied forces and they found the
survivors to be severely malnourished. The Allies also found evidence that the Nazis were profiteering from the
mass murder of Jews not only by confiscating their property and personal valuables but also by extracting gold
fillings from the bodies of some Jews held in concentration camps.

Social Policy
Education
Education under the Nazi regime focused on racial biology, population policy, culture, geography and especially
physical fitness.[63] Anti-Semitic policy led to the expulsion of Jewish teachers and professors and officials from the
education system.[64] All university professors were required to be a member of the National Socialist Association of
University Lecturers in order to be able to be employed as professors.[65]

Social Welfare
Recent research by academics such as Gtz Aly has emphasized the role of the
extensive Nazi social welfare programs that focused on providing employment
for German citizens and insuring a minimal living standard for German citizens.
Heavily focused on was the idea of a national German community. To aid the
fostering of a feeling of community, the German people's labour and
entertainment experiencesfrom festivals, to vacation trips and traveling
cinemaswere all made a part of the "Strength through Joy" (Kraft durch
Freude, KdF) program. Also crucial to the building of loyalty and comradeship
was the implementation of the National Labour Service and the Hitler Youth
Organization, with compulsory membership. In addition to this, a number of
architectural projects were undertaken. KdF created the KdF-wagen, later known
as the Volkswagen ("People's Car"), which was designed to be an automobile that
every German citizen would be able to afford. With the outbreak of the Second
World War the car was converted into a military vehicle and civilian production
was stopped. Another national project undertaken was the construction of the
Autobahn, which made it the first freeway system in the world.

Health

Advertisement for state-engineered

Kdf-Wagen. Commonly known then
and afterwards named the
Volkswagen ("People's Car"), as it
was designed to be an inexpensive
automobile which every German
citizen could be able to purchase.

According to the research of Robert N. Proctor for his book The Nazi War on Cancer,[66] [67] Nazi Germany had
arguably the most powerful anti-tobacco movement in the world. Anti-tobacco research received a strong backing
from the government, and German scientists proved that cigarette smoke could cause cancer. German pioneering
research on experimental epidemiology led to the 1939 paper by Franz H. Mller, and the 1943 paper by Eberhard
Schairer and Erich Schniger which convincingly demonstrated that tobacco smoking was a main culprit in lung
cancer. The government urged German doctors to counsel patients against tobacco use.
German research on the dangers of tobacco was silenced after the war, and the dangers of tobacco had to be
rediscovered by American and English scientists in the early 1950s, with a medical consensus arising in the early
1960s. German scientists also proved that asbestos was a health hazard, and in 1943as the first nation in the world
to offer such a benefitGermany recognized the diseases caused by asbestos, e.g., lung cancer, as occupational
illnesses eligible for compensation. The German asbestos-cancer research was later used by American lawyers doing
battle against the Johns-Manville Corporation.

Nazi Germany
As part of the general public-health campaign in Nazi Germany, water supplies were cleaned up, lead and mercury
were removed from consumer products, and women were urged to undergo regular screenings for breast cancer.[66]
[67]

Women's rights
The Nazis opposed women's feminist movement, claiming that it was Jewish-led, had a left-wing agenda (compared
to Communism) and was bad for both women and men. The Nazi regime advocated a patriarchal society in which
German women would recognize the "world is her husband, her family, her children, and her home."[68] Hitler
claimed that women taking vital jobs away from men during the Great Depression was economically bad for families
in that women were paid only 66 percent of what men earned.[68] Hitler never considered endorsing the idea of
raising women's wages to avoid such a scenario again, but instead called for women to stay at home. Simultaneously
with calling for women to leave work outside the home, the regime called for women to be actively supportive of the
state regarding women's affairs. In 1933, Hitler appointed Gertrud Scholtz-Klink as the Reich Women's Leader, who
instructed women that their primary role in society was to bear children and that women should be subservient to
men, once saying "the mission of woman is to minister in the home and in her profession to the needs of life from the
first to last moment of man's existence.".[68] The expectation even applied to Aryan women married to Jewish
mena necessary ingredient in the 1943 Rosenstrasse protest in which 1800 German women (joined by 4200
relatives) obliged the Nazi state to release their Jewish husbands.
The Nazi regime discouraged women from seeking higher education in secondary schools, universities and
colleges.[69] The number of women allowed to enroll in universities dropped drastically under the Nazi regime,
which shrank from approximately 128,000 women being enrolled in 1933 to 51,000 in 1938.[65] Female enrollment
in secondary schools dropped from 437,000 in 1926 to 205,000 in 1937.[65] However with the requirement of men to
be enlisted into the German armed forces during the war, women made up half of the enrollment in the education
system by 1944.[65]
Organizations were made for the indoctrination of Nazi values to German women. Such organizations included the
Jungmdel ("Young Girls") section of the Hitler Youth for girls from the age 10 to 14, the Bund Deutscher Mdel
(BDM, "German Girls' League") for young women from 14 to 18.
On the issue of sexual affairs regarding women, the Nazis differed greatly from the restrictive stances on women's
role in society. The Nazi regime promoted a liberal code of conduct as regards sexual matters, and were sympathetic
to women bearing children out of wedlock.[50] The collapse of 19th century morals in Germany accelerated during
the Third Reich, partly due to the Nazis, and greatly due to the effects of the war.[50] Promiscuity increased greatly as
the war progressed, with unmarried soldiers often involved intimately with several women simultaneously.[50]
Married women were often involved in multiple affairs simultaneously, with soldiers, civilians or slave labourers.[50]
"Some farm wives in Wrttemberg had already begun using sex as a commodity, employing carnal favours as a
means of getting a full day's work from foreign labourers."[50] Marriage or sexual relations between a person
considered Aryan and one that was not were classified as Rassenschande were forbidden and under penalty (people
found guilty could face concentration camp, while non-Aryans death penalty).
Despite the somewhat official restrictions, some women forged highly visible, as well as officially praised,
achievements. Examples are aviatrix Hanna Reitsch and film director Leni Riefenstahl.
An example of the way in which Nazi doctrines differed from practice is that, whilst sexual relationships among
campers was explicitly forbidden, boys' and girls' camps of the Hitlerjugend associations were needlessly placed
close together as if to make it happen. Pregnancy (including repercussions on established marriages) often resulted
when fetching members of the Bund Deutscher Mdel were assigned to duties which juxtaposed them with tempted
men.[70]
Abortion was heavily penalized in Nazi Germany unless on the grounds of "racial health"; from 1943 abortionists
faced the death penalty.[71] Display of contraceptives was not allowed and Hitler himself described contraception as

21

Nazi Germany
"violation of nature, as degradation of womanhood, motherhood and love." [72]

Environmentalism
In 1935, the regime enacted the "Reich Nature Protection Act". While not a purely Nazi piece of legislation, as parts
of its influences pre-dated the Nazi rise to power, it nevertheless reflected Nazi ideology. The concept of the
Dauerwald (best translated as the "perpetual forest") which included concepts such as forest management and
protection was promoted and efforts were also made to curb air pollution.[73] [74]
In practice, the enacted laws and policies met resistance from various ministries that sought to undermine them, and
from the priority that the war-effort took to environmental protection.

Animal protection policy

The Nazis had elements which were supportive of animal rights, zoos and wildlife,[75] and took several measures to
ensure their protection.[76] In 1933 the regime enacted a stringent animal-protection law.[77] [78] Many NSDAP
leaders including Adolf Hitler and Hermann Gring were supporters of animal protection. Several Nazis were
environmentalists (notably Rudolf Hess), and species protection and animal welfare were significant issues in the
regime.[79] Heinrich Himmler made efforts to ban the hunting of animals.[80] Gring was an animal lover and
conservationist.[81] The current animal welfare laws in Germany are more or less modification of the laws introduced
by the National Socialist regime.[82]
Although enacting various laws for animal protection, there was a lack of enforcement. According to Pfugers Archiv
fr die Gesamte Physiologie (Pfugers Archive for the Total Physiology), a science journal at that time, there were
many animal experiments during the Nazi regime.[83] The Nazi regime disbanded several unofficial organizations
advocating environmentalism and animal protection, such as the Friends of Nature.[84]

Culture
The regime sought to restore traditional values in German culture. The art and culture that came to define the
Weimar Republic years was repressed. The visual arts were strictly monitored and traditional, focusing on
exemplifying Germanic themes, racial purity, militarism, heroism, power, strength, and obedience. Modern abstract
art and avant-garde art was removed from museums and put on special display as "degenerate art", where it was to
be ridiculed. In one notable example, on 31 March 1937, huge crowds stood in line to view a special display of
"degenerate art" in Munich. Art forms considered to be degenerate included Dada, Cubism, Expressionism, Fauvism,
Impressionism, New Objectivity, and Surrealism. Literature written by Jewish, other non-Aryans, or authors opposed
to the Nazis was destroyed by the regime. The most infamous destruction of literature was the book burnings by
German students in 1933.

22

Nazi Germany

Despite the official attempt to forge a pure Germanic culture, one

major area of the arts, architecture, under Hitler's personal guidance,
was neoclassical, a style based on architecture of ancient Rome.[85]
This style stood out in stark contrast and opposition to newer, more
liberal, and more popular architecture styles of the time such as Art
Deco. Various Roman buildings were examined by state architect
Albert Speer for architectural designs for state buildings. Speer
constructed huge and imposing structures such as in the Nazi party
rally grounds in Nuremberg and the new Reich Chancellery building in
Berlin. One design that was pursued, but never built, was a gigantic
version of the Pantheon in Rome, called the Volkshalle to be the
semi-religious centre of Nazism in a renamed Berlin called Germania,
which was to be the "world capital" (Welthauptstadt). Also to be
constructed was a Triumphal arch several times larger than that found
in Paris, which was also based upon a classical styling. Many of the
designs for Germania were impractical to construct because of their
size and the marshy soil underneath Berlin; materials that were to be
used for construction were diverted to the war effort.

23

In 1933, Nazis burned works considered

"un-German" in Berlin which included books by
Jewish authors, political opponents, and other
works which did not align with Nazi ideology.

Cinema and media

The majority of German films of the period were intended principally
as works of entertainment. The import of foreign films was legally
restricted after 1936 and the German industry, which was effectively
nationalised in 1937, had to make up for the missing foreign films
(above all American productions). Entertainment also became
increasingly important in the later years of World War II when the
German Nazi propaganda poster:
cinema provided a distraction from Allied bombing and a string of
"Danzig is German".
German defeats. In both 1943 and 1944 cinema admissions in
Germany exceeded a billion,[86] and the biggest box office hits of the war years were Die groe Liebe (1942) and
Wunschkonzert (1941), which both combine elements of the musical, wartime romance and patriotic propaganda,
Frauen sind doch bessere Diplomaten (1941), a comic musical which was one of the earliest German films in colour,
and Wiener Blut (1942), the adaptation of a Johann Strau comic operetta. The importance of the cinema as a tool of
the state, both for its propaganda value and its ability to keep the populace entertained, can be seen in the filming
history of Veit Harlan's Kolberg (1945), the most expensive film of the era, for the shooting of which tens of
thousands of soldiers were diverted from their military positions to appear as extras.[87]
Despite the emigration of many film-makers and the political restrictions, the German film industry was not without
technical and aesthetic innovations, the introduction of Agfacolor film production being a notable example.
Technical and aesthetic achievement could also be turned to the specific ends of the Greater German Reich, most
spectacularly in the work of Leni Riefenstahl. Riefenstahl's Triumph of the Will (1935), documenting the Nuremberg
Rally (1934), and Olympia (1938), documenting the 1936 Summer Olympics, pioneered techniques of camera
movement and editing that have influenced many later films. Both films, particularly Triumph of the Will, remain
highly controversial, as their aesthetic merit is inseparable from their propagandizing of Nationalsocialism ideals.[87]

Nazi Germany

Sports
Established in 1934, the Nationalsozialistischer Reichsbund fr
Leibesbungen (NSRL), (sometimes also known under the acronym
NSRBL) was the umbrella organization for sports during the Third
Reich.
Two major displays of Nazi German art and culture were at the 1936
Summer Olympics and at the German pavilion at the 1937
International Exposition in Paris. The 1936 Olympics was meant to
display to the world the Aryan superiority of Germany to other nations.
Olympic Stadium (photo by Josef Jindich
German athletes were carefully chosen not only for strength but for
echtl).
Aryan appearance. However, one common belief of Hitler snubbing
African-American athlete Jesse Owens has recently been discovered to
be technically incorrectit was African-American athlete Cornelius Cooper Johnson who was believed to have been
snubbed by Hitler, who left the medal ceremonies after awarding a German and a Finn medal. Hitler claimed it was
not a snub, but that he had official business to attend to which caused him to depart. On reports that Hitler had
deliberately avoided acknowledging his victories, and had refused to shake his hand, Owens recounted:
"When I passed the Chancellor he arose, waved his hand at me, and I waved back at him. I think the writers showed
bad taste in criticizing the man of the hour in Germany." He also stated: "Hitler didn't snub me it was FDR who
snubbed me. The president didn't even send me a telegram."
Hitler was criticized for this and the Olympic committee officials insisted that he greet each and every medalist, or
none at all. Hitler did not attend any of the medal presentations which followed, including the one after Jesse Owens
won his four medals, and met with German winners outside the stadium afterwards. [88] [89]

See also

Collaboration with the Axis Powers during World War II

German Resistance
Glossary of German military terms
Glossary of Nazi Germany
List of Nazi Party leaders and officials
Nazi architecture
Nazi songs
Orders, decorations, and medals of Nazi Germany
Sino-German cooperation (19111941)
Vergangenheitsbewltigung

Further reading
William Sheridan Allen. The Nazi Seizure of Power : the Experience Of A Single German Town, 19221945 by
New York ; Toronto: F. Watts, 1984. ISBN 0-531-09935-0.
Gisela Bock "Racism and Sexism in Nazi Germany: Motherhood, Compulsory Sterilization, and the State" from
When Biology Became Destiny: Women in Weimar and Nazi Germany edited by Renate Bridenthal, Atina
Grossmann, and Marion Kaplan, New York: Monthly Review Press, 1984.
Karl Dietrich Bracher. The German Dictatorship; The Origins, Structure, and Effects of National Socialism; New
York, Praeger 1970.
Michael Burleigh. The Third Reich: A New History, 2002. ISBN 0-8090-9326-X. Standard scholarly history,
19181945.

24

Nazi Germany
Martin Broszat. German National Socialism, 19191945 translated from the German by Kurt Rosenbaum and
Inge Pauli Boehm, Santa Barbara, Calif.: Clio Press, 1966.
Martin Broszat. The Hitler State: The Foundation and Development Of The Internal Structure Of The Third
Reich. Translated by John W. Hiden. London: Longman, 1981. ISBN 0-582-49200-9.
Richard J. Evans. The Coming of the Third Reich. ISBN 0-14-100975-6, standard scholarly history to 1933
Richard J. Evans. The Third Reich in Power 2005 ISBN 1-59420-074-2, scholarly history
Paul Garson. Album of the Damned: Snapshots from the Third Reich 2008 ISBN 978-0-89733-576-8, Academy
Chicago Publishers
Richard Grunberger. A Social History of the Third Reich 1974 ISBN 0-14-013675-4.
Klaus Hildebrand. The Third Reich London: G. Allen & Unwin, 1984 ISBN 0-04-943033-5.
Andreas Hillgruber Germany and the two World Wars, Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Press, 1981 ISBN
0-674-35321-8.
Heinz Hhne. The Order of the Death's Head: The Story of Hitler's SS. Translated by Richard Barry. London:
Penguin Books, 1971.
David Irving. Hitler's War. London: Focal Point Publications. ISBN 1-872197-10-8.
Adam Tooze. The Wages of Destruction: The Making and the Breaking of the Nazi Economy. New York: Viking,
2006. ISBN 978-0-670-03826-8.
Ian Kershaw. The Nazi Dictatorship: Problems and Perspectives of Interpretation, 4th ed. London: Arnold, 2000.
ISBN 0-340-76028-1
Claudia Koonz. Mothers In The Fatherland: Women, the Family, and Nazi Politics. New York: St. Martin's Press,
1987. ISBN 0-312-54933-4.
Claudia Koonz. The Nazi Conscience. Cambridge, Mass.: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2003.
Guido Knopp. Hitler's Henchmen. 1998. Sutton Publishing, 2005. ISBN 0-7509-3781-5.
Christian Leitz, ed. The Third Reich: The Essential Readings. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishers, 1999. ISBN
0-631-20700-7.
Richard Overy & Timothy Mason "Debate: Germany, Domestic Crisis and War in 1939" pages 200240 from
Past and Present, Number 122, February 1989.
Frank McDonough, Hitler and the Rise of The Nazi Party, Pearson Longman, 2003.
Eric Michaud, The Cult of Art in Nazi Germany, translated by Janet Lloyd, Stanford: Stanford University Press,
2004. ISBN 0-8047-4327-4.
Hans Mommsen. From Weimar to Auschwitz Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1991. ISBN
0-691-03198-3.
Roger Moorhouse. Killing Hitler. London: Jonathan Cape, 2006. ISBN 0-224-07121-1.
Detlev Peukert. Inside Nazi Germany: Conformity, Opposition and Racism in Everyday Life. London: Batsford,
1987. ISBN 0-7134-5217-X.
Anthony Read. The Devils Disciples. W. W. Norton & Co., 2003. ISBN 0-393-04800-4.
Hans Rothfels. The German Opposition to Hitler: An Assessment Longwood Pr Ltd: London 1948, 1961, 1963,
1970 ISBN 0-85496-119-4.
William L. Shirer. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. ISBN 0-671-72868-7
David Schoenbaum Hitlers Social Revolution; Class and Status in Nazi Germany, 1933-1939, Garden City, N.Y.
Doubleday, 1966.
The Nazi Elite edited by Ronald Smelser and Rainer Zitelmann, translated by Mary Fischer, New York : New
York University Press, 1993, ISBN 0-8147-7950-6.
Henry Ashby Turner. German Big Business and the Rise of Hitler. New York: Oxford University Press, 1985.
ISBN 0-19-503492-9.
Alfred Sohn-Rethel. Economy and Class Structure of German Fascism. London, CSE Bks, 1978. ISBN
0-906336-00-7

25

Nazi Germany
Sir John Wheeler-Bennett. The Nemesis of Power: The German Army in Politics 19181945, Palgrave
Macmillan: London: 1953, 1964, 2005 ISBN 1-4039-1812-0.
Christian Zenter and Friedemann Bedurftig. The Encyclopedia of the Third Reich. Munich: Sudwest Verlag
GmbH & co. KG.

External links

Wikimedia Atlas of Germany

Germany [90] at the Open Directory Project
The Rise of the Nazis and Beginning of Persecution of the Jews [91] - About the Holocaust - Yad Vashem
The Third Reich [92]
Third Reich in Ruins (Photos) [93]
Lebendiges Museum Online [94] (In German)

References
[1] The Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1919) concluded the Allies' peace with Austria, which was aligned with Germany during the war via
the then-extant Austrian-Hungarian empire. Hungary, another principal belligerent aligned with Germany, was party to the Treaty of Trianon,
a separate treaty distinct from St. Germain and Versailles. Hungary and Austria were both formed as republics after the dissolution of the
Habsburg's Austrian-Hungarian empire.
[2] This was the notorious Article 231, the so-called War Guilt Clause
[3] All of Germany's foreign colonies were forfeited. The part of Germany known as the Rhineland, bordering France, was demilitarized:
Germany was forbidden to have troops or military installations there.
[4] Article 231 of Versailles stipulated that Germany bore sole responsibility for the outbreak of the war.
[5] Germany would be limited to an army of 100,000 men, with mandatory lengthy terms of enlistment to prevent the establishment of reserves.
The General Staff was to be dissolved along with certain military colleges. Tanks were forbidden. Limits were placed on the navy in the form
of the size and types of ships permitted, including the prohibition of any submarines. A military air force was likewise forbidden.
[6] The letters Nati- in Nationalsozialist are pronounced much like "Nazi" in English. This type of syllabic shortening of words is common in
German, for example Sozis for Sozialisten and Kitas for Kindertagessttte ("day care centers").
[7] Mary Fulbrook. The Divided Nation: A History of Germany, 1918-1990. Oxford UP, 1992, 45
[8] The Nazi Party did not achieve a parliamentary majority, however, before Hitler became Chancellor of Germany. The Nazis plurality
diminished from 230 seats to 196 seats after the federal election of November 1932.
[9] Hakim, Joy (1995). A History of Us: War, Peace and all that Jazz. New York: Oxford University Press. pp.100104. ISBN0-19-509514-6.
[10] Richard Evans, The Coming of the Third Reich (New York: Penguin Books, 2003), 441.
[11] GERMANY: Second Revolution? (http:/ / www. time. com/ time/ magazine/ article/ 0,9171,754321,00. html), TIME Magazine, July 2, 1934
[12] "The Devils Disciples", Anthony Read , W. W. Norton & Co., 2003, ISBN 0-393-04800-4
[13] Henry Maitles NEVER AGAIN!: A review of David Goldhagen, Hitlers Willing Executioners: Ordinary Germans and the Holocaust" (http:/
/ pubs. socialistreviewindex. org. uk/ isj77/ maitles. htm), further referenced to G Almond, "The German Resistance Movement", Current
History 10 (1946), pp409527.
[14] David Clay, "Contending with Hitler: Varieties of German Resistance in the Third Reich", p.122 (1994) ISBN 0-521-41459-8
[15] Otis C. Mitchell, "Hitler's Nazi state: the years of dictatorial rule, 1934-1945" (1988), p.217
[16] Peter Hoffmann "The History of the German Resistance, 1933-1945"p.xiii
[17] CuHaven Online (http:/ / www. cuxhaven. de/ cuxhaven_1231. php) see also: Die Hessisch-thringische 251. Infanterie-division,
Karl-Wilhelm Maurer, 14. (http:/ / books. google. de/ books?id=OL3AvYS68TwC& pg=PA14& dq=bomben+ cuxhaven+ 1939& lr=&
ei=AiniSfHZAoOIzQT6x_Ap)
[18] "NDR Online - Kultur - Geschichte- Chronik Helgolands 1914 - 1952" (http:/ / www1. ndr. de/ kultur/ geschichte/ helgolandchronik2. html).
. Retrieved 2010-08-22.
[19] "British Military Aviation in 1940 - Part 1" (http:/ / www. rafmuseum. org. uk/ milestones-of-flight/ british_military/ 1940. cfm).
Rafmuseum.org.uk. . Retrieved 2009-09-16.
[20] Monday, Apr. 01, 1940 (1940-04-01). "IN THE AIR: Raid on Sylt - TIME" (http:/ / www. time. com/ time/ magazine/ article/
0,9171,885838,00. html). TIME<!. . Retrieved 2009-09-16.
[21] "SC Military Museum" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20080103191658/ http:/ / www. scguard. com/ museum/ ww23940. html).
Scguard.com. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. scguard. com/ museum/ ww23940. html) on 2008-01-03. . Retrieved 2009-09-16.
[22] Quester,George "Bargaining and Bombing During World War II in Europe," World Politics, Vol. 15, No. 3 (Apr., 1963), pp. 421, 425.
Published by: The Johns Hopkins University Press

26

Nazi Germany
[23] "History - British Bombing Strategy in World War Two" (http:/ / www. bbc. co. uk/ history/ worldwars/ wwtwo/ area_bombing_02. shtml).
BBC. . Retrieved 2009-09-16.
[24] Chronological Summary of Royal Air Force Bomber Command Operations (http:/ / yourarchives. nationalarchives. gov. uk/ index.
php?title=Chronological_Summary_of_Royal_Air_Force_Bomber_Command_Operations) Your Archives
[25] " Siege of Leningrad (Soviet history) (http:/ / www. britannica. com/ EBchecked/ topic/ 335949/ Siege-of-Leningrad)". Encyclopdia
Britannica.
[26] "Introduction" U-Boat Operations of the Second World WarVol 1 by Wynn, Kenneth, 1998 p. 1
[27] The Russian Academy of Science Rossiiskaia Akademiia nauk. Liudskie poteri SSSR v period vtoroi mirovoi voiny:sbornik statei.
Sankt-Peterburg 1995 ISBN 5-86789-023-6
[28] "Hitler's War; Hitler's Plans for Eastern Europe" (http:/ / www. dac. neu. edu/ holocaust/ Hitlers_Plans. htm). . Retrieved 2008-06-30.
[29] " Germany's forgotten victims (http:/ / www. guardian. co. uk/ world/ 2003/ oct/ 22/ worlddispatch. germany)". Guardian.co.uk. October 22,
2003.
[30] Schrijvers, Peter (2001). The Crash of Ruin: American Combat Soldiers in Europe during World War II (http:/ / books. google. com/
?id=VjpxBM1_OYIC& pg=PA84& lpg=PA84& dq=dead+ german+ soldiers+ during+ wwii). NYU Press. pp.8386. ISBN0814798071. .
[31] "World War II: Combatants and Casualties (19371945)" (http:/ / web. jjay. cuny. edu/ ~jobrien/ reference/ ob62. html). . Retrieved
2007-04-20.
[32] " The Holocaust (http:/ / www. ushmm. org/ wlc/ article. php?lang=en& ModuleId=10005143)". United States Holocaust Memorial
Museum.
[33] " Rulers and victims: the Russians in the Soviet Union (http:/ / books. google. com/ books?id=CDMVMqDvp4QC& pg=PA242& dq&
hl=en#v=onepage& q=& f=false)". Geoffrey A. Hosking (2006). Harvard University Press. p.242. ISBN 0674021789
[34] "Leaders mourn Soviet wartime dead" (http:/ / news. bbc. co. uk/ 2/ hi/ europe/ 4530565. stm). BBC News. 9 May 2005. . Retrieved 10 April
2010.
[35] " The World's Wasted Wealth 2: Save Our Wealth, Save Our Environment (http:/ / books. google. com/ books?id=c9bMfZBI8-sC&
pg=PA204& dq& hl=en#v=onepage& q=& f=false)". J. W. Smith (1994). p.204. ISBN 0962442321
[36] " REFUGEES: Save Us! Save Us! (http:/ / www. time. com/ time/ magazine/ article/ 0,9171,920455-2,00. html)". Time. July 9, 1979.
[37] " Who benefits from global violence and war: uncovering a destructive system (http:/ / books. google. com/ books?id=r9kNZrmG0E8C&
pg=PA136& dq& hl=en#v=onepage& q=& f=false)". Marc Pilisuk, Jennifer Achord Rountree (2008). Greenwood Publishing Group. p.136.
ISBN 027599435X
[38] Eisikovits, Nir, " Transitional Justice (http:/ / plato. stanford. edu/ archives/ spr2009/ entries/ justice-transitional)", The Stanford
Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2009 Edition) Section 1.2.1 Victor's Justice
[39] (Estonian) Pinn, Voldemar. Unknown World War II. Haapsalu, 1998. p. 8283.
[40] Richard Overy, 1995, Why the allies won, Random House, p. 205.
[41] "Slouching Towards Utopia?: The Economic History of the Twentieth Century XV. Nazis and Soviets- J. Bradford DeLong University
of California at Berkeley and NBER(February 1997)" (http:/ / econ161. berkeley. edu/ TCEH/ Slouch_Purge15. html). . Retrieved
2007-08-15.
[42] "econ161.berkeley.edu" (http:/ / econ161. berkeley. edu/ TCEH/ Slouch_Purge15. html). . Retrieved 2007-08-15.
[43] "Nazis and Soviets" (http:/ / econ161. berkeley. edu/ TCEH/ Slouch_Purge15. html). Econ161.berkeley.edu. . Retrieved 2009-09-16.
[44] Peter Temin (November 1991). Economic History Review, New Series 44 (4): 573593
[45] John C. Beyer; Stephen A. Schneider. "Forced Labour under Third Reich - Part 1" (http:/ / www. nathaninc. com/ nathan2/ files/
ccLibraryFiles/ FILENAME/ 000000000072/ Forced Labour Under the Third Reich, Part One. pdf) (PDF). Nathan Associates Inc.. . and John
C. Beyer; Stephen A. Schneider. "Forced Labour under Third Reich - Part 2" (http:/ / www. nathaninc. com/ nathan2/ files/ ccLibraryFiles/
FILENAME/ 000000000073/ Forced Labour Under the Third Reich, Part Two. pdf) (PDF). Nathan Associates Inc.. .
[46] Bischof, Gnter, "The Historical Roots of a Special Relationship: Austro-German Relations Between Hegemony and Equality". In Unequal
Partners, ed. Harald von Riekhoff and Hanspeter Neuhold. San Francisco: Westview Press, 1993
[47] "Hitler's Plan" (http:/ / www. dac. neu. edu/ holocaust/ Hitlers_Plans. htm). Dac.neu.edu. . Retrieved 2009-09-16.
[48] "ess.uwe.ac.uk" (http:/ / www. ess. uwe. ac. uk/ genocide/ ssnur1. htm). ess.uwe.ac.uk. . Retrieved 2009-09-16.
[49] Katz. "Jews and Freemasons in Europe". in Israel Gutman. The Encyclopedia of the Holocaust. p.vol. 2, p. 531. ISBN 978-0-02-897166-7
OCLC20594356.
[50] Perry Biddiscombe "Dangerous Liaisons: The Anti-Fraternization Movement in the US Occupation Zones of Germany and Austria,
1945-1948", Journal of Social History 34.3 (2001) 611647
[51] United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (http:/ / www. ushmm. org/ wlc/ article. php?lang=en& ModuleId=10005394). . Retrieved
2007-08-15.
[52] "Ein Konzentrationslager fr politische Gefangene" (http:/ / www. mazal. org/ archive/ DACHPHO/ Dach02. htm). Mnchner Neueste
Nachrichten. 1933-03-21. . Retrieved 2009-09-16. Translation: "The Munich Chief of Police, Himmler, has issued the following press
announcement: On Wednesday the first concentration camp is to be opened in Dachau with an accommodation for 5000 persons. All
Communists andwhere necessaryReichsbanner and Social Democratic functionaries who endanger state security are to be concentrated
here, as in the long run it is not possible to keep individual functionaries in the state prisons without overburdening these prisons, and on the
other hand these people cannot be released because attempts have shown that they persist in their efforts to agitate and organize as soon as
they are released."

27

Nazi Germany
[53] Daniel Goldhagen, Hitler's Willing Executioners (p. 290) - "2.8 million young, healthy Soviet POWs" killed by the Germans, "mainly by
starvation ... in less than eight months" of 1941-42, before "the decimation of Soviet POWs ... was stopped" and the Germans "began to use
them as laborers" (emphasis added).
[54] Hitler's Plans for Eastern Europe (http:/ / www. dac. neu. edu/ holocaust/ Hitlers_Plans. htm). Selections from: "Poland under Nazi
Occupation", by Janusz Gumkowkski and Kazimierz Leszczynski
[55] Heinrich Himmler Speech before SS Group Leaders Posen, Poland 1943 (http:/ / history. hanover. edu/ courses/ excerpts/ 111him. html).
Hanover College Department of History
[56] Tooze, Adam, The Wages of Destruction, Viking, 2007, pp. 47685, 53849, ISBN 0-670-03826-1
[57] William J. Duiker (2009). " Contemporary World History (http:/ / books. google. com/ books?id=uqvgYtJHGSMC& pg=PA132& dq&
hl=en#v=onepage& q=& f=false)". Cengage Learning. p.132. ISBN 0495572713
[58] Dan Stone (2010). " Histories of the Holocaust (http:/ / books. google. com/ books?id=zKodTjtvRvEC& pg=PA212& dq&
hl=en#v=onepage& q=& f=false)". Oxford University Press. p.212. ISBN 0199566801.
[59] Roger Chickering, Stig Frster, Bernd Greiner, German Historical Institute (Washington, D.C.) (2005). " A world at total war: global
conflict and the politics of destruction, 1937-1945 (http:/ / books. google. com/ books?id=evVPoSwqrG4C& pg=PA65& dq&
hl=en#v=onepage& q=& f=false)". Cambridge University Press. p.65. ISBN 0521834325
[60] Kershaw, Ian. 2000, 4th edition. The Nazi Dictatorship; Problems & Perspectives of Interpretation. New York: Oxford University Press. P.
111.
[61] Kershaw, Ian. 2000, 4th edition. The Nazi Dictatorship; Problems & Perspectives of Interpretation. P. 111.
[62] Kershaw, Ian. 2000, 4th edition. The Nazi Dictatorship; Problems & Perspectives of Interpretation. p. 111.
[63] Pauley, Bruce F. Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini: Totalitarianism in the Twentieth Century. 2nd Edition. 2003. Wheeling, Illinois, USA: Harlan
Davidson Inc. Pp. 118.
[64] Pauley, 2003. Pp. 118
[65] Pauley, 2003. Pp. 119.
[66] Nazi Medicine and Public Health Policy (http:/ / www. adl. org/ Braun/ dim_14_1_nazi_med. asp) Robert N. Proctor, Dimensions: A
Journal of Holocaust Studies.
[67] Review of "The Nazi War on Cancer" (http:/ / findarticles. com/ p/ articles/ mi_qa3686/ is_200108/ ai_n8961328) Canadian Journal of
History, Aug 2001 by Ian Dowbiggin
[68] "spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk" (http:/ / www. spartacus. schoolnet. co. uk/ GERwomen. htm). . Retrieved 2007-08-15.
[69] Pauley, 2003. Pp. 119
[70] For a more elaborate discussion, see William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich (Touchstone Edition) (New York: Simon &
Schuster, 1990), ISBN 0-671-72868-7, section titled "Education in the Third Reich" (pp. 248256), esp. pp. 254256. The following quotation
from p. 254 typifies the Shirer narrative:

I listened to women leaders of the B.D.M.they were invariably of the plainer type and usually
unmarriedlecture their young charges on the moral and patriotic duty of bearing children for Hitler's
Reichwithin wedlock if possible, but without it if necessary.
[71] http:/ / books. google. com/ books?id=T205AAAAIAAJ& pg=PA382& lpg=PA382& dq=germany+ abortion+ death+ penalty& source=bl&
ots=nQMCJDEN0w& sig=Xfm-Vxwh0RhTXF-spSpNDl9vEM8& hl=en& ei=w1guSsuPJoP6_AaBj6W4Cg& sa=X& oi=book_result&
ct=result& resnum=3 Abortion By Malcolm Potts, Peter Diggory, John Peel at Google Books
[72] "History of Contraception" (http:/ / www. glowm. com/ index. html?p=glowm. cml/ section_view& articleid=375#r88). Glowm.com. .
Retrieved 2009-09-16.
[73] JONATHAN OLSEN "How Green Were the Nazis? Nature, Environment, and Nation in the Third Reich (review)" (http:/ / muse. jhu. edu/
login?uri=/ journals/ technology_and_culture/ v048/ 48. 1olsen. html) Technology and Culture Volume 48, Number 1, January 2007, pp.
207208
[74] Review of Franz-Josef Brueggemeier, Marc Cioc, and Thomas Zeller, eds, "How Green Were the Nazis?: Nature, Environment, and Nation
in the Third Reich" (http:/ / www. h-net. org/ reviews/ showrev. cgi?path=163701165517304) Wilko Graf von Hardenberg, H-Environment,
H-Net Reviews, October, 2006.
[75] Thomas R. DeGregori (2002). Bountiful Harvest: Technology, Food Safety, and the Environment. Cato Institute. pp.p153.
ISBN1930865317.
[76] Arnold Arluke, Clinton Sanders (1996). Regarding Animals. Temple University Press. pp.p132. ISBN1566394414.
[77] Hartmut M. Hanauske-Abel, Not a slippery slope or sudden subversion: German medicine and National Socialism in 1933 (http:/ / www.
bmj. com/ cgi/ content/ full/ 313/ 7070/ 1453#R101), BMJ 1996; pp. 14531463 (7 December)
[78] "kaltio.fi" (http:/ / www. kaltio. fi/ index. php?494). . Retrieved 2007-08-15.
[79] Robert Proctor (1999). The Nazi War on Cancer. Princeton University Press. pp.p5. ISBN0691070512.
[80] Martin Kitchen (2006). A History of Modern Germany, 1800-2000. Blackwell Publishing. pp.p278. ISBN1405100400.
[81] Seymour Rossel (1992). The Holocaust: The World and the Jews, 1933-1945. Behrman House, Inc. pp.p79. ISBN0874415268.
[82] Bruce Braun, Noel Castree (1998). Remaking Reality: Nature at the Millenium. Routledge. pp.p92. ISBN0415144930. [sic]
[83] C. Ray Greek, Jean Swingle Greek (2002). Sacred Cows and Golden Geese: The Human Cost of Experiments on Animals. Continuum
International Publishing Group. pp.p90. ISBN0826414028.

28

Nazi Germany
[84] Boria Sax (2000). Animals in the Third Reich: Pets, Scapegoats, and the Holocaust. Continuum International Publishing Group. pp.p41.
ISBN0826412890.
[85] Scobie, Alexander. Hitler's State Architecture: The Impact of Classical Antiquity. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press,
1990. ISBN 0-271-00691-9. Pp. 92.
[86] Kinobesuche in Deutschland 1925 bis 2004 (http:/ / www. spio. de/ media_content/ 610. pdf) Spitzenorganisation der Filmwirtschaft e. V
[87] Cinema of Germany#1933-1945 Film industry in the Third Reich
[88] Hyde Flippo, The 1936 Berlin Olympics: Hitler and Jesse Owens (http:/ / german. about. com/ library/ blgermyth10. htm) German Myth 10
from German.about.com
[89] Rick Shenkman, Adolf Hitler, Jesse Owens and the Olympics Myth of 1936 (http:/ / hnn. us/ articles/ 571. html) 13 February 2002 from
History News Network (article excerpted from Rick Shenkman's Legends, Lies and Cherished Myths of American History. Publisher: William
Morrow & Co; 1st ed edition (November 1988) ISBN 0-688-06580-5). Ironically, it was US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt who
declined to invite Owens to the White House or to congratulate him in any way. See "Getting to Know the Racial Views of Our Past
Presidents: What about FDR?" Journal of Blacks in Higher Education 38 (20022003, Winter), 4446.
[90] http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Regional/ Europe/ Germany/
[91] http:/ / www1. yadvashem. org/ yv/ en/ holocaust/ about/ 01/ persecution. asp?WT. c_id=wiki
[92] http:/ / www. axishistory. com/ index. php?id=31
[93] http:/ / www. thirdreichruins. com/ index. htm
[94] http:/ / www. dhm. de/ lemo/ html/ nazi/ index. html

29

Article Sources and Contributors

Article Sources and Contributors

Nazi Germany Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=387535852 Contributors: 03md, 1-point, 119, 11bakjoe, 172, 200.191.188.xxx, 213.67.126.xxx, 2D, 3 Lwi, 52 Pickup, 6.27,
62.253.64.xxx, 8.253, A.S. Brown, A455bcd9, ACSE, AI, ANNRC, AaronBagelyIsCool, Abe Lincoln, Ablack, Academic Challenger, Ace ETP, Acha1993, Adam Bishop, Adam Keller, AdamW,
Adambiswanger1, Adambro, Adamsmat000, Addshore, Adolf Oompapa, Afabbro, After Midnight, Afudge, Agentbla, Ahoerstemeier, Airbornelawyer, Aj4444, Ajd, Ajd1992, Akisan9, Alansohn,
Alchemistmatt, Aleksd, Alephh, Alex '05, Alex.muller, AlexTiefling, AlexanderKaras, Alexis Rose, Alexius08, AlexiusHoratius, Alexthe5th, Alibaba, Alihmo, Alkaig, All Is One, Allsaints23,
Alphachimp, Altaar, Altenmann, AmanitaMuscaria, Amire80, Andem, Andre Engels, Andreas D.C., Andrelvis, AndresHerutJaim, Andrew anahi, AndrewHowse, Android Mouse, Andy M.
Wang, Andy120290, Andyjsmith, Andymc, Angel caboodle, Angela, Angiest, Angus Lepper, Animum, Ann O'nyme, Anonymous Dissident, Anonymous anonymous, Anonymous from the 21st
century, Antandrus, Anyep, AppleMacReporter, Applepies66, Aquila89, Aranherunar, Archanamiya, Ark30inf, Arkantan, ArmadniGeneral, ArmchairVexillologistDonLives!, Arsene, Art
LaPella, Artegis, Article3, AryeitskiySaldat, Asams10, Asdackla, Ashenai, Ashleymayhill, Ashmoo, AtheWeatherman, Atjous, Atomsgive, Attilios, AuburnPilot, Avia, AxelBoldt, Axl, AzaToth,
Azdbacks23462, Baaaawlz, Badanedwa, Badgernet, Balster neb, Bambuway, Banes, Barberio, Bardhylius, Barfooz, Baristarim, Barkeep, BaronLarf, BarretBonden, Bart133, Bartledan,
Basilicofresco, Baskinllama, Bastin, Bavareze, Bdm800, Beechs, Belligero, Benbread, Benc533, Beta m, Beyond My Ken, Beyond silence, Bg007, Bhadani, Bhfilms3, BigBen212, BigHaz,
Bigdeal123, Bihco, Bill37212, BillyBonkers, BinaryTed, BionicWilliam, Bjankuloski06en, Blanchardb, BlankVerse, BlastOButter42, Bld4, Bleh999, Blinder Seher, Blisco, Bllasae, Blodance,
BloodDoll, Blueboar, Blueboy96, Blueshirts, Bmx336, Bob1943, Bob78, Bobbymcbobbob, Bobo192, Bogart99, Bongwarrior, Bonzolive, Boriscortes, Bradeos Graphon, Brando130, Brian0918,
Brianyoumans, Brideshead, Britannicus, Britmax, Bronks, Brufnus, Bruno2k5, Bubba hotep, Buechner, Bytwerk, CIreland, CO, CPMcE, CSWarren, Cahk, Caltas, Camembert, Camusgoalie,
Can't sleep, clown will eat me, Canadian-Bacon, CanadianLinuxUser, Canderson7, CanisRufus, Cantus, Capricorn42, Caranorn, Carpetburn4, Casper2k3, Catdude, Catgut, Causa sui, Cautious,
Cberlet, Cbustapeck, Ccacsmss, Celestra, Centrx, Cessator, Cforce3, Chairman S., Chanting Fox, Charles Baynham, Charlesmartel, CharlotteWebb, Charmander317, Cheese45123, Cheesebrain,
Chochopk, Chowells, Chr.K., Chrisphmb, Christopher Parham, Chriswiki, Chromaticity, Chromega, ChryZ MUC, Chrysalis, Chwech, Ciara304, Cinik, Cjthellama, Ckr21, Clarityfiend,
Clemwang, Closedmouth, Cnyborg, CoCobunni, Cockney, Cody vandyke, Colchicum, Colonel Cow, Colonel Mustard, Comehomeusa, Commander Cod, CommonsDelinker, ConfuciusOrnis,
Contributor777, Conversion script, Conz54, Cordless Larry, Corpx, Corvus cornix, Cosmoskramer, Craigy144, Craigzomack, Cretino, Cromas, Crum375, Crystallina, Curps, Cxz111,
Cybercobra, CyclePat, Cyde, D, D elitza, DGJM, DJ Clayworth, DJ Sturm, DMCer, DO'Neil, DVD R W, Da monster under your bed, Daanschr, Dadude3320, Dahn, Dalf, Damin del Valle,
Dan100, Daniel, DanielCD, Danny, Dannysaysnoo, Danowest, Dante Alighieri, Dappawit, Dar-Ape, Dared111, Dark Mage, Dark-hooded smoker, Darkweasel94, Darrenprichardson, Dave6,
Davedx, David Kernow, David Merrill, David.Mestel, David.Monniaux, David61791, Davidkazuhiro, Davodd, Dawn Bard, Db099221, Dbtfz, Dca5347, De Administrando Imperio, DeLarge,
DeadEyeArrow, Deadcorpse, Deathphoenix, Deavenger, Deenoe, DefunKt, Dekisugi, Delirium, Delldot, Deltabeignet, Denniss, DerHexer, Derek Ross, DesmondRavenstone, Dethme0w,
Detruncate, Devatipan, Deville, Dfrg.msc, Dhp1080, Dictator adam, Digihoe, Dillard421, Dimadick, Dina, Dinokks, Discospinster, Discover111, Djmutex, Dlo2012, Dna-webmaster,
DocWatson42, Doco, Docu, Dofis, Dominics Fire, Domino theory, Donarreiskoffer, Donikanuhiu, Dorime, Dorvaq, DouglasGreen, Dpaajones, Dpol, Dr.kwan, DrDaveHPP, DrFrench,
Dreamdissolve, Drmies, Drmonth, Drogo Underburrow, Drredles, DrunkenSmurf, Dsdukcy, Durin, Dwardini2, Dylan Stafne, Dynaflow, Dysprosia, Dzhugashvili, EEBAN, EH74DK, EJF,
EamonnPKeane, Easter Monkey, EconomicsGuy, Ed Fitzgerald, EdBever, Eddieuny, Eddyteddy319, Ederiel, Editor2020, Edivorce, Edward, Edward321, EffK, Ejehrenr, El C, Elcobbola,
Eldraque77, Electrokel, EliasAlucard, Eluchil404, Emc2, Endurance, Enviroboy, Epbr123, Equendil, Er Komandante, Erictan, ErikNY, Erolos, Error, Esoltas, Esperant, Eulogy,
EuroHistoryTeacher, Evercat, Everyking, Evil Monkey, EvilHom3r, Excirial, Exec, Execger, ExplorerCDT, Extransit, Extremophile, Ezeu, Ezhiki, FCSundae, Facecrusher, Fan-1967,
Faradayplank, Fastfission, Fatos von pristina, FayssalF, Fedayee, FelisLeo, Felisopus, Fence111, Fences and windows, Fennec, Ferkelparade, Finalnight, Finlay McWalter, Fireice,
FitzColinGerald, Fivepounds, Flauto Dolce, Fleetwing, FlieGerFaUstMe262, Flockmeal, Flyguy649, Flyingcheese, Fnfd, Footballcao, Formeruser-81, Fox, Francs2000, Frankenpuppy,
Freakofnurture, Fredrik, Freerick, Friginator, Frymaster, Func, Funeral, Fuzheado, Fyver528, GCarty, GDonato, GLaDOS, Gabbe, Gadfium, Gage20, Gail, GainLine, Gaius Cornelius, Gardar
Rurak, Gareth E Kegg, Gargolla, Garyseven, Gasta220, Gatoclass, Gaurav1146, Gazpacho, Gdo01, GeneralPatton, Genotoxin, George m, German86ar, Geschichte, Gggh, Ghirlandajo, Giancarlo
Rossi, Giga581, Gilliam, Gimboid13, Gioto, GirasoleDE, Glen, Gliese876, Glomalon, Gnevin, Gogo Dodo, Goisrael1260, Golbez, Goldenpezboy, Golfhaus, Gomeira, Gomm, Gonzalo84, Good
Olfactory, Goodoldpolonius2, Goodtimber, GordonUS, Gpohara, Gr8opinionater, Gracefool, Gracenotes, Graham Bogdanov, Graham87, Granpuff, Grapeman, Gravsten, GreatWhiteNortherner,
Greatwalk, Green Squares, Grendlefuzz, Ground Zero, Gryfonwing, Gtg204y, Guitarstud24, Gurch, Guyzo997, Gwernol, Gwm, Gzkn, Gzornenplatz, Hadal, Haham hanuka, Half-Blood Auror,
HalfShadow, Halibutt, Hamiltondaniel, Hans Adler, Happenstance, Harland1, Harringaj, Harrychiu, Haukurth, Hayabusa future, Hayden120, Hda3ku, HeilSwastika88, Hephaestos, HerkusMonte,
HexaChord, Hibbleton, Hibernian, Highland14, Historian932, Hmains, Hohns3, Hohum, Honge, Hoo man, Hotlorp, Hpfan1, Hqb, HubHikari, Humus sapiens, Hurricane111, Husnock, Husond,
Hyperion395, IIIraute, INkubusse, IOR, IRP, IW.HG, IZAK, Ian Pitchford, Iapetus, Ignitus, Igoldste, Ikh, Iluvcapra, Ilyushka88, Impaciente, ImperatorExercitus, Imperial avis, Indon,
Infrogmation, Inge, Ingolfson, Instantnematode, Inter, Interstellar, Invincible Ninja, Irbergui, Iridescent, Iridium77, Irish Lad, Irishguy, IsarSteve, Itr123, Itskamilo, Iwalkonwater2, Ixfd64, J Di,
J.J., J.delanoy, JAHL14, JALockhart, JForget, JHK, JHMM13, JIP, JNW, JRM, JaGa, Jack Phoenix, JackSparrow Ninja, Jackollie, Jacobgreenbaum, Jacobko, Jacurek, Jaerik, Jaimenote,
Jakezing, James086, James6019, Jamesleaver, Jamhaw, Janderk, January2007, Jason M, Jason Palpatine, Java7837, Jaxl, Jayjg, Jdlh, JeLuF, Jean-Jacques Georges, Jebidiah, Jeff3000, Jeff3h,
Jeni, Jeremy221, Jergen, Jerry, Jerry106, JerryVanF, Jim Douglas, Jimbo84, Jimmy white, Jitterro, Jj137, Jkelly, Jmundo, Jnestorius, Jni, Jnothman, JoSePh, JoeBlogsDord, Joewein,
Joeyjoeyjojo, Johan Magnus, John, John K, John Vandenberg, John of Reading, JohnCD, JohnSawyer, Johnbarkley, Jojhutton, Jon Harald Sby, Jonabbey, Jonik, Jons63, Joonasl, Joseph Solis in
Australia, JosephLondon, Jossi, Joyous!, Jperkins683, Jpgordon, Jtkiefer, Jtopgun, Juliand, JustPhil, Justinfr, KF, KILNA, Kablammo, KagamiNoMiko, Karabinier, Karada, Karenjc, Karl Rohm,
KarlFrei, Karlthegreat, Katieh5584, Kbdank71, Kchishol1970, Kchiu, Kcordina, Keegan, Keilana, KeithD, Kelisi, Kelly Martin, Keraunos, Kesselring88, Kevin B12, Kevin66, Khalid Mahmood,
KiernMoran, Kierzek, Kingsoham159, Kinneyboy90, Kintetsubuffalo, Kipala, Kirill Lokshin, Kirrages, Kisscatman91, Klow, Knepflerle, KnowledgeOfSelf, Knowledgebycoop, Kotjze, Krawi,
Kristen Eriksen, Ksanyi, Ksenon, Kubanczyk, Kukini, Kungfuadam, Kuru, Kusma, Kuzaar, Kwarizmi, Kyriosity, LCpl, Laca, Lacrimosus, Lahiru k, Lairor, Lambiam, Lamrock, Landser
CavemanStuart, LanternLight, Lapisphil, Lapsed Pacifist, Lars T., LarsTheViking, Latka, Law soma, Leafyplant, LeandraakaHollywood, Lebob-BE, Lectonar, Leedeth, Legaleagle86, Leminh91,
Lemmey, Leolaursen, Leoni2, Life of Riley, Liftarn, Light current, Lightmouse, Ligulem, LilHelpa, Lilac Soul, Liliomere, Linnell, Lipatden, Lissajous, ListenerX, Lizzie20116969, Llort,
Llywrch, Lockesdonkey, LonelyMarble, Lord Bodak, Loremaster, Lostintherush, Lt.Specht, LtNOWIS, Luboogers25, Luccent, Lucius1976, Luckas Blade, LuigiManiac, Lumos3, Luna Santin,
Lysy, M.C., MBK004, MC MasterChef, MER-C, MJCdetroit, MK2, MONGO, MSTCrow, MaGioZal, MacX85, Mackay 86, Madden, Madmagic, Maelnuneb, Magister Mathematicae, Magnus
Coloradus, Magus732, Mahanga, Maiatues, Majin Takeru, Majorly, Malcolm Farmer, Maleabroad, Malo, Mandarax, Mangwanani, Manuel Trujillo Berges, Manxruler, MarXidad, Marcel1975,
Marcus Wendel, MarryAchy, MarsRover, Marvin Nash, Masonprof, Master of Tofu, Masterjamie, Matthead, Matthew238, MatthewWilcox, Matthewnolan, Maustrauser, Mav, Max rspct,
MaxSem, Maximus Rex, Maxl, Mayooranathan, Mb1000, Mboverload, McGeddon, McSly, Mcmillin24, Mcsnee, MeekSaffron, Meekywiki, Meepster, Mehmet Karatay, Mel Etitis, Melaen,
Mellum, Mendaliv, Mentifisto, Metroidkid1996, Mhazard9, Michael Johnson, Michael Zimmermann, Midnightblueowl, Mieciu K, Mike D 26, Mike Rosoft, MikeWren, Mikemikemike2,
Mintguy, Missed-it-by-that-much, Missing Ace, Mister Fungus Amongus, Miyagawa, Miyokan, Mkpumphrey, Mlouns, Mnentro, Mnmazur, Mobo85, Modeha, Molobo, Moncrief, Morgan
Hauser, Morwen, Moshe Constantine Hassan Al-Silverburg, MosheA, Mothmolevna, Mr George R. Allison, Mr. Chicago, MrBell, MrFish, MrSomeone, Mrg3105, Ms2ger, Mschel,
Mschlindwein, Msginsberg, Mshecket, Mtlipman, Mumia-w-18, Mushroom, Musse-kloge, Mxn, Mzajac, N328KF, N3MO, NE2, NHRHS2010, Naif, Nakon, Nap1815, Naryathegreat, Nathan J.
Hamilton, NawlinWiki, Nazi 2007, Nburden, NeilN, Nema Fakei, Neohagrid, Neutrality, NewEnglandYankee, Nick Number, Nick-D, NickCatal, Nico, Nightmare X, Nihiltres, Nik42,
Nikodemos, Nikolas Stephan, Nima Baghaei, Nishkid64, Nixdorf, Nk, Nmpenguin, Nnp, Noremacnomis, Norton11714, Nottheking, Now3d, Npovshark, NubKnacker, NuclearWarfare,
Number1schumacherfan, Nyenyec, Nyp, OOODDD, OberRanks, Oberiko, Oberkommando, Objectivesea, Obli, Oblivious, Ocolon, Odie5533, Offnfopt, Ofhistoricalsignificance, Olatei,
Olegwiki, Olessi, Olivier, OllieFury, Olorin28, Omicronpersei8, OneEuropeanHeart, OneVoice, Onetwo1, Onevalefan, Onorem, Oore, OptimumPx, Optiple, Orangerider, Otolemur
crassicaudatus, Ottens, OwenBlacker, OwenX, Oxymoron83, P-mcfeely, PAK Man, PFHLai, PJtP, PMLawrence, Pabix, Paddyez, Pajfarmor, Pandasandpenguins, Pascal.Tesson, Patrick, Patrick
paniagua, Paul A, Paul August, Paul Barlow, Paul Benjamin Austin, Paul from Michigan, Paul-L, PaulHanson, PaulinSaudi, Paulwithap, PaxEquilibrium, Peaceman, Pearle, Peedrag, Pelagus,
Peripitus, Persian Poet Gal, Peter Entwisle, Peter Greenwell, PeterSymonds, Petri Krohn, Pewwer42, Pgk, Phaedriel, Pharos04, Phatboy807, Phgao, Philbos, Philip Baird Shearer, Philip Trueman,
Phrogprince, Piano non troppo, Pibroch, PigFlu Oink, Piggy222, Pika ten10, Piledhigheranddeeper, Pilotguy, Piotrus, Pithecanthropus, Plumbago, Poeticbent, Politepunk, Por787, Postdlf,
Postmann Michael, Pr5667, Primaryspace, Professional Assassin, Pronsias, ProudPomeranian, Pudeo, Quadell, Qxz, R Lowry, R'n'B, R-41, R9tgokunks, RHB, RMinRED, RadioKirk, Raeky,
RandomP, Randy Johnston, Raptor1135, Rasmus Faber, Raul654, Raven4x4x, Rawling, Ray Chason, Rdbrds, Realismadder, Rearview, Recato, Redvers, Reedy, RekishiEJ, Reuvenk, Revizionist,
Revolutionary92, Rex Germanus, RexNL, Rglovejoy, Rhamillaer, Riana, Rich Farmbrough, Richard David Ramsey, Richardshusr, Rickvaughn, Rinsent, Rjensen, Rjwilmsi, Rklawton,
Rmhermen, Roadmr, Roastytoast, Robert25, Robertvan1, Robth, Rockfang, Rockybiggs, RodC, Roentgenium111, Rokbas, Romanm, Rommelator, Roo72, Rosenknospe, Roux, Rowan Moore,
Royalguard11, Royboycrashfan, Rreagan007, Rror, RsVe, Ruhrjung, RunOrDie, Runefrost, Rusco, Ruy Lopez, RxS, Ryan Postlethwaite, Ryan soton, Ryan5674, RyanCross, Ryulong,
SEJohnston, SEWilco, SGGH, SH84, SJP, SOCAMX, Sagaciousuk, Sakkaro, Sally Anne, Sam Spade, Sameintheend, Sand Squid, Sandahl, Sandstein, Sango123, Sannse, Sanskritkanji, Sarenne,
Sasquatch, SatCam, Savidan, Sceptre, SchfiftyThree, Schneelocke, Scholl, Schwalker, Schweiwikist, Scientizzle, Scottie theNerd, ScreaminEagle, SeNeKa, Sean D Martin, Sebastian scha.,
Sebesta, SecretAgentMan00, Segregold, SelfQ, Seospamer, Seqsea, Seventh Ares, Sfan00 IMG, Sgeo, Shanel, Shanes, Shankar69, Sharnak, Shaster, Shiningarmor, Shoeofdeath,
Shortwaveboy86, Siebrand, SigmaEpsilon, Silverhorse, SimonP, Sionus, Sirimiri, Sirius85, Sirtrebuchet, Sitenl, SixBlueFish, Sixest, Sjakkalle, Skullers, Slakr, Slatersteven, SlimVirgin, Sm8900,
Smith.myles, Smith2006, Smooth O, Smoove Z, Snake bgd, Snoyes, SoLando, SoWhy, Soldat und Waffe, Soliloquial, Solowcustom, Soman, Someones life, Somethingborrowed, Sosha,
Soshilala, Souviens, SpaceFlight89, Spangineer, SparhawkWiki, Spartacan, Spartan-James, SpeedyGonsales, SpikeToronto, Spilla, Spitzer19, Spleeman, Sploot, Spongie555, SpookyMulder,
Squiddy, Srikeit, Srushe, Sry85, Staberinde, Stan Shebs, Startaq, Statsone, Staygyro, Stephenb, Steve Dufour, Steve Hart, Steven Zhang, StillTrill, Stoive, Stone, StoneProphet, Stor stark7, Story
Page, Str1977, Strshljen, Styrofoam1994, Summerree, Sunil060902, Sunquanliangxiuhao, Sunshineofyourlove12, Suomi Finland 2009, Supernoodles, Supersmartexpert, Supertask,
Suppericecube, Svick, Sw258, Swaq, SweetCarmen, Szesetszedziesitsze, Szopen, TAIWAN, TJ Spyke, TJDay, TMC, Tader1, Tainted muffin, Tallicfan20, Talz13, Tana85, Tangerines,
Tangotango, Taraborn, Tarret, Tawker, Tcncv, Ted Jameson, TedE, Tellyaddict, Terence, Terrykwon, Tex, Tgw333, That Asian Guy, The 888th Avatar, The Angriest Man Alive, The Anome,
The Behnam, The Epopt, The High Fin Sperm Whale, The Kaiser, The Last Melon, The Ogre, The Prince Manifest, The stuart, The undertow, The wub, Thingg, Thomas Ludwig, Thomas81,
Thue, Tiddly Tom, TimTim, Timc, TinyMark, Tiptoety, Tischbeinahe, TitanOne, Tobby72, Toddas, Tom, Tom harrison, Tomayres, Tomer Ish Shalom, Tommy2010, Tomothy321, Tony
Sidaway, Tony1, TorW, Toya, Toytown Mafia, Tpbradbury, TreasuryTag, Treisijs, Trek00, Trevor MacInnis, Trinate, Truthanado, Tuomas, Turkishbob, Tyler, UDSS, USERNAME8, Ugen64,
Ukexpat, Ulric1313, Unmitigated Success, Untouchable777, Usmc6891, Vaber134, Valentinian, Valois bourbon, Vanished User 03, Varokhar, Vary, Vaxquis, Vcelloho, Vermesan,

30

Article Sources and Contributors

VernoWhitney, VeronicaPR, Versus22, Victoriagirl, Vilerage, Vinayak.s, Viriditas, VolatileChemical, Volker89, Vortexrealm, WCFrancis,
WHATaintNOcountryIeverHEARDofDOtheySPEAKenglishINwhat, WHEELER, WJBscribe, Wartimepress, Wavelength, Waxman1977, Wayward, Wdyoung, Weakopedia, Websterwebfoot,
Weeeeeeeee1234, Wehategermans, Werdan7, WhaleyTim, What89, WhisperToMe, Whistler, White Guard, White Shadows, Who, Wik, Wiki Raja, Wiki alf, Wiki-BT, WikiDespot666,
WikiNerd31, Wikinist, WikipedianMarlith, Will Beback, WilliamH, Willicher, Wimt, Winchelsea, Winshevsky, Wisdom89, Wizardman, WojPob, Woohookitty, Wooley, WpZurp, Wrfc2009,
WritersCramp, Writtenright, Wunhur, Www.jpfo.org, Wyld, Wzwz, X201, Xdamr, Xeno, Xerstau, Xeryus, Xtreme racer, Xufanc, Xx236, XxAzNxX123, Yamamoto Ichiro, Yelizandpaul,
Yelyos, Yintan, Yokuba, Zac Allan, Zackus, Zagrebo, Zaphodia, Zara1709, Zazaban, Zelmerszoetrop, Zeltar, Zenohockey, Zero0000, Zhengfu, Zmaz0ox, Zntrip, Zolo525, ZooFari, Zscout370,
Zsinj, Zundark, Zurishaddai, , , , , 3029 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

File:Adolf Hitler cph 3a48970.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Adolf_Hitler_cph_3a48970.jpg License: unknown Contributors: Heinrich Hoffmann
File:Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Germany_(3-2_aspect_ratio).svg License: Public Domain Contributors:
User:CMBJ, User:Dbenbenn, User:Madden, User:Mmxx
File:Flag of Germany 1933.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Germany_1933.svg License: unknown Contributors: File:Reichsparteitag 1935.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Reichsparteitag_1935.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: Charles Russell
File:Second world war europe 1941-1942 map en.png Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Second_world_war_europe_1941-1942_map_en.png License: GNU Free
Documentation License Contributors: User:ArmadniGeneral, User:San Jose
File:British fisher boat dunkirk.png Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:British_fisher_boat_dunkirk.png License: Public Domain Contributors: Frank Capra (film)
File:Len-doro.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Len-doro.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: Alex Bakharev, Bukvoed, Cave cattum, Hohum, Membershiped,
Sergey kudryavtsev, SuperTank17
File:Einsatzgruppe.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Einsatzgruppe.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: Bohme, Christian Ganzer, Couthon, Nameless23,
Pieter Kuiper, Schreiben, Spellcast, Starscream, Trelio, 1 anonymous edits
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-J16796, Rommel mit Soldaten der Legion "Freies Indien".jpg Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-J16796,_Rommel_mit_Soldaten_der_Legion_"Freies_Indien".jpg License: unknown Contributors: Jesse
File:Americans cross Siegfried Line.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Americans_cross_Siegfried_Line.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: Hohum, Saperaud
File:98-animate.gif Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:98-animate.gif License: Public Domain Contributors: Original uploader was Legaleagle86 at en.wikipedia
File:Nuremberg-1-.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Nuremberg-1-.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: Beek100, Brian Ammon, Cloclob, Cookie,
EugeneZelenko, Felix Stember, Jarekt, Jatkins, Joshuashearn, Madmax32, Mogelzahn, PDD, PMG, Paul.Matthies, Petronas, Schaengel89, Siebrand, Torsade de Pointes, Ukas, Zzyzx11, 9
anonymous edits
File:NS administrative Gliederung 1944.png Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:NS_administrative_Gliederung_1944.png License: GNU Free Documentation License
Contributors: User:Exec
File:50krobv.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:50krobv.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: Steve Norton
File:Adolf Hitler 42 Pfennig stamp.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Adolf_Hitler_42_Pfennig_stamp.jpg License: unknown Contributors: User:Professional
Assassin
File:20 Deutschmark note 3rd Reich.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:20_Deutschmark_note_3rd_Reich.jpg License: unknown Contributors: Quadell
Image:Polenabzeichen.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Polenabzeichen.jpg License: unknown Contributors: Piotrus, Shinerunner, Sjam2004
Image:Ostarbeiter-Abzeichen.png Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Ostarbeiter-Abzeichen.png License: GNU Free Documentation License Contributors: Andreas
Jeromin
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-R69173, Mnchener Abkommen, Staatschefs.jpg Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-R69173,_Mnchener_Abkommen,_Staatschefs.jpg License: unknown Contributors: A1B2C3D4, G.dallorto, Martin H.,
Mtsmallwood, UstinadlabemELBE, Vizu, YMS
File:Hitler meets with Franco in Hendaye 1940.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Hitler_meets_with_Franco_in_Hendaye_1940.jpg License: unknown Contributors:
Kintetsubuffalo
File:Kristallnacht example of physical damage.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Kristallnacht_example_of_physical_damage.jpg License: Public Domain
Contributors: User:Humus sapiens, User:OrphanBot, User:Tickle me
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 192-208, KZ Mauthausen, Sowjetische Kriegsgefangene.jpg Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_192-208,_KZ_Mauthausen,_Sowjetische_Kriegsgefangene.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: Bdell555,
Mtsmallwood, Quibik, 1 anonymous edits
File:Buchenwald-bei-Weimar-am-24-April-1945.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Buchenwald-bei-Weimar-am-24-April-1945.jpg License: Public Domain
Contributors: Berrucomons, Cro0016, Goodgirl, Jklamo, Korman, Pieter Kuiper, Plindenbaum, Sammyday, Schekinov Alexey Victorovich, WernerPopken
File:Rows of bodies of dead inmates fill the yard of Lager Nordhausen, a Gestapo concentration camp.jpg Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Rows_of_bodies_of_dead_inmates_fill_the_yard_of_Lager_Nordhausen,_a_Gestapo_concentration_camp.jpg License: Public Domain
Contributors: T4c. James E Myers
File:Nazi Volkswagen.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Nazi_Volkswagen.jpg License: GNU Free Documentation License Contributors: Aviad2001, Beao,
Gohnarch, JD, Jack O'Neill, Ketamino, Kintetsubuffalo, Mattes, Mbdortmund, Morio, Syrcro, Tekstman, Vaya, 2 anonymous edits
File:1933-may-10-berlin-book-burning.JPG Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:1933-may-10-berlin-book-burning.JPG License: unknown Contributors: User Dyss on
en.wikipedia
File:Nazi World War II poster Danzig is German.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Nazi_World_War_II_poster_Danzig_is_German.jpg License: Public Domain
Contributors: German Gouvernment
File:Berlin36-2.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Berlin36-2.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Contributors: BLueFiSH.as, Beek100, Easyplex,
Fallschirmjger, Hubicka, Li-sung, Olivier2, Sir James

License
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
http:/ / creativecommons. org/ licenses/ by-sa/ 3. 0/

31