Nazi Germany Revision

Guide 2

The Impact of war on Germany and

Europe 1939-45
Name:
Teacher:
 How to answer Nazi
Germany Questions
Question 6 (only 1 question) – 7 marks – 10 minutes
This question will ask – ‘What can the source tell us….’ .
Same as 6a question in the Elizabethans, but you have to add own knowledge to
support or challenge the argument in the source. No need to write about the
limitations of the source – just focus on what you source tells you and how you can
support/challenge this with own knowledge.

Question 7 – 15 marks - 20minutes

Question will ask ‘How useful’ the three sources. These may be sources from the
time or an interpretation from historians. You should write 4 paragraphs, 1 per
source and judgement in conclusion. Refer to usefulness and limitations of source in
each paragraph. Use own knowledge to support what the source shows and to
challenge (does the source leave something out?). Consider provenance of source
when assessing validity. Conclusion can judge the strength of sources together or if
one source is more useful than others.

Question 8 or 9 – 18 marks (25 mins):

Judgement question on an interpretation/significant issue: Focus on what the quote
or question says. For example, if the question says ‘ There was little effective
opposition to the Nazis’, refer to how/when opposition was effective or not effective
(eg. Before the war, after Stalingrad).
• Use the words in the quote.
• You need to show a lot of knowledge. Minimum 4 paragraphs, suggest 5 including
introduction and conclusion.
• There is no need for balance, it is fine to totally agree with the interpretation,
disagree with it or only partially agree. However, if totally argue one way, you
must show other factors or interpretations though. This should be done by using
starting sentences like ‘the interpretation is the most important reason because
other factors such as ……… are not so significant because….’ Or ‘other people
argue that ………….. but this is wrong because…’.
• Students should have a brief intro mapping your main points. Then 3 – 4
paragraphs that show 1) How far you agree with the interpretation, 2) other
factors and their importance in comparison to the one mentioned in the
question.
• Finish with a conclusion that clearly drives home the strongest reason.
 The War Economy

With the outbreak of war the economy there

was a huge increase in demand for weapons,
ammunition and other military supplies. In
December 1939 Hitler announced that Germany
would become a war economy, meaning all
industries would be geared to supporting the
war effort. It had an impact as the percentage of
goods produced for the military increased
dramatically:
• 1939 = 23%
• 1941 = 47%
Also by 1941 55% of the German workforce was
employed in war-related work.
However, there remained problems with the wartime economy as production was still not sufficient.
This was due to the 5 groups trying to control the economy – SS, German Army, Luftwaffe (airforce),
Navy, and local Nazi leaders.

Impact of Speer
Speer was appointed Minister of Armaments in February
1942 and he was a trusted ally of Hitler. He aimed to
improve the efficiency of the war economy.

He gave factories independence – ‘industrial self-

responsibility’. He had overall control and had Hitler’s
trust to do what he wanted. His main policies were:

• Focus factories on producing a single product (instead of making 5

different types of tank, a factory might make one type).
• Employ more women
• Use concentration camp prisoners as workers
• Stop skilled workers being conscripted into the army.

Results

Number of tanks and aircraft produced 1940-44

1940 1941 1942 1943 1944
Tanks 1,600 3,800 6,300 12,100 19,000
Aircraft 10,200 11,000 14,200 25,200 39,600
Speer’s impact was what became known as the ‘production miracle’.
Between 1941 and 1943:
• German aircraft production increased by 200%
• Tank production increased by 250%
 Revision Task
What can Source A tell us about Nazi
economic policy from 1942?

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Summarise 5 key facts about the impact of Albert Speer
1. 4.

2.
5.

3.
 Impact of war on Civilians 1939-1942
Coal
The first winter of the war was the coldest in living memory. In January 1940, daytime
temperatures did not rise above -5. There was a severe lack of coal. All factories not engaged in
war production were told they would receive no coal. Schools, businesses and cafes were forced
to close. Many struggled to heat their homes and were forced to forage for firewood in parks
and forests.

This poster says ‘Hamster, shame
on you!’. Hamsters hoard food and
this poster was designed to
encourage people not to hoard.
Food Rationing
The rationing of food in Germany was complicated and was based
on age and occupation. The system ensured that most people were
adequately fed. Civilians were issued with colour-coded ration cards
for different products. These were issued every month so the
authorities could revise the amount given depending on supply.
• Those in manual labour received more that those in sedentary occupations.
• Jews received smaller rations.
• Special allocations for pregnant women, nursing mothers and the sick.
The rationing of food became much worse from 1943 onwards – see later in revision
booklet.

Women
There was division over the role of women in the war effort. Speer wanted them to
work in factories to boost production, however, Nazi leaders like Hitler thought they
should be in the home as wives and mothers. Attitudes did shift during the war. From
1939 women had to complete 6 months Labour Service before entering full
employment. There were restrictions on the marriage loans but this was lifted for
those women in work, this resulted in more women in work.
• 1939 – 750,000 women worked in war industries
• 1941 – 1.5 million
However, there were around 30 million women in Germany. It seemed that most
women preferred to stay at home. German Workers Front poster that
reads: ‘In every factory, a women's
work group’.

Bombing and Evacuation

Bombing
As the German armies marked across northern Europe, the British Royal Air Force began
to bomb German cities. On the 28 th August 1940, the RAF made their first attack on
Berlin. Throughout the Autumn of 1940 many cities faced raids 3-4 nights a week. The
German government introduced a massive programme to build air raid shelters and to
improve defences.

Evacuation:
The regime introduced a system of evacuation in 1940 known as KLV. It was a voluntary
system and was first used in Hamburg and Berlin as they were cities most at
risk of attack. All children below the age of 14 were eligible and those under 10 could be accompanied by their
mother. Older children were placed in camps run by the Hitler Youth. Conditions in the camps varied. By having
children away from their parents, the Nazis could further their indoctrination of the young. For this reason, many
parents did not allow their children to be evacuated. Of the 250,000 children in Berlin eligible, only 40,000
participated.
 ‘Between 1939 and 1942 the greatest impact of the war on the German people
was the Allied bombing of German cities’. How far do you agree with this
statement? (18)
Introduction

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CONCLUSION

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 Total War 1943
Until 1943, the German war machine had been largely successful. However, in late January 1943, the Nazis faced
their first major defeat by the Russians at the Battle of Stalingrad. Also, the British and French had pushed the
Germans out of North Africa.

Key turning points in the war = 1943 - Battle of Stalingrad, defeat in North Africa

These defeats showed the Nazis that they needed a new plan. They needed ‘Total War…..

‘Do you want total war? If necessary, do you want a war more total
and radical than anything that we can even imagine today?’

At the Berlin Sportpalast Goebbels delivered a powerful speech to a pro-Nazi

selected audience, urging the German people to make even greater sacrifices
for the war effort.

Impact of Total War

Women
More women were mobilised into the war effort.
• 3 million women between the ages of 17 and 45 were called to work. Only 1 million
responded.
• Some avoided being called up to work by getting pregnant.

War War War

Anything that did not contribute to the war was eliminated = professional sport,
magazines, non-essential businesses. Women could have their hair cut but not dyed.

Tougher Rationing
Food: By the end of the war, especially in industrial cities, many
Germans suffered malnutrition as food supplies became more
unpredictable. A black market flourished in Germany. The average
calorie intake was 950-1150 per day (recommended 2000). This
malnourishment led to illnesses such as typhus, diphtheria and
whooping cough.
Clothes: Clothes were no longer produced so clothes
rationing came to an end. Exchange centres were set
up so people could swap clothes.

Increase in Propaganda
Propaganda was targeted at encouraging the German people to embrace total war (see
poster to left). Goebbels’ speech was played in cinemas across the country.

Impact on Air Raids

Allied bombing of German cities intensified. Hamburg was experienced a series of day and night raids in 1943, resulting
40,000 civilians being killed. In November 1943, Berlin was attacked by 750 planes. This resulted in 500,000 civilians
being homeless. Overall in Allied attacks on Germany:
• Estimated 650,000 civilians were killed
• 2,700,000 tons of bombs were dropped
• 3.6 million homes were destroyed (20% of the total housing)
However, bombing did not break the German people’s will completely. The civilian population continued to support the
war and workers still continued to turn up to work, at least until the end of 1944.
 How useful is Source A to an historian
studying the impact of the war on
German citizens? (try to refer to key
turning points in the war)

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 ‘…Total war is the demand of the hour. We must put an end to the
bourgeois attitude that we have also seen in this war: Wash my back, but
don’t get me wet! The danger facing us is enormous. The efforts we take
to meet it must be just as enormous. The time has come to remove the
kid gloves and use our fists. We can no longer make only partial and
careless use of the war potential at home and in the significant parts of
Europe that we control. We must use our full resources, as quickly and
thoroughly as it is organizationally and practically possible. Unnecessary
concern is wholly out of place. The future of Europe hangs on our
success in the East. We are ready to defend it….’

Excerpt from a speech by Joseph Goebbels on 18th February 1943 at the

Sportpalast.

What can Source B tell us about the impact of the war on Germany
in 1943?
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 The end of the war in Germany 1944-45
1944 – Desperation
The war turned further still against the Nazis in 1944.
• US and Britain continued their air raids.
• Allies successfully invaded northern France in June – D-
Day.
• August 1944 – Paris was liberated.
• Soviet forces had pushed the Nazis back to Poland.

There was increased pressure in Germany. The advancing Allied forces had forces had forced many ethnic
Germans back into Germany. This large number of refugees put increased pressure on food and fuel supplies.
After the July Bomb Plot Hitler’s popularity increased dramatically. The regime took this opportunity to force
the civilians and army into line and increase efforts for total war.

Increasing the War Effort

Goebbels was made Reich Trustee for Total War and was responsible in ensuring that
every aspect of German society was geared towards the war effort.
• Half a million workers were ordered to become soldiers. They were replaced by
non-skilled workers and production decreased.
• Age limit for compulsory service for women was increased to 50.
• Increase in forced labour. 7.6 million foreign workers were brought into Germany.

The Volkssturm
With the war getting increasingly worst for the Nazis, Hitler ordered the
creation of the Volkssturm (People’s Storm). This was a National Militia that
Hitler thought would defend against the advancing Russian and Allied soldiers.
• All males 16-60 not already in military service were forced to serve.
• Nazi officials even patrolled hospitals for injured soldiers fit enough to serve.
• Members were given just 4 days training and were given old rifles or captured
foreign weapons.
A parade of the Volkssturm in
This clearly showed how desperate the Nazi regime had now become. Berlin, 12 November 1944

The End - 1945

In March 1945 the British and US soldiers stepped into Germany. In April, the Russians crossed into Germany’s
eastern border. The Germans continued to fight on. On 30 th April 1945, Hitler took his own life and a week later
the war was over. The end of the war had a dramatic impact on the German people:
Chaos Fighting to the End
• Ration cards became useless as shops ran out • By April, the Nazi empire was reduced to Berlin.
of goods. Many turned to the black market or Russian troops had surrounded the city.
starved. However, the remainder of the SS and German
• British and US air raids became more Army continued to fight on with the help of the
ferocious. The most famous raid in February Volkssturm and the Hitler Youth.
was on Dresden where 4000 tons of bombs • On the 2nd May 1945, Germany surrendered.
were dropped, resulting in 25,000 deaths. • Historian Ian Kershaw examined
why the German people
continued to fight on. He argues
it was due to terror, propaganda
and faith in Hitler.
 Revision Tasks
How useful is this source to an historian
studying the impact of the war on German
citizens between 1944-45?

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Explain what you think was the greatest impact of the war on the German
people – eg. rationing? Air raids? Volkssturm? Propaganda?
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 Opposition during the war
Assassination Attempts
Operation Valkyrie – July 1944
• Military coup – take over Berlin after Hitler was assassinated. Government would have consisted of
Conservatives, Centre Party, SPD and non-party representatives. Immediate peace negotiations would
have been sought.
• The bomb was planted by Stauffenberg at Hitler's headquarters in East Prussia. Bomb exploded, but
Hitler escaped with minor injuries.
• There was confusion among conspirators and they failed to take over the radio stations.
Stauffenberg Broadcast by Hitler proved the plot had failed.
Response
• Himmler was placed in charge of rounding up conspirators.
• SS arrested 7000 people and executing 5746..
• Beck committed suicide. Stauffenberg was shot.
• Army lost its independence. SS took control.
• Plot gained little sympathy from Germans. Plotters were from the old elite and made no attempt to arouse popular
support. Germans saw the plotters as traitors. Most Germans were relieved that Hitler had survived.

Public Criticism
Cardinal Galen - Catholic
Galen’s opposition to the Nazi regime increased during the war. He gave three famous sermons against the
Nazis on the terror of the Gestapo, the taking of Church property and most famously the murder of
mentally and physically disabled people. He gained the nickname the ‘Lion of Munster’. Three Catholic
priests who helped him distribute his sermons in pamphlets were executed in Lubeck. Galen survived the
war as he was too prominent a figure to eliminate.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer - Protestant

Bonhoeffer spoke out against the regime during the 1930s, resulting in him being banned from writing or
speaking publicly. He joined the Abwehr (military intelligence), which contained some army officers that
opposed the regime. He learned about the full atrocities being conducted by the Nazis. He relayed
messages for the underground resistance and helped Jews escape to Switzerland. He was killed in
Flosseberg concentration camp in April 1945, two weeks before the end of the war.

The Rosenstrasse
27 February 1943 saw the last ‘action’ to round up the remaining Jews in Berlin. One group of men
were taken to Rosenstrasse 2-4, a building in Berlin. These jews were considered ‘part Jewish’.
Many of the men had Aryan wives. It was these women who gathered on that day to
protest in support of the men. There were around 600 women in total. They began to shout ‘give us our husbands back’. They
were threatened by the SS guards but the women persisted for several days. On the 5th March the first prisoners were
released. The women had shown remarkable courage.

Students – White Rose group

• Based in Munich at Munich University.
• More consciously political
• Led by Sophie Scholl, and supported by Professor Kurt Huber.
• Target audience = educated middle class.
• Influenced by Bishop Galen- they emphasised the importance of individual freedom and
personal responsibility in questions of morality.
• Group attacked the Nazi treatment of Jews and Slav people.
• 1942-43 = issued six pamphlets that were distributed mainly in Munich.
• February 1943 = became more daring – painted anti-Nazi slogans,
such as ‘Hitler Mass Murderer’ on buildings.
• Eventually caught by the Gestapo and killed.
 ‘The most effective form of opposition against the Nazi regime came from the
churches between 1939-1945’. How far do you agree with this statement? (18)
Introduction
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CONCLUSION

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 Nazi Impact on Europe
Occupation of Poland
When Germany invaded Poland they intended to remove any element of
Polish control or culture. They wanted to fully Germanise the country. They
split the country into different areas, such as the General Government.
Removal of Polish Culture and People
• Eastern General Plan = Expel hundreds of thousands of Polish or Slavic
people as possible from Poland and replace them with Germans. 500,000
ethnic Germans were settled in their houses on their land.
• Hans Frank (Governor of the General Government) = Frank destroyed
Polish culture, education and leadership. Intellectuals and political leaders were particularly targeted. 30,000 prominent
Polish people were arrested, many were murdered.
• 1.9 million non-Jew were killed by the German Army and the SS.
• 1.5 million Polish people were deported to Germany for forced labour. They had to wear a ‘P’ on their arm and were not
allowed to have sexual relations with Germans.
• Jews – Jews were persecuted severely in Poland once the Germans invaded. They were forced into ghettos, the biggest
being Warsaw. Death camps were then built in Poland. 3 million Polish Jews would be murdered by the Nazis throughout
the war.
Resistance
Delegatura = A secret state in Poland which the exiled Polish government in London helped set up.
They staged a massive uprising in Warsaw in 1944 which lasted 2 months. Hitler ordered the
complete destruction of Warsaw and the revolt was brutally suppressed.

Occupation of the Netherlands

1940
• Germany invade on 10 May 1940
• Dutch shared same ethnicity as Germans so were treated very differently to those in the
East, such as Poland.
• Friendly policies – eg. education system no changed as they feared a backlash.
• Small resistance – On the day of the exiled Prince Bernhard’s birthday, many Dutch people
wore carnations to show support for the exiled royal family. Nobody was punished.

1941-42 – Turning Point

STRIKE = February 1942 – 425 Jewish men were rounded up for deportation. Communists called for a strike as a protest.
Many workers marched in the streets. The Nazis ended their ‘friendly’ policies and shot at the strikers. 9 killed, hundreds
arrested. Strike and German reaction strengthened many Dutch people’s resistance to the Nazis.
1943-45 – Intimidation and Violence
• Nazis fully abandoned policies to try to ‘win over’ the Dutch people
• Jews – April 1942 all Jews had to wear the yellow Star of David. 107,000 (74% of Jewish population in Netherlands) were
deported to extermination camps. Some Dutch people helped with deportations, however some did try to hide Jews.
This was difficult in a small, densely populated country.
• Forced Labour – with shortages of labour in Germany, In April 1943 it was announced that 300,000 Dutch ex-soldiers
were to be transported to Germany to work. Strikes erupted.
Brutal Nazi response – 95 killed, 400 wounded. May – announced that all men aged 18-35 were to become forced
labourers. Only 54,000 of the 170,000 eligible reported for duty. By 1944 all men aged 16-60 had to report for
forced labour and 500,000 ended up working in Germany = a third of all eligible men.
• Resistance – Because of this brutal response by the Nazis, Dutch resistance developed as men
eligible for forced labour hid and joined anti-Nazi forces. 300,000 men in hiding. Illegal
printing presses were established to print anti-Nazi leaflets. Registry offices attacked for ration
cards and blank identity cards. 20,000 resistance members arrested. Around 2000 executed.
Late 1944 – Beginning of the end
• Realising the Nazis were losing the war the exiled Dutch government called a rail strike.
30,000 rail workers went into hiding. Nazis were hampered by the lack of transport.
• Living conditions worsened – sever shortages of food in the winter of 1944-45. 20,000 Dutch
people died of starvation.
• 5th May 1945 – Netherlands were liberated by Canadian soldiers.
 Revision Tasks
Summarise the key features of Nazi rule in Poland and the
Netherlands. Also, in the middle write down any features that are
similar in both.

Common
Poland Features Netherlands

Explain what you think was the key difference between Nazi rule in the East
(Poland) and Nazi rule in the West (Netherlands). Try to explain two
differences.
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 Mark this answer
I agree with the statement almost entirely. Although there are examples of extremely harsh treatment in the west, in
general German occupation was far harsher in eastern Europe. We can see this through a comparison of occupation
in Poland and in the Netherlands.

The occupation in Poland was extremely harsh. This was because the Nazis believed in the idea of ‘lebensraum’ and
considered Slavic Poles to be racially inferior. Large numbers were murdered right from the start. Around 1.9 million
non-Jewish citizens were killed in Poland overall. The Nazis aimed to remove any element of Polish culture and to
replace as many of the Polish or Slavic people with Germans as possible. From 1940, hundreds of thousands of
Polish citizens were expelled, and 500,000 ‘ethnic Germans’ were settled on their lands. Poles were sent to work in
Germany as slave labour. Polish culture, education and leadership were also destroyed. This was far harsher than in
the Netherlands. The Dutch
shared the same ethnic background as Germans and were therefore treated very differently. For example, civil
servants were allowed to continue working and the Dutch education system was not interfered with. In June 1940,
when there was a Dutch protest in support of the royal family in exile, no one was punished.

However, the nature of Nazi rule in the Netherlands did become harsher after 1941. The Germans shot at marching
workers on strike in many Dutch towns. In March, the first death sentences against Dutch citizens were issued. In
May 1943, all Dutch men between 18 and 35 were to become forced labourers. These actions show us that
harshness was possible in east or west. The treatment of Jews in both occupied countries can also be compared. In
Poland, from 1940, Jews were concentrated in ghettos. A network of concentration camps and death camps was
established throughout Poland. The Jewish population of Poland went from around 3.5 million in 1939 to around 0.5
million by 1945. In the Netherlands, in 1941 the first Jewish men were rounded up for deportation. By April 1942 all
Jews had to wear the Star of David. In 1943 the Nazis began deporting them to extermination camps in huge
numbers. In all, 76% of the total Jewish population were deported. This shows us that Jews in the west, as in the
east, were not saved from Holocaust.

In conclusion, although atrocities such as the murder of strikers reveals that ‘harshness’ was possible in the west as
well as the east, occupation in the east was much harsher. This can be seen from the expulsion of Slavic peoples
from the outset in Poland, and from the fact that almost 2 million non-Jewish citizens were killed there. However,
Jews were treated the same, east or west, and by 1943, non-Jewish citizens were also subject to much harsher
treatment as well, such as forced labour.

What level would I give this answer? __________________

Is there good use of evidence? Yes/No Explain how:
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Has the candidate clearly stated the differences/similarities? Yes/No. Explain how:
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 What did the examiner say?
This is a Level 6 response. The answer is well structured and
there is a sustained use of relevant and detailed evidence,
leading to a ‘clinching’ argument at the end. Both sides of the
debate are explored and well-developed through the
sophisticated use of contextual knowledge. All contextual
knowledge is relevant to the question being asked. The response
shows a sophisticated understanding of the concepts of diversity
and causation. Change and continuity is also considered.
 The Holocaust
Solution 1 – 1938-1939
Persecution and Emigration = First solution when the Nazis occupied a country was to
deport Jews. In Austria 110,000 of the 192,000 Jews were forced to emigrate between
1938-1940. In Austria, Jews were also persecuted severely. – beaten and humiliated.
Jews were forced to scrub graffiti of the pavements. There was mass looting of Jewish
properties, particularly focused on taking expensive goods. This model of persecution and emigration became
known as the ‘Vienna Model’ (the capital of Austria and where most Jews lived).

Solution 2 – 1939-1941
When the Nazis invaded Poland and took control of a country with 3.5
million Jews it was clear that emigration could no longer work. Another
solution was needed.
Ghettos = Polish Jews (and eventually Jews from other countries) were
forced into ghettos until they could be deported to a suitable reservation.
Ghettos were closed off sections of cities. These separated Jews from non-Jews. The largest was in Warsaw,
completed November 1940. It had 445,000 Jews living in it. This meant a third of the population of Warsaw was
living in just 2.4% of its area. On average, 15 people shared an apartment. Disease spread – 900 cases in autumn
1941 alone. Also severe shortages of food – Jews received on average only 300 calories a day. 140,000 died in the
ghetto.

The Final Solution 1941-1945

Phase 1 – Einsatzgruppen (Special Killing Squads)
Mass murder of Jews began with the invasion of the Soviet Union (Russia). The Nazis saw this
invasion as a ‘race war’ a matter of life and death to kill all Communists and Jews. The
Einsatzgruppen were mobile killing squads that followed the advancing German Army. There
were 4 groups (A, B, C and D) each consisting of 500-1000 men. When they reached
villages and towns they would round up the Jews, often take them to secluded areas and shoot them. Around 1
million Jews were killed in this way.
Infamous example: Babi Yar near Kiev – 30,000 men, women and children were slaughtered in just two days in a
ravine.

Phase 2 – Death by Gas

In Poland, vans where the exhaust fumes were directed into the back of the van was being used to murder Jews.
This allowed for more Jews to be killed and did not have the negative effects for SS soldiers of killing innocent
women and children.
By 1941, death camps were being constructed to murder all the Jews in the General Government (bit of Poland
used to hold Jews). This was known as Operation Reinhard.
• Belzec – Near Lvov – used as death camp from March 1942 until Spring 1943. Approx 600,000 Jews were
Reinhard Death

killed there and several thousand Gypsies.

Operation

Camps

• Sobibor – Built near Lublin. Construction agreed at Wannsee. About 250,000 victims,
mostly Jews and Soviet POWs. Oct 1943 – revolt at the camp, 800 escaped. Shut down shortly after by
Himmler
• Treblinka – 75miles from Warsaw. July 1942 to September 1943, almost 1 million people were murdered
there – firstly 300,000 Jews from Warsaw and later Jews from all over central Europe.

Auschwitz
Auschwitz was a concentration camp that a section of it was converted into a
death camp. Auschwitz II-Birkenau had 4 gas chambers built in it. Jews from all
over Europe were sent here. At its height, 12,000 Jews could be murdered a day
by the use of Zyklon B. Hungarian Jews were the highest number – 438,000. 1 in 6
Holocaust victims were murdered at Auschwitz. It was the biggest death camp.
 ‘Nazi policies towards the Jews between 1939 and 1945 was only concerned with
their murder’. How far do you agree with this statement? (18)
Introduction
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CONCLUSION

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 Responses to Nazi Rule in France
20 June 1940 France was defeated. It was divided into an ‘occupied zone’ in the North and a ‘free zone’ in the South
known as Vichy France. There was huge suffering in the occupied zone – Nazi soldiers plundered food supplies
causing sever shortages and introduced strict censorship and a curfew. Some French people collaborated (helped
the Nazis), others accommodated the Nazis (doing as you were told) and some resisted.
Minor acts of resistance
Listening to the BBC on the radio
Helping members of the resistance

Andre Trocme – Living in the ‘free zone’ in the South – Vichy France. Resistance
• He was a Protestant Pastor.
• He was a pacifist and cared deeply about all human beings.
• Between 1940-1944 he helped hide Jews (mainly children) who were being targeted for
deportation to the East. Along with some of the local population, he helped hide them in homes,
schools, farms, hotels etc. They forged identification cards, ration cards and sometimes led
escapes to Switzerland. He was forced into hiding himself in 1943 but because of his and the
local population’s actions, some 5000 Jews were saved.

Coco Chanel – ‘Occupied zone’ in the North – Collaborator/Accomodation?

• Very famous fashion designer and perfume maker.
• Lived in occupied Paris.
• Chanel decided to stay and became friends with prominent Nazis. She lived in the
Hotel Ritz where many of these Nazis stayed.
• She began a romance with Baron Hans Gunther von Dinklage, a military intelligence officer.
• She tried to have the Jewish directors of her perfume company removed to give her sole
ownership. This did not happen but it showed her motivation.
• Some suggest she actively helped the Nazis and would use her close friendship with Winston Churchill to try to
negotiate a peace through the SS. After the war she was questioned by the Allies, but lack of evidence and her
close friendship to Churchill meant she was not convicted.

Responses to Nazi Rule across the rest of Europe

Belgium Poland
DeVlag – a nationalist Bielski Brothers – escaped a
movement who wanted to Jewish ghetto. Hundreds of
be close to the Nazis. They men, women and children
helped the Nazis recruit joined them. They lasted 2
soldiers for the SS. years in the forest and did
numerous sabotage missions
against the Nazis.

France
French Resistance –
undertook guerrilla warfare
against the Nazis. They
published underground
newspapers and provided
intelligence to the Allies. In
June 1944 they helped the
Allies push the Nazis out of
France.
Greece
Greek leaders – 3 prime
ministers chosen and
controlled by the Nazis
Croatia passed legislation demanded
The Ustasa – was an extreme by the Nazis. This included
right-wing political party who creating a 22,000 strong
were inspired by the Nazis. They force to persecute Greek
built their own concentration Communists.
camps and killed 25,000 Jews.
 Revision Task
Using the previous page, summarise examples of collaboration,
accommodation and resistance.

Collaboration Accommodation Resistance

Worked with and helped Doing as you were told
Opposing the Nazis
the Nazis by the Nazis