Nazi germany - other resistance

Other Resistance

Whilst most Germans did not engage in active opposition to

Nazism – whether due to fear or support for the regime – some did

take action.

In addition to some in the Army and Churches, this included

people in youth groups, political opponents, lawyers/judges and

workers too.

One of the most prominent anti-Nazi youth groups was the

White Rose group.

Students from Munich University – including brother and sister Hans and Sophie

Scholl – distributed anti-Nazi leaflets and supported non-

violent resistance. The Scholls were killed in 1943.

The Edelweiss Pirates were a youth group that refused to join the Hitler Youth or the

army. They also attacked Nazi officials and sheltered

deserters from the army.

In 1944, many leaders of these groups – including 16 year old Barthel Schink – were hanged after a Gestapo chief was killed.

The Red Orchestra – led by Anton Saelfhow – gave

information to the USSR and engaged in activity such as

vandalism and strikes.

The Swing Kids were a group of middle class young people who opposed the regime by

listening to banned American music such as jazz.

All non-Nazi political parties were banned in Germany after July 1933. However some still

worked against Hitler.

The SPD set up a group in exile – called SOPADE – and this was based in Prague. They tried to organise underground groups

in Germany, involved in activities such as distributing

leaflets and propaganda.

The Communist Party (KPD) also continued to work against Nazi rule. This included acts of sabotage or espionage (giving information to the USSR). They

also distributed various anti-Nazi materials.

Most members were ultimately arrested and either killed or

sent to concentration camps.

Most members of the German working class had not voted for

the Nazis.

Industrial workers opposed Nazism in different ways,

sometimes linked to the KPD. They engaged in strikes and go-

slows in armament factories. They also engaged in protests

over food prices in 1935.

Strikes which were economic in demand were often tolerated

by the regime, however this was less true after 1939 and

the outbreak of war.

Other workers – including the Mannheim Group - distributed anti-Nazi

newspapers. The Anti-Fascist Workers’ Group of Central

Germany engaged in sabotage.

One of the most famous examples of resistance was from August Landmesser.

He had been a Nazi but left after marrying a Jew. Landmesser famously refused to give the

Nazi salute at a workplace rally in 1936. He was eventually

arrested and died whilst working in a penal battalion in

World War Two.

Worker resistance to the Nazis was unorganised. There were

sporadic strikes across Germany, but no central

coordination.

The reasons for rebellion varied. Some workers were

entirely opposed to the regime, others were simply protesting

about their workplace or economic problems.

Lawyers in Germany belonged to the German Lawyers Front.

Judges were also influenced.

Some judges rebelled by refusing to give verdicts that the courts wanted. However they were usually removed

from office, or simply bypassed with the setting up of the

People’s Court.

One famous anti-Nazi lawyer was Hans Litten, who

represented Nazi opponents at various trials. Litten even

forced Hitler to give testify (in relation to SA members

stabbing a man).

Hitler hated Litten. The lawyer was sent to a concentration camp in 1933, and died at

Dachau in 1938.

Historians’ views

• Frank McDonough: There are numerous examples of resistance from industrial workers, including absenteeism from work, sabotage of machinery and refusal to join the army.

• Frank Hoffer (a left-wing writer): German workers ensured that although trade unions were banned, the German Labour Front was never a genuine workers’ organisation in Germany.

• Tim Mason: Class conflict re-emerged in Germany after 1936, and many workers were involved in economic resistance and supported general opposition too.