Essay On Hitler's Totalitarian State

Violence and fear was the base of Hitler’s totalitarian state. Document 2, a caricature of Hitler and his army shows how Hitler’s violence has resulted in fear and total control.

On 2 August 1934, President von Hindenburg died. The previous day, the cabinet had enacted the "Law Concerning the Highest State Office of the Reich", which stated that upon Hindenburg's death, the office of president would be abolished and its powers merged with those of the chancellor. Hitler thus became head of state as well as head of government.

Following the night of the long knives, Hitler was looked upon as the supreme judge of the German people. This particular event is key to Hitler’s Germany becoming a totalitarian state. This is the moment when Hitler eliminated all political opponents. For example, after banning the communist party and

Anyone who opposed Hitler was killed, sent to concentration camps or publicly humiliated and tortured to show to the others what would happen to them if they would think and act similarly. People therefore might have thought differently or not agreed with Hitler’s Germany, however they could not do anything about it nor express their point of view due to fear of reprisals. This indirectly removed the people’s freedom of speech as they knew this would result in dire consequences.

Propaganda and censorship: Any sort of publication against or opposing Hitler’s regime was immediately censored. The people therefore had no more rights of expression nor freedom of speech.

Nevertheless, Hitler’s Germany was ruled through massive propaganda. Throughout every means possible, Hitler managed to spread his ideas and lies in order to make everyone believe that he was doing well and that the Nazi party was the most effective. “It is not propaganda’s task to be intelligent, its task is to lead to success.” –Goebbels. Hitler was not searching for equality and truth but instead in brainwashing all the