De-Nazification Policies of Western Allies, 1945

Denazification of Germany

The Allies agreed that Germany should be de-nazified. This process was very difficult and only a minority of Germans were punished.

Demilitarisation

The German Army was disbanded following WW2.

The Nazi Party

The Nazi Party was to be banned.
The Allies tried to remove Nazis from positions of importance, such as in education and government.

Nazis in administrative positions

Despite the efforts to remove Nazis from key positions, they were actually the most qualified people for the roles.
Clay (a US lieutenant general helping German reconstruction) noted that the ‘major administrative problem is to find reasonably competent Germans who had not been affiliated or associated in some way with the Nazi regime’.
E.g. by 1951, 94% of judges and prosecutors in Bavaria were former Nazis.
Neiman (2019) says that "what’s also never contested is the fact that the denazification imposed by the Allies in West Germany was a consummate failure". Most programs were abandoned in 1951.
To rebuild Germany, Adenauer had to employ former Nazi Party members.
Some sources suggest that half of the German FBI in 1966 were former SS members.

War criminals

War criminals were prosecuted (tried in court) at the Nuremberg Trials in August 1945.
These trials served an important judicial function (to show that Nazi criminals would be punished) and an important pedagogical function (a lesson for others). Only a minority of Nazis were actually punished. But the point of the trials was to make an example of these few Nazis on a global platform.
In East Germany, 12,890 Nazis were tried and found guilty. 129 were sentenced to death. In West Germany, 6,488 were tried and found guilty. None were executed. Because of the softer treatment of former Nazis in West Germany, many more are thought to have fled there.

Forgetting Nazism

Historians such as Tony Judt have noted how the German people chose to forget their collusion with the Nazis. Instead, they presented themselves as victims of the Nazis.
The Allies put up posters saying 'this is your fault'.
423 monuments to Nazi victims were erected in Berlin. 246 were in East Berlin and 177 were in West Berlin.
The Stolperstein project, which began in 1992, installed 75,000 stone and brass plaques over the next 28 years, to commemorate victims of the Nazi regime at the places they had lived before Nazi persecution.

Success of denazification

Each zone pursued denazification in its own way.
Britain and France focussed on rebuilding Germany and left many Nazis unpunished.
The Soviet Union took advantage of denazification to install their own pro-communist officials into former Nazi positions.
The United States wanted to severely punish all Nazis. However, this was impractical as it damaged Germany’s economy. The United States relaxed their policy and this led to economic improvements.
A 1991 EMNID study found that 4% of East Germans had extreme anti-semitic tendencies vs 16% in West Germany.

1Political & Governmental Change, 1918-1989

1.1Creation & Collapse of Weimar, 1918-1932

1.1.1Creation of a Republic

1.1.2Strengths & Weaknesses of Weimar Constitution

1.1.3Overcoming Challenges to the Constitution

1.1.4The Great Depression

1.1.5The Collapse of Democracy

1.1.6The Collapse of Democracy 2

1.1.7Hitler Becomes Chancellor

1.2Nazi Dictatorship, 1933-1945

1.2.1Establishing a Dictatorship

1.2.2Consolidating Power

1.2.3Nature of Government

1.2.4Government in Wartime

1.2.5Top Grade AO2/3 - Political & Governmental Change

1.3Return to Democratic Government, 1945-1989

1.3.1Creation of the FRG, 1945-1949

1.3.2Consolidation Under Adenauer

1.3.3Consolidation Under Erhard

1.3.4Maintaining Stability Under Brandt

1.3.5Maintaining Stability Under Schmidt

1.3.6Maintaining Stability Under Kohl

1.3.7Top Grade AO2/3 - Return to Democratic Government

2Opposition, Control & Consent 1918-1989

2.1Opposition to Government, 1918-1989

2.1.1Impact of Versailles

2.1.2Political Extremism & Crises, 1918-1932

2.1.3Opposition & Dissent in Nazi Germany, 1933-1945

2.1.4Political Dissent from the Left, 1949-1989

2.1.5Political Dissent from the Right, 1949-1989

2.1.6Top Grade AO2/3 - Opposition to Government 1918-89

2.2Controlling the People, 1918-1989

2.2.1Attempts to Control Extremism

2.2.2Repression, 1933-1945

2.2.3Censorship & Propaganda, 1933-1945

2.2.4De-Nazification Policies of Western Allies, 1945

2.2.5Constitutional & Legal Response to Extremism, 1949

2.3Popular Support, 1918-1989

2.3.1The Nature of Support for the Weimar Government

2.3.2Support for the Nazi Regime

2.3.3The Nature of Support for Democracy, 1945-1989

2.3.4Top Grade AO2/3 - Controlling the People

3Economic Developments & Policies, 1918-1989

3.1Reacting to Economic Challenges, 1918-1932

3.1.1Economic Crises & Government Response, 1918-1923

3.1.2Economic Loans, 1924-1928

3.1.3Policies for Recovery, 1924-1929

3.1.4The Great Depression

3.1.5Change in Living Standards

3.1.6Top Grade AO2/3 - Reacting to Economic Challenges

3.2Controlling the Economy, 1933-1945

3.2.1Attempting Economic Recovery

3.2.2Creating a Command Economy

3.2.3Change in Living Standards

3.2.4Impact of War

3.2.5Impact of War 2

3.2.6Top Grade AO2/3 - Controlling the Economy

3.3Creating the Social Market Economy, 1945-1989

3.3.1Economic Recovery, 1945-1955

3.3.2The Economic Miracle, 1955-1966

3.3.3Surviving the Recession, 1960-1969

3.3.4The Oil Crisis

3.3.5Integration into the European Economy

3.3.6Change in Living Standards

3.3.7Top Grade AO2/3 - Creating Social Market Economy

4Aspects of Life, 1918-1989

4.1Attitudes Towards Women, 1918-1989

4.1.1Role & Status of Women in the Weimar Republic

4.1.2Impact of Kinder, Küche, Kirche

4.1.3Impact of WW2 on Women

4.1.4Role & Status of Women in the FRG

4.1.5Top Grade AO2/3 - Attitudes Towards Women

4.2Education & Cultural Developments, 1918-1989

4.2.1Education in Weimar

4.2.2Cultural Experimentation in Weimar

4.2.3Education Under the Nazis

4.2.4Nazi Culture

4.2.5Education in the FRG

4.2.6Generational Conflict

4.2.7Top Grade AO2/3 - Education & Cultural Development

4.3Position of Ethnic Minorities, 19189-1989

4.3.1Ethnic Minorities in the Weimar Republic

4.3.2Nazi Racial Policies, 1933-1939

4.3.3Nazi Racial Policies During the War

4.3.4Ethnic Minorities in the FRG

4.3.5Top Grade AO2/3 - Position of Ethnic Minorities

5Historical Interpretations

5.1Influence of German History

5.1.1Influence of German History

5.2Hitler & Foreign Policy

5.2.1Hitler & Foreign Policy

5.3Contribution of Other Nations to WW2

5.3.1Weak Nations

5.3.2Appeasement

5.3.3The Rise of Fascism

5.4Reasons for Invading Poland

5.4.1Reasons for Invading Poland

5.4.2Top Grade AO2/3 - Historical Interpretation

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