The Nazi’s attempt to create the Volksgemeinschaft

          When coming to power in 1933, 30^th January, Hitler used propaganda to show the German people the perfect “people’s Community” (Volksgemeinschaft). Hitler promised to unify Germany into a Volksgemeinschaft, but he only wanted the perfect Germans to be part of his people’s community. Hitler divided the German people into two groups; the National Comrades, like the Aryans who were to be part of the people’s community and the Community Aliens who would have been disposed of. The Community Aliens were groups like the Jews, homosexuals and tramps. Hitler introduced benefits for those who he saw as the perfect race and punishments for the aliens.

          The Jews were the main part of Germany’s aliens. When Hitler came to power he had many Jewish businesses shut down. Then he continued to shutdown all of the foreign owned shops. Hitler wanted his People’s Community to be supplied with German goods and by German shops. On the 2^nd may 1933 Hitler stopped all of the Trade unions; this stopped future strikes ensuring a peaceful People’s Community. By taking over the economic side of Germany he could keep the peace and block foreign goods but also make money for himself in the process.

The German Labour Front (DAF) was set up to control the workers for Hitler. The DAF created many jobs in Germany. The DAF introduces new policies which were designed to keep the workers happy and therefore they would work harder. One of these policies was the Beauty of Labour which improved the conditions in the factories and received better quality work as a consequence. The second policy was Strength through Joy, in which the workers got a free holiday or event to keep the workers refreshed and working longer and better. Then Hitler saw that there was potential money to be made. He created Volkswagen because cars were very dear at the time; this made the public happy as they could afford cars but also made Hitler money and ensured the workers would get to work this cost a substantial amount of money but it was necessary for the creation of the Volksgemeinschaft. He succeeded in creating the economy for the People’s Community; Germany was now apparently self-sufficient.

          The disabled were also classed as aliens to the People’s Community and Hitler made plans to stop disabled people from living in Germany. On the 14^th July 193 a law was passed that meant all people who had a hereditary illness or deformities would be sterilised to guarantee their illness would not be passed on to children. They also sterilised the homeless and even depressed people; to make Germany seem like a nice place without weird people or tramps on the streets. Then to stop accidental disabled babies being born he introduced euthanasia which allowed doctors to kill a baby if it was disabled.

          All aliens were sent to concentration camps for very minor offences, they were taken off the streets making Germany seem like a nice friendly place. In the concentration camps the Nazis humiliated the aliens and used their differences as an embarrassment. They forced Jews to have a large “J” printed on their passports and to wear a Star of David at all times to separate them from the public. Homosexuals had to wear a pink triangle for the same reason and the disabled were worst hit as they had to wear badges saying “I’m a moron” and “feeble minded”. This humility made the aliens more inclined to leave the country which is what the Nazis wanted. The aliens were used as free labour while they were in the camps which saved money for the Nazis in both employment costs and upkeep for the aliens as many died.

          The aliens that survived and stayed in Germany were then exterminated once and for all. The pink triangles on the homosexuals were used as target practice for the army and the rest were used as test subjects for gasses and many experiments. The Nazis succeeded in eliminating all the aliens as very few were able to hide form the Nazis and many left the country. Some aliens went into hiding but the Nazis found them using the Gestapo and could deal with them. This left Germany populated only by perfect Germans.

          Then the Nazis had to prepare for the future and the future of Germany was the youth. Many organisations like the Hitler youth and the League for German Maidens were set up to teach the youth to follow the Nazis. In the Hitler youth they were taught like the military, neat, tidy and organised. The youth saw Hitler as a father figure in the fatherland and obeyed him. Then Hitler used indoctrination in the education system to recruit them into the army as loyal Nazis. There were subtle Nazi views added into all the school work to brainwash the youth, as they were naive and didn’t see the wrong side of the Nazis. it was fun for the youth and they never heard the other side of the argument that showed the Nazis true nature. Some of the youth did not want to join the Nazis but the Nazis crushed them and hung the culprits. The future of the People’s Community was successfully secure and the Nazis would keep control for years to come.

          The Nazis were successful in creating the Volksgemeinschaft even with the difficulties it faced. All aliens were taken out of Germany leaving only true Germans. All disabled or homeless people were taken from Germany as they were seen as worthless by the Nazis. Then the economy was taken over and built up around the Nazis. Then finally all those who id not belong were killed and the future of the Volksgemeinschaft was secured. The creation was completely successful but the Nazis were not around long enough to see it continued.