It does exist! Even with all of the Nazi's attempts to limit and crush opposition to their power. However, the Nazis were extremely brutal in dealing with opposition and their punishments.

The nature and form of opposition to the Nazis is hard to gauge, due to the use of terror, threat of violence, concentration camps, informants and security apparatus in the Gestapo.

Also what constitutes opposition? Is it anti-Nazi jokes, plots to assassinate Hitler, or just not listening to Hitler's speech?

Here is where we learn about the people who dared to fight back, who were willing to die for their cause.

PRE-1933, a significant number of Germans did not support Nazism (July 1932: 37.4% vote)

POST-1933, there was very little organised opposition to the Nazi regime due to the rise of acceptance of Nazi rule (despite whether it was sympathetic or supportive).

TYPES OF OPPOSITION:

• institutional: from institutions, e.g. political parties and trade unions

• personal: individuals/smaller groups

OPPOSITION MANIFESTED IN:

• Private and public acts of defiance

• General discontent over small matters

• Active resistance:

  • • Political activism

    • Attempted coups

    • Assassination attempts: 1933-44: at least 12

VERY LITTLE POSED A SERIOUS THREAT TO HITLER'S POWER:

• Fuhrer Myth protected Hitler's power

• The regimes methods of control were effective:

  • • Goebbels + propaganda

    • Himmler + terror / repression

    • Gestapo / denunciation

    • risked the lives of family/friends

• Opposition groups had different visions of a post-Hitler Germany and therefore did not work together

The political left were the Social Democrats (SPD), Communists (KPD), and the Trade Unions, who were ideologically opposed to the Nazis.

Left-wing opposition in Germany was severely impeded in the first weeks after the Nazi takeover. SPD, KPD and union leaders were arrested and imprisoned in concentration camps; buildings and funds belonging to the parties and unions were seized, and the parties and unions themselves were prohibited.

As a result, all opposition that followed took the form of underground resistance, and its effectiveness was limited.

Their Actions:

• Engaging in poster and pamphlet campaigns

• Encouraging acts of sabotage

• Absenteeism in factories

Some members of the military were frustrated and concerned with the aggressiveness of Hitler’s foreign policy. They encouraged discussions about the removal of Hitler from power, which occasionally amounted to plots.

Their Actions:

• There were several unsuccessful plots to remove Hitler during the 1930s, either in the form of a military-led Putsch or through assassination.

• An important opponent of Hitler was Ludwig Beck, who was the Chief of Staff of the German Army between 1935 and 1938.

– Beck believed that Hitler could be overthrown if a confrontation were forced between the Nazi Party and the military. Accordingly, in 1938 he attempted to persuade his fellow generals to ignore Hitler’s orders to invade Austria.

– Beck was unsuccessful and resigned from the army shortly after this, but he continued to lead the military conspiracy against Hitler until the failed Operation Valkyrie in 1944.