User:Doctor Papa Jones/Nazi power

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Reichskanzlei in Berlin on his 50th birthday
, 1939

National Socialism
.

Once in power, the Nazis moved to eliminate all forms of opposition. All parties besides the NSDAP was banned, their leaders arrested, and old rivals, such as

Führer und Reichskanzler (leader and chancellor). All power was firmly centralized in his hands and his word became above all laws. Furthermore, the government of Nazi Germany was a collection of factions struggling for Hitler's favor rather than a coordinated body. People who had supported Hitler or had become party members in its early days were rewarded with powerful state positions and other bonuses. The Nazis embracement of social stratification
made it easy to tell who where who in the Third Reich.

Hermann Göring, who had joined the party in 1923, became commander of the Luftwaffe and promoted to Reichsmarschall (realm marshal), a rank senior to that of all military leaders. Heinrich Himmler, also a supporter since 1923, was named chief of all German police forces and internal security. Reinhard Heydrich, Himmler's protégé since 1931, controlled the Gestapo (secret state police) and Sicherheitsdienst (intelligence agency of the party). All branches of the military maintained their traditional influence on state matters as Hitler aimed to turn Germany into a military society. Other non-military leaders with significant influence over the country because of their association and friendship with the Führer included Joseph Goebbels and Martin Bormann. To maximize his own power and control of the people around him, Hitler encouraged competition and rivalry which resulted in a number of tense feuds in his inner circle.

Plenipotentiaries

Listed alphabetically per their Christian name
Name Rank/position Branch Years of service Notes Image Ref.
Adolf Hitler
Führer und Reichskanzler
 (leader and chancellor) 		Nazi Party (NSDAP) 1921-45
Albert Speer Minister of Armaments and War Production Nazi Party (NSDAP) 1931-45
Erich Raeder
Großadmiral
 (grand admiral) 		Kriegsmarine (navy) 1894–1943
Heinrich Himmler Reichsführer-SS (reich leader SS) Schutzstaffel (protection squadron) 1923-45
Hermann Göring Reichsmarschall (realm marshal) Luftwaffe (air force) 1923-45
Joachim von Ribbentrop Reich Minister for Foreign Affairs Nazi Party (NSDAP) 1932-45
Joseph Goebbels Minister of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda Nazi Party (NSDAP) 1927-45
Karl Dönitz
Großadmiral
 (grand admiral) 		Kriegsmarine (navy) 1920–45 File:Dönitz.jpg
Martin Bormann Personal Secretary to the Führer Nazi Party (NSDAP) 1927-45
Reinhard Heydrich
SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Polizei
 (SS-supreme group leader and police general) 		Schutzstaffel (protection squadron) 1931-42
Rudolf Hess
Stellvertreter des Führers
 (deputy Führer) 		Nazi Party (NSDAP) 1920-41
Walther von Brauchitsch Generalfeldmarschall (field marshal)
Heer
 (army) 		1900–41
Wilhelm Keitel Generalfeldmarschall (field marshal) Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (supreme command of the armed forces) 1901-45

See also

Sources

Printed

  • {{cite book}}: Empty citation (help)

Online

External links

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