Uni Schtuff!! :): Material Culture - Nazi Germany, Great Britain and Imperial Japan:

Nazi Germany:

The Nazi Party - It came into place in April 1920 with its leader, Adolf Hitler, requiring the party to accept and adopt 'Fuehre Principle'. This led people to believe that Hitler ruled the Nazi Party and that everyone else would follow him, like a sheep would follow a shepherd.

It was made up of eight layers:
*The First Layer was the Fuehrer (leader, Adolf Hitler)
*The Second Layer was made up of the Reich Leaders (Reichstag der NSDAP) - men who had been given specific appointments within the party
*The Third Layer were the Regional Inspectors -these people became less and less powerful.

*The Fourth Layer were the Gauleiters - these men became very powerful as they were given a district to govern.

*The Fifth Layer were the Kreisleiter - These men answered to the Gauleiters and were required to put into place within their Kreis the wishes of the Gauleiter.

*The Sixth Layer were the local group leaders - known as Ortsgruppenleiters - who were responsible for the (as their name and title suggests) local groups.

*The Seventh Layer were the Zellenleiters (cell leaders) - these men would lead a neighbourhood unit of the Nazi Party.

*The Eighth (and lowest) Level was the Blockwart (Block Warden) - each warden was appointed a block to look after and had to answer to a local group leader.

Reference Site - http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/nazi_party.htm

Adolf Hitler:

Reference Site - http://www.history.co.uk/biographies/adolf-hitler

Born 20th April, 1889, Branau, Austria.

In Primary School, he showed great intellectual potential was quite popular with other pupils as well as being admired for his leadership skills. However, it changed for him when he went to Secondary School. It was tougher for him and as a result of this he stopped trying all together.

He began to lose popularity with the other students and due to this preferred to re-enact battles with the younger children. At 15 years old, he failed his exams and was told to come back the following year to retake that year. In the end, however, he left school without a formal education.

In 1903, just 18 years old, was when he first became interested in politics. Round about the same time, he took an interest and chose to pursue a career in art due to it being his best subject when he was at school.

Horrible Histories - Don't Wake Hitler:

Albert Speer:

(Albert Speer - right - and Adolf Hitler - left)
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/albert_speer.htm
He became Hitler's architect after the Nazi's gained power in January 1933. he held the position of architect until the downfall of Nazi Germany. However, during WWII, he gained the position of Minister of Armaments. Unlike his contemporaries in the Nazi hierarchy, he didn't commit suicide neither was he sentenced to death at the Nuremberg War Crime Trials.

For Hitler, Speer was the perfect person that he could discuss architectural issues. The things about Speer that really impressed Hitler was Speer's desire that architecture could be subtle but also obvious. He also liked Speer's use of large Nazi flags.

Speer revamped the work on the Berlin Stadium for the 1936 Olympics when Hitler criticised the orginal plan. Hitler didn't want the stadium looking too modern as he was into more classical art such as portraiture and watercolour landscapes, Speer adapted the plans.

Templehof: