HW 16: Legal and Illegal Methods

Hitler used both legal and illegal methods to gain power in 1933. Hitler was able to legally use propaganda to his advantage by setting up groups such as the Hitler youth, in order to indoctrinate children. Hitler also put laws into affect, thus making his seizure of the printed media, legal. Newspapers had to report to Nazi officials in order for them to still operate. Anyone who refused to follow Nazi regulations was shut down. Hitler's use of force in these matters could be considered illegal, the outright slaughtering of mass groups of people was the largest, most illegal part of the entire regime. Anyone who joined a rival political party was immediately put on a list to be removed by the Gestapo and SS. These people were then shipped into concentration camps. The majority of Hitler's methods were legal until he began to have influence in pre-Nazi German politics.