Explain the growth of the opposition and resistance in Germany to the Nazi regime in the period
1933–1945.
Opposition and resistance towards the Nazis was gradual and varied in its form. The Nazis faced
opposition from a wide range of social, religious, economic, military and political groups throughout
the course of their regime.
Political resistance towards the Nazis was most prominent in the earliest stages of the regime. In
their attempt to create a one-party state, the Nazis banned all other political parties in July 1933 and
many of their leaders were arrested. However, some left wing parties created underground groups.
Rather than a single, unified movement, the KPD and the SPD formed small groups, published
reports and maintained contact with their exiled leaders. One such group was the Red Orchestra
which was formed by Arvid Harnack of the Reich Economic Ministry and Harro Schulze-Boysen from
the Air Ministry. The Communists also had resistance cells which were set up in factories and co-
ordinated by Robert Uhrig. By the summer of 1941, there were 89 of the resistance cells in Berlin.
They produced papers and pamphlets which attacked the Nazi regime and called for acts of
resistance. However, the Communists had a major weakness in that it was vulnerable to Gestapo
infiltration and in 1943, the Communist resistance movement was almost destroyed and Knöchel,
leader of the Communist resistance, was arrested. The socialists also formed splinter groups which
included the ‘Red Patrol’, ‘Socialist Front’ and ‘New Beginning’ which championed a more assertive
policy and aimed for co-operation with other opposition groups.
Much of the social resistance towards the Nazis came from youth groups. One of these groups was
the Edelweiss Pirates. They were largely localised groups with their own names, for example, the
Kittelbach Pirates or the Navajos. Membership was mainly working class teenage boys but some girls
also joined. It is estimated that there were 2,000 members by 1939. The actions of the Edelweiss
Pirates ranged from socially non-conformist to political resistance. Although many members were
simply rebellious youth trying to escape the oppressive Nazi system, some groups were highly
politicised, forming links with the KPD and attacking Hitler Youth patrols with the motto “Eternal war
on the Hitler Youth.” During the war, some groups helped escaped prisoners of war and distributed
Allied and Communist leaflets. The Swing Youth were another type of opposition group. These
groups were mainly made up of upper-middle class youths and the groups mainly developed in large
cities such as Hamburg, Berlin and Dresden. They rejected the ideals of the Hitler youth but were
generally anti-politics. Their aim was to develop a counter-identity which they expressed through
forbidden music, dress and dance. The Nazis felt undermined by the activities of the Swing youth
and closed the bars which were their meeting places. The Nazis also faced opposition from students,
most notably, the White Rose Group. The White Rose Group went beyond mere dissent. Their aim
was to “strive for the renewal of the mortally wounded German spirit.” It was led by brother and
sister Hans and Sophie Scholl. They printed leaflets and distributed them amongst the students of
Munich University. The contents of the leaflets were highly political and openly condemned the
moral and spiritual ideas of the Nazi regime. In 1943, Hans and Sophie Scholl led an anti-Nazi
demonstration in Munich. This led to their arrest by the Gestapo and they were tried and executed
in February 1943.
The churches stood up for their own religious practices and traditions but generally they refrained
from wholesaled denunciations of the regime. Religious resistance therefore remained the preserve
1933–1945.
Opposition and resistance towards the Nazis was gradual and varied in its form. The Nazis faced
opposition from a wide range of social, religious, economic, military and political groups throughout
the course of their regime.
Political resistance towards the Nazis was most prominent in the earliest stages of the regime. In
their attempt to create a one-party state, the Nazis banned all other political parties in July 1933 and
many of their leaders were arrested. However, some left wing parties created underground groups.
Rather than a single, unified movement, the KPD and the SPD formed small groups, published
reports and maintained contact with their exiled leaders. One such group was the Red Orchestra
which was formed by Arvid Harnack of the Reich Economic Ministry and Harro Schulze-Boysen from
the Air Ministry. The Communists also had resistance cells which were set up in factories and co-
ordinated by Robert Uhrig. By the summer of 1941, there were 89 of the resistance cells in Berlin.
They produced papers and pamphlets which attacked the Nazi regime and called for acts of
resistance. However, the Communists had a major weakness in that it was vulnerable to Gestapo
infiltration and in 1943, the Communist resistance movement was almost destroyed and Knöchel,
leader of the Communist resistance, was arrested. The socialists also formed splinter groups which
included the ‘Red Patrol’, ‘Socialist Front’ and ‘New Beginning’ which championed a more assertive
policy and aimed for co-operation with other opposition groups.
Much of the social resistance towards the Nazis came from youth groups. One of these groups was
the Edelweiss Pirates. They were largely localised groups with their own names, for example, the
Kittelbach Pirates or the Navajos. Membership was mainly working class teenage boys but some girls
also joined. It is estimated that there were 2,000 members by 1939. The actions of the Edelweiss
Pirates ranged from socially non-conformist to political resistance. Although many members were
simply rebellious youth trying to escape the oppressive Nazi system, some groups were highly
politicised, forming links with the KPD and attacking Hitler Youth patrols with the motto “Eternal war
on the Hitler Youth.” During the war, some groups helped escaped prisoners of war and distributed
Allied and Communist leaflets. The Swing Youth were another type of opposition group. These
groups were mainly made up of upper-middle class youths and the groups mainly developed in large
cities such as Hamburg, Berlin and Dresden. They rejected the ideals of the Hitler youth but were
generally anti-politics. Their aim was to develop a counter-identity which they expressed through
forbidden music, dress and dance. The Nazis felt undermined by the activities of the Swing youth
and closed the bars which were their meeting places. The Nazis also faced opposition from students,
most notably, the White Rose Group. The White Rose Group went beyond mere dissent. Their aim
was to “strive for the renewal of the mortally wounded German spirit.” It was led by brother and
sister Hans and Sophie Scholl. They printed leaflets and distributed them amongst the students of
Munich University. The contents of the leaflets were highly political and openly condemned the
moral and spiritual ideas of the Nazi regime. In 1943, Hans and Sophie Scholl led an anti-Nazi
demonstration in Munich. This led to their arrest by the Gestapo and they were tried and executed
in February 1943.
The churches stood up for their own religious practices and traditions but generally they refrained
from wholesaled denunciations of the regime. Religious resistance therefore remained the preserve
