Nazi Terror The Gestapo. What was the Gestapo? It was an abbreviation for Geheime Staatspolizei,...
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Transcript of Nazi Terror The Gestapo. What was the Gestapo? It was an abbreviation for Geheime Staatspolizei,...
![Page 1: Nazi Terror The Gestapo. What was the Gestapo? It was an abbreviation for Geheime Staatspolizei, meaning secret state police; it was the official secret.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062421/56649d705503460f94a532df/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Nazi Terror
The Gestapo
![Page 2: Nazi Terror The Gestapo. What was the Gestapo? It was an abbreviation for Geheime Staatspolizei, meaning secret state police; it was the official secret.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062421/56649d705503460f94a532df/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
What was the Gestapo?
It was an abbreviation for Geheime Staatspolizei, meaning secret state police; it was the official secret police of the German Nazi state
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Who was head of the Gestapo?
Heinrich Muller was chief of the Gestapo, from its creation in 1933 until the fall of the Nazis in 1945
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What did the Gestapo do?
The Gestapo investigated cases of treason (acts against your country), espionage (spying), sabotage (destruction), and criminal attacks on both the Nazi party and on Germany
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Gestapo PowerA law was passed that gave the Gestapo unlimited powers to carry out its duties; so, it was legal for the Gestapo to violate people’s rights, arrest, torture, imprison, and murder without any judicial interference—the Gestapo was ABOVE the law!
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How many members did the
Gestapo have?
At its peak, during World War II, the Gestapo had about 46,000 members; many worked in offices, but most were “field agents”
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Who were the Gestapo
members?
Most members of the Gestapo were police officers, or those with police and law enforcement backgrounds; this made them ideal for the job as a Gestapo agent!
![Page 8: Nazi Terror The Gestapo. What was the Gestapo? It was an abbreviation for Geheime Staatspolizei, meaning secret state police; it was the official secret.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062421/56649d705503460f94a532df/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
What uniform did Gestapo members
wear?
While those working at an office did in fact wear a uniform, those Gestapo agents in the field were plainclothes (undercover) to maintain the secretive nature of their work; there were strict rules to protect the identity of field agents!
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Who did the Gestapo target?
Those suspected of being anti-Nazi, suspected Communists and other political opponents, anyone considered an enemy of the state for any reason
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What were their investigative
methods?
The Gestapo often used threats, blackmail, torture, extortion, and even planting evidence in order to get “confessions” from prisoners
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What methods of torture did the Gestapo use?
Burning, drowning, electric shock, beatings, whippings, and other cruel forms of physical torture!
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Nacht and Nebel Decree
Meaning night and fog; thousands of political prisoners disappeared under this directive, never to be seen or heard from again, either killed or taken to concentration camps
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Were the Gestapo really effective investigators?
No! They were more reactionary than anything, heavily relying on German citizens to denounce (turn in) friends, family, or others for improper behavior
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History Preserved
The Gestapo headquarters building in the German city of Cologne was been transformed into a museum today to display the actions of the Gestapo
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Famous Quote
According to historian Rupert Butler, "From its creation in 1933 until its death in May 1945, anyone living in Nazi controlled territory lived in fear of a visit from the Gestapo..."
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Discussion Questions
• Would Gestapo tactics work today in the USA? Why or why not?
• Are there any elements of the Gestapo that would be acceptable? If so, which ones?
• What protects us in the USA from Gestapo tactics?