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East Germany Internal Resistance
Because of the efficiency of the SS, resistance against the
Nazi regime was extremely difficult. Moreover, the Germans lacked
a strong tradition of resistance to authority. Resistance against
the Third Reich, although not a unified movement, nevertheless
existed from 1933 to 1945 and assumed many forms, including the
refusal to say "Heil Hitler," bad workmanship, factory slowdowns
and strikes, sabotage, subversive radio transmissions,
distribution of leaflets, and planning of assassinations and
coups. Many German professionals and artists turned to "inner
emigration," a form of passive resistance in which they pursued
their careers without adopting the party line; those who publicly
opposed the regime lost their livelihood and were imprisoned or
executed.
Resistance, limited in 1933 to members of the SPD and KPD,
did not initially include the appeased middle class. Most of the
leftist opposition was eliminated by 1934. The Red Band, (Rote
Kapelle), a designation given by the Gestapo to various
resistance groups, continued to operate in Berlin up to 1942,
when it was eliminated. Consisting of members with various
political beliefs and from all social classes, the Red
Band provided the Soviet Union with military information and
maintained contact with prisoners of war and forced labor.
After the enforcement of Gleichschaltung, some members
of German churches, illegal political parties, middle-class
youth, university organizations, the civil service, and the
military continued to resist the Third Reich either actively or
passively. There was, for example, a military-civilian plot to
remove Hitler from office if, in the event of a firm stand by
France and Britain, war broke out over the issue of
Czechoslovakia. The Grosse Organisation and the Kreisauer Circle
coordinated military resistance within the Third Reich. Colonel
Claus von Stauffenberg, who had ties with both of these
organizations, attempted to assassinate Hitler and effect a coup
on July 20, 1944. The coup was planned in cooperation with the
civilian resistance and was supported by a large number of
generals and field commanders. The news of Hitler's survival of
the bomb blast spread, and the SS halted an attempt to secure key
government offices. Approximately 5,000 conspirators, including
2,000 military officers, were subsequently executed. The
celebrated national hero, General Erwin Rommel, whose
participation in the conspiracy was concealed from the public,
was forced to take poison.
Data as of July 1987
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