ABSTRACT
Any assessment of wartime public opinion is bound to be an impressionistic approximation, and this is particularly true under a totalitarian regime. The Nazi state was extremely concerned about public attitudes and morale and took great pains to collect and assess as much information as possible. The SD had a vast network of agents (V-Männer) in all walks of life who reported on remarks made by all and sundry, including their own families. Reports from local offices of the SD are particularly revealing since there was a tendency to present this material in a rather more positive light in summaries sent to those on high. Subordinate offices of the NSDAP made detailed reports on the ‘political situation’ (weltanschauliche Lage), on the ‘biological situation’ — by which they meant birth rates, public health and the problem of ‘alien peoples’ (Fremdvolk), as well on attitudes towards the leadership, the influence of the churches and leisure activities. Other information was provided by the local police. The object of these reports was to strengthen the regime and to test the effectiveness of the three basic components of the dictatorship: propaganda, social policy and repression. From detailed local reports it was hoped that the appropriate relationship between political carrots and police sticks could be found.
