“Community” belonging to “people’s”, “folk”, “national”, or “racial” group. Originally the concept of “belonging” became popular during WW1 as Germans rallied in support of the war, & many experienced “relief that all social & political divisions are resolved in the great common purpose.” After WW1, the idea of Volksgemeinschaft was also used to interpret economic catastrophes & hardship faced by all Germans during the Weimar Republic [see my Blog post] era as a common experience. Then, embraced by the newly founded Nazi Party in the 1920s, and eventually became strongly associated with Nazism - to live together harmoniously & work for the nation. Upon assuming power in 1933 the Nazis sought to gain support of various elements of society. Their concept of Volksgemeinschaft was racially unified and organized hierarchically. Nazis expounded the theory of a mystical Germanic unity, a form of racial soul uniting all Germans, including those living abroad; this soul was regarded as related to the land, in the doctrine of Blut und Boden “blood and soil.” [see blog post]. Volksgemeinschaft served only as a symbolic unity, while real differences of status & wealth continued to dominate daily life in Nazi Germany. A “folk community” in Nazi propaganda, depicts the events of assuming power in1933 as a Volkwerdung, or a people finally becoming itself.

Those Germans outside the Volksgemeinschaft were called Gemeinschaftsfremde “communal aliens” and in 1944 there was a proposal that Community aliens - should be subject towards police supervision. - If supervisory measures are insufficient, the police shall transfer them to the “Gau” (see blog post) welfare authorities. - If, in the case a stricter degree of custody is required the police shall place them in a police camp.

Hitler declared that he knew nothing of bourgeois or proletarian, only Germans - Volksgemeinschaft was portrayed as overcoming distinctions of party and social class.

Modern German historian Detlev Peukert wrote tabout the purpose of Nazi social policy: “The goal was an utopian Volksgemeinschaft, totally under police surveillance, in which any attempt at nonconformist behaviour, or even any hint or intention of such behaviour, would be visited with terror.”

Surce Deutsche Nationalbibliothek “allegiance to the German national community!”