The Sinews of the Modern Terror State: an Analysis of the Role and Importance of Family Punishment in Nazi Germany*

Abstract

This article contributes to the debate over how much we can consider Nazi Germany a terror state. It is focused on one type of terror -family liability policy or Sippenhaft -as a means of determining to what extent the German population was terrorised by the regime. Sippenhaft can be considered a key foundation of a terror regime as it targets the innocent over the guilty. This paper argues that Sippenhaft was a component of Nazi terror, operating on a selective basis and was utilised by various local agencies among the party and the army rather than being centrally controlled. These factors helped create a level of threat and fear that contributed to its effectiveness.

Collective Guilt: Exploring Antisemitism, Knowledge, and Fear in the Nazi Era

“…Sippenhaft implied that criminal behavior was a matter of blood and necessitated the punishment or obliteration of those with criminal blood, an idea that suits Nazi racial ideology. 117 Himmler believed that it had been an Aryan tradition for centuries, saying, "When they placed a family under the ban and declared it outlawed or when there was a blood feud in the family, they were utterly consistent.... This man has committed treason; his blood is bad; there is traitor's blood in him; that must be wiped out.…”

“…Once Sippenhaft was established, the "fear of [its] application rather than implementation [was what] mattered." 119 Its use in Nazi Germany began in 1933 and targeted communists and their families. Albert Walter, a communist sympathizer, was arrested, and despite torture refused to talk.…”