Third Reich Day by Day: June 1936

The Olympic Games gave Nazi Germany a chance to show the world that the Third Reich was a well-ordered, powerful society. For propaganda purposes measures against Jews were relaxed, and Berlin became the home of fraternal international friendship, albeit temporarily. However, away from the Olympics the Germans re-occupied the demilitarized Rhineland and began to channel military aid to the Franco’s Nationalists fighting a civil war in Spain. As they did so, Great Britain and France, the major powers of Europe, did nothing but watch idly.

20 June

Germany, SS

By decree of the Führer the party post of Reichsführer-SS, held by Himmler, is formally combined with the newly established government post of Chief of the German Police. Himmler is steadily increasing his powers.

26 June

Germany, RAD

General Francisco Franco (centre, waving), leader of Spain’s Nationalists whom Hitler supported from 1936.
General Francisco Franco (centre, waving), leader of Spain’s Nationalists whom Hitler supported from 1936.

The Labour Service, Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD) is created. Its began in 1931 when Chancellor Heinrich Brüning authorized the formation of state-sponsored labour camps to help ease unemployment, the Freiwillige Arbeitsdienst (FAD). These camps were controlled by individual states and their use varied greatly across the country. When Hitler became chancellor he soon appointed Konstantin Hierl as Secretary of State for the Labour Service, the control of which was transferred from the states to the central government. The RAD was used for various tasks, mainly for reclaiming land for farming, helping with the harvests and construction roads, but also for various emergence relief projects.