Was there corruption in the Third Reich?

Thus all the means by which in a normal democratic society corruption is investigated had been silenced. Ordinary party members expected rewards under the Third Reich for their sufferings in the so-called “time of struggle”. Sacrifice for the nation in the fight for its renewal was all very well, but now they expected a pay-off. read more

This state operated charity program, which operated during the winter months for the entire duration of the Third Reich, was ostensibly intended to provide relief to less fortunate German’s in winter months with donations of clothing, food and fuel, and was widely suspected to be corrupt. read more

Third Reich not just a dictatorship, also a Kleptocracy. Hitler’s rule based not just on dictatorship, also on plunder, theft and looting. Important to recognise not just because it adds another dimension to the crimes of National Socialism but also because it helps us understand how the Third Reich worked. read more

For dozens of other examples, see the chapter on corruption in Richard Grundberger's "The 12-Year Reich: A Social History of Nazi Germany 1933-1945", Ballentine Books (paperback ed.) 1972, which is an excellent overall study of what life was like in Germany during the Third Reich. read more