leichschaltung is the German term applied to the Nazification of German society following the Nazi seizure of power in 1933. Once Hitler became chancellor, he and the Nazi Party sought to “coordinate” all political, social, and cultural institutions with the Nazi state. This “coordination” was done in the name of national unity. However, it allowed the Nazi Party to extend its power by creating a single party state. Everything was subject to coordination: local government, professional organizations, social clubs, leisure activities—even those for children.
The state enforced coordination from the top-down. At the same time, many Germans responded with a bottom-up coordination of their own. This was known as Selbstgleichschaltung. Even Hitler was surprised with the speed and ease of remaking Germany. He noted “everything is going much faster than we ever dared to hope.”1