Gleichschaltung

Gleichschaltung in German refers to a historical event and process, the dictatorial legislation and measures enacted by the Nazi party to take full control of Germany after their success in the elections of 1933. New Gleichschaltung laws closed state parliaments, banned trade unions, removed citizens’ rights, and forced people to be members of mandatory Nazi-controlled organisations. Opponents of the Nazis were removed from the civil service, judges who were opponents of the Nazis were removed from the courts and justice system, and opponents could be legally pursued for ‘Acts Hostile to the National Community’.

Gleichschaltung is not easy to translate fully, as it means literally “switching together” as if all trains were directed onto the same track and set to travel in the same direction. The German word is sometimes translated into English as co-ordination, Nazification of state and civil society, synchronising or synchronisation, or alignment or even streamlining, but English frequently uses the untranslated German word to convey the particular historical meaning and context when discussing that era.

The word is sometimes used in English to refer to insidious measures by governments to take full control of all administrative aspects of society to prevent dissent, criticism and opposition and achieve total control. The usage in English reflects both the historical example of a totalitarian takeover, and the lack of a similarly concise and relevant term in the English language.