Nazi Terminology - B

B

• Bandenkampfabzeichen - "(Anti-) bandits-struggle badge" : Nazi military uniform award for combat action against partisan guerrillas. The term Banden was used instead of partisans to avoid giving credence to the guerrillas.
• Bandenbekämpfung - "(Anti-) bandits-struggling" : euphemism for anti- partisan guerrilla warfare. The term Banden was used instead of partisans to avoid giving credence to the guerrillas. See also Bandenkampfabzeichen directly above. In fact, the term of actions "against bandits" was often used in German-occupied Eastern Europe to conceal the killing of the Jewish or Slavic population.
• Bann, ban - Old German word meaning "area of command authority" (thus, ban-mile). It was revived by the Hitler Youth to designate a division of four to six Stämme (stems), or subbans, led by an HJ Bannführer. The Bann corresponded to the Untergau in the League of German Girls, and to the Jungbann in the Jungvolk.
• Bayreuther Festspiele—The "Bayreuth Festival", a festival of Wagnerian opera held since 1876 (and still held today) in Bayreuth, Germany. Because of Hitler’s love of the music of Wagner, all the leading Party functionaries and their wives were expected to attend the Bayreuth Festival. Hitler said, “Anyone who does not appreciate the music of Wagner cannot understand National Socialism”.
• Befehlshaber der Ordnungspolizei (BDO) - Headquarters of the Order (uniformed) Police.
• Bekennende Kirche – "Confessing Church". The groups of the Protestant churches that resisted Nazification.
• Berghof -- Adolf Hitler's home in the Obersalzberg of the Bavarian Alps near Berchtesgaden, which he purchased in 1933.
• Bergpolizei - Mountain Police.
• Berufskammern – Nazi's professional organizations.
• Bezirksleiter – NSDAP district leaders.
• Blechkrawatte - "tin necktie," nickname for the Knight's Cross
• Blitzkrieg – lightning war – quick army invasions aided by tanks and airplanes.
• Blockleiter – lowest official of the NSDAP, responsible for the political supervision of a (city) block, usually 40 to 60 households.
• Blutfahne "Blood flag" – An SA flag bloodied in the attempted Beer Hall Putsch in Munich 9 November 1923, and revered by the Nazi Party, used in ceremonies. It disappeared towards the end of the War and is presumed to have been destroyed.
• Blutorden - "Blood Order" - The medal instituted by Hitler in March 1934 and awarded to Nazis who took part in the November 1923 Beer-Hall Putsch or persons who were a member of one of its formations by January 1932 (continuous service). In 1938, members who could receive it was expanded to persons who rendered outstanding service to the Party. Further party members who lost their lives in the service of the Party could be awarded it. In June 1942, Reinhard Heydrich (posthumously) was the last to be awarded the medal. This award was one of the highest of the NSDAP and under 6,000 were given.
• Blut und Boden – "Blood and soil". Slogan adopted by the Nazis; it was originally coined by the German former Social Democrat August Winnig, cfr. his Das Reich als Republik 1918–1928, (Stuttgart and Berlin: Cotta, 1928), pg 3.
• Blut und Ehre (Blood and Honor) – Motto applied to the blades of some uniform daggers worn by the Hitlerjugend, or Hitler Youth.
• bodenständiger Kapitalismus -- 'home country-orientated capitalism' or 'sedentary capitalism' – productive capitalism, i.e., industry (as opposed to unproductive 'nomadic' capitalism, i.e., financial speculation, believed by the Nazis to be dominated by the Jews) was a Nazi economic concept.
• Breitspurbahn (broad-gauge railway)--a planned 3,000 mm (9 ft 101⁄₈ in) broad-gauge railway, a personal pet project of Adolf Hitler, proposed to run on 3 meter gauge track with double-storey coaches between major cities of Grossdeutschland.
• Brown Creed – term for Nazism.
• Braunes Haus – The Brown House—national HQ of the NSDAP in Munich, Germany, opened 1931; Hitler purchased the Barlow Palace which was the old Italian embassy when Bavaria was an independent state.
• Braunhemden (Brownshirts) – the SA; the leadership obtained khaki colored shirts that were supposed to be sent to the German troops stationed in colonies in Africa prior to World War I, and thus the color brown became symbolic of the Nazi party.
• Brigadeführer "brigade leader" - an SA and SS rank, equivalent to Brigadier General.
• Bund Deutscher Mädel (BDM) – NSDAP "League of German Girls," the female branch of the Hitler Youth. It had three million members in 1937.
• BDM-Werk Glaube und Schönheit - "BDM Belief and Beauty Society" - A special branch of the Bund Deutscher Mädel (League of German Girls) began in January 1938 and open to girls age 17 to 21.