Gestapo

The Gestapo, short for Geheime Staatspolizei, was the secret police of Nazi Germany, established in 1933. Its primary role was to investigate and suppress opposition to the Nazi regime, employing methods like surveillance, infiltration, and brutal interrogation. The Gestapo was notorious for its use of fear and intimidation, arresting dissidents, and enforcing Nazi policies, including the persecution of Jews and other minority groups. Operating without judicial oversight, it became a symbol of oppression and terror during the Holocaust and World War II, contributing significantly to the regime's authoritarian control over German society.