AQA GCSE history - Germany

When was the unification of Germany and what did it follow?

1871 after victory against France in 1870

Who was the Chancellor in the 1870s and 80s?

Otto von Bismarck

Bismarck's attitude towards ethnic minorities?

He attempted to assimilate ethnic minority groups within the new empire, such as the Poles

When did Kaiser Wilhelm II become Kaiser?

1888 at the age of 31

What had Kaiser Wilhelm II seen the European powers do?

Seize colonies in Africa (Scramble for Africa)

What did Germans think of the Kaiser's Weltpolitik?

Many Germans agreed with him

By 1914, which party gained power and why?

The left-wing Social Democrat Party because it appealed to Germany's growing number of industrial workers

What did the middle class think of the government by 1914?

They were happy with the right-wing government because they were afraid of the growing political strength of industrial workers

1880 to 1914 steel production comparison

1880- half the amount of steel as Britain
1914- twice the amount as Britain

By 1914, what was Germany producing 1/3 of?

The World's electrical goods

Population of Germany 1871 to 1914

40 million to 68 million

How were food imports affected by 1914?

Only 1/3 of the labour force worked in agriculture so food imports rose quickly reaching about 1/5 of Germany's needs by 1914

Who accepted the authoritarian nature of German rule? (Pre-WW1)

Both right-wing and central political parties because of the developing wealth and power the middle class gained

How did governments try to pacify socialist demands pre-WW1?

Social reforms such as the introduction of old age pensions in 1889 (20 years before Britain) and sickness and accident insurance schemes which covered nearly 14 million Germans by 1911

How many seats did the SPD gain in 1912?

Nearly 1/3

Importance of Prussia

2/3 of population
Over 1/2 of the territory

How did the military influence foreign policy under the Kaiser?

The influence of military chiefs often determined the policies, which were concerned with expansion

Who argues that Germany needed large battleships?

Admiral von Tripitz who became State Secretary of the Navy in 1897

How many ships did the Navy have in 1896?

6

What was the First Navy Law?

Passed in 1898, the law allowed for the addition of 7 battleships (Germany already had 12). Didn't match British or French but marked turning point in German foreign policy

What was the Second Navy Law?

1900 (during the Boer War). Doubled the size of the fleet to 38 battleships

What was the main objective of the German Navy?

To compete against the British

What did the Germans respond to in 1906 and how?

The Royal Navy launch of the Dreadnought in May with a 3rd Navy Law, adding 6 cruiser-type ships to the building programme

How many Navy Laws were passed in total before WW1?

5

Number of German Dreadnoughts from 1907 to 1914

0-19

What developed in 1902?

The Anglo-German naval arms race

What was the effect of WW1 on Germany? (6 points)

1. Opposition to the Kaiser developed
2. Anarchy
3. 500 women protested against war in 1915 and in 1916 10000 workers turned against the Kaiser
4. Produced less food (1/2 of milk and 3/5 of butter and meat)
5. Spanish influenza spread
6. Made Germans feel angry

25th October 1918

Sailors mutinied at Kiel

26th October- 5th November 1918

Strikes and demonstrations across Germany

6th November 1918

Soldiers and workers took control of cities like Munich and Hamburg

7th November 1918

Social Democrats led by Ebert demanded the abdication of the Kaiser

9th November 1918

General Strike in Berlin. Kaiser abdicates. Ebert takes over as Chancellor

Who were the Spartacists?

A group of radical socialists who wanted a revolution like the Russians.

Who led the Spartacists?

Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebnecht

5th January 1919

Spartacist Uprising

Why did the Spartacist Uprising fail?

It was poorly organised, lacked support of other left-wing groups, the government had 2000 Freikorps, Spartacist leaders were killed so lacked leadership

15th January 1919

End of the Spartacist Uprising

How did the Weimar government come out of the Spartacist uprising?

A success was that they had managed to stop the first major uprising under their power. However, they had given too much power to the right-wing Freikorps

Article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles

War Guilt Clause -- placed complete blame for the war on Germany

£6.6 billion

Reparations payment

10% of Germany's industry and 15% of agricultural land taken

Treaty of Versailles

Who got Germany's colonies?

The League of Nations gave them to Britain and France to run

How was the German military restricted by the Treaty of Versailles?

No air force
100,000 men
6 battleships
No submarines
Rhineland occupied the Rhineland for 15 years and no German troops allowed in this area

Other than colonies, what land did Germany lose in the Treaty of Versailles?

Alsace-Lorraine (France)
West Prussia and Polen- Polish Corridor (to Poland)
Saarland (LoN)

Article 48 of Weimar constitution

Used in the state of emergency to push through legislation (dictatorial)

13th March 1920

Kapp Putsch

Who was the leader of the Kapp Putsch?

Wolfgang Kapp led the Freikorps with General Luddwitz and Ludendorff

Where did the government flee to during the Kapp Putsch?

Dresden

How did the Weimar Government respond to the Kapp Putsch?

They called a general strike which left the city with no transport, water or power.

What did the Kapp Putsch Show the government?

The Freikorps couldn't be relied on and that not everyone supported the Weimar government

January 1923

Invasion of the Ruhr

What did the French and Belgian troops do to the workers in the Ruhr?

Killed 100
150,000 thrown out of their homes

How did the Germans respond to the Invasion of the Ruhr?

Passive resistance, supported by the government, meant that the workers refused to work. However, this made Germany poorer as they produced nothing from the Ruhr

Impact of the Invasion of the Ruhr?

Hyperinflation

Causes of hyperinflation

More banknotes were printed to cover reparations and cost of wages from passive resistance

Effects of hyperinflation

Money lost all value
Many small businesses collapsed
Savings and pensions became worthless
Debts were easily payed off

8th-9th November 1923

Munich Putsch

What was the cause of the Munich Putsch?

Nazis were angry at Stresemann for calling off the passive resistance thinking it meant giving in to the French

What was the Munich Putsch?

Hitler and 600 SA burst into a speech by von Kahr, the leader of Bavaria, and forced him to support them

How was the Munich Putsch stopped?

Army found out what was happening and they had allowed von Kahr to leave

How were Ludendorff and Hitler punished after the Munich Putsch?

Ludendorff was freed and Hitler given a lenient sentence because the judges were chosen by a Nazi sympathiser

August- November 1923

Gustav Stresemann made Chancellor

August 1923

Stresemann called off passive resistance

Effect of end of passive resistance

Economy began to recover and armies withdrew in 1925

October 1923

Government destroys old currency

January 1924

Introduction of temporary new currency 'Rentenmark' and later introduces a new currency 'Reichsmark'

1924 Economic Plan

Dawes Plan- US gave 800 million to Germany and longer to pay back reparations

What did Gillette and Ford do to help Germany?

They invested in Germany which led to more jobs being available

1929 Economic Plan

Young plan- Reduced the amount of reparations by 60% from 132 to 37 million

What was industrial production like in 1929?

It was higher than it had been before the war

1926

Germany join the League of Nations

How did Stresemann improve the situation in Germany?

More jobs and wages
More stable government
Decline in support for extremist parties

Nazi sears in 1928

12 seats- 2% of vote

1925

Hindenburg elected as President (opponent of Republic)

October 1929

Stresemann dies meaning they lost an influential leader

29th October 1929

Wall Street Crash

How long did Germany have to pay back the Americans?

90 days

Industrial production 1929-1932

40% of 1929

1931- German economy

Number of German and Austrian banks go out of business

Unemployment levels Oct 1929- Feb 1932

1.6 million- 6.12 million
1/3 of the workforce was unemployed

Unemployment of 16-30 year olds 1933

1/2

How did Heinrich Brüning (Chancellor) try to deal with the Great Depression?

Government spending was cut to control inflation and keep exports competitive.
Increased taxes, reduced salaries and reduced unemployment assistance

What did Brüning rely on for control?

Article 48 and the emergency powers of the president

Parliament in 1932

Was largely ignored and people thought this was undemocratic

Communist and Nazi seats in 1930

77 Communist
107 Nazi

How long was Hitler in prison for?

9 months of a 5 year sentence

When was the ban on the NSDAP lifted?

Two weeks after Hitler's release

27th February 1925

Nazi party relaunched

Who did the Nazis appeal to?

Middle classes and farmers

Membership of NSDAP 1925-1929

50,000-150,000

June 1932

Von Papen becomes Chancellor of Germany

Nazi seats in July 1932

230 seats- 37%- becoming the biggest party

Communist seats 1932

89 seats

17th November 1932

Von Papen resigns and replaced by von Schleicher

28th January 1933

Von Schleicher resigns

30th January 1933

Hitler becomes Chancellor

27th February 1933

Reichstag Fire

1st March 1933

Hindenburg passes Protection Law which enables Hitler to shut down the communists

Nazi seats in 1933, March

288, 43%

23rd March 1933

Enabling Act passed