Germany: democracy and dictatorship

economic problems in germany 1918

british navy prevent food supplies reaching germany by sea

inflation

germany had lent money and not got it back yet

non-food shortages

wage restrictions during the war

death/injured soldiers

industrial production decrease in 1918 to 1/3 pre war

national income 2/3 less than pre war

germany had unpaid debts

negative effects of hyperinflation

some couldn't afford essentials

wages rose slower than prices

some businesses went bankrupt

people with fixed/monthly incomes e.g pensioners suffered the most

savings became worthless- affects middle class

people blamed weimar rep

limits to german recover after patcs/treaties/plans

some sectors of economy e.g agriculture saw little recovery

economy dependant on loans

some germans didnt like agreements

hated tov terms still in place

extremist parties still present

impact of the depression on germany

wall street crash

us stops lending money to germany and demands all loans be repayed

german businesses have to pay loans back, lost investment and pay more tax

german govt cant borrow money from us, cant print more money. increased taxes, made unemployment benefit cuts

cut govt worker wages/fired ppl

german people lost their jobs, suffered poverty

what was hitlers national labour service

after 1935 men aged 18-25 had to sere six months on a scheme wit low pay, long hours and boring work

what were the nazi's economic policies

invested huge sums of money into work programmes

gave loans subsidies and tax relief to businesses to increase production and take on more workers

put controls on wages and prices to avoid hyperinflation

controlled imports and made new agreements to increase trade and production

how did the nazis try to achieve autarky

farmers given subsidies and cheap labour

campaigns to make germans buy german goods

controls on imports

scientists funded to find substitutes for resources germany didnt have

was autarky successful

no, 1/3 of raw materials were imported by the war in 1939

german rearmament stages and dates

began in 1933

secret till 1935

increased dramatically in 1936

pros of nazi economic policies

reduced unemployment

most men in work

avg weekly wages rose

some businesses benefitted from increased investment and opportunities

large businesses benefitted from wage restrictions and loss of trade unions

public works programme provided better transport, services and homes

some farmers benefitted from rising food prices, increased subsidies and cheap labour

Nazi economic policies: cons

The cost of food rose — cancelling out wage increases. Working hours increased, especially after 1936.

Some businesses resented the restrictions put upon them.

The emphasis on using German goods meant that, in some cases, that available products were inferior. & The Four-Year Plan put pressure on the economy and led to food and other shortages in the late 1930s. & Some groups suffered; for example, Jewish businesses were boycotted and closed.

impact of ww2 on grermany rationing

aug 1939 - rationing set up

food and goods shortages

black market

1941 - severe rationing

foreign workers and prisoners of wars

impact of war 1942-1945 refugees

refugees - july 1944, german armies retreated soviet union's red army

millions living in Poland, east Prussia and Czechoslovakia flood into germany. jan 1945 - russian troops enter germany, millions more flee west

impact of war 1942-1945 rationing

1943 - food and goods rations decreased, clothes rationing ended completely

1945 - rationing system almost totally collapsed, sever food and essential shortages

black market and scavenging

impact of war 1942-1945 bombing

march 1942 - may 1945 german cities intensely bombed by uk and us.

up to 500,000 killed

750,000 wounded

over 1 million homes destroyed

over 7 million homeless

damage to supply lines and factories disrupted industrial production (armaments)

thousands of businesses impacted

impact of war 1942-1945 labour shortages

post jan 1943, all men 16-65 registered for work

women 17-45 also (pregnant, mother of two young children, farmers wives exempt)

hitler youth and bdm helped with farm work

forced labour increased dramatically

how did nazis enforce having children on women

1/4 off marriage loan per child

1936 women given monthly payments to help cost of raising kids

german women's enterprise (DWF) gave medals to women for having children

how did nazis enforce staying at home on women

dwf ran classes and radio programmes on home matters

girls education tailored to home economics

1937 - grammar schools to prepare girls fo uni banned

impact of nazi policy on women - staying at home

dwf had 6 mill members

suggested many women welcomed nazi policies

no. of women in uni dropped dramatically

nazi policies for youth groups

1933 - banned all except nazi youth groups

young people pressured to join

children who didnt fit nazi ideals not allowed to join

march 1939 - compulsory to join

impact on nazi education policies on schools

children had to attend state schools until 14 yo

separate schools for boys and girls

oprtional schools after 14: national politicla educational institutes and Adolf Hitler schools

set curriculum based on gender

impact on nazi education policies on propaganda

all lessons began and ended with hitler salute

nazi flags and posters decked classrooms

1935 - all textbooks had to be approved by nazi party

trad subjects rewritten to glorify germany e.g emphasise german writers and historical figures

racial ideas and anti semitism taught in subjects

how successful were the nazi youth and education policies

many joined pre 1939 - may have been sue to lack of other extra curricular

some young people enjoyed youth groups activities

military discipline resented

general fitness of young people improved

nazi ideans e.g anti semitism accepted by many youth

generally youth more loyal to nazism than parents

many parents resented time kids spent with youth groups

parents believed they were bein ndermined by nazi loyalty

youth opposition groups

protestant churches and the nazis

many welcomed nazism due to fear of communism

summer 1933 - different protestant churches merged to form the reich church by ludwig muller

what was the concordat and when was it signed

july 1933 - agreement with pope that catholics were free to worships and schools could continue as they were, bishops had to swear loyalty to nazis, clergy had to stay out of politics

protestants against nazi state

confessional church, set up by martin niemoller in 1934

opposed reich church and many aspects of nazi regime

taught only what was found in the bible

timeline for roma people in nazi germany

1933-35 many arrested and sent to conc camps

1936 - some sent to special camps

1938 - all registered, if failed racial tests lost citizenship, banned from travelling

1939 - told they be deported

1940-41 - some deported to forced labour camps or jewish ghettos in poland

some sent to chelmno death camps

1942- himmler ordered deprtation of all, most sent to aushwitz

1945 - 200,000 roma killed, about 25% of european roma pop

what happened to other undesirables under the nazi regime - disabled people

lar for the prevention of hereditarily diseased offspring 1933, sterilisation of over 300,000 disabled 1934-45

1940-41 thousands of mentally ill and disabled adults killed by gas in the T4 Programme until protests led by a catholic bishop stopped this

1939-45 severely disabled babies and children killed by starvation or injection

jewish persecution time line

1933 - SA organised a one day boycott of jewish shops, lawyers and doctors. painted yellow star on doors

jewish actors and musicians banned from performing

jewis civil servants and tachers sacked

jews couldnt join army or inherit land

1934- some jews banned from public spaces, some councils painted benches yellow specifically for jewish people

1935 - nuremberg laws

1936- banned from working as vets, accounants, teachers, dentists, nurses

1937- businesses taken ove by arabs. jewish passports stamped with a j

israel or sarah added to jewish names

1938- hews had to register property. kristallnacht

1939- banned from owning a business

impact of kristallnacht

100 jews were killed

814 shops were destroyed

171 homes were destroyed

191 synagogues were destroyed

goebbels blamed jews for starting trouble, fined them 1 billion marks

what triggered kristallnacht

A 17 year old Polish Jew went into the German embassy in Paris and shot a German

when were the first ghettos built in poland

october 1939

when did chelmno death cammp open

december 1941

when were the first gas chambers used and where

belzec death camp march 1942

how many jews were killed by einsatgruppen

over 1 million shot and buried in mass graves

What did the Eidelweiss Pirates do 1942 onwards

spread allis propaganda leaflets

gave shelter to army deserters

attacked members of the hitler youth and some nazi officials

1944 - killed head of cologne gestapo

some caught and hangd for opposition

The July plot 1944

Appalled by experiences on the Easter front

Count stauffenberg devised operation Valkyrie

At a military conference, he tried to blow hitler up

Bomb exploded, hitler was only injured

He and 5746 others were executed

what could the kaiser do

appoint chancellor

dismiss the chancellor/chancellor's ministers, dissolve the reichstag, command armed forces, in charge of foreign policy

who were kaiser wilhelms chancellors

Caprivi, Hohenlohe, Budlow, Bethman Hollweg

industrialisation under wilhelm ii positives

coal production rivaled britain's by 1914

more coal, iron, steel helped aid communcations and trade

1914 germany was outproducing the rest of europe in electrical goods and chemicals

people were wealthier

sol improved

industrialisation under wilhelm ii negatives

rapid urbanisation

living conditions worsened

gap between rich and poor grew

agriculture did not grow at same rate, do imported food was expensive

high rates of immigration - anti semitism

the navy league

patriotic group aimed to popularise navy/ naval expansion. 200,000 members

difficulties of ruling Germany

growth of parliamentary government

prussian militarism, the naval laws, industrialisation, socialism

the treaty of versailles terms

Clause 231 - germany accepted the blame for the war

only 100,000 men in army

banned consciption

no subs/planes

only six battleships

demilitarise the rhineland

£6.6 billion in reparations

alsace lorraine returned to france

danzig was made a free city

german colonies distributed amongst LON

forbade anschluss

the invasion of the ruhr

1921- germany pays first reparation installment

1922- germany cant afford to pay

1923 - french and belgian troops invade the ruhr, take control of factories

german govt encourage passiv resistance

ruhr goes on strike

french/belgian soldiers arrested/expelled/killed strikers

german economy suffers

strengths of the weimar constitution

proportional representation

women could vote

vote age reduced from 25 to 21

no one group/person could have too much power

election for president every 7 years

central govt mor epowerful but local govt retained power in regions

reichsrat regulate power of reichstag by delaying new laws

head of state

president

elected every seven years by people

chose chancellor

could suspend constitution

pass laws by decree

reichstag in the weimar rep

more powerful of two houses

controlled taxation

directly affected by people at least once every four years

reichsrat in the weimar rep

elected every 4 years

represented regions of germany

proportionally representative

january 1919 election results

SPD-40%

Centre Party-20%

Who were the Freikorps? and how many men did they have

right wing

ex soldies who kept their weapons

250,000 men in march 1919

who were the national socialist german workers party (nazis)

right wing

hated democracy and communism

wanted strong govt and strong military

had paramilitary force (SA)

Spartacist Revolt (jan 1919)

spartacists took over govt newspaper and telegraph bureau

tried to organise a general strike

weimar govt sent freikorp troops to put down the revolt

the munich putsch (1923)

hitlers nazi party tries to seize power in germany but fails due to lack of support

hitler is imprisoned

nazi party is banned (lifted by 1925)

retenmark

nov 1923, stresemann sets up rentenbank

issues currency (rentenmark)

supply of notes tightly controlled

tied to value of gold

august 1924 - reichsbank given control over currency, rename is reichsmark

hyperinflation ends

Dawes plan (1924)

august 1929. allies comitte propose a plan

reduced reparations to £2 billion

payments could be made till 1988

lower reps so lower taxes for germans

lots of opposition from extreme political parties

nazis felt it extended burden for future generations

the young plan (1929)

proposed by charles dawes

instalments temp reduced to £50 million a year

US banks agreed to make loans to germany industry

improvements in german economy after young and dawes plan

industrial output doubled by 1928

employment and trade increased

impact of international agreements

strengthened confidence in weimar rep

imprved germanys relationship with other countries

more support and help e.g economically

economic recovery

reduced hardship

increased support for moderate parties instead of extremists

political stability

Locarno pact 1925

agreement between german., britain, france, italy and belgium

germany agreed to new border with france

allies and germany agreed to permanent demilitarisation of the rhineland

german membership to LON up to discussion

LON

international body hoped to discuss world problems in order to avoid war

set up in 1920

germany initially excluded

germany allowed to join in 1926

kellog briand pact (1928)

agreement between sixty two nations. committed countries to avoid war to achieve foreign policy objectives

why was the locarno pact a success for germany

improved relations with france

not imposed on germany like tov

increased status and popularity of weimar rep

helped boost confidence in moderate parties

why was lon a success for germany

showed germanys views counted

boosted germany confidence in weimar rep

why was the kellog briand pact a success for germany

showed germany was a major power again

showed moderate parties could build international strength

increased public confidence in how germany was being led

when was the wall street crash

29th October 1929

Reasons for Hitler's popularity

well known frm mein kampf

ran in 1923 presidential election

effective had rousing speaker

speeches and propaganda carefully designed to promise different things to different groups

wealth businessmen invested into propaganda and tech

hitler came across as forceful and decisive

portrayed himself as one of the people

role of SA

storm troopers - paramilitary force

formed by hitler in 1921

brown uni

400000 in 1930

3 million in 1934

unemployed former soldiers

increased support for nazis 1930-32

stood up to communists

used fear and violence to disrupt meetings/rallies, destroy publicity material

beat up and intimidated opposition candidates

sabotage

when was hitler appointed as chancellor

1933

Reichstag Fire

lone dutch commie ecexuted for starting a fire

hitler accuses kpd of conspiracy against govt

4000 commies arrested

hitler has an excuse to issue emergency decree for the protection of people and the state

power to imprison political opponents and ban opposing newspaper

hitler persuades hindenburg to call election in march 1933

nazi part secures 2/3 of seats by preventing communists from taking up their 81

hitler could change the constitution

enabling act

1933

gave hitler total power to make new laws

reich cabinet could pass new laws

laws could overrule constitution

hitler would propose laws

GERMANY IS NO LONGER A DEMOCRACY

Why were Rohm and the SA a threat to Hitler?

rohm led 3 million SA

rohm was a political rival

many important people eg hindenburg disapproved of SA

german army only about 100,000

rogm believed to want to make sa army

hitler needed army alleigance

SS more disciplined

ss leader himmler closer to hitler

when did hitler become fuhrer

2nd August 1934, a few weeks after notlk, after resident hindenburg dies

what was hitlers four year plans aims

1936-40

rearmament and autarky

how did nazis enforce not working on women

1933 - women banned from professional careers

propaganda used to convince women not to take mens jobs

impact of nazi policy on women - not working

1933-36, no. of employed women fell

1939 - women encouraged back to work after shortages during war

four nazi youth groups

- Young German Folk (boys 10-14)

- Young girls (girls 10-14)

- Hitler Youth (boys 14-18)

- League of German maidens (girls 14-18)

boys youth group activities

- Shooting

- Military drills

- Signalling

- Military-style camps

- Helping the fire brigade during the war

- Formed military brigades to defend Berlin in 1945

impact on nazi education policies on subjects

15% time spent on p.e

girls taught domestic skills

boys taught science and military

traditional german, history, geog and maths

race studies and nazi eugenics taught to both

why were churches a threat to hitlers ideas

god as ultimate authority rather than hitler

everyone equal in eyes of god

strived for peace

strong should look after the weak

nazi response to confessional church

tried to repress it

some churches closed

members harassed

some pastors sent to conc camps

how far were churches under nazi control

6000 protestants in confessional church

only 2000 in reich church

many opponents of nazis were religious

most people who attended churhces did little to oppose nazis, may have been out of support or fear of regime

why did nazis hate jews

associated with communism

often successful, people wre jealous

seen as alien, different religious practices, clothin and beliefs

blamed for hermanys defeat in ww1 and tov (some weimar politicians were jewish)

history of anti semitism in europe

how did racial policies affect slavs

constantly reminded they werent aryan

fewer policies directed to them

persecuted less

pre 1939

attitudes to slavs affected policy during ww2, slav civilians across ussr and easter europe treated badly by german invading army

how did racial policies affect roma

range of policies which escalated in severity from 1933-45

treatment varied enormously depending on who and where they were

what were the einsatzgruppen

ss killing squads in the soviet union

when and where did the nazis decide on the final solution

wannsee conference, januay 1942

how many death camps were there and where were they

six in poland

two examples of joint prison and death camps

madjanek and aushwitz

how did the nazis censor media

public book burnings

radio producers, playwrights, filmmakers and newspapers told what to say

newspapers opposing the nazis closed

only raios that couldnt receive foreign stations were made

what was the reich chamber of culture

set up september 1933

aimed to ensure art, architecture, lit, music, theatre and film fit nazi ideas

banned things nazis dislike

promoted things nazis likes

nazi architecture

large grand public buildings

inspired by ancient greece and rome

traditional materials such as stone and wood preferred

modern architecture disap proved of

albert speer was hitlers favourite architect

designed ground where nuremberg rallies were held

nazi music

music by racially inferior people banned

jazz associated with black people was banned

marching music and classical music by composers such as beethoven and back preferred

hitler loved and promoted richard wagners music about trad german heroes

role of the gestapo

professional police officers, not members of nazi party

no uniforms

identified opponents

spied using part informants and gen pop

freq used torture duing questioning

sent many to conc camps

never more than 50,000 members

1936- led by heydrich under himmler and ss control

When did Germany unite

1871

what was the largest of the german speaking states

prussia

how was the german constitution arranges

the kaiser, the army, chancellor, the bundesrat and the reichstag

who was the kaiser

a hereditary monarch, head of state

what did the army do

swear alleigance, higher ranks advised the kaiser, officers were upperclass right wing conservatives, received funding from reichstag ever five years

what could the chancellor do

responsible only to kaiser

appoint his own ministers

lead bundesrat

propose topics/laws to be debated

ignore reichstag decisions