Weimar and Nazi Germany

Who was emperor of Germany during the First World War?

Kaiser Wilhelm II

When was the armistice signed, ending the First World War?

11 November 1918, at 11:00 am

What were the economic effects of the First World War?

Germany was deeply in debt and equipment in Germany’s overworked factories was worn out.

What were the social effects of the First World War on Germany?

Factory owners made a fortune while workers had restrictions placed on their wages and women working in factories was thought, by some, to have damaged traditional family values

What were the political effects of the First World War on Germany?

Germany had become more politically unstable and many Germans felt betrayed by the ‘November Criminals’

Who became Weimar Germany’s first president?

Friedrich Ebert

Name the left-wing uprising that took place in Berlin in January 1919.

Spartacist Uprising

How did the Freikorps put down the Spartacist Revolt?

They attacked Spartacists, recaptured buildings, and arrested (then murdered) the Spartacist Leaders.

What was the Weimar Constitution?

A new set of rules describing how Germany should be governed

key strengths of the Weimar Constitution

It aimed to be fair: all Germans had equal rights, including the right to vote/ proportional representation in parliament/ no one political group could dominate parliament/ frequent elections

Weaknesses of the Weimar Constitution

The Proportional representation made decision-making and introducing laws difficult/ Article 48 gave the president a lot of power/ the constitution was unpopular and many longed for the ‘good old days’ and the Kaiser rule

Who were the ‘November Criminals’?

The Politicians who ended the First World War and agreed to the terms of the Treaty of Versailles

What was the Kapp Putsch?

When nationalist Wolfgang Kapp and 5000 Freikorps troops took over Berlin, but the workers went on strike and, after only 100 hours in control, Kapp gave in and fled

What are the negative ways Germans were affected by hyperinflation?

People with bank savings lost out; elderly people on ‘fixed pensions’ could not afford to buy what they needed; workers could not afford food because their wages did not keep up with prices; small businesses collapsed

Which two roles (in 1923 and 1924-39) did Gustav Stresemann hold in Germany’s government?

First role chancellor, second role Germany’s foreign minister

What new currency did Stresemann introduce to deal with the hyperinflation crisis?

Retenmark (also known as ‘marks’)

What was the Dawes Plan and what did it enable Germany to do?

A 1924 loan of 800 million marks from the USA allowed Germany to start paying reparations

What was the name of the 1929 plan that reduced German reparations and gave Germany longer to pay?

The Young Plan

In December 1925 Germany, Britain, France, Belgium and Italy signed the Locarno Pact. What did they agree and what did Germany accept as part of this pact?

They agreed to never go to war with each other. Germany accepted its western borders

When was Germany accepted into the League of Nations?

1926 (September)

What August 1928 pact agreed that the signatories would never go to war unless to defend themselves if they were attacked?

The Kellogg-Briand Pact

What benefits were enjoyed by workers in Weimar Germany?

increased income for skilled workers/ strong trade union protection/ eight hour day/ nearly three million new homes/ benefits paid if unemployed

What are ways in which the lives of some women did not progress in Weimar Germany?

Lower pay for women for equivalent work/ husbands could still legally decide on all matters concerning family life/ some continued to promote a traditional view of a women’s place in the home

What did avanat-garde artists Otto Dix and George Gross believe?

Art should show everyday life in a new and experimental way

Where was Hitler Born?

Braunau, in what we now called Austria

Which German City did Hitler Travel to when the war was over?

Munich

What role did Hitler perform for the army when the war was over?

He worked as a spy, assessing how dangerous new political parties were

What was the original name of Nazi Party?

German Workers’ Party (DAP)

What is the full title of the Nazi Party?

National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP)

What was the twenty-five point Programme?

A political manifesto: a list of beliefs, ideas and promises that would be introduced if the Nazi Party came to power

Why did Hitler publish the Twenty-five point Programme, despite not believing all of the ideas?

He saw it as a way of attracting more support and appealing to to different groups in society

Why did the Nazis Buy a newspaper?

They could use it to put forward the Party’s views

What was the name of the new flag/symbol introduced by the Nazi Party?

swastika

Why was the Swastika chosen as the symbol for the Nazi Party?

It was eye-catching and simple to draw

Which early Nazi Party member and ex-soldier led the Sturmabteilung (SA)?

Ernst Rohm

What roles did the (SA) perform for the Nazi Party?

Beating up anyone who criticised Hitler or the Party/ guarding Hitler’s meetings/ disrupting the meetings of other political parties

On what date did the Munich Putsch begin?

8 November 1923

What ways did Hitler take advantage of the publicity his trial attracted?

He criticised the government and put across his political views

What prison sentence did Hitler receive and how long did it serve?

Five years, but he was released after nine months

What is Mein Kampf?

A book written by Hitler describing his life and political views

What was a gauleiter?

A loyal Nazi in control of a regional branch of the Nazi Party, appointed by Hitler and directly overseen by him

What was the Hitler Youth?

A new youth group set up to encourage younger followers

When was the Bamberg conference?

February 1926

What was confirmed at the Bamberg conference?

The Fuhrerprinzip (or ‘leader Principle’) - Hitler was in absolute control / the Twenty-Five Point Programme was the official Nazi Policy / to target particular groups to gain their votes

Why was the SA put under stricter control?

Hitler was concerned that the SA were too violent and were giving the Nazis a bad reputation

What was the Schutzstaffel?

Also known as the SS, it was a unit of 300 personal bodyguards

In what three ways did the Great Depression make an economic impact on Germany?

Businesses collapsed, unemployment soared, and banks closed

Define ‘propaganda’

The spreading of ideas and information in order to influence people’s thinking and actions, using media (posters, film, radio, newspapers)

Who was appointed chief of Nazi propaganda in 1933?

Joseph Goebbels

How did the Nazi Party use technology to spread their message?

Aeroplanes took Hitler to as many as five cities a day address thousands; they used radio broadcasts and cinema news reports to get the Nazi message into every town and home

What role did the SA play in the growth of the Nazi Party?

Disputed Communist Party meetings; made it impossible for communists to campaign properly in elections; fought communists in violent street clashes

When did Hitler stand for election as President, only to miss out to Hindenburg?

March 1932

Who was Chancellor immediately before Hitler?

Kurt von Schleicher

When was Hitler appointed chancellor of Germany?

30 January 1933

How did President Hindenburg try to limit Hitler’s power and control as Chancellor?

He appointed von Papen as Vice Chancellor and restricted the number of Nazis in the coalition government to two

Why might women vote for the Nazi Party?

Nazis stressed the importance of women to Germany’s future / said that family life, good morals and self-discipline were important

Who was the 25-year-old Dutchman accused, tired and convicted of starting the Reichstag Fire?

Marinus Van der Lubbe

What was the ‘Decree for the Protection of the people and the State’?

A law that gave police powers to search houses, confiscate property, lock people up without trial, ban meetings, close newspapers, and arrest political opponents

What did the Enabling Act allow Hitler and the Nazis to do?

It gave him the power to pass any laws without consulting the Reichstag or the President

What was the Nazi organisation that replaced trade unions when they were banned?

The German labour Front (DAF)

What was the ‘Night of Long Knives’ ad what did it achieve?

The execution (by the SS) of 400 members of the SA (including Rohm) and other political opponents on 30 June 1934; removed any opposition to Hitler within the Nazi Party

Define the term ‘police state’

When the government controls people’s lives via a strong police force

Who was in control of all police forces (and the SS) in Nazi Germany?

Heinrich Himmler

What was the secret police force in Germany?

Gestapo

What powers did the secret police force possess?

To listen in on phone calls, arrest anyone without trial, use torture to get people to talk, encourage people to inform in on their neighbours and children on adults

What was the Concordat?

A 1933 agreement between the Nazis and the Catholic Church promising that they would not interfere with each other

Who was the Nazi minister for Enlightenment and Propaganda?

Joseph Goebbels

What three key messages were repeated in Nazi propaganda?

The Nazis falsely blamed the Jews for Germany’s problems, criticised the Treaty of Versailles, and claimed the Nazi Party would make Germany strong again

How did the Nazis use censorship to create a generation of people dedicated to the Nazi regime and its beliefs?

The Nazis controlled everything the German people heard, read, or saw; anything seen as harmful to the Nazi message was banned

How did the Nazis control newspapers?

Only stories showing the Nazis in a positive light were printed / use of negative stories (about Jews)

Why did the Nazis produce cheep radios?

To deliver the Nazi message into peoples homes

Why was sport so important to the Nazis?

Hitler wanted a nation that was physically fit: boys were the soldiers of the future, girls were to produce strong children; and success in sports was used to promote Nazi Regime

How did Nazis ‘use’ the 1936 Olympic Games?

To show the world that Germany was now modern and advanced society ; to showcase Nazi ideas

What was the Reich Chamber of Culture?

A Nazi Organisation that controlled all cultural activities, and to which every musician, writer, artist, and actor had to belong

What type of art did the Nazis approve of?

Paintings and sculptures highlighting Germany’s achievements; portrayals of healthy, heroic German Figures, happy family scenes, images of Hitler in heroic poses

Which two architectural styles did Hitler approve of?

The ‘monumental style’ for public buildings and the ‘country style’ for family homes

Why did Germans admire Hitler and the Nazis?

The Nazis created more Jobs; many felt Germany’s international standing grew

How many Germans left Germany to live in other countries between 1933 and 1939?

300 000

Between 1933 and 1939, how many people were sent to concentration camps?

1.3 million

In what ways did Germans oppose Hitler and the Nazis?

Moaning or grumbling; passive resistance; open opposition; attempts to kill Hitler

How did some former members of banned political parties oppose the Nazi regime?

Worked in secret to produce anti-Nazi leaflets and posters

In what ways did Martin Niemoller oppose the Nazi Regime?

He was a vocal critic of the way the Nazis tried to control and influence religion; he spoke out against Nazi Racial policy; he refused to be a part of the Reich Church; he founded the Confessing Church to promote Christian Values

In what ways did Hilda Kusserow oppose the Nazi Regime?

she refused to comply, to give the ‘Heil Hitler’ salute, and to enter compulsory military service

Who were the Swing Youth?

Groups of Young people who came together to listen to jazz and swing music

The Edelweiss Pirates were lots of different groups across different cities. By what name were they known in the city of Essen?

‘Roving Dudes’

What sort of activities did the Edelweiss Pirates do?

They opposed official Nazi Youth Groups; they went on trips, organised camps, and sang songs

Why was divorce made easy in Nazi Germany?

so women could remarry and have more children

What are failures of Nazi policies towards Women?

the average number of children per couple fell from 3.6 (1932) to 3.3 (1939) / the number of women doctors increased between 1934 and 1939/ by 1939, more women were working due to the shortage of male workers

Why was Hitler so controlling of the German School System?

To brainwash young Germans into idolising him, and to ensure Nazi ideas about race featured in every subject in the curriculum

What did the Nazis want their school curriculum to develop in young people?

Physical strength and strong views on race, rather than enquiring minds

What did the subject Eugenics teach students?

The mental and physical characteristics of humans that could be ‘improved’ by choosing who could become parents

Why did teachers have to join the National Socialist Teachers’ League?

To ensure they put across Nazi ideas and beliefs in lessons

What was the Hitler Youth organisation?

A Nazi Youth Organisiation, created in 1922, that provided activities focused on Nazi Ideas and beliefs

How Many Germans were unemployed when Hitler became Chancellor in 1933?

Just over six million