History, Germany year 1 content

What was the Wall street crash, what impacts did it have on the US?

• the worst ever fall in share prices occured at the New york stock exchange on the 24th of October 1929, this is known as ‘black thursday’

• Another collapse occured on the 29th of October 1929, $10 billion was lost from the largest US companies

• many millionaires and smaller investors lost all their wealth

impacts

• companies would close and unemployment grew

• banks stopped lending and called in existing loans

Overall, this created a prolonged economic depression in the USA

What was the impact on Germany from the Wall Street crash?

Germany’s economy had only just recovered in some elements, however sectors like agriculture and industry struggled in 1928, this made the impacts of the wall street crash worse, also the economy relied on US investment, these loans were ‘called in’, also the US was a major market for German goods

• German exports had dropped 61%

• Industrial production had dropped 58% from 1928, to compare, Britain’s only fell by 11%

• The economy had entered a deep depression

Why was the Germany economy affected so badly?

Foreign trade collapsed and prices fell,

• companies went bankrupt and unemployment grew

• The surviving companies had their hours cut and workers made redundant

• customers withdrew money from banks and loans were left unpaid

This created a banking crisis

• Austrian bank collapsed in may 1931, (credit anstalt)

• German banking system followed into crisis

• in july 1931, the government closed banks for 2 days as well as suspending the stock exchange

• 1/3 of workers became unemployed by 1932

What were the issues with unemployment?

official figures were limited based upon only those registered, many woman for example aren’t registered

• some estimates suggested that by january 1933, 8 million were unemployed

• Worst areas for unemployment were the Ruhr, Silesia and Hamburg

• Severe cuts in civil service and wage reductions

What impact did the wall street crash have on Rural areas?

Farming in Germany had been previously affected in 1928, with the wall street crash agricultural products fell further in value

• exports went into further decline, food sales in Germany fell

• many farmers had given up their lands they were unable to pay back loans

• farm labourers lost their jobs

How did poverty increase during the Great Depression? What were the social impacts?

• Mass unemployment overwhelmed the welfare system, time limits were put into place on state benefits, local authorities were less generous and means tested

• Woman and young people received less

• Single industry towns and wee hit the hardest, one town which had a large glassware industry suffered and 50% of people were unemployed

• Diseases were caused by malnutrition like rickets and TB

• Suicide rates increased

• Evictions increased

What were the Impacts on youth from the Great Depression?

Unemployment and juvenile crime

Unemployment

• high unemployment, Hamburg in 1933 had males 14-25 at 39% unemployment, woman were at 25.2%

• This meant many large Gangs of young men formed, they often met in public places which felt threatening to the middle classes.

• Many of these men would form attraction to extremist political organisations

Juvenile crime

• the number of 14-25 year olds accused of crime increased, especially with theft or threatening behaviour

• Offences against the state were often reported, this included violent disorder during demonstrations

What were the Impacts on youth from the Great Depression?

• political extremism

• Government schemes helping the youth

Political extremism

• KPD we’re somewhat successful at getting working class men to support the party, they would attract ‘wild cliques’ to engage in street battles with their opponents

• The nationalist right had groups like the Hitler Youth and the SA which offered young men food, shelter and uniforms - a sense of unity

• However, membership to parties weren’t stable, many had no contact to parties especially woman

Government scheme to help the youth

• the government aimed to lower the effects of unemployment through labour exchanges

• They set up day centres which allowed working classes to engage in work related activities and socialise

• The schemes were unpopular and many still striked for higher pay in October 1930 and June 1932

• Priority was to get young “off the streets”

What were the Impacts on woman from the Great Depression?

• right wing parties stood by their ideology that woman who work as well as their husbands are “double earners”. This campaign achieved some success and in May 1932 a law was passed to stop married woman from working in parts of the civil service if seemed necessary, they could only do this if they had proof that the woman was economically stable, the reich postal service dismissed 1000 married woman

How did the ‘grand coalition’ collapse?

• collapsed in 1930 mainly due to the increased support for far right and left parties, the depression meant mullers government was in deadlock on how to tackle the economy

• The SPD argued to protect benefits and raise taxes - Keynesian economics, borrow big, create jobs and get the economy going

• The DVP argued to reduce benefits - austerity

• This led to muller resigning in march 1930

How did Bruning’s government form? How was this significant?

Hindenburg appointed Bruning in March 1930, This was from advice given from General Groener the defense minister and General von schleicher (presidential political adviser), they were both part of the elite and opposed democracy, this gave oppurtunity for authoritarian regime.

• Bruning had excluded the SPD from the coalition, there was no majority in the reichstag so he governed using article 48 which should of only been used in emergancies

• By 1932 5 laws passed were agreed upon by the reichstag and 66 were passed through article 48

What were Bruning’s intentions, what did he do?

Bruning from Z had strong conservative values and a background in economics and fiance he designed policies to balance the budget

• Deep cuts in govenment spending, reduced unemployment benefits, public sector jobs and wages

• He raised taxes

• increased army spending and gave subsides to ‘junkers’ as he relied on their support

As Bruning was governing through article 48 this was angering people, the SPD won a motion to withdraw the budget decree and this led to the dissolotion of the reichstag and a general election being called

What were the major changes in the 1930 election?

• the biggest chang was the support for the nazi party increasing, 2.6% in 1928 to 18.3% in 1930

• DNVP and DVP had their votes halfed

• KPD gained 13%

• SPD lost 5% taking them to 24.5%

How did the 1930 election make the reichstag difficult to govern?

• 2/5ths of the electorate voted for parties which opposed democracy, KPD gained 77 seats and NSDAP gained 107, 6.5 million votes

• The reichstag became unmanagable, Nazi’s would shout and disrupt talks, the reichstag didn’t meet between feb and october 1931

How did political violence grow? What did the government do to prevent this?

The SA from the far right, and the Red front fighters league from the far left, violence grew with instability with many of these members of groups being unemployed. These political attacks would happen during political rallies and meetings

Bruning’s government in december 1931 banned the wearing of political uniforms however this didn’t work, In april 1932 Hindenburg banned the SA, however by the end of the year they had 400,000 members

What was the background to the NSDAP?

The DAP (german workers party) was founded by Anton Drexler in 1919

• Hitler was previously hired to inform on the party to the army, however, he was drawn into political conversations and he had a talent for speaking

The party was renamed the NSDAP in 1920, Hitler became leader in 1921

• They brought a newspaper and renamed it ‘volkischer beobachter’

• They established local party branches in North Germany and Bavaria, the north was more radical and Bavaria was more traditional

Membership grew from 6000 to 50,000 in a year which caused fundraising

How did the Nazi party develop, How did they change with the Bamburg conference?

Key ideas the nazi party had were; Ultra-nationalism, Racism, Authoritarianism, anti-communism

They initially were anti-capitalist however big businesses funded the party changing their priorities

• The Munich Putsch gave Hitler a platform, after the putsch he needed to reassemble the party through the Bamburg conference

• He created a Fuhrerprinzip which created absolute obeidience to the leader

• Socialist elements were defeated

• they created a system of hierarchy from power to region - district - local area

• In 1927 they had there first rally at nuremburg

However all of this failed as Germany only gained 2.6% at the 1928 election

What were some of the policies prioritised by the NSDAP in 1920?

• Nationalist policies like taking back land to ‘feed our people’ and settle the population, revokation of the treaty of versailles

• Racist policies like Non germans to live in germany as ‘guests’ and voting rights for German citizens only

• socialist policies like nationalising all businesses and old age insurance

• Authoritarian policies like making it legal obligation to take part in sports, newspapers against ‘common good’ to be banned

Who supported the Nazis and why, which groups did they appeal too?

Before 1929, core support was from the lower middle classes (mittlestand)

• white collar workers, small shopkeepers (against big businesses), independent craftsman. All of which struggled during the 1920s

• The Nazis appealed to farmers especially from the agricultural apparatus. They were successful at exploiting farmers and their discontent and promised protection from imports

• They appealed to the overall middle class as they feared the rise of communism and the re-distribution of wealth, many were disillusioned by the DNVP and DVP who weren’t fulfilling their promises

• Gained support from non-unionised working classes

Why did the middle class vote for the nazis?

• they were disillusioned by the successive Weimar Republic, especially with the governments handling of the economy and political crises, the nazis were a new party, the middle class were impressed by hitlers drive

• Fear of communism

Why did the farmers vote for the nazis?

• Agricultural depression from 1928x the nazis promised solutions like protections from foreign competition, dealing with ‘Jewish financiers’ they were targeted by nazi propaganda through the agricultural apparatus

Why did the Protestants vote for the nazis?

• They were more likely to vote for the Nazis than the catholics who had the traditional Z party

• They were hostile to atheistic communism

Why did younger people vote for the Nazis?

• attracted by dynamism of SA and Hitler, early involvement with the hitler youth set up in 1926

• Some rebelled against their parents views

• Hope for the future

Why did some of the working class vote for the nazis?

• most of the working classes would typically vote for the SPD and the KPD but a minority of the working class held conservative nationalist views. Often these people were self-employed and non unionised

• They shared hostility to big businesses and finance and they were attracted from the promise of ‘work and bread’ as well as stability

Why did the conservative elite vote for the nazis?

• they hated socialism and communism

• Their nationalist views and desire for more authoritarian government

What quote is a good way to describe the attraction to the nazi party?

“A catch all party of protest”

How did the 1932 presidential election go down?

Hindenburg’s 1st term ended in 1932 leading to a presidential election,

• Hindenburg was 84 so he was reluctant to stand again but DNVP and other parties convinced him to stand

• Other opponents were Thallmann and Hitler

• In the first round Hindenburg was just short of 50%

• In the second round Hindenburg won with 53%

• Hitler achieved 37% of the vote and used modern campaign techniques “hitler over Germany”

• Impact reflected in nazi successes in states like Bavaria and Saxony

What was the appeal of nazism?

• the power of will

• Struggle and war

The power of will

• Hitler and the Nazis presented themselves as a force of change in Germany. Hitler had strength and determination, the movement shared and image of discipline and unity

Struggle and war

• Nazi thinking empathised on the struggle of war and violence he ‘scientifically’ justified that conflict between race was part of natural order

What was the Appeal of nazism?

• Volksgemeinschaft

• National socialism

Volksgemeinschaft

• ‘people’s community’ was a key element in nazi ideology. Hitler advocated a state based on racial community, only aryans were given citizenship whilst others were dismissed and treated as ‘subjects of the state

• Within the community there would be no social classes and there would be equal opportunities. If you committed to ‘German values’ you could have access to employment and welfare benefits, this marked the beginning of a social and cultural revolution

• Working unselfishly for common good

• Wanted to return to traditional German past ‘blood me soil’

National socialism

• the party gained the titles of ‘nationalist and socialist’ to appeal to the working classes. They did this to separate themselves from international socialism and communists

• They used similar policies and communists like gaining monopoly over large businesses. These policies didn’t last long as the nazis recognised they needed funding and could access this through businessman like Hugenburg

What was the appeal of nazism

• the fuherprinzip

• Aggressive nationalism

The fuherprinzip

• Hitler set out to destroy the democracy of Weimar Germany as it was alien to German tradition

• It means ‘the principle of leadership’ the party had a hierarchy of control with Hitler having the supreme power and control, he wanted to replicate this with Germany and have one supreme leader

Aggressive nationalism

• Hitler had three main aims;

  • to reverse to humiliation of the treaty of Versailles

  • Establish a greater German reich

  • Lebensraum, settling it’s people and providing food and resources to sustain power

• This was an aggressive form of nationalism which wanted to restore the old borders as well as expanding = war, this was justified through hitlers racial theories

What was the appeal of nazism?

• antisemitism

Hitler saw the Jews as the reason for germanys problems, Jews were presented as greedy cunning and self-motivated individuals working towards a worldwide Jewish conspiracy, they were also seems as being responsible for communism and germnat

How was Hitler important for nazi success?

Hitler established control of the Nazi party

• in 1926 he hosted the Bamberg conference, this was done as hitler knew to gain power he needed to work internally rather than have a putsch

• Hitler created a Füherprinzip, this gave him undisputed authority

Hitler was able to speak well to catch the German audiences interest

• he was charismatic, he did however speak for hours which was repetitive and a simple message

Hitler identified with the German people

• He identified their emotions and fears

• He created a tailored message to audience and convinced them that he alone had answers

How were the Jews used as a scapegoat by Hitler to gain votes?

the nazis labelled Jews as being responsible for Germany’s political and economic issues

• mittelstand was susceptible to the idea of ‘Jewish capitalism’ which threatened their interests

• Anti-semites welcomed claims and anti-semitism was already common

Not all Germans were anti-Semitic and economic hardships distracted them from nazi anti-semitism but they focused on their economic plans

• the NSDAP propaganda and message would be adapted to different people

• Hitler spoke to 650 Düsseldorf businessmen without mentioning Jews, 16 mass meetings focused economic matters

• However, the nazis empathised the message of Jews with farmers and people living in Bavaria and Saxony

how was the role of propaganda used by nazi’s to attain electoral success?

The nazi party was very skilled at using propaganda, joeseph goebals became reich propaganda chief in 1928 and they used money from big businesses like Benz and Hugenburg to fund their campaigns

• hitler travelled by air and car which gave him the modern appearance

• They had their own newspaper ‘volkischer beobachter’

• They published posters, leaflets, films, shows, rallies and songs.

• The SA were able to show nazi strength

What was the appeal of communism?

Between 1928 and 1932 support grew from the unemployed. The idea of “you lose everything so you have nothing to lose”

• the KPD gained 2 million votes

• Party membership tripled

• There was a growing force from larger industrial areas

• Hunger marches campaigned against benefit cuts, the party attracted working class youth

• The red front fought the SA and the police

Why did Bruning being chancellor fail?

• unrest worsened in Germany so schliecher, he feared a nazi uprising and the SA seizing power, the liason between politicians and the presidential office withdrew his support for Bruning

• The junkers were cautious about Bruning as he mad promises to the unemployed to give them state owned land

• Hitler refused to join any coalition unless he was made chancellor, this was refused by schliecher so hitler said he would potentially support if the ban on the SA was removed and a new election

• Bruning resigned in may 1932 and was replaced by Von Papen

Who was Von papen, what were his views?

What did he do as chancellor?

Von papen was recommended by Schliecher, he had hard right views but he was inexperianced, he was able to increase presidential role taking Germany to near dictatorship, he wanted to solve the crisis with Nazi support.

• The ban on the SA was lifted in june 1932

• The SPD government of prussia was removed in July

• He formed a “cabinet of barons”

However only the DNVP supported him in the Reichstag, which was a small minority 6%, he fufilled promises to Hitler for Nazi support, an election was called in July 1932

How can we analyse the July 1932 election?

• Moderate, pro republic parties lost out on votes except Zentrum

• DNVP dropped in support, many moved to support the Nazis

• The nazi vote grew from 18% to 37%, they took votes from the middle classes and of new voters

However, the nazis knew they were at their peak, they were running out of funds and had to rely on other parties, even with the DNVP they wouldn’t have a majority

What was the aftermath of the july 1932 election?

• Hitler and the nazi parties position strengthened but they had no majority

• This led to six months of ‘backstairs intrigue’ with Hitler, Schleicher, Hindenburg and Von Papen

• Hitler continued to refuse anything other than the role of chancellor which Hindenburg refused

• Hitler broke his arrangement with schleicher and sided with parties like the KPD to pass a vote of no confidence in Von Papen

• Hitler withdrew from the reichstag which meant another election was called in november 1932

How can we analyse the november 1932 election?

The vote for the Nazi party decreased, they went down to 33%, this was because the iddle class felt alienated by Hitler’s hostility towards Von Papen and his refusal to work with others

• The DVP and DNVP picked up some of the Nazi vote

• The KPD gained 16% of the vote, a further increase

• The nazis ‘supported’ KPD led strikes during the election to create instability

• Nazi funds decreased from the campagins

Papen’s government was weakened and they considered banning the KPD and the NSDAP and install a military government, they lost support from the army and elite

Who was in Hindenburg’s inner circle?

President Paul Von Hindenburg had a military background and didn’t like the nazis due to their radical ideas and for being mostly lower middle class. seen as too common

• Schliecher was the political head of the army since 1926 before moving on and being the minister of defence in 1932, he was known to be pragmatic and ambitious and wanted to restore German tradition through authoritariansm with nazi popular support

• Oskar Von Hindenburg was the presidents son and kept the diary (therefore access) to the president

• Otto messiner was the head of Hindenburg’s office and went between the president and the nazis

What did Von schleicher do as chancellor from December 1932 to January 1933?

Schleicher had convinced Hindenburg to replace Von papen with no backing from the Reichstag or country,

• Schleicher hoped by doing this he could get the Nazis to join a coalition which they could’ve been very tempted to do as they needed funding and votes

• Schleicher aimed to split the Nazis between the northern faction who were more anti-capitalist and the traditional Bavarian faction

• Gregor strasser (part of the northern faction) was offered the role of vice chancellor but hitler reasserted authority over the party and schleicher’s plan failed

Schleicher changed his strategy and thought that by introducing progressive social policy he could appeal to the SPD, he cancelled Von Papens wage cuts and benefit cuts and distributing land

He asked Hindenburg to suspend the consitution and create a dictatorship

How did Schleicher lose power as chancellor?

In january 1933, he resigned after Hindenburg refused his request to create a dictatorship

• whilst this happened, Von Papen was secretly negotiating with Hitler, Hitler continued to say he would only join a coalition if he could be chancellor

• The DNVP leader Hugenburg agreed to support a coalition

• Hindenburg was persuded by Von Papen to allow this

How did Hitler’s new government form?

The new government was formed on the 30th of January 1933 with Hitler as chancellor and Von Papen as Vice chancellor, only 2 other NSDAP politicians placed in cabinet

DNVP leader Hugenburg was in control of the economy and food

The idea of this was to Give Hitler an illusion of power “we’ve hired him and pushed him in a corner” Von Papen

Who was in Hitler’s Cabinet?

• Hitler was appointed as chancellor on the 30th of january 1933

• They had 3 or 4 cabinet ministers out of 12

  • Hitler

  • Frick, made minister of interior (in control of the police, law and order)

  • Goring, no real department but made the interior minister for Prussia

  • Blomberg, he was sympathetic to nazi policies but not actually a member, defence minister

• Papen was Vice chancellor and minister president of Prussia

• there was an expectation of a non nazi dominated govt that papen believed could contain a dictatorship

What role did the SA have to create a terror?

• The nazi’s used state money to fund the expansion of the SA from 500,000 in Jan 1933 to 3 million the next year. They merged the SA with the Stalhelm by gaining legal authority as an auxiliary police force (reserve force)

• The regular police were told not to intervene

• The SA began sustained violence on the SPD and the KPD, the SPD newspaper who condemned killings was banned and the meetings were attacked

What role did concentration camps have to create terror?

• Communists, trade unionists, socialists were rounded up and taken to be placed in “protective custody”

• The first purpose built concentration camp was Dachau with a 5,000 person capacity and was established in march 1933

• By July 1933, 70 camps were established holding 26,789 political prisoners

What occurred during the run up to the 1933 election?

• On February 27th 1933, the reichstag fire took place. allegedly by martin van der lubbe (dutch communist)

• The nazis claimed it was part of a plot to start a revolution which in turn played on the middle classes fear of a revolution

Hindenburg was persuaded to issue “decree for the protection of the people and the state”. This allowed;

• Arrest and detain without charge if someone is a threat to state security

• enter and search private properties

• freedom of speech and assembly suspended

• control of state govts if not acting against nazi opposition

• KPD and SPD were driven underground and KPD membership was seen as treason

• 10,000 communist arrests were made in 2 weeks

• Nazis claimed control of the state radio, part of propaganda

What was the result of the March 1933 election?

• The NSDAP gained 43.9% of the vote, the KPD decreased to 12.3%. SPD to 18.3% and DNVP to 8%, within the context of what happened during the run up to the election it is surprising that other parties still retained many votes

• The SA were brought in to control the streets and state funds were diverted to support Nazi propaganda

• SPD and KPD offices were smashed up and their funds were confiscated

• With the DNVP allies the Nazis did have a majority but still needed 2/3rds to change the constitution

What was the enabling act?

The act was agreed at the Kroll opera house on the 23rd of March 1933, it was a “law to alleviate the sufferings of the people and the country”

• It allowed Hitler to pass decrees without the presidant and the reichstag for 4 years, making treaties with foreign powers without reichstag approval, it required a 2/3rd majority overall

• The Nazis had 288 seats 44% and the DNVP had 52 seats 8%

• The KPD were excluded from proceedings and 26 SPD deputies were placed under arrest, the SA were involved with intimidation inside and outside of the chamber

Who voted for the enabling act?

• NSDAP and DNVP

• Zentrum voted for the act to pass through as they feared the KPD to a greater extent

  • Hitler gained their support by expressing that christianity was an important part of German culture, Hitler promised to safeguard Z’s existance if they voted for the act, he would protect catholic schools and keep catholic civil servants in employment

• SPD was the only party to vote against the act

• It was passed with 444 in favour 83% of deputies

How can we observe the German state in March 1933, what would the Nazi’s soon do?

• Within two months of Hitlers appointment the process of Gleichschaltung was underway, This is the ‘nazification’ of Germany

• The KPD was effectivly banned with members gone into hiding or living abroad

• Indivdual rights diminished and the violence against jews increased

Soon, the Nazis would create a one party state, banning trade unions, have total censorship over the media, control over education and youth groups and create a racial state

Why could Hitler have been prevented from creating his revolution?

• Hindenburg remained as presidant

• There was a severe economic crisis taking place

• The army remained an independant force and could remove Hitler, despite sympathies to Nazi ideology

• Kershaw, an unwritten “pact of 1933” made between the army and industrialists to protect their interests from Gleichschaltung

What was Gustav stresemann’s background?

• During ww1 stresemann supported German imperialist policies

• However, he understood that Germany must accept the terms of the treaty of versailles. He ideally wanted a constitutional monarchy but this was impossible due to terms of the treaty, he found that the republic would be the only way they could prevent far right and left dictatorship

• He was appointed as chancellor on the 13th of august 1923 with the ‘great coalition’. He was chancellor for 103 days until the 23rd of november 1923

• He stayed as foreign minister till his death on the 3rd of october 1929

• During being a chancellor he stablised the economy, controlled inflation and defeated putsches

What steps did Stresemann tak to solve economic issues?

• passive resistance was ended and the strikers wages were stopped, they returned to the policy of fufilment

• They issued a new currency called the rentenmark, on the 15th of november 1923 it was 1 rentenmark to 1 trillion old marks, the currency was relied upon by germany’s industrial and agricultural assets

• there was tight control of circulation which was the opposite of printing

• They renamed the rentenmark the reichsmark and fixed to gold equivilant of 30% in circulation

• The reforms were under direction of Hjalmar schacht and Hans luther

How did stresemann attempt to balance the economy?

• He cut spending by reducing salaries of civil servants, he predececer wilhelm marx sacked 300,000 civil servants

• taxes were also increased for individuals and companies

as a result, confidence in the German economy returned, well managed compaies were prospering However, weaker companies who relied on credit failed with 6000 failed companies in 1924 (more than in 1923. Those who lost their savings were not compensated

What was the political response to stresemann’s actions?

left

• army crushed the KPD revolution in Saxony

• The spd critised the policies, they left the coaltion so stresemann had to resign as chancellor

right

• Hard action against the left diffused some threat from the right

• they were still disliked by the far right for following the policy of fufilment

Overall stresemann stabilised the situation

How could payments circulate under the dawes plan?

Set up in november 1923, stresemann asked the allies to set up a comitee to solve the reperations problem, this was called the allied reperations comitee

• the usa wanted germany to pay back reparations to france and britain so they gave germany $2.5 billion in loans

• This meant France and Britain could pay of their $2.6 billion war debts to the USA with the $2 billion paid in reparations

How was the Dawes plan better for germany? What were the reactions and benefits?

Charles Dawes a US banker and vice presidant made repayments more manageable by;

• reducing the annual amount paid to 1000 million marks this would lead to a gradual increase to 2500 million marks by 1929

• They lent 800 million marks to help invest in German industry

Reactions

• Stresemann called it an “economic armistice”

• the DNVP and NSDAP claimed it was unjust as they believed Germany should not be paying reparations either way

Benefits

• The allies realised germany had real payment issues

• the loans allowed the economy to recover and the french left the ruhr gradually from 1924 to 1925

What was the economic situation in Germany during the ‘golden age’?

“Germany is dancing on a volcano”

What was the young plan?

• The dawes plan was temporary “economic armistice”

• an international commitee was set up by owen young, it was agreed upon in 1929, Paris and Germany had to pay reperations untill 1988

• The total was reduced to £1.8 billion

• this was the sole responsibility of the German government

• In return Britain and France left the Rhineland

What were the political reactions to the Young plan?

• The right wing nationalists were outraged

• Alfred Hugenburg from the DNVP launched a nationalist campaign which united other conservative parties e.g NSDAP

• They demanded a referendum for the ‘freedom law’ which called for the rejection of article 231 ‘war guilt’ and would give politicians who followed fufilment a trial fro treason, they would also take over land taken from the treaty

• the petition for the new law reached 4 million signatures and was defeated in the Reichstag, the referendum defeated the law with only 13.4% in favour

• The campaign was funded by Hugenburg’s wealth and widely voiced by Hitler

Who economically gained during the years 1924-29?

• The new currency and Dawes plan, helped improve Germany’s financial situation to a large extent

• The inflation rate was close to zero

• Advanced growth in some sectors e.g chemical industry, cars and aeroplanes

• Infrustructure building projects e.g schools, roads and houses (200,000 new homes built in 1926)

• Decline in the number of strikes each year

• Overall improvements in living standards for working classes, wages grew in value every year, 12% in 1928

Who economically made losses during the years 1924-29?

• The economy shrank in 1928 and 1929

• Investment in new machinary and factories fell by 1929

• unsteady growth overall in industry, total output only back to 1913 levels by 1929

• Unemployment was still high, it peaked in 1926 at 3 million

• public spending cuts

• the mining sector struggled 200,000 miners were lost

• farmers gained little, there was a worldwide depression in food prices and losses from hyperinflation, by 1928 there was an agricultural depression

What were the causes of social and cultural change?

What were the impacts of the change?

Causes

• There was a desire to enjoy life after the horrors and hardship of war

• New influence of international cultural movements

• In Germany the ‘weimar’ constitution gave citizens more rights, freedoms, oppurtunity and equality. The wartime censorship had been removed

Impacts

• Many embraced change with enthusiasm and innovation

• However, many others feared the change as ‘traditional values’ would be missed

• there was conflict between tradition and modernity

How was there social welfare reform?

social welfare

• in 1924, the public assistance system was modernised which helped the poor and destitute

• In 1925, the state accident system was made generating payments if an indivdual was injured at work or with occupational disease

• In 1927, the national unemployment insurance system was set up giving benefits to the unemployed

• Problems arose as the schemes were very expensive and the govenrment were already paying for 800,000 disabled war veterans, 360,000 widows and 900,000 war orphans

How did living standards change?

• wealthier Germans were alienated by higher taxes

• claimants were alienated by;

  • introduction of means tests

  • delays in payments

  • use of ‘snoopers’ to check on claiments

• Overall living standards improved

  • Unions negotiated wage increases

  • welfare benefits reduced abject poverty

  • business owners gained from commercial enviroment and trade

How did woman’s education change or stay the same?

change

• influential woman like Elsa Hermann said “modern woman refuses to lead the life of a lady and housewife”

• Government reforms to try and have equal pay

• Many woman entered paid employment to replace 2 million men killed in WW1

• By 1925 36% of the workforce were woman

• 100,000 woman were teachers and 3000 doctors

Continuity

• ‘demoblisation’ laws were out into place to replace woman with men who served in the war

• in many occupations woman were forced to leave when they got married

• woman were still paid less than men overall

• employed woman were attacked as being ‘double earners’ removing oppurtunities for males to work, conservative campaigns wanted to remove married woman from employment

How did woman’s sexual freedom change or stay the same?

Change

• Birth rate declined and birth control was widely available

• Divorce rates increased

• Rise in number of abortion, by 1930, there was an estimated 1 million a year

Continuity

• Abortion was a criminal offence and often preformed by unqualified people, 10,000-12,000 woman died a year

• Decline in birth rates was attacked by conservative press

• catholic and protestant churches opposed sexual liberation

How did woman’s political involvment in public life change or stay the same?

Change

• Woman and men had equal voting rights

• in 1919, 41 woman were elected to the reichstag; the number of woman did fall however in further elections

• woman were active in local cities

• clara zetkin, kpd member of the reichstag leading a campaign of womans rights, she wanted a socialist uprising

Continuity

• No female representation in the reichstrat

• No female cabinet members

• No political party had a female leader

• only kpd tried to campagin for womans rights but was the less appealing party for woman

• Z gained the most votes from woman and in rural areas DNVP and DVP

How did youth employment and oppurtunity change?

• Boys that were not selected for gymnasium schools were expected to enter employment at 14, however there was a shortage of oppurtunities

• in 1925-26 17% of unenployment was in the age group 14-21, this was partly due to a baby boom in 1900-1910

• youth were breaking free of religon, family and school

• youth cliques in hamburg

• Benefit systems and day centres to help young people attain skills

How did education change or stay the same?

Change

• a comprehensive, non secretarian elementry schools

Continuity

• influence of churches remained

• gymnasium retained entrance exams

How did youth groups change or stay the same?

Change

• youth cliques

• new church youth groups, catholic new germany 1919

• political youth groups e.g 1925, young communist league, 1928 Hitler youth, 13k by 1929

Continuity

• Wandervogal, 1896, a nationalist group which romantized the past and nature e.g forests, swimming, camping

• church youth groups

How did Jews in politics, public life and the press change or stay the same?

change

• Theodor Wolff and Walter Rathenau were founding members of the DDP in 1918

Continuity

• prominent role in universities, publishing (Berliner Tageblatt and Frankfurter zeitung), music, theatre and cinema

• 9/38 Nobel prizes handed to Jews e.g Einstein

• Rosa Luxembourg, Kurt esner and Hugo Hasse were all members of the USPD

How did the role of Jews in the economy change or stay the same?

Change

• Role of Jews in banking declined e.g banks owned by Jews were 18% of the sector which was a smaller proportion to pre 1914

Continuity

• prominent role in business and banking

• 50% of cloth trade was Jewish owned

• Rothschilds, Mendelssohns and bleichröders own 50% of private banks

How did Jewish assimilation and anti-semitism change or stay the same?

Change

• 1918-24 there was backlash against perceived threat of the Jews e.g Spartacists

Continuity

• they were well educated and made up half a million citizens

How were nightclubs and Cabaret in Berlin an example of cultural change?

• there was greater cultural and personal freedom in the Weimar Republic which was epitomised in the 1920s nightlife

• Berlin was renound for cabaret

• One club called the eldorado was described by German composer Freidrich Holloener as the “supermarket of eroticism”

• American jazz music was popular and comedians preformed in clubs making fun on politicians and authoritarian rule

• Many older traditional Germans hated the Berlin scene and loss of traditional values and blamed the Weimar Republic for lack of censorship, felt German society was destroyed and morally disintegrated

How is Art an example of cultural change in Weimar Germany?

• predominant art at the time was expressionism

• This originated in Germany in the early 20th century and associated with artists like Franz Marc and George Grosz

• Work should express meaning and emotion

• Abstract and vivid

• Not harsh drawings

George Grosz grew up in Poland and attended a weekly drawing class held by a local painter called grot, Between 1909-11 he studied at Dresden academy of fine arts

• He was against nationalism so he ‘degerminised’ his name

How was music and example of cultural change in Weimar Germany?

Expressionism influenced German classical composers among the most innovative was hindenmith

How was literature and example of cultural change?

Expressionism had influence on literature at the time, often they placed focus on internal mental state and a common theme was going against parental authority

Thomas Mann was an example in 1929 he won the nobel prize for literature laureate, his novels included themes like the psychology of the artistan intellectual, he modernised German and Biblical stories, famous works like ‘Little Herr freichmann’

Mann strongly denounced nazism and in 1936 his citizenship was revoked

How was architecture and other design trends n example of cultural change?

‘Bauhaus movement’ the Bauhaus was set up in Dessau and was partly responsible for the develoment of modern art and design in Germany. Primarily an architecture school

Students were told to break the barriers between art and technology and use materials like steel and glass in their work

• Set up by William Gropius in 1919,

• The school closed after fiancial cuts in 1933

• Many Bauhaus artists moved to america e.g Gropius taught at Harvard

The new movements were called ‘communist’ and ‘degenerate’

How was theatre and example of cultural change?

Expressionism also crossed over and influenced theatre, experimental theatre attacked capitalism and politics

Bertolt Brecht

• first successful with plays in Munich, he moved to Berlin in 1924 because of this, began a lifelong collab with composer Hannes Einsler

• Looked into ideas about socialism and communism

• He eventually left Germany and moved to Scandanavia and then the US

• play ‘man equals man’ which explored war and identity

Conservatives viewed theatre in a negative light and caused uproar

How was film and example of cultural change?

Films often discussed issues in Weimar Germany like economic crisis

Fritz lang the director

• was raised catholic and had catholic themes in his films as he believed religion taught ethics

• He began to film a movie called ‘the testement of Dr mabuse’ but this was put to stop by Hitler as it could’ve incitied the public to disrupt nazi rule

• He was worried about the nazi regime due to his Jewish heritage but his wife became a nazi sympathiser in the late 1930s leading to their divorce

Movies

• Nosferatu 1922, based on dracula and was a famous horror film of it’s time

• Metropolis 1927, social commentry of class

How did the two reichstag elections play out in 1924?

• Two elections occured in May and December 1924

• There was increased support for pro-republican parties like the SPD, DDP, Z and the DVP and there was a fall in support for extremist parties

• The fall in support was due to the return of economic stability, the nazi vote fell from 6.5% to 3%. The KPD vote went from 12% to 9%,the DNVP joined a coalition

Between 1924 and 1928 there were 6 coalitions, this meant it was difficult to agree on policy, caused by a PR. However, 1/3rd of the electorate was still hosile to democracy

What coalitions took place from 1924-1928?

Marx’s 1st and 2nd government

Luther’s government

Mullers’s government

1) Marx’s government, November 1923 - January 1925, he was from the Z party. the coalition was made of Z, DVP, DDP, BVP

2) Luther’s government, January 1925 - May 1926, he was a technocrat, 2 coalitions in his government, Z, DDP, DVP, BVP, DNVP, eventually the DNVP left

3) Marx 2nd government, May 1926 - June 1928, 1st coalition, Z, DVP, DDP, BVP. 2nd coalition had the DDP replaced with the DNVP

4) Muller, June 1928 - March 1930, he was a member of the SPD and his coalition as made of SPD, Z, DDP, DVP, BVP

What was Reichsbanner schwarz-rot-gold?

Organisation was founded in February 1924 by members of the SPD, DDP, Z parties

Their aims were to defend parliamentry democracy against extremism from the left and right, teaches the population of the new republic and the hnour flag and constitution

The first chairman Otto Horsing descibed the task as a “struggle against the swastica and the soviet star”

• 3 million members by 1932

What are the problems of coalitions?

It is tricky to make a workable combination of parties, some parties would not work with each other like the SPD and DNVP and centrist parties don’t have sufficient seats to form a government without a larger party

• It is tricky to decide on policy, this could be due to budget and foreign policy

How did HIndenburg become president of the Weimar republic?

• Ebert, the first president of the republic died in Feb 1925

• This led to a national election for his successor

• This winner needed at least 50% of the vote the first round, if no winner had achieved this the second round opened up oppurtunities for different candidates, the candidate with the most vote wins

• In the first round no one reached 50% the main contenders where; Jarres DVP and DNVP with 38%, Marx from Z with 14.5%, Braun from the SPD with 29%

• The second round was won by Hindenburg at 48% from DVP, DNVP and BVP, this was followed by marx who made up Z, SPD and DDP with 45%, the KPD candidate Thalmann earnt 6%

Who was Paul Von Hindenburg?

• He represented a symbol of the past, he was known as the saviour during the battle of Tannenberg in WW1, from 1916-18 he was the chief army of staff, he was authoritrian and created a virtual military dictatorship in WW1

• Ersatzkaiser - substitute emperor, he didn’t step away from democracy (yet) and called for unity, he initially followed the consitution

• His pressence temporarily reconciled the DNVP to the republic and parlimentry democracy

What were the attitudes of the elite towards the republic?

• The army, civil servants and judiciary were hostile to parliamentary democracy, the republic was born out of ‘betrayal’ of fatherland ‘Der dolchstoss’.

• Hostility strengthened by the T of V and there was political and economic crisis of 1919-23

• The election of Hindenburg as president temporarily reconciled the elite to the republic because they thought Hindenburg would create authoritarian government

What were the attitudes of the industrial workers towards the republic?

• the republic didn’t deliver it’s promises; greater equality and social justice

• Crushing revolts by army/police on orders of democratic politicians like spar tickets and saxony made them thing parliamentary democracy was failing

What were the middle class attitudes towards the republic?

• Support for moderate parties were vital for the republics survival

• Difficult to generate as it is a diverse group; with wealth, religion, political loyalty

• Some of the middle classes prospered so supported republic. Lower middle (mittlestand) suffered decline in income (hyperinflation) and struggled to recover and defend interests

• They welcomed economic stability under stresemann and political stability under Hindenburg but resentment kept

When was the first and second round of voting for the presidential elections?

• The first took place on the 29th of March 1925

• Second round of voting took place on the 26th of April 1925

What was the reaction of the Hindenburg election?

• Right wing elite viewed his election as start of restoration of old order (kaiser reich) Hindenburg was Ersatzkaiser a step away from democracy

• The middle class saw Hindenburg as the cause for political stability during this period

• the left wing expected that Hindenburg would restore the monarchy

What sort of approach did Stresemann take to improve Germany?

• A nationalist approach, build strength by using force

• A pragmatic approach, Stresemann wanted to cooperate with the allies and also attempt to meet the terms of the treaty of versailles through fufilment enfulingspoltik

• He wanted to remove troops from the Rhineland and demonstrate the terms were unmanagable

• all of this was to create trust

How did Stresemann try to improve the terms of repararations?

They were able to succesfully improve the economy through the Dawes plan, this meant that German infrustructure could be improved as well as the payment of reparations to France and Britain

• stresemanns priority was to get france to know Germany’s intentions were peaceful, this could possibly allow revison of the treaty

What was the Locarno pact of 1925?

Western European powers met at Germany’s suggestion with stresemanns aims to;

• Restore Germany’s international standing

• To address French fears of German economic recovery

• To prevent hostile alliance of Britain and France

An agreement was reached with; Germany, GBR, FRA, US and ITA

• They agreed on western borders drawn up in 1919

• Germany surrendered claim for Alsace-Lorriane

• Germany agreed to kept the Rhineland demilitarised

• from this Britain and Italy agreed to help other allies if one of them invaded another

What came as a result from the Locarno pact?

• It was agreed that any future disputes would be referred to the league of nations - wilson’s idea

• Normalised relations especially between france and Germany, reparation reform and trade was improved

• ended German isolation in 1926 but there was no gurentee within eastern borders

What were the sucesses and failures of the Locarno pact?

• France felt security as there was guarantee of British support

• Germany had prevented a repeat of the invasion of the Ruhr and and created peace by securing the western borders

• Germany found a grey area in regards to it’s eastern borders, it found the eastern borders were not fully recognised by Germany and giving them an oppurtunity to make a case to change them

• Stresemann’s personal relationship with French chancellor Aristide Briand was improved and they won joint nobel peace prize in 1926

However, the locarno pact was seen as a surrender from the DNVP and NSDAP

How did Germany join the league of nations and how was it successful?

Germany joined the League in 1926 and stability was brought

• Germany was given Veto powers (allowing them to stop plans going forward) so they had a lot of control

• they could participate in military action against agressors

• overall strengthened Germany