CIE IGCSE History - Nazi Germany PPQs

Why did the Nazis make changes to the school curriculum? [6]

• to promote Nazi ideas - ultranationalism and racism - history and biology

• to prepare Germany for war - compulsory sport and fitness

‘Racial theories explain why minorities were persecuted in Nazi Germany.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]

• agree: Nazi anti-Jewish persecution - racial theories of antisemitism - Aryan

• agree - Euthanasia and persecution of ‘asocials’ - racial theories of national community

• disagree - economic motives - cost cutting justification for Euthanasia

• disagree - social/cultural motives - prejudice against ‘aliens’ and ‘outsiders’ e.g. ‘gypsies’

Why did Hitler introduce the Four-Year Plan in 1936? [6]

• economic reasons - to accelerate recovery

• military reasons - to prepare for war

‘Nazi policies towards young people were successful.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]

• agree - successful - hitler youth and hitler myth

• agree- successful - weakness of youth opposition

• disagree - limited success - growth of youth opposition during WW2

• disagree - limited success - WW2 undermined propaganda

Why were mass rallies important to the Nazis? [6]

• propaganda and indoctrination - impression of unity

• intimidation of opponents and use of violence

How far do you agree that the Nazis had control over German society? Explain your answer. [10]

• control - one party and police state

• control - racial policy

• limitations - youth resistance

• limitations - military resistance

Why was Kristallnacht important? [6]

• impact on German jews - destruction of lives and property

• impact on Nazi policy - radicalisation and Aryanisation

‘There was no effective opposition to the Nazi regime.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]

• agree - support from employers - rearmament

• agree - support from employees - employment

• disagree - youth opposition

• disagree - military opposition

Why did Kristallnacht occur? [6]

• Nazi party reasons - Goebbels and ‘working towards the Fuhrer’

• ideological reasons - Nazi antisemitism - radicalisation and aryanisation

‘By the end of the 1930s, Hitler’s control of Germany was based on oppression.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]

• oppression - persecution of political opponents

• oppression - persecution of ‘racial enemies’

• consent - support for Nazi economic policy -39

• consent - support for Nazi foreign policy -39

Why did the Nazis want to control culture and the arts? [6]

• ‘negative’ reasons - censorship - banning non-Nazi ideas

• ‘positive’ reasons - propaganda - promote Nazi ideas

‘The use of informers was a more effective way than terror for the Nazis to control people.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]

• informers - role in Gestapo’s activities

• informers - made ‘ordinary Germans’ complicit in Nazi rule

• terror - against political opponents

• terror - against ‘racial enemies’

Why did the Nazis aim to achieve autarky? [6}

• economic reasons - to bring about economic recovery - depression

• military reasons - to prepare for war - no need for imports

‘The policy of Total War had a greater impact on German civilians than any other aspect of the Second World War.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer [10]

• total war - economy - munitions, women’s work, food shortages

• total war - society - closures, propaganda, ‘Home Guard’

• disagree - allied Bombing raids - cologne, Hamburg, Dresden

• disagree - ‘Final solution’ - impact on German Jews

Why did the Nazis want to control the churches? [6]

• negative reasons - to prevent threat to Nazi authority - Catholics and Pope

• positive reasons - persuade Christians to support Nazism - propaganda

'The reasons why the Nazis persecuted groups in German society were racial.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]

• racial reasons - Jews and ‘gypsies’ as non-Aryans

• racial reasons - sterilisation and euthanasia against ‘Aryans’

• economic reasons - burdens on community

• social/cultural reasons - antisemitic, religious prejudice

Why were some women unhappy with life under the Nazi regime? [6]

• economic reasons - prioritisation of men for Jobs up to 1937

• social/cultural reasons - Nazi cult of marriage and motherhood

‘The standard of living in Germany improved under the Nazis.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]

• agree - employers

• agree - employees

• limitations - WW2 - rationing

• limitations - Jews/non-Aryans

Why did the Nazis change their economic policies during the war years? [6]

• military situation - needed more munitions for Eastern front

• labour situation - needed more workers due to conscription

‘Nazi policies towards women were unsuccessful.' How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]

• unsuccessful- impact of foreign policy on women’s work

• unsuccessful - resentment of Nazi anti-feminism - Sophie Scholl

• successful - youth

• successful - adult

Why did the Nazis carry out Kristallnacht? [6]

• role of Goebbels and internal Nazi Party politics

• context of Nazi antisemitism - Aryanisation

How effective was Nazi propaganda in winning the support of the German people? Explain your answer. [10]

• effective - workers and women

• effective - young people

• limitations - youth resistance

• limitations - military resistance

Why did Hitler turn against the SA in 1934? [6]

• to remove threat to his authority

• to win support of Army and reassure Hindenburg

‘The depression was the most important reason why Hitler was able to come to power in 1933.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]

• agree - economic and social consequences - misery for Hitler to exploit

• agree - political consequences

• disagree - Nazi party strengths - Hitler, SA

• disagree - role of conservative elites

Why did the Nazis persecute Gypsies and the mentally ill? [6]

• Gypsies

• Mentally ill

Which was more important in keeping the Nazis in power, terror or persuasion? Explain your answer. [10]

• terror - to crush political opponents

• terror - to intimidate general society

• persuasion - propaganda

• persuasion - events

Why was the New Plan for the economy introduced by Schacht in 1934? [6]

• economic reasons - reduce unemployment

• military reasons - prepare Germany for war

‘There was little opposition within Germany to the Nazi regime.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]

• agree - rearmament popular 1933-41

• agree - foreign policy popular 1933-41

• disagree - youth opposition

• disagree - military opposition

Why were some people unhappy with the changes the Nazis made to the economy in the 1930s? [6]

• farmers - gained little

• industrial workers - loss of union rights

• women?

‘The second world war brought little change to the Nazi economy.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]

• agree - 1939-41 - food supply maintained - conquered territories

• agree - 1939-41 - production maintained - early preparations

• disagree - 1942-45 - allied bombing destroyed infrastructure and factories

• disagree - 1942-45 - growing food shortages and black market

Why did the Nazis introduce a war economy? [6]

• to increase production

• to mobilise labour

‘The existence of the Hitler Youth ensured that the Nazis were successful in winning the support of young people.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]

• agree - Hitler youth for boys

• agree - League of German Maidens - for girls

• disagree - youth opposition - pirates and swing

• disagree - youth opposition - white rose

Why did the Nazi regime make extensive changes to the school curriculum? [6]

• to promote Nazi ideas - ultranationalism and racism

• to prepare Germany for war - PE

How much opposition was there within Germany to the Nazi regime? Explain your answer. [10]

• some opposition - youth

• some opposition - army

• limitations - rearmament popular

• limitations - foreign policy popular

Why did war lead to the Final Solution? [6]

• huge increase in Jews under German rule

• ‘war of extermination’ on Easter Front

How successful was Germany’s conversion to a war economy? Explain your answer. [10]

• successful - 1939-41 - labour - male, female, foreign

• successful - 1939-41 - resources and production - food and military

• limitations - 1942-45 - allied bombing destroyed infrastructure and factories - food

• limitations - 1942-45 - labour shortages - war effort

Why, in 1932, did Hindenburg not appoint Hitler to the position of Chancellor?

• didn’t like him personally

• preference for aristocratic alternatives

‘Hitler’s fear that the army would launch a coup against him was the main reason for the Night of the Long Knives.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]

• agree - army resented greater size and influence of SA

• agree - Hitler needed Army to achieve foreign policy goals

• disagree - Hitler needed to show Hindenburg that SA no threat to stability

• disagree - opportunity to remove rivals

Why was the use of the radio a successful method of controlling the German people? [6]

• availability

• easy to censor and control content

‘Economic improvements were more successful than the use of terror in enabling the Nazis to control the German People.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]

• agree - economy - employers

• agree - economy - employees

• disagree - terror removed opposition

• disagree - terror intimidated society

Why were the Nuremberg rallies important for Nazi control? [6]

• to create impression of unity and strength

• to intimidate opponents

To what extent was Nazi Germany a totalitarian state? Explain your answer. [10]

• totalitarian - political opponents crushed

• totalitarian - ‘Non-Aryans’

• limitations - youth resistance in WW2

• limitations - military resistance in WW2

Why did the Nazis organise mass rallies? [6]

• to create impression of unity and strength - indoctrination

• to intimidate opponents + violence

How total was Hitler’s control over Germany? Explain your answer. [10]

• total - police state and one party state

• total - non-Aryans

• limitations - youth resistance

• limitations - military resistance

Why were the lives of most Germans changed by the war? [6]

• allied bombing

• shortages

‘The Nazis were popular with Germany's industrial workers.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]

• popular - falling unemployment

• popular - subsidised recreation

• unpopular - no free trade unions

• unpopular - impact of war

Why were the Nazis a male-dominate organisation? [6]

• military priorities

• anti-feminist ideology

Are you surprised that not all young people in Germany supported the Nazi regime? Explain your answer. [10]

• yes - Nazi police state and terror

• yes - efforts to indoctrinate youth

• no - resentment of Nazi effort to control free time

• no - impact of war and nature of war

Why was the Gestapo important to the Nazis? [6]

• to gather information on German public opinion

• to spread fear

‘The use of education was more effective than the use of mass media in controlling the German people.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]

• education effective - coordination of schools and teachers

• education effective - coordination of school curriculum

• disagree - mass media - news and radio

• disagree - mass media - cinema

Why did Hitler consider Rohm a threat? [6]

• Nazi party rival - 'second revolution’ - Rohm

• army fears - generals resented SA’s size; Hindenburg

‘The failure of the Weimar government to deal with the impact of the Depression was the most important reason for Hitler being appointed Chancellor of Germany.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]

• agree - economic and social consequences - misery for Hitler to exploit

• agree - political consequences

• disagree - Nazi party strengths - Hitler, SA

• disagree - role of conservative elites

Why was the education of young people in German school changed by the Nazis? [6]

• to promote Nazi ideas - ultranationalism and racism

• to prepare Germany for war - PE

How successful were Nazi policies for German industrial workers? Explain your answer. [10]

• successful - falling unemployment

• successful - subsidised recreation

• limitations - no free trade unions

• limitations - impact of war

Why were young Germans encouraged to join the Hitler Youth? [6]

• to control free time

• to prepare for war/ fitness

‘Nazi policies towards women and the family were successful.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10]

• agree - cult of motherhood

• agree - youth/indoctrination

• disagree - limited increase in birth rate

• disagree - war forced compromises

Why were the Nazis able to reduce unemployment? [6]

• rearmament

• public works

‘Nazi youth policies were unsuccessful.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [10][

• agree - resentment of Hitler Youth’s control of free time

• agree - youth opposition in response to nature of WW2

• disagree - impact of school reforms

• disagree - popularity of Hitler Youth