Weimar and Nazi Germany (Edexcel)

When was the Treaty of Versailles signed?

When was the Treaty of Versailles signed?

28th June 1919

When was the Kapp Putsch?

March 1920

When was the armistice signed?

11th November 1918

When was the Spartacist Uprising?

January 1919

What was the Kapp Putsch?

In crushing the communists the Freikorps had saved the government, but the terms of the Treaty of Versailles meant Germany's army had to be significantly reduced and the Freikorps had to be disbanded.

During 13 - 17 March 1920, as a reaction to this, the right-wing nationalist, Dr Wolfgang Kapp led a Freikorps takeover in Berlin.

The regular army refused to attack the Freikorps; Kapp was only defeated when the workers of Berlin went on strike and refused to cooperate with him.

How many newspapers were shut down in 1935?

1,600

By what percentage did real wages rise in the Golden Years?

25%

What was the Reichstag Fire?

- 27th Feb 1933, Reichstag is set on fire by Marinus van der Lubbe (Communist) who was charged and executed,

- Hitler used this to ban Communists and arrested 4000

- Using Article 48, Reichstag Fire Decree passed

- Suspended individual rights and the freedom of press, losing freedom of speech, and power to protest → Gives government power to put people in prison without charge, intercept calls

- Gives Hitler's govt. right to enforce law, extending his power and undermining state governments (including opponents power bases)

What was the Concordat?

1933- Hitler wouldn't interfere with the Church as long as the Catholics would stay out of politics

The Nazis' ideal woman should...

Have a natural appearance with no makeup and traditional clothes.

Well-built so they can raise children.

Have at least four children. The Mother's Cross encouraged childbirth.

Not work, especially if married.

However by the end of 1930 German industry needed

What was Article 48?

In an emergency or crisis the president can use article 48 to rule by themselves

What were the terms of the Treaty of Versailles?

B * blame- Germany must accept full blame for the war.

R *reparations- Germany must pay money for the war (£6.6 billion.)

A *army- Germany had to limit their army to 100,000 men.

T *territory- Germany had to give up 13% of European land.

What is a Republic?

a state which has an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch.

How many died from hunger in Germany?

750,000

Who was the first chancellor of the Weimar Republic?

Friedrich Ebert

What was the impact of the Kiel Mutiny?

On 3 November at the main German naval base in Kiel frustrated German sailors mutinied instead of following orders to attack the British Royal Navy. The sailor's mutiny sparked rebellions all over Germany and in a matter of days led to the collapse of the German government which forced the ruling monarch, Kaiser Wilhelm II, to abdicate on 9 November. Following his abdication Friedrich Ebert, leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) became Chancellor (the equivalent of Prime Minister in Britain) and took power over Germany.

What were the strengths of the Weimar Constitution?

A genuine democracy - Elections for parliament and president took place every four years and all Germans over 20 could vote.

The power of theReichstag - The Reichstag appointed the government and made all laws. This was very different from its powers before the war under the Kaiser.

A Bill of Rights - This guaranteed every German citizen freedom of speech and religion, and equality under the law.

What were the weaknesses of the Weimar Constitution?

Proportional representation - Each party got the same percentage of seats in parliament as the percentage of votes it received in an election. This meant there were lots of small parties in Parliament making it difficult to pass laws and led to weak and often short-lived governments.

Article 48 - This gave the president the power to act without parliament's approval in an emergency. However, it did not clearly define what an 'emergency' was, so the power was overused, which weakened Germans' confidence in democracy.

What was the Spartacist Uprising?

During 5 - 12 January 1919, 50,000 members of the post-World War One Communist Party, known as the Spartacists, rebelled in Berlin, led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht.

The government was saved when, through the army, it armed bands of ex-soldiers, known as the Freikorps, who defeated the Spartacist rebels.

In the aftermath, communist workers' councils seized power all over Germany, and a Communist People's Government took power in Bavaria.

Liebknecht and Luxemburg were killed by the Freikorps after being arrested on the 15th. Luxemburg's body was dumped in a canal.

By May 1919 the Freikorps had crushed all of these uprisings.

What was the Kapp Putsch?

In crushing the communists the Freikorps had saved the government, but the terms of the Treaty of Versailles meant Germany's army had to be significantly reduced and the Freikorps had to be disbanded.

During 13 - 17 March 1920, as a reaction to this, the right-wing nationalist, Dr Wolfgang Kapp led a Freikorps takeover in Berlin.

The regular army refused to attack the Freikorps; Kapp was only defeated when the workers of Berlin went on strike and refused to cooperate with him.

Who benefitted from Hyperinflation in 1923?

Borrowers, such as businessmen, landowners and those with mortgages, found they were able to pay back their loans easily with worthless money.

People on wages were relatively safe, because they renegotiated their wages every day. However, even their wages eventually failed to keep up with prices.

Farmers coped well, since their products remained in demand and they received more money for them as prices spiralled.

Who lost out during Hyperinflation 1923?

People on fixed incomes, like students, pensioners or the sick, found their incomes did not keep up with prices.

People with savings and those who had lent money, for example to the government, were the most badly hit as their money became worthless.

What was 'Hyperinflation' in 1923?

Germany was already suffering from high levels of inflation due to the effects of the war and the increasing government debt.

'Passive resistance' meant that whilst the workers were on strike fewer industrial goods were being produced, which weakened the economy still further.

In order to pay the striking workers the government simply printed more money. This flood of money led to hyperinflation as the more money was printed, the more prices rose.

Prices ran out of control, for example a loaf of bread, which cost 250 marks in January 1923, had risen to 200,000 million marks in November 1923.

By autumn 1923 it cost more to print a note than the note was worth.

During the crisis, workers were often paid twice per day because prices rose so fast their wages were virtually worthless by lunchtime.

What was the French occupation of the Ruhr?

In November 1922 Germany defaulted on its reparations payment as scheduled. The first reparations payment had taken all she could afford to pay. The French believed Germany could make the repayment but were choosing not to, however the German government argued they could not afford to pay.

In response, France and Belgium sent troops into Germany's main industrial area, the Ruhr Valley. Their aim was to confiscate industrial goods as reparations payments as they didn't believe Germany was unable to pay the second instalment. They occupied coal mines, railways, steel works and factories - all things that were important to Germany's economy.

The German government ordered workers to follow a policy of 'passive resistance' - refusing to work or co-operate with the foreign troops and in return the government continued to pay their wages.

The French responded firmly - in the Krupp steel works, workers refusing to take orders were shot at. Other people were expelled from the Ruhr region altogether. Overall, 132 were killed and approximately 150,000 expelled from the area.

The immediate consequences of the occupation were not good for the Weimar government - they decided to print more money to pay the workers in the region, contributing to hyperinflation. A general strike (when all the workers in the country stopped work) was called, and political instability was rife.

Revision idea

What was the Dawes Plan?

1924

Germany loaned 800 million marks from America

Extended time that reparations could be paid which reduced the pressure on Germany

How far did Germany recover during the Golden Years?

- By 1928 industrial production levels were higher than those of 1913 (before World War One) But... agricultural production did not recover to its pre-war levels

- Between 1925 and 1929 exports (sending goods or services abroad) rose by 40 per cent But... it spent more on imports than it earned from exports, so Germany was losing money every year

- Hourly wages rose every year from 1924 to 1929 and by 10 per cent in 1928 alone But... unemployment did not fall below 1.3 million and in 1929 increased to 1.9 million

- IG Farben, a German chemical manufacturing company, became the largest industrial company in Europe But... German industry became dependent upon loans from the USA

- Generous pension, health and unemployment insurance schemes were introduced from 1927 But...The government ended up spending more than it received in taxes and so continued to run deficits from 1925 onwards

What and when was the Locarno Pact?

In October 1925 Germany, France and Belgium agreed to respect their post-Versailles borders, whilst Germany agreed with Poland and Czechoslovakia to settle any border disputes peacefully. Germany had previously complained bitterly about their loss of territory.

What was the League of Nations?

League of Nations 1926. When the League of Nations was set up as part of the Versailles agreement Germany was initially excluded. By signing the Locarno Treaties Germany showed that it was accepting the Versailles settlement and so a year later was accepted as a permanent member of the Council of League, making it one of the most powerful countries in the League.

When and what was the Kellogg-Briant Pact?

Kellogg-Briand Pact 1928. Germany was one of 62 countries that signed up to this agreement, which committed its signatories to settling disputes between them peacefully.

What were the impacts of Stresemann's political improvements during the 1920s?

These developments meant that Germany was accepted into the emerging 'international community' that sought to work together during the 1920s to avoid another destructive war. It also helped Germany's internal wounds to heal - the government was seen to be taking decisive action to make life better for people and right some of the wrongs that the Treaty of Versailles had caused. This led to greater political stability and less extremism. This ethos of collaboration and peaceful cooperation only lasted, however, until the onset of the Great Depression following the Wall Street Crash of October 1929.

How did the standard of living improve during the Golden Years?

Hourly wages rose in real terms (ie above inflation) every year from 1924 to 1930, with a rise of 10 per cent in 1928 alone.

Pensions and sickness benefits schemes were introduced.

Compulsory unemployment insurance was introduced in 1927, which covered 17 million workers.

Government subsidies were provided for the building of local parks, schools and sports facilities, and there was a massive programme of council house construction.

Despite all of this, a large increase in the working age population during the mid-20s led to increasing unemployment, and farmers in particular suffered from declining incomes.

Why was Gustav Stresemann significant?

In 1923, the Weimar Republic was on the verge of collapse socially and economically. This was due to a chain of events that happened after the German government failed to make a reparations payment on time. But surprisingly, this crisis was followed by a period of relative stability and success. The period 1924-1929 was a time when the Weimar economy recovered and cultural life in Germany flourished.

This dramatic turnabout happened in large part because of the role played by Gustav Stresemann who became Chancellor in August 1923 during the hyperinflation crisis. This was a time when prices in Germany went up quicker than people could spend their money and the German currency lost its value. Stresemann was Chancellor for only three months but continued to serve as Foreign Minister, rebuilding and restoring Germany's international status until his death in October 1929, ironically just weeks before the Wall Street Crash that would end Weimar's period of greater prosperity and stability.

What is the history of the NSDAP?

1919 - Hitler joined the German Worker's Party (DAP), a right-wing group led by Anton Drexler.

1920 - Hitler became the Party's leading public speaker and propagandist.

1920 - The group changed its name to the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP) - or Nazis for short.

1921 - Hitler was elected Party Chairman and leader of the Nazis.

What were the key beliefs of Hitler's 25-Point Programme?

A strong Germany - the Treaty of Versailles should be abolished and all German-speaking people united in one country.

Führer - the idea that there should be a single leader with complete power rather than a democracy.

Social Darwinism - the idea that the Aryan race was superior and Jews were 'subhuman'.

Autarky - the idea that Germany should be economically self-sufficient.

That Germany was in danger - from communists and Jews, who had to be destroyed.

Lebensraum - the need for 'living space' for the German nation to expand.

What was the role of the SA?

In 1921 Hitler assembled a large group of unemployed young men and former soldiers, known as the Storm Troopers (Sturmabteilung) or SA, as the Nazi Party's private army:

They gained the nickname 'Brownshirts', after their brown shirted uniforms.

Their role was to protect party meetings, march in Nazi rallies and intimidate political opponents by breaking up their meetings.

Many of the SA men were former soldiers. Some were upset with the way they had been treated after World War One and saw the government as the 'November Criminals'.

After the failure of the Munich Putsch, the SA was reorganised.

It began to be used to intimidate voters into voting for the Nazi Party.

However, the Nazi Party was not the only organisation to have a paramilitary group. The communists also had similar elements.

By 1932 the SA had 400,000 members. This number swelled to an estimated two million by the time Hitler came to power in 1933, largely due to unemployed men joining up during the Great Depression.

What were the causes of the Munich Putsch 1923?

By 1923, the Nazi party had 55,000 members and was stronger than ever before.

The Weimar Republic was in crisis due to hyperinflation.

In September 1923, the Weimar government had called off the general strike, and German nationalists were furious with the government.

Hitler thought he would be helped by important nationalist politicians in Bavaria.

Hitler had a huge army of SA members, but he knew he would lose control of them if he did not give them something to do.

Hitler hoped to copy Mussolini - the Italian fascist leader - who had come to power in Italy in 1922 by marching on Rome.

What were the events of the Munich Putsch?

During the hyperinflation crisis of 1923, Hitler saw an opportunity. People across the country had many different ideas about how Germany was being run. The individual states had different identities that affected how politics was run in that area. In Bavaria, (capital - Munich) the majority of the population were Catholic and things were quite traditional. This meant that many within that state intensely disliked the new Weimar government and saw them as weak. Hitler thought he would take advantage of this and plotted with two nationalist politicians - Kahr and Lossow - to take over Munich in a revolution.

Hitler collected the SA and told them to be ready to rebel.

But then, on 4 October 1923, Kahr and Lossow called off the rebellion. This was an impossible situation for Hitler, who had 3,000 troops ready to fight.

On the night of 8 November 1923, Hitler and 600 SA members burst into a meeting that Kahr and Lossow were holding at the local Beer Hall. Waving a gun at them, Hitler forced them to agree to rebel - and then let them go home. The SA took over the army headquarters and the offices of the local newspaper.

The next day, 9 November 1923, Hitler and the SA went into Munich on what they thought would be a triumphal march to take power. However, Kahr had called in police and army reinforcements. There was a short scuffle in which the police killed 16 members of the SA.

Hitler fled, but was arrested two days later.

Why was the Munich Putsch a failure in the short-term?

The Nazi party was banned, and Hitler was prevented from speaking in public until 1927.

Hitler was tried for high treason (betraying his country) and sentenced to five years in prison.

Why was the Munich Putsch a success in the long-term?

He was sentenced in April and out of prison by December.

During his time in the comfortable Landsberg Prison, he wrote 'Mein Kampf' - a propaganda book setting out Nazi beliefs. Millions of Germans read it, and Hitler's ideas became very well-known.

The fact that the judge had been so lenient with the sentence and that Hitler had served so little time suggests that some people in authority had sympathy with Hitler and what he had tried to do.

Hitler realised that he would never come to power by revolution and that he would have to use democratic means, so he reorganised the party to enable it to take part in elections.

What was the Bamber Conference in 1926?

Hitler called a special Nazi Party conference on 14 February 1926 at Bamberg in southern Germany in response to tension between the northern and southern sections of the party. During his time in jail disagreements had grown between the two sections:

the northern section, led by a man named Gregor Strasser, was keen to emphasise the socialist elements of the 25-Point Programme to attract support from the workers

the southern section more interested in the nationalist and racist policies in order to attract support from the middle classes and farmers

What were the impacts of the Bamberg Conference in 1926?

Hitler insisted that policies which could be painted as communist, such as taking land from rich noblemen, would not be pursued.

However, the conference did reaffirm the 25-Point Programme, with its socialist ideas, as the party's policy platform.

In addition, Hitler established the Fuhrerprinzip, or 'Leader Principle', the idea that the party's leader was in absolute control and all members must follow his directions. No dissent from this was expected or tolerated.

Why did the Nazis experience 'Lean Years' in the 1920s?

Gustav Stresemann's economic policies had helped Germany a lot. After 1923, the introduction of a new currency and the Dawes Plan had helped to turn Weimar's economy around and Germans began to feel more prosperous.

As a result of this, Germany was also more politically stable. Germans voted for moderate parties who supported the Republic, rather than more extreme parties like the Nazis who wanted to abolish it.

At a time of stability, scaremongering and playing on people's fears was less likely to work. The Nazis' messages about the dangers posed by Jews and the need to abolish democracy largely fell on deaf ears.

Hitler was jailed and then banned from speaking in public until 1927 after the Munich Putsch. This prevented the party from campaigning effectively.

The Nazi Party was under constant pressure from the Weimar authorities following the Munich Putsch. Several times it was banned nationally or in certain parts of Germany.

What were the impacts of the Wall Street Crash 1929?

In October 1929 the Wall Street Crash on the US stock exchange brought about a global economic depression. In Europe, Germany was worst affected because American banks called in all of their foreign loans at very short notice. These loans, agreed under the Dawes Plan in 1924, had been the basis for Germany's economic recovery from the disaster of hyperinflation. The loans funded German industry and helped to pay reparations.

The most obvious consequence of this collapse was a huge rise in unemployment. Over the winter of 1929-30 the number of unemployed rose from 1.4 million to over 2 million. By the time Hitler became Chancellor in January 1933, one in three Germans were unemployed, with the figure hitting 6.1 million. Industrial production had also more than halved over the same period.

Why did Chancellor Brüning face challenges in 1930?

In July 1930 Chancellor Brüning cut government expenditure, wages and unemployment pay. This added to the spiral of decline and unemployment continued to rise, as well as making those who had lost their jobs even poorer.

However, Brüning could not get the Reichstag to agree to his actions, so President Hindenburg used Article 48 of the Weimar constitution, which gave the President the power to pass laws by decree, to govern. This undermined democracy and weakened the power of the Reichstag - arguably opening the way for Hitler's later dictatorship.

How did Hitler appeal to wealthy business men?

They were frightened communists would take their wealth away and did not want to see any more increase in support for them. To combat this, they began to give money to Hitler and the Nazis, hoping they would gain more seats - not the communists.

How did Hitler appeal to the middle classes?

They were generally quite traditional and were not convinced by the Weimar democracy. Hitler promised them a strong government and won their votes.

How did Hitler appeal to nationalists?

They blamed the legacy of the Treaty of Versailles and reparations for causing the depression and so lent their support to the Nazis who had promised to make Germany strong again.

How did Hitler appeal to rural areas?

The Nazis appealed to people in the countryside - especially middle class shopkeepers and craftsmen, farmers and agricultural labourers.

How did the SA improve Hitler's popularity?

The SA played a part in the Nazis' increasing popularity by:

intimidating the Nazis' political opponents - especially the communists - by turning up at their meetings and attacking them

providing opportunities for young, unemployed men to become involved in the party

protecting Hitler and other key Nazis when they organised meetings and made speeches

What were the main events leading to Hitler becoming Chancellor?

1932

April - Presidential election. Hitler came second to Hindenburg, who won 53 per cent of the vote to Hitler's 36.8 per cent.

May - Brüning resigned as Chancellor. Hindenburg appointed Franz Von Papen, a conservative, as his replacement.

July - Reichstag elections. The Nazis became the largest party with 230 seats. Hitler demanded to be made Chancellor but Papen remained.

November - Reichstag elections called by Von Papen to try to win a majority in parliament. Nazis lost 34 seats but remained the largest party with 196 seats.

December - Von Papen resigned. Hindenburg appointed Kurt Von Schleicher, an army general, as Chancellor. Von Schleicher tried to split the Nazis by asking a leading Nazi called Gregor Strasser to be his Vice Chancellor. Hitler forced Strasser to decline.

1933

January - Von Papen and Hindenburg turned to Hitler, appointing him as Chancellor with Von Papen as Vice Chancellor. They believed they could control Hitler and get him to do what they wanted.

When and what was the Enabling Act?

23rd March 1933

With the communist deputies banned and the SA intimidating all the remaining non-Nazi deputies, the Reichstag voted by the required two-thirds majority to give Hitler the right to make laws without the Reichstag's approval for four years.

Arguably this was the critical event during this period. It gave Hitler absolute power to make laws, which enabled him to destroy all opposition to his rule. This removed the Reichstag as a source of opposition.

Why did the removal of trade unions allow Hitler to secure a dictatorship?

Trade unions were banned in May 1933. Instead, German workers were now expected to join the new German Labour Front (DAF). Trade unions could unite people to protest - therefore the Nazis had got rid of a potential form of opposition. They also destroyed a possible form of sympathy and support for their arch-enemies, the communists.

What was the impact of Hitler banning all other political parties in July 1933?

Banning political parties made Germany a one-party state and destroyed democracy in the country. This removed other parties as a source of opposition.

What was the Night of the Long Knives?

June 1934

Many members of the SA, including its leader Ernst Röhm, were demanding that the Nazi party carry out its socialist agenda and that the SA take over the army. Hitler could not afford to annoy businessmen or the army, so the SS (Hitler's personal bodyguards) murdered around 400 members of the SA, including Röhm, along with a number of Hitler's other opponents like the previous Chancellor, von Schleicher.

What was the impact of Hindenburg's death in 1934?

When Hindenburg died, Hitler declared himself jointly president, chancellor and head of the army. Members of the armed forces had to swear a personal oath of allegiance not to Germany, but to Hitler. This formally made Hitler the absolute ruler of Germany.

What was the Gestapo?

This was the Nazis' secret police force. Its job was to monitor the German population for signs of opposition or resistance to Nazi rule. It was greatly helped by ordinary German people informing on their fellow citizens.

What was the SD?

Sicherheitsdienst (SD) - this was the intelligence gathering agency of the SS. It was responsible for the security of Hitler and other top Nazis and was led by Himmler's right hand man, Reinhard Heydrich.

Who were the SS?

Schutzstaffel (SS) - led by Heinrich Himmler, the SS was the most important of these organisations and oversaw the others. Initially set up as Hitler's personal bodyguard service, the SS was fanatically loyal to the Führer. It later set up concentration camps where 'enemies of the state' were sent.

How did Hitler control the legal system?

The Nazis quickly swept away many of the freedoms that Germans had enjoyed under the Weimar constitution. The party's control of the legal system made opposition to the regime very difficult indeed:

Judges had to swear an oath of loyalty to Hitler and were expected to act always in the interests of the Nazi state.

All lawyers had to join the Nazi Lawyers' Association, which meant they could be controlled.

The role of defence lawyers in criminal trials was weakened.

Standard punishment for crimes were abolished and so local prosecutors could decide what penalties to impose on those found guilty.

These changes more than halved the number of criminal offences between 1933 and 1939, whilst the number of crimes that carried the death penalty increased from three to 46. Many convicted criminals were not released at the end of their sentences but instead were moved to the growing number of concentration camps being established by the SS.

How did Nazis try to control the churches?

The Reich Church attempted to ban the use of the Old Testament in religious services as it was considered a 'Jewish book'. Eight hundred Pastors of the Confessional Church, a non-conforming Protestant group, were arrested and sent to concentration camps.

The Nazis attempted to stop Catholics using the crucifix in church, though this attempt was not successful. Catholic schools and youth organisations were supressed, with German children being educated in state schools and taught a Nazi curriculum, as well as being expected to join the various branches of the Hitler Youth. Catholic newspapers were banned and four hundred Catholic priests were sent to Dachau concentration camp.

How many Catholic priests were sent to Dachau concentration camp?

400

What methods of propaganda were used by Joseph Goebbels in Nazi Germany?

Censorship of the press. All newspapers were controlled by the government and could only print stories favourable to the Nazi regime.

Control of radio broadcasts. People's radios were sold very cheaply so that most Germans could afford one. All radio output was controlled by Goebbels' ministry through the Reich Broadcasting Corporation.

Mass rallies. These public displays of support for Nazism involved music, speeches and demonstrations of German strength. The biggest one was held each year in August at Nuremberg.

Use of sports events. Berlin hosted the Olympics of 1936, which the Nazis used as an opportunity to showcase the success of the regime and to demonstrate the superiority of the Aryan race. The victories of the African-American athlete Jesse Owens for the USA infuriated the Nazi leadership.

Loudspeakers in public places also blared out Nazi propaganda. Much of the information Germans received reinforced the message of Aryan racial superiority whilst demonising the Jews and other 'enemies' of the regime.

How did the Swing Youth rebel against the Nazis?

These were young people who rejected Nazi values, drank alcohol and danced to jazz. The Nazis rejected jazz music as degenerate and called it Negro music, using their racial ideas against this cultural development. These youths were closely monitored by the Gestapo, who regularly raided illegal jazz clubs.

What were the three Ks?

Kinder, Kuche, Kirche (children, kitchen, church)

How did Hitler increase the birth rate in Nazi Germany?

Hitler wanted a high birth rate so that the Aryan population would grow. He tried to achieve this by:

introducing the Law for the Encouragement of Marriage which gave newlywed couples a loan of 1,000 marks, and allowed them to keep 250 marks for each child they had

giving an award called the Mother's Cross to women who had large numbers of children

allowing women to volunteer to have a baby for an Aryan member of the SS

How were women expected to look in Nazi Germany?

Women were expected to emulate traditional German peasant fashions - plain peasant costumes, hair in plaits or buns and flat shoes. They were not expected to wear make-up or trousers, dye their hair or smoke in public. They were discouraged from staying slim, because it was thought that thin women had trouble giving birth.

How were women impacted in terms of employment in Nazi Germany?

Measures were introduced which strongly discouraged women from working, including:

the introduction of the Law for the Reduction of Unemployment, which gave women financial incentives to stay at home

However, female labour was cheap and between 1933 and 1939 the number of women in employment actually rose by 2.4 million. As the German economy grew, women were needed in the workplace.

How did schools promote Nazi ideology?

All teachers had to join the Nazi Teachers' Association, which vetted them for political and racial suitability.

The curriculum was altered to reflect Nazi ideology and priorities:

History - lessons included a course on the rise of the Nazi Party.

Biology - lessons were used to teach Nazi racial theories of evolution in eugenics.

Race study and ideology - this became a new subject, dealing with the Aryan ideas and anti-Semitism.

Physical Education - German schoolchildren had five one-hour sports lessons every week.

Chemistry and Mathematics - were downgraded in importance.

How were youth groups used to promote Nazi ideology?

From the age of 10 boys and girls were encouraged to join the Nazis' youth organisation, the Hitler Youth (the girls' wing of which was called the League of German Maidens). Membership from age 10 was made compulsory in 1936 and by 1939 90 per cent of German boys aged 14 and over were members.

How did Hitler reduce unemployment?

He began a huge programme of public works, which included building hospitals, schools, and public buildings such as the 1936 Olympic Stadium. The construction of the autobahns created work for 80,000 men.

Rearmament was responsible for the bulk of economic growth between 1933 and 1938. Rearmament started almost as soon as Hitler came to power but was announced publicly in 1935. This created millions of jobs for German workers.

The introduction of the National Labour Service (NLS) meant all young men spent six months in the NLS and were then conscripted into the army. They were no longer counted in the unemployment figures.

What was 'invisible unemployment'?

Although Germany claimed to have full employment by 1939, many groups of people were not included in the statistics, including:

The 1.4 million men in the army at this time. There were also a number of men working on public works schemes.

Jews who were sacked and their jobs given to non-Jews.

Women had to give up their jobs to men.

How was standard of living improved in Nazi Germany?

The Labour Front. This was a Nazi organisation that replaced Trades Unions, which were banned. It set wages and nearly always followed the wishes of employers, rather than employees.

Strength Through Joy. This scheme gave workers rewards for their work - evening classes, theatre trips, picnics, and even very cheap or free holidays.

Beauty of Labour. The job of this organisation was to help Germans see that work was good, and that everyone who could work should. It also encouraged factory owners to improve conditions for workers.

Summarise Nazi racial beliefs:

The Nazis' racial philosophy taught that Aryans were the master race and that some races were 'untermensch' (sub-human). Many Nazi scientists at this time believed in eugenics, the idea that people with disabilities or social problems were degenerates whose genes needed to be eliminated from the human bloodline. The Nazis pursued eugenics policies vigorously.

How did Hitler attempt to 'cleanse' the German population?

Sterilisation - In order to keep the Aryan race pure, many groups were prevented from reproducing. The mentally and physically disabled, including the deaf, were sterilised, as were people with hereditary diseases.

Euthanasia - Between 1939 and 1941 over 100,000 physically and mentally disabled Germans were killed in secret, without the consent of their families. Victims were often gassed - a technique that was later used in the death camps of the Holocaust.

Concentration camps - Homosexuals, prostitutes, Jehovah's Witnesses, gypsies, alcoholics, pacifists, beggars, hooligans and criminals were often rounded up and sent away to camps. During World War Two 85 per cent of Germany's gypsies died in these camps.

What happened to Jews in 1933?

Nazis organised a boycott of Jewish businesses.

Books by Jewish authors were publicly burnt.

Jewish civil servants, lawyers and teachers were sacked.

Race science lessons were introduced, teaching that Jews were sub-human.

What happened to Jews in 1935?

The Nuremberg Laws formalised anti-Semitism into the Nazi state by:

Stripping Jews of German citizenship.

Outlawing marriage and sexual relations between Jews and Germans.

Taking away from Jews all civil and political rights.

What happened to Jews in 1938?

Jews could not be doctors.

Jews had to add the name Israel (men) or Sarah (women) to their name.

Jewish children were forbidden to go to school.

Kristallnacht - 9 November. The SS organised attacks on Jewish homes, businesses and synagogues in retaliation for the assassination of the German ambassador to France by a Jew.

What does the Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918-39 paper look like?

There are six types of question on this paper. You will be given a question paper and a sources/interpretation booklet.

Give two things you can infer from (source) about... (4 marks)

Explain why... (12 marks)

How useful are (sources) for an enquiry into... (8 marks)

What is the difference between the two interpretations? (4 marks)

Suggest one reason why [ _ ] give different views about... (4 marks)

How far do you agree with [_] about... (16 marks)

How do you answer Q1?

Give two things you can infer from (source) about... (4 marks)

This type of question expects you to make valid inferences from the source - sensible suggestions based on details within the source.

Example:

Give two things you can infer from Source A about German attitudes towards the Treaty of Versailles (1919).

Tips:

You will need to state one thing you can learn or infer, and then back up why you think this with a quote (if the source is written) or detail (if it is a visual source). You will need to do this twice.

Don't 'over-write' your answer to this question. If you write pages of material for this, you are likely to run out of time on the longer, essay questions.

How do you answer Q2?

Explain why... (12 marks)

This type of question is trying to assess your knowledge of the period. You need to focus on the concept of 'causation'. You will be given stimulus points to prompt you in the right direction, but make sure you include information of your own.

Example:

Explain why Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933.

You may use the following in your answer:

Article 48

The effects of the Wall Street Crash

You must also use information of your own.

Tips:

You might like to split your answer up into paragraphs that state the reason, develop with specific factual information, and then explain how this caused the event. You should use phrases like 'led to', 'resulted in', 'because of this', etc. You should demonstrate consistently what your argument is - if you think something was the biggest cause, you need to show this throughout.

Don't forget to go beyond the stimulus material provided. Make sure you look at the time period stated in the question - there is no point in writing a lot about something that does not fall between these dates!

How should you answer Q3a?

How useful are (sources) for an enquiry into... (8 marks)

This type of question requires you to analyse and evaluate a source to find out how useful it is to you as a historian.

Example:

How useful are sources B and C for an enquiry into the reasons for the recovery of the German economy between 1924 and 1929? Explain your answer, using sources B and C and your own knowledge of the historical context.

Tips:

To answer this question you must deal with both the content and the provenance of the sources. Provenance is the term used for a source's 'background' - its nature, origin and purpose.

Your own knowledge must relate to the source itself. Only write about events in order to prove what the source says is useful, or not - don't just narrate.

How should you answer Q3b?

What is the difference between the two interpretations? (4 marks)

In this question, you need to demonstrate you comprehend the content of both interpretations, and then compare them to show how they differ.

Example:

Study interpretations 1 and 2. They give different views about attitudes in Germany towards the popularity of Hitler. What is the main difference between the views? Explain your answer, using details from both interpretations.

Tips:

Try to quote directly from the source (if written) or give exact detail (if visual). Your comparison sentence should be really clear - 'the interpretations differ hugely/slightly over the point...'

Keep an eye on the clock! Do not go into why the interpretations might differ - this is done in the next question.

How should you answer Q3c?

Suggest one reason why [ _ ] give different views about... (4 marks)

In this question, you need to make a valid statement about why the interpretations differ.

Example:

Suggest one reason why interpretations 1 and 2 give different views about attitudes in Germany towards the popularity of Hitler. You may use Sources B and C to help explain your answer.

"Interpretations 1 and 2 give different views because they may have looked at different sources. For example, Interpretation _ may have looked at sources like Source _, which both suggest...Whereas Interpretation _ may have looked at sources like Source _ which both suggest...

How should you answer Q3d?

How far do you agree with [_] about... (16 marks)

This question expects you to analyse and evaluate both interpretations. You will need to include details from the content, and provenance of both interpretations plus your own knowledge.

Example:

How far do you agree with interpretation 2 about attitudes in Germany towards the popularity of Hitler? Explain your answer, using both interpretations and your own knowledge of the historical context.

Tips:

You will need to look at both sides of the argument for top marks in this question. You are being asked whether you agree with one interpretation, but need to demonstrate why people may disagree with you. Details should be precisely chosen from the interpretations. Your own knowledge of the period will help your argument.

You could use the other interpretation to help you - you may not agree with interpretation 2, but that may be because you find what interpretation 1 says more valid. Remember to look over your work carefully - this essay question carries SPaG (spelling, punctuation and grammar) marks.