Model answers for History

Paper 1:

11(a) Describe Hitler’s actions during the Munich Putsch. [4]

• Hitler led 600 SA members to storm a Munich beer hall and attempted to force leaders to support a revolution.

• He declared a national revolution and tried to seize power from the Weimar government in Bavaria.

• The putsch failed when police clashed with Nazis the next day, resulting in 16 Nazis being killed.

• Hitler was arrested, tried for treason, and sentenced to 5 years in prison (served 9 months).

11(b) Why did the Night of the Long Knives take place? [6]

• Para 1 (Threat from the SA): The SA, led by Ernst Röhm, posed a threat to Hitler's power because of its size (over 3 million) and Röhm’s ambition to merge it with the army. The conservative elite feared the SA's radicalism, so Hitler needed to act to maintain support from the army and business leaders.

• Para 2 (Consolidating personal power): The purge (30 June–2 July 1934) eliminated internal opposition. By killing Röhm and about 400 others, Hitler gained army loyalty, as the SA’s power was curtailed. The army later swore an oath to Hitler personally.

11(c) Which was more important to Hitler, the Reichstag Fire or the Enabling Act? [10]

• Intro: Both events were crucial to Hitler’s rise to dictatorship, but the Enabling Act had longer-term consequences.

• Para 1 (Importance of Reichstag Fire): Allowed Hitler to claim Germany was under communist threat. The Decree for the Protection of People and State followed, suspending civil liberties and allowing arrests of 4,000 communists.

• Para 2 (Evaluation): It helped create fear and removed political rivals, giving Hitler a pretext to gain emergency powers.

• Para 3 (Importance of Enabling Act): Passed on 23 March 1933, allowed Hitler to make laws without Reichstag approval for 4 years. Effectively ended democratic rule.

• Para 4 (Evaluation): This gave Hitler the legal authority to implement dictatorship and eliminate all opposition. It was more significant in establishing total Nazi control.

12(a) Describe how the Nazi regime treated minorities other than the Jews. [4]

• Roma people were persecuted, sterilised, and later sent to concentration camps.

• Homosexuals were arrested under Paragraph 175 and sent to camps.

• Disabled people were subject to forced sterilisation and euthanasia under the T4 programme.

• Black Germans faced discrimination, sterilisation, and exclusion from society.

12(b) Why were young people important to the Nazis? [6]

• Para 1 (Ideological control): Youth were seen as the future of the Reich. Nazi education and youth groups like the Hitler Youth indoctrinated children with Nazi ideology, militarism, and loyalty to Hitler.

• Para 2 (Social control): Young people could inform on parents or teachers, helping enforce conformity. They created a loyal generation to continue Nazi beliefs and serve in future wars.

12(c) How far did life in Germany change after the start of the Second World War? [10]

• Intro: The war drastically altered German life in economic, social, and political terms.

• Para 1 (Changes - bombing and rationing): Allied bombings devastated cities. Rationing and shortages made daily life harder. Women were increasingly drafted into war work.

• Para 2 (Evaluation): Society experienced growing hardship and fear. Morale declined as the war progressed.

• Para 3 (Continuities - repression and propaganda): Nazi control through terror and propaganda continued. Gestapo and SS remained active.

• Para 4 (Evaluation): Though hardships increased, some aspects like censorship and control remained similar to pre-war.

Paper 2:

11(a) What were concentration camps? [4]

• Detention centres set up by the Nazis to imprison opponents.

• Used for "re-education" through hard labour and brutal treatment.

• Later expanded to include minorities like Jews, Roma, and homosexuals.

• Key sites of state terror, especially after 1933.

11(b) Why did Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass) occur? [6]

• Para 1 (Immediate cause): Triggered by the assassination of German diplomat vom Rath by a Jewish teenager in Paris (Nov 1938). Nazis used this to justify a planned attack on Jewish communities.

• Para 2 (Long-term goal): It was part of escalating anti-Semitic policy. Goebbels wanted to impress Hitler and initiate violent persecution. 267 synagogues were destroyed, 7,500 businesses damaged, and 30,000 Jews arrested.

11(c) Which was more important for control: education or the use of the radio? [10]

• Intro: Both were vital tools of propaganda and control, but their impact varied.

• Para 1 (Education): Nazis rewrote curriculums to include racial ideology, loyalty to Hitler, and military values. Teachers had to join Nazi Teacher’s League.

• Para 2 (Evaluation): Shaped future generations with Nazi values, but took time to influence.

• Para 3 (Radio): Cheap radios (Volksempfänger) made propaganda widely accessible. Hitler’s speeches broadcast nationwide.

• Para 4 (Evaluation): Created immediate control over information, emotions, and news. More effective for mass influence short-term.

12(a) What was the Four-Year Plan? [4]

• Economic plan launched in 1936 under Goering.

• Aimed to make Germany self-sufficient (Autarky).

• Focused on rearmament and increasing war readiness.

• Involved synthetic substitutes for rubber, oil, etc.

12(b) Why were some women unhappy under the Nazi regime? [6]

• Para 1 (Social restrictions): Women were expected to leave jobs, marry, and have children. Emphasis on ‘Kinder, Küche, Kirche’ excluded career aspirations.

• Para 2 (Policy contradictions): War later demanded women work in factories again, leading to confusion and dissatisfaction. Propaganda clashed with reality.

12(c) ‘The standard of living in Germany improved under the Nazis.’ How far do you agree? [10]

• Intro: Some Germans benefited materially, but others suffered or were excluded.

• Para 1 (Agree - jobs and stability): Unemployment fell due to public works (Autobahns) and rearmament. Strength Through Joy (KdF) schemes offered holidays and entertainment.

• Para 2 (Evaluation): Many enjoyed more stability than during the Weimar period.

• Para 3 (Disagree - minorities and repression): Jews, minorities, and political opponents faced persecution. Wages remained low, and workers had no trade unions.

• Para 4 (Evaluation): Gains were uneven; standard improved for some, worsened for others.

Paper 1 – Depth Study B: Germany, 1918–45

11(a) Describe Hitler’s actions during the Munich Putsch. [4]

• On 8 November 1923, Hitler and the SA stormed a beer hall in Munich where Bavarian leaders were meeting, and he declared a “national revolution.”

• He held von Kahr, von Seisser, and von Lossow at gunpoint, forcing them to support the coup.

• The following day, Hitler led around 2,000 Nazis in a march through Munich, aiming to seize control, but they were met by police gunfire.

• The Putsch failed; 16 Nazis were killed, and Hitler was arrested and sentenced to five years in prison, though he served only nine months.

11(b) Why did the Night of the Long Knives take place? [6]

The Night of the Long Knives, carried out from 30 June to 2 July 1934, aimed to eliminate the SA as a political threat and consolidate Hitler’s power. The SA, led by Ernst Röhm, had grown to over 2 million members and was demanding greater influence, including merging with the army. Röhm wanted a “second revolution” to further radical social changes, but this alarmed conservatives, the army, and industrialists. Hitler needed army support for future expansion, so removing Röhm became essential to gain their loyalty. On 1 July 1934, Röhm and other SA leaders were arrested and executed.

The purge also allowed Hitler to eliminate other political enemies, such as former Chancellor von Schleicher, and silence critics within the Nazi Party. The event was presented as a necessary act to restore order and protect Germany. The SS, under Himmler, emerged stronger, while the army publicly supported Hitler, swearing an oath of loyalty to him after Hindenburg’s death. The purge was crucial in transforming Hitler from chancellor into an unquestioned dictator.

11(c) Which was more important to Hitler, the Reichstag Fire or the Enabling Act? [10]

Introduction:
Both the Reichstag Fire and the Enabling Act helped Hitler consolidate power in 1933, but the Enabling Act was more significant in giving him long-term legal authority.

Point 1 – Importance of the Reichstag Fire:
The Reichstag Fire on 27 February 1933 was blamed on communist Marinus van der Lubbe. Hitler exploited the event to stir fear of a communist uprising. This fear allowed him to convince Hindenburg to pass the Reichstag Fire Decree, which suspended civil liberties and enabled mass arrests of communists—around 4,000 were detained. It crippled Hitler’s main opposition and tilted the March 1933 elections in his favour.

Point 2 – Short-term impact only:
Despite the immediate advantage it gave Hitler, the Fire did not permanently alter the Weimar constitution. Hitler still required a majority and had to work within legal limits. It was a stepping stone, not the foundation of his dictatorship.

Point 3 – Significance of the Enabling Act:
Passed on 23 March 1933, the Enabling Act allowed Hitler to pass laws without the Reichstag or president’s approval. It marked the legal death of democracy and allowed Hitler to outlaw trade unions, regional parliaments, and other political parties. It was the legal tool that gave him dictatorial powers.

Point 4 – Long-term transformation of power:
Unlike the Fire, which was reactive and temporary, the Enabling Act institutionalised dictatorship and let Hitler consolidate total power lawfully. The regime no longer needed violence or manipulation—laws could now be passed by Hitler alone.

Conclusion:
The Reichstag Fire created the atmosphere of fear and helped remove opposition, but the Enabling Act was the true foundation of Hitler’s dictatorship. It gave him total legal power and transformed Germany into a one-party state.

12(a) Describe how the Nazi regime treated minorities other than the Jews. [4]

• Roma people were labelled “asocial” and subject to arrest, sterilisation, and deportation to concentration camps.

• People with disabilities were targeted by the T4 euthanasia programme, where thousands were murdered in secret.

• Homosexuals were arrested, forced to wear pink triangles, and sent to concentration camps under Paragraph 175.

• Jehovah’s Witnesses were imprisoned for refusing to swear loyalty to Hitler or serve in the military.

12(b) Why were young people important to the Nazis? [6]

The Nazis viewed young people as vital to shaping Germany’s future. Hitler believed that indoctrinating children from a young age would ensure lifelong loyalty. Schools were Nazified: history focused on German nationalism, biology on racial theory, and physical education was prioritised. Teachers had to join the Nazi Teacher’s League and follow the regime’s guidelines. This created a controlled intellectual environment where Nazi ideals were treated as absolute truth.

Youth organisations such as the Hitler Youth and the League of German Girls (BDM) were also used to control and shape children outside the classroom. The Hitler Youth instilled military discipline, obedience, and devotion to Hitler. The BDM taught girls about motherhood, domestic roles, and racial purity. By 1939, membership was compulsory. These structures ensured that young people became committed Nazis, capable of continuing the regime’s work in the future and enforcing it socially.

12(c) How far did life in Germany change after the start of the Second World War? [10]

Introduction:
The war years drastically altered the lives of ordinary Germans, though many elements of the Nazi regime remained consistent.

Point 1 – Economic and social hardship:
From 1939 onwards, food, clothing, and fuel were rationed. By 1942, shortages worsened significantly. Cities faced extensive bombing—Hamburg and Dresden were almost destroyed. Homes, transport, and infrastructure collapsed under Allied air raids. The economy shifted entirely to military production, leading to longer working hours and the mobilisation of women into war industries.

Point 2 – Disruption of Nazi social policies:
Women, once encouraged to stay home, were called to work in factories from 1943. Young people were drafted into war work and air defence units. Hitler Youth activities became more military-focused. Society became more militarised and survival-driven. Daily life became more about endurance than ideological commitment.

Point 3 – Continuity in repression and propaganda:
Despite the social shifts, the Nazi regime maintained its totalitarian grip. The Gestapo and SS still arrested opponents and enforced conformity. Propaganda remained intense, portraying Hitler as Germany’s saviour and encouraging sacrifice. Jews continued to be persecuted, with the Final Solution launched in 1942.

Point 4 – Conclusion and evaluation:
Life changed drastically in terms of hardship and state control of everyday life, especially after 1942. However, political repression and ideological enforcement remained consistent. The war intensified life under Nazism rather than radically changing it.

11(a) What were concentration camps? [4]

• Concentration camps were detention facilities where the Nazis imprisoned political enemies, Jews, Roma, and other minorities.

• The first camp, Dachau, opened in 1933 to house political opponents like communists and socialists.

• Prisoners were subject to forced labour, inhumane conditions, beatings, and executions.

• By the late 1930s and during the war, they evolved into extermination centres as part of the Holocaust.

11(b) Why did Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass) occur? [6]

Kristallnacht took place on 9–10 November 1938, triggered by the assassination of Nazi diplomat Ernst vom Rath by a Polish-Jewish teenager, Herschel Grynszpan. The Nazis used the event as a pretext for unleashing a nationwide pogrom. Goebbels encouraged violent attacks on synagogues, Jewish homes, and businesses. Over 1,000 synagogues were burned, 7,500 shops destroyed, and around 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and sent to camps.

However, the violence was not just spontaneous outrage—it was state-orchestrated. It marked a turning point in Nazi Jewish policy. Until then, persecution had been legal and economic; Kristallnacht made it openly violent. It demonstrated that the Nazis were willing to escalate and abandon legal constraints. It also forced Jews to pay a one-billion-mark fine, showing that the event was also used as economic exploitation. Kristallnacht was a clear move toward the Holocaust.

11(c) Which was the more important method for the Nazis in maintaining control over the German people: education or the use of the radio? Explain your answer. [10]

Introduction:
Both education and the radio were key tools of Nazi control, but they functioned in different ways—one shaping long-term beliefs, the other maintaining immediate loyalty and propaganda.

Point 1 – Importance of education:
Education helped shape the minds of children from an early age. Subjects were redesigned to fit Nazi ideology: biology taught racial theory, history glorified Germany and blamed Jews. Girls were taught domestic skills, while boys were trained in obedience and discipline. This built loyalty to Hitler and indoctrinated future generations with Nazi values.

Point 2 – Limits of education:
However, its impact was long-term. While it ensured future control, it did not influence adults or respond to crises. Education also relied on time to fully embed beliefs and was less effective in controlling the immediate population.

Point 3 – Importance of radio:
Radio was used to control the adult population with real-time propaganda. Over 70% of German households had radios (Volksempfänger), and Hitler’s speeches were regularly broadcast. Loudspeakers were placed in public squares and factories. Radio was crucial for maintaining Hitler’s image, justifying actions, and spreading anti-Semitic and nationalist messages.

Point 4 – Evaluation and conclusion:
While education shaped long-term loyalty, radio was more effective in short-term control, especially during crises like the war or events such as Kristallnacht. Both were important, but radio had greater impact on the broader population during Hitler’s rule.

12(c) ‘The standard of living in Germany improved under the Nazis.’ How far do you agree with this statement? [10]

Introduction:
Some Germans benefited economically under Nazi rule, but the improvements were uneven, and many groups suffered or were excluded altogether.

Point 1 – Improvements for some workers:
The Nazis reduced unemployment drastically through public works, rearmament, and labour schemes. The German Labour Front created jobs, and the KdF programme offered leisure opportunities like theatre and holidays. These gave many Germans a sense of pride and stability after the Great Depression.

Point 2 – Limits and deception:
However, trade unions were banned, workers lost the right to strike, and wages were kept low. The “people’s car” (Volkswagen) scheme never delivered cars. Real living standards for many remained modest, and working conditions were tightly controlled.

Point 3 – Suffering of minorities and opponents:
Jews, Roma, and other minorities faced worsening conditions. Jews lost jobs, property, and citizenship. Many were attacked during events like Kristallnacht or sent to camps. For these groups, life dramatically deteriorated.

Point 4 – Final judgement:
While some Germans saw economic improvements, they came with loss of freedom, and many suffered. The statement is partially true—but misleading if not recognising who benefited and who paid the price.