1. germany- golden years Flashcards
1-17: golden years+ depression
what years were regarded as the ‘golden years’ of weimar?
1924-1929
three economic positive aspects of weimar from 1924-1929
- Dawes Plan 1924- USA agreed to lend Germany £40 million- stabilised the economy
- in 1928 the levels of industrial production reached the same levels as before WW1
- germany regained its status as the worlds second greatest industrial power
three economic negative aspects of weimar from 1924-1929
- US loans could be called in at any time
- economic growth was uneven favouring big business and landowners
- peasant farmers and sections of the middle class did not benefit from economic gains
three cultural positive aspects of weimar from 1924-1929
- free expression of ideas were allowed
- new artists, architecture and international film stars
- berlin became known for its night life and by 1927 there were 900 dance bands
two cultural negative aspects of weimar from 1924-1929
- some felt this represented a moral decline especially those living in villages
- Wandervogel movement- wanted a return to simple country values and help for those in the country side
three political positive aspects of weimar from 1924-1929
- Locarno Treaties,1925- Germany’s borders with France and Belgium wouldn’t be changed
- as a result in 1926 Germany was permitted to join the League of Nations
- by 1929 Stresemann had also negotiated the Young Plan, which further reduced reparations payments
four political negative aspects of weimar from 1924-1929
- The Weimar Republic was a coalition government
- around 30% of votes in elections went to extremist parties
- Paul Von Hindenburg was appointed president in 1926- he was opposed to democracy
- Stresemann was criticised for agreeing to the Locarno Treaties and joining the League of Nations as these actions showed he accepted the Treaty of Versailles
what party did Hitler become the leader of?
the German Workers’ Party in 1921
what was the ‘Twenty Five Point Programme’?
- it set out the policies of the German Workers’ Party
- stressed the superiority of the German people and promoted antisemitism
what did Hitler attempt in November 1923 and what happened as a result?
- tried to seize power through the Munich Putsch but failed and was sent to prison
- in prison, he wrote ‘Mein Kampf’ which set out his beliefs such as lebensraum (living space) and that Aryans (White Europeans) were the master race
what did Hitler realise about the Nazi tactics and what happened as a result?
- they had to change- instead of coming to power through force they would have to come to power democratically
- but they still failed to win popular support and only gained 12 seats in the Reichstag in the 1928 elections
- although their antisemitic policies appealed to some, they still failed to win over the majority of workers
what years were the Depression in Germany?
1929-1933
what led to the Depression?
the Wall Street Crash in the USA
how did the Wall Street Crash in the USA in 1929 lead to the Depression in Germany?
- US banks called in their loans from Germany causing businesses to go bankrupt and industrial production to decline
- many lost their savings as the banks failed and German money lost its value- the middle class and pensioners were hit hard
- unemployment rose from 1.6 million (1929) to 6 million (1932)
- more than half of young Germans aged 16-30 were unemployed in 1933
how did the depression lead to a political crisis in the weimar republic?
- Heinrich Bruning, chancellor from March 1930, cut salaries and social benefits, and raised taxes
- unpopular with the Reichstag so Bruning had to use Article 48 allowing president Hindenburg to make decisions without parliamentary support
Germany no longer functioning as a democracy- Germans turned to more extremist parties
how much did the Nazi Party grow between 1928-1932?
- by November 1932 it was the largest party in the Reichstag
- in the 1928 elections, the Nazi party won 3% of the vote
- by November 1932, they won 33% of the vote
why did the Nazi party appeal to voters in Germany?
- businessmen believed the Nazis would improve the economy and encourage people to spend money on goods
- the SA gave the promise of law and order- there was violence on the streets and people were scared
- effective propaganda throughout their campaigning - portrayed Hitler as Germany’s hero + used generalised slogans
- negative cohesion- people shared the Nazi’s fears rather than their views
- Weimar democracy had failed to address Germany’s economic problems
- farmers believed if the Nazis improved the economy they would benefit as people could buy more food
- Hitler promised to make Germany great again which appealed to the young and unemployed
