6 - social and cultural 'golden age'

Question 1

what social welfare reforms were put in place?

Answer 1

1924 - Public Assistance system modernised
1925 - state accident insurance system extended
1927 - national unemployment insurance system introduced

Question 2

were social welfare reforms positive?

Answer 2

promised more than delivered
expensive
means tests tightened to try and reduced expenditure (those in need of support felt humiliated and insulted)

Question 3

did living standards improve?

Answer 3

improved however those who lost savings in hyperinflation unable to regain comfortable lifestyles, farmers suffered

Question 4

how did the role of women change?

Answer 4

• ‘new woman’ - free, independent, equality in voting rights and education, more paid employment
• not all Germans or women approved of changed
• employment - by 1925 36% of workforce women, blamed for male unemployment
• sexual freedom - birth control more available, divorce increased, abortion criminal offence, Catholics opposed
• politics and public life - more represented but not fully

Question 5

how did the role of young people change?

Answer 5

• education - gymnasiums and realschule, elementary

- youth groups - wandervogel, church, political

Question 6

what was the role of Jewish people?

Answer 6

• 19% of population
• politics and press - influential publishing firms, some leading politicians had Jewish backgrounds
• industry, commerce, professions - academic, considerable wealth and influence (extent exaggerated by anti-jewish propaganda), owned 50% of private banks (declining), half firms in cloth trade, 16% lawyers, 11% doctors
• well-educated
• assimilation + anti-semitism - perceived threat of Jewish Bolshevism, hostility against financiers in 1923, antisemitism pushed to side in ‘golden age’, gap between wanting to be assimilated and feeling security of being accepted, violent nationalism behind right wing, vast majority or German Jews wished to assimilate

Question 7

development of nightclubs

Answer 7

renowned for cabarets, gay people felt more free, American jazz music popular, comedians attacked politicians and authoritarianism
older, traditional Germans horrified, hated influence of USA

Question 8

development of art

Answer 8

expressionism, painters believed works should express meaning of emotion, abstract and vivid in colour

Question 9

development of music

Answer 9

expressionism

Question 10

development of literature

Answer 10

expressionism, focused on characters mental state, revolt against parental authority

Question 11

development of architecture

Answer 11

Bauhaus, students encouraged to break down barriers between art and technology

Question 12

development of theatre

Answer 12

expressionism, symbolism, political

Question 13

development of film

Answer 13

Berlin became important centre for world cinema, developed modern techniques