Changes in German society

Question 1

Give 3 factors which caused a surge of artistic and cultural energy in Germany in the 1920s.

Answer 1

• The restrictions of the imperial regime of the Kaiser were gone
• The Weimar constitution enshrined freedoms (e.g. of speech) in law
• Economic recovery after 1924 generated wealth to finance the Arts

Question 2

Name 3 artistic movements which sprang to life in the Golden ’20s.

Answer 2

• New Objectivism
• Modernism
• Expressionism

Question 3

What is New Objectivism?

Answer 3

The idea that the Arts should not show a romanticised view of the world, but instead portray life as it really is, acknowledging its many sufferings such as poverty.

Question 4

What is Modernism?

Answer 4

The idea that the Arts should not cling to tradition, and instead should embrace the future, seeing beauty in industry, cities and technology.

Question 5

What is Expressionism?

Answer 5

The idea that the Arts should embody the thoughts and feelings of the artist, rather than being limited to portraying things exactly as they look.

Question 6

Name 2 factors which helped to accelerate the blossoming of culture in 1920s Weimar Germany.

Answer 6

• The Bauhaus movement
• Government support

Question 7

What was the Bauhaus movement?

Answer 7

• The Bauhaus was a design + architecture college in Berlin.
• Under its head, Walter Gropius, the college developed a style of design which influenced all areas of the Arts.
• The style stressed the beauty of technology, simplicity, bold colours, unusual materials and careful craftsmanship.

Question 8

How did the Weimar government support the Arts in the 1920s?

Answer 8

It gave grants to support:

• art galleries
• theatres
• orchestras
• museums
• libraries.

Question 9

How did cinema and theatre blossom during the Golden ’20s?

Answer 9

• The best known and most advanced film of this era was Metropolis
• Marlene Dietrich became a famous film star, playing glamorous women
• New operas and plays reflected the style of New Objectivism, commenting on issues in German society

Question 10

Give 3 ways in which standards of living improved during the Golden ’20s.

Answer 10

• Wages, employment
• Housing
• Unemployment insurance

Question 11

How did wages and employment improve during the Golden ’20s?

Answer 11

• Wages increased every year from 1924
• Increased by 10% in total
• By 1928, German workers were amongst the best paid in Europe

Question 12

In what respects did wages not necessarily improve during the Golden ’20s?

Answer 12

• Many of the middle class didn’t experience a rise in wages
• Unemployment remained high, e.g. 128,000 in 1928

Question 13

How did housing improve during the Golden ’20s?

Answer 13

• The Weimar government attempted to deal with a critical shortage
• 1924-31: more than 2m homes built and almost 200,000 improved
• By 1928, homelessness had been reduced by over 60%

Question 14

How did unemployment insurance improve during the Golden ’20s?

Answer 14

• Weimar government added the unemployment insurance law in 1927
• This required workers to contribute to a national scheme for unemployment and health welfare
• Other reforms provided benefits and assistance to war veterans, dependents of the war dead (e.g. wives), single mothers and the disabled

Question 15

The Weimar government unshackled women from a past of being seen and not heard; they took the freedom handed to them with eagerness.

In what 3 respects did life for women improve during the Golden ’20s?

Answer 15

• Politics
• Leisure
• Employment

Question 16

How did politics improve for women during the Golden ’20s?

Answer 16

• In 1919, women over 20 were given the vote
• Women took an increasing interest in politics
• The Weimar constitution introduced equality in education and profession for the sexes
• By 1926, there were 26 women deputies in the Reichstag

Question 17

How did leisure improve for women during the Golden ’20s?

Answer 17

• Women enjoyed greater social freedoms, e.g.:
• went out unescorted
• drank + smoked in public
• were fashion conscious + wore less conservative clothing
• wore make-up and cut their hair shorter

Question 18

How did employment improve for women during the Golden ’20s?

Answer 18

• Women began to work in education, medicine, social work, retail and on the assembly line
• By 1933, there were 100,000 female teachers and 3000 female doctors
• Pay in civil service was equal to men

Question 19

Why was there resistance to women gaining increasing rights to work?

Answer 19

There was hostility towards women doing “men’s work”, and to married women having jobs.

Question 20

Many welcomed with open arms the changes to German society during the Golden ’20s. Who didn’t, and why?

Answer 20

Traditionalists criticised these changes, believing they abandoned the true values of Germany.

This caused a further degree of opposition to the Weimar government.