Depth Study B: Germany 1918-1945 (Unit 1 - Weimar Germany)

Question 1

What was the Weimar Government?

Answer 1

• A temporary government put in place in 1919.

Question 2

How did the general population feel in 1919 after the TOV had taken affect?

Answer 2

• Soldiers felt betrayed by politicians. They were still fighting when the armistice was signed. They felt they had been ‘stabbed in the back’.
• Politicians who signed the TOV were called the ‘November Criminals’.
• Germany saw the TOV as a ‘Shameful diktat’ (Shameful peace)

Question 3

Give 3 social impacts of WW1 in 1918.

Answer 3

• Huge gaps between the rich and poor.
• Bitter German workers because of restrictions.
• 1.5 million demobilised soldiers left out.

Question 4

Give 3 economic impacts of WW1 by 1918.

Answer 4

• Shortage of food
• National income was a third of what is was in 1913.
• Industrial production was 2/3 of what it was in 1913.

Question 5

Give 3 economic impacts of WW1 by 1918.

Answer 5

• Shortage of food
• National income was a third of what is was in 1913.
• Industrial production was 2/3 of what it was in 1913.

Question 6

Give 2 political impacts of WW1 by 1918.

Answer 6

• Fighting between right wing and left wing groups.
• Germans despise the new democratic leaders.

Question 7

Why did France and Belgium invade the Ruhr?

Answer 7

• Reparations were late and overdue, so French and Belgian soldiers took the Ruhr for it’s coal. Passive resistance was called but didn’t work.

Question 8

Describe 3 ways in which Gustav Stresemann was able to solve Germany’s problem in 1923.

Answer 8

New currency - Introducing the Rentenmark, restoring Germany’s economy. (Later the Reichsmark)

Dawes plan - Taking back the Ruhr and receiving loans from the USA in order to pay reparations. They received 800 million Reichsmarks.

Youngs Plan - Further reduction of reparations payments and even more loans from America.

Question 9

What was the Munich Putsch?

Answer 9

An attempt to overthrow the Weimar government by disrupting a government meeting and marching on Berlin.

Question 10

Describe the events of the Munich Putsch.

Answer 10

• Hitler fires a gun in the air.
• SA seize the building and the representatives.
• The representatives do not budge and everyone goes home.
• 2,000 Nazi’s marched on the city centre.
• Police open fire and leaders arrested.

Question 11

What was the work of the SA and how did it benefit Germans?

Answer 11

Protecting Nazi speakers at meetings. A paramilitary wing of the Nazis.
It gave Germans a uniform and hot meals, as well as identity and a place to sleep.

Question 12

What was the SS?

Answer 12

Hitler’s personal protection bodyguard.

Question 13

Name the 4 leading Nazi’s supporting Hitler.

Answer 13

• Ernst Rohm.
• Joseph Goebbels.
• Herman Goring.
• Heinrich Himmler.

Question 14

Give 3 ways in which Hitler exploited the feelings of distress during the Great Depression.

Answer 14

Propaganda - Spreading the Nazi message through radio and video.

Speeches - Persuasive and expression of German anger and hate.

Political violence - Beating up communists and disrupting communist meetings.

Question 15

What was the Enabling act?

Answer 15

It gave Hitler the power to pass any law without the Reichstag’s support.

Question 16

Summarise the events of the Reichstag Fire.

Answer 16

• The Reichstag was burned down.
• Communists were blamed for the fire.
• A communist owned up.
• Many of Hitler’s opponents were arrested.

Question 17

What happened in the Night of the Long Knives?
Why was this the case?

Answer 17

Ernst Rohm and many other leading figures were murdered.

This was because there were rumours of a planned putsch against Hitler by Rohm.

Question 18

What happened during Hitler’s Presidency?

Answer 18

Hitler became President. The army swore an oath of loyalty.

Question 19

What happened during the Kapp Putsch?

Answer 19

Freikorps members joined an uprising and marched on Berlin, but a general strike had collapsed the putsch and Kapp fled to Sweden.

Question 20

What happened during hyperinflation?

Answer 20

Money bills were printed to make of for loss of money, but the money was worthless.

Question 21

What was the spartacist uprising?

Answer 21

Rosa Luxembourg and Karl Liebknecht seized government buildings but were defeated by the army and executed.

Question 22

Describe 3 changes Hitler made to the Nazi Party in 1920

Answer 22

Hitler introduced the 25 point programme [1]
He introduced the Swastika [1]
He had formed the SA as the party’s paramilitary wing [1]

Question 23

What were the golden years of Weimar Germany?

Answer 23

Weimar Culture - Jazz and dance improved, art and music. The quality of life in Berlin began to improve.