Economic Development and Policies

Question 1

What evidence is there about the state of economy when the Nazis took control?

Answer 1

• Economy shrunk by %39
• 8 million unemployed
• Agriculture in recession
• Demand for German goods low.

Question 2

What was the name of the man in charge of the economy in Nazi germany 1933-36?

Answer 2

Schacht

Question 3

How did Schacht help farmers to get reasonable prices?

Answer 3

Introduced tariffs on imported goods.

Question 4

How much did public investment increase by?

Answer 4

Public investment tripled.

Question 5

What was built under the public works schemes?

Answer 5

Autobans.

Question 6

What did Schacht create to help pay for govt spending?

Answer 6

Mefo Bills - IOU’s retainable in 5 years.

Question 7

Which countries did Schacht arrange trade with?

Answer 7

Balkans, like Romania and Yugoslavia.

Question 8

What 2 pieces of evidence suggest Schacht’s economy reforms were succesful by 1936?

Answer 8

Unemployemend fell to 1.5 million.

Production increased by 90%

Question 9

What was the major weakness in the German economy that wasn’t solved?

Answer 9

Trade, Germany imported more than it exported.

Question 10

Why did Hitler remove Schacht from power in 1936?

Answer 10

He wanted the economy to be more war-focused.

Question 11

Who replaced Schacht as the economic minister?

Answer 11

Goering.

Question 12

What is autarky?

Answer 12

Self sufficiency.

Question 13

What is erzats?

Answer 13

Replacing items, with subsidies.

Question 14

What were the two key elements of 1936 four year plan?

Answer 14

• Increase production in agriculture and raw materials.

- Massively expand arms production.

Question 15

What was the main weakness of ersatz products?

Answer 15

Inferior quality. 1/3 raw materials still had to be imported.

Question 16

Did the Four Year plan achieve autarky by 1939?

Answer 16

No, Ersatz could not replace all the raw materials the Nazis needed. However, Germany’s reliance on imports had decreased.

Question 17

WHat evidence is there that the Nazis failed to mobilise the economy during the war?

Answer 17

• Armament production low.

- Air force only increased from 8,200 to 10,780 while Britain’s tripled.

Question 18

Why was the economic mobilisation so slow?

Answer 18

• Poor co-ordination and inefficiency.

- Political infighting between leading Nazis.

Question 19

Who did Hitler appoint to improve Germany’s armament production in 1942?

Answer 19

Speer.

Question 20

How did Speer improve Germany’s war production after 1942?

Answer 20

• He employed more women in arms factories.
• Made efficient use of concentration camp prisoners as workers.
• Prevented skilled workers to be conscripted.

Question 21

Name 3 evidence that Speer improved with the production of armaments.

Answer 21

Within 6 months in 1942,

• Ammunition production increased by %97.
• Tank production rose by %25.
• Total arms production increased by 59%.

Question 22

Why did the Nazi economy ultimately fail to meet the demands of total war?

Answer 22

The effects of bombing prevented Germany’s production from increasing.