German Depth Study Flashcards
What was the name of the Kaiser and when did he abdicate?
Kaiser Wilhelm II. He abdicated on the 9th November 1918.
When was the first word war?
1914-1918
Germany changed into a republic in 1919. What party came to power and who was their leader?
Social Democratic Party. Their leader was Fredrich Ebert.
When and why was the Treaty of Versailles signed?
June 28th 1919. It was signed by Ebert because Germany was too weak to risk restarting conflict.
Describe the Weimar constitution.
All men and women over 20 could vote. Members of the reichstag were voted by the public. Article 48. Proportional representation was used. The president chose the chancellor.
What, when and why were the 3 left wing rebellions?
Communist revolt 1918-1919 in Bavaria. They wanted a soviet republic.
Spartacist revolt January 1919. Wanted Germany to be ruled by worker’s councils or soviets.
Communist uprising 1920. Russian revolution in 1917 inspired them.
Describe the 2 right wing rebellions.
The kapp pustch in March 1920. They opposed the treaty of Versailles.
The Munich pustch in 1923. Hitler had an army and the Nazi party had 55,000 members.
Why did the rebellions fail?
Weaknesses of the opposition: 3 seperate left wing rebellions, Nazis overestimated the amount of public support.
Government strengths: government supported by majority (kapp pustch- public had general strike), the freikorps fired at the communists under Ebert’s instruction.
What were the key terms of the treaty of Versailles?
G uilt clause (231) A rmy reduced to 100,000 R eparations £6.6 billion G erman land lost 10%, 12.5% population L eague of nations (not allowed to join).
Why was the Weimar government able to survive?
Effective leaders (gustav stresemann, Ebert), public support (kapp pustch 1920, French 1923), support from France and Britain 1924, the Daws plan (America loans), revolutions were unsupported
Who was Gustav Stresemann?
Chancellor 1923, foreign minister 1924-1929. Set up the Daws plan.
Was it really the golden years 1924-1929? (Agree)
Daws plan- USA loaned 800 million marks (became 2nd greatest industrial power, Weimar constitution didn’t use censorship, 1927, 900 dance bands in Berlin, after 1923 there were no more revolutions, the Locarno treaties 1925 (securing western borders), accepted into League of Nations, the young plan.
Was it really the golden years 1924-1929? (Disagree)
Unemployment rose by 6% by 1928, loans could be call back at any time, the wandervagal organisation wanted country values back, 30% of votes went to parties opposing the Republic, many opposed the league of Nations and the Locarno pact as it was seen as an agreement to the Treaty of Versailles.
Explain Hitler’s beliefs.
Aryans where the master race, he wanted to smash communism, provide lebensraum, destroy the Treaty of Versailles, Jews should not be members of the nation, physical fitness should be encouraged non-German immigration should be stopped, provide old age pensions, help small businesses, should be a dictatorship
What were the key events in the development of the Nazi party?
1919 Hitler became part of the German workers party
1920 25 point programme, party renamed the national socialist workers party
1921 hitler became leader
1922 hitler youth started
1923 the Munich putsch took place
How successful was Hitler in developing the Nazi party in Germany between 1924 and 1932?
Share of votes rose from 3% in 1924 to 37% in 1932
membership increased from 27,000 in 1925 to over 100,000 by 1928
1926 Hitler youth nazi student league and ss set up
Hitler wrote mein kampf
Who stood against President Hindenburg in 1932 and lost
Nazis failed to get a majority in the reichstag between 1924 and 1932
German workers supported the communist party
Why did Hitler become chancellor in January 1933?
Hitler was a great orator and charismatic, The SS and SA did rallies showing discipline, Hitler produced scapegoats and promised to get rid of the treaty of Versailles, he had support from businesses like Thyssen and krupps, negative cohesion, skimming of Hindenburg and von Papen in 1933, hyperinflation in 1923
Why and when did the night of the Long knives take place?
30th of June 1934. Hitler needed to get rid of his opponents (Ernst Rohm- leader of SA too powerful), send the message that he was ruthless, The SA had 4 million men and had power to overthrow Hitler
How were people controlled by Hitler?
Incentives e.g. jobs theatre tickets
propaganda persuade people to like the Nazis
terror e.g. The Gestapo
Describe the work of Josef Goebbels.
Goebbels the minister of propaganda and public enlightenment, he convinced Hitler to hold the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, he banned jazz music as it was black music, the Gestapo and SS were used to close down antiNazi and Communist propaganda, he organised the Nuremberg rallies.
What were the aims of the Nazis for young people?
To love Hitler, prepare boys for war, get girls to become traditional housewives, to create an Aryan race
Why were young people important to the Nazis?
They could be easily indoctrinated young boys were trained for war to gain lebensraum, they could create a pure race
Describe the Hitler youth movement.
A youth organisation to teach nazi values. They take part in sports, summer camps and military drills.
In 1932 there were 100,000 members.
In 1934 there were 3.5 million members.
In 1939 it became compulsory.
Why did some young people support the Nazis?
It was fun to be part of a group, they liked equality, they were respectfully saluted to, they had no choice after 1939.
