Germany 1918-1945

Question 1

Describe the layout of the weimar constitution

Answer 1

• Ebert who is the president, elected every 7 years, head of the army, chooses the chancellor.
• Reichstag- The new German government (elected by proportional representation)
• Reichsrat- the upper house who could delay messures passed by the reichstag

Question 2

What was proportional representation?

Answer 2

Where the number of seats a party wins in parliament is worked out as a proportion of the number of votes they win

Question 3

What were the many problems of the Reichstag?

Answer 3

1) It had difficulty making decisions because of the many parties in the Reichstag
2) It was hard to pick a chancellor who had the support of most of the parties in the Reichstag
3) The new government were hated by many Germans due to accepting the Versailles treaty
4) Some Germans joined paramilitary groups- right wing extremists- who saw communists as a threat to peace
5) The Freikorps were problematic- yet the government had no army so other groups like them were used to sort them out

Question 4

What were the reasons for discontent in Germany?

Answer 4

• Thousands of people were poor and starving- an influenza epidemic killed thousands
• Many Germans denied losing the war and blamed the November Criminals who had agreed to the Armistice and the Versailles treaty
• Others blamed for losing the war included communists and Jews
• The government was seen as weak and ineffective- as accepting the treaty made conditions worse in Germany

Question 5

Describe the events of the Spartacist Revolt

Answer 5

In 1919 the communists lead by Leibknecht and Luxemburg tried to take over Berlin- but they were defeated by the Freikorps.

Question 6

Describe the events of the Kapp Putsch

Answer 6

In 1920 Wolfgang Kapp and some of the right-winged Freikorps, took over Berlin to form another government. Yet the Weimar government convinced the workers to stage a general strike and Kapp gave up.
The government didn’t punish the rebels because many judges sympathised with people like Kapp

Question 7

What caused Germany to be unable to pay their reparations?

Answer 7

France and Belgium occupied the Ruhr, the richest industrial part of Germany, to take resources instead because they couldn’t keep up with the reparations. This lead to fury in Germany, workers in the Ruhr refused to work, the German industry was devastated again. Plunging the economy into Hyperinflation

Question 8

What was Hyperinflation?

Answer 8

It happens when production cannot keep up with the amount of money there is, so the money keeps losing value

Question 9

What were the three major results of hyperinflation?

Answer 9

• Wages were paid twice a day before prices went up again
• The middle classes lost out as bank savings became worthless
• The German mark became worthless

Question 10

How did Gustav Stresemann lead Germany back to recovery?

Answer 10

He was Chancellor for a few months.

1) Told workers in the Ruhr to go back to work
2) Accepted the Dawes plan in 1924- and introduced a new German mark
3) Convinced the French to leave the Ruhr
4) In 1925 he agreed to the Locarno treaty- where western German borders were agreed, but not the eastern. Won a nobel prize
5) In 1926 Germany joined the league of nations, and became one of the permanent leaders of the council
6) In 1928, Germany was one of the 65 countries to join the Kellogg-Briand pact. They promised not to use violence to settle disputes
7) In 1929, the Young Plan was introduced to replace the Dawes plan - reparations would be reduced by three quarters of the amount and up to 59 years to pay them
8) Borrowed money from the US- yet this only worked if they could be payed back

Question 11

What were the cultural achievements of the Weimar Government?

Answer 11

• The capital Berlin became the centre of culture
• There were advances in Art, Architechture, Music and Literature
• New bold developments
• Weimar Republic encouraged new ways of critical thinking at universities
• Yet not everyone approved of these cultural changes- and they did not survive under the Nazis

Question 12

What problems were caused by the Wall Street crash in 1929?

Answer 12

• Buisnesses declined
• Banks folded
• National income fell
• Prices of goods continued to fall
• Wages fell
• Millions unemployed
• Farmers had to sell rotten food
• Debts increased
• Poverty lead to undernourishment
• Thousands were homeless
• Meaning people would look to extremist parties to make things better

Question 13

Describe why Hitler became the Nazi party leader?

Answer 13

• He was a brave soldier in WW1, winning the iron cross twice who couldn’t accept Germany losing the war.
• He joined the German Workers Party- He then changed the name to the Nazis
• He was a charismatic speaker and attracted new members, so he took leadership

Question 14

Who were the SA?

Answer 14

The Nazi party’s own armed group- brown shirted stormtroopers who protected Nazi leaders and harassed their opponents

Question 15

Describe the events of the Munich Putsch?

Answer 15

• In 1923 things were going badly for the Weimar Republic, they seemed weak.
• Hitler planned to overthrow them, starting by taking control of the government in Barvaria
• Hitler’s soldiers occupied the Beer Hall in the Bavarian city of Munich, where local government leaders were meeting. He announced a revolution had begun
• The next day Hitler marched into the beer hall supported by stormtroopers. The revolt ended badly and collapsed when police fired on the rebels

Question 16

How did Hitler use the failed Munich Putsch to his advantage?

Answer 16

• He turned his trial into a political speech- he stated that he was doing to right thing for Germany and gained supporters
• He wrote the book ‘Mein Kampf’ in prison, describing his beliefs and ambitions

Question 17

How did Hitler change his tactics after the Munich Putsch?

Answer 17

• He was released from prison and he re-established the party with himself as supreme leader
• Because the German economy was recovering under Stresemann, Support for the Nazis fell as a coup nolonger seemed realistic
• He now tried to gain control through the democratic system, The Nazi party network became national and propoganda was used to promote their beliefs

Question 18

How did the great depression affect Germany?

Answer 18

• It caused massive unemployment
• Germany’s biggest bank collapsed, making reparation payments more difficult
• No Weimar government managed to solve the economic problems
• Extremist groups like the Nazis became more popular

Question 19

How had the Nazi party increase in popularity during the depression?

Answer 19

• The Nazis prosperity and to make Germany great again appealed to the unemployed, buisnessmen and impressionable youth
• Some people supported the Nazis anti-communist and anti-jewish views

Question 20

Describe the new government that took over when the German Kaiser abdicated in 1918?

Answer 20

• Due to the violence and unrest after the fist world war, the Kaiser was forced to abdicate
• In early 1919, a new government took over led by Ebert, it changed Germany into a Republic, Scheidemann was Chancellor
• Ebert was the leader of a social democratic part, a moderate party of socialists-the new government was democratic, they believed the people should vote on who run the country
• The new German government wasnmt invited to the peace conference in 1919, and had no say in the versailles treaty. At first Ebert refused to sign it, but in the end he had little choice as Germany was to weak to restart conflict

Question 21

Why did Hindenburg refuse to give the Nazis power?

Answer 21

• He couldn’t find a chancellor who had support in the Reichstag
• He appointed inexperienced von Papen
• In the 1932 Reichstag elections, the Nazis were the biggest party but not the majority, Hitler demanded to be chancellor
• Hindenburg refused because he didn’t trust Hitler and kept von Papen

Question 22

How did Hitler climb to power between 1932 and 1933?

Answer 22

• He used the depression to promise better things
• He then stood against Hindenburg in 1932 and lost
• The Nazi party then became the largest party in the reichstag
• Nazi party lost seats in November 1932, but remained the biggest party
• 1933 Hitler was finally offered chancellorship

Question 23

How did the Nazis use dirty tricks to win in 1933?

Answer 23

• They controlled the news and media
• Opposition meetings were banned
• They used the SA to terrorise
• A fire broke out in the Reichstag building, and Hitler blamed the opposition, the Communists, who he said started it
• He ordered mass arrests of communists
• Hitler was allowed to use emergency decrees to deal with situations- he used these powers to intimidate communist leaders

Question 24

How did Hitler change the law to keep control?

Answer 24

• Even though the Nazi party won 288 seats, but the communists still won some so Hitler declared the Nazi party illegal
• This gave him enough support in the parliament to bring in the Enabling law, which was passed with threats and bargaining in march 1933
• This law let him govern for four years without parliament and made all other parties illegal. He was almost in full control

Question 25

Describe the events of The Night of the Long Knives

Answer 25

• Hitler still had opposition and was still worried about rivals within his party
• The biggest threat was Ernst Röhm, who controlled the SA
• On the 29th and 30th of june 1934 Hitler sent his own men to arrest Röhm and others
• Several others were killed including Strasser and von Schleicher
• A month later Hindenburg died. Hitler took on roles as President and Chancellor and called himself Der Führer. This was the beginning of a dictatorship

Question 26

Describe how The government was reorganised after Hitler came into power?

Answer 26

• It was reorganised into a number of provinces, each province was called a Gau, with a Gauleiter -a loyal Nazi- in charge of each
• Above them were Reichleiters who advised Hitler, e.g Goebbels who was in charge of propaganda, and Himmler who was chief of police
• At the top was the Führer- Hitler himself- who was in complete control, every aspect of life was controlled and only loyal Nazis could be successful.

Question 27

How did the Nazis use propaganda?

Answer 27

• Nazi propaganda blamed the Jews and Communists for most of Germany’s problems
• They took over all media: They controlled radio broadcasts, and used films and posters to spread their messages
• The Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda (Founded in 1933) led by Joseph Goebbels ordered that all writers, journalists and musicians must register to get their work approved
• They organised rallies of party members to present an image of popularity and power
• They also used the 1936 Berlin Olympics as an opportunity for international publicity

Question 28

How did the Nazis use censorship?

Answer 28

• They censored books, newspapers and other material
• Those who published anti-nazi material risked execution
• They used it to encourage nationalism and anti-Semitism. They praised patriotic German composers, and banned the work of Jewish composers

Question 29

True or False:

Hitler was a controlling freak?

Answer 29

True. Very fucking true.

Question 30

How did Germany become a Police State?

Answer 30

• The SS began to bodygaurd Hitler, it’s members were totally loyal to Hitler and were feared for their cruelty. Himmler was in charge of the secret police- the Gestapo
• After 1933 concentration camps across Germany spread, it’s territories held political prisoners, and anybody considered dangerous to the Nazis
• Local wardens were employed to make sure Germans were loyal to the Nazis, people were encouraged to report disloyalty, many were arrested by the Gestapo as a result.

Question 31

How did the Nazis gain the trust, then go against the Church?

Answer 31

• Many Nazis were against Christianity, it’s teaching of peace was incompatible with Nazi ideology, however they didn’t want to organise an immediate attack on it as it would be risky
• Hitler signed an agreement with the Church promising that they wouldn’t interfere with eachother in 1933, yet the Nazis tried to curb the influence of the church and there were protests.
• The Nazis tried to unite all Protestant churches into one Reich Church, and placed a Nazi Bishop at it’s head.
• Many clergy who stood up to the Nazis were put in concentration camps.

Question 32

What did the Nazis do to create jobs for the unemployed?

Answer 32

• Hitler started a huge programme of public works, which gave jobs to thousands of people
• From 1933 huge motorways were started. Unemployment fell dramatically
• The Nazis also fiddled with statistics to make unemployment look lower than it actually was, they didn’t count women or Jewish people

Question 33

How did Hitler encourage people to work?

Answer 33

All men between 18-25 could be recruited into the National Labour service and given Jobs.

1) The Nazis got rid of trade Unions, instead workers had to join the Nazis Labour Front.
2) The Nazis introduced a scheme that provided workers with cheap holidays and leisure activities, another encouraged factory owners to improve conditions for their workers
3) Output increased in Germany, and Unemployment was almost ended completely. The Nazis introduced the Volkswagen as an ambition for people to aim for
4) Wages were still relatively low though, the workers were not allowed to campaign or go on strike for better conditions

Question 34

How did Hitler re-arm Germany’s military?

Answer 34

In order to create more work Hitler built up the army forces, previously this was banned by the Treaty of Versailles so Hitler did it secretly at first.

• He sacked generals and replaced them with Nazi supporters
• In 1935 military conscription was reintroduced
• In 1936 they introduced the four year plan to prepare the country for war by becoming self sufficient, so it wouldn’t become dependant on foreign goods

Question 35

How did the outbreak of war change Germany’s economy?

Answer 35

1) More men were drafted into the army meaning more women had to work
2) Weapons production tripled
3) Later in war Germany used slave labour from conquered countries to help it’s war effort
4) Industries unrelated to the war effort were neglected
5) German society suffered as many civilians were being killed through allied bombing raids. It was soon harder to turn a blind eye to the bad side of the Nazis

Question 36

How did the Nazis create powerful youth groups?

Answer 36

• Hitler knew in order to remain strong he needed to gain loyalty from young people
• Boys aged 14 and up were put into the Hitler Youth, which was compulsory from 1939
• Girls of 14 joined the league of German maidens
• Boys wore military style uniform, and took part in lots of physical excersise
• Girls were trained in domestic skills like sewing
• Boys prepared to be soldiers, girls to be wives and mothers

Question 37

How did the Nazis take over education?

Answer 37

• Schools were made to teach Nazi propaganda, Jews were banned from teaching in schools and Universities.
• Children were encouraged to report teachers who did not support the Nazis
• Subjects like Biology and History were rewritten to support Nazi ideas. Children were indoctrinated and taught anti-Semitic ideas

Question 38

How were the women in Germany encouraged to raise large families?

Answer 38

• Nazis didn’t want women to have too much freedom as they believed their role was to stay at home and care for their families. Women existed to provide children
• The League of German Maidens spead the Nazi idea that it was a honour to produce large families in Germany, and were given rewards for doing so
• Girls were made to study subjects like cooking
• Women were banned from following their professions( What a cunt)

Question 39

What were the eight main reasons for Hitlers popularity?

Answer 39

1) He gave Germans jobs
2) The people were taught the Nazi way from an early ages
3) He made the Germans feel proud internationally
4) People felt much better off with an expanded industry
5) Massive rallies gave the impression of a strong prosperous nation
6) The army supported his aim to make Germany great again
7) Business liked the prosperity and the way Hitler attacked the communists
8) People were frightened to protest against Nazi methods- they knew they would be arrested

Question 40

Why was opposition weak under the Nazis?

Answer 40

1) Opposition was afraid of the SS or the Gesatpo
2) Most of those who voiced Nazi opposition were sent to concentration camps
3) Opposition within the party were crushed on the Night of the Long Knives
4) Opposition has to be carried out in secret which made it difficult for groups to work together
5) Nazi propaganda persuaded most people that they were better off under Hitler

Question 41

How did Hitler overcome most Resistance?

Answer 41

1) He banned opposition groups and sent many communists to concentration camps
2) Jehovah’s witnesses were persecuted for not supporting the regime- many were sent to concentration camps
3) Hundreds of clergy were arrested
4) Some Catholic protestors had some success in reducing Nazi interference with the Church though

Question 42

Describe the youth groups that did not support the Nazis? What did they do?

Answer 42

1) The Edelweiss Pirates were groups of rebellious young people who were difficult to control
2) They didn’t like being told what to do and boycotted Nazi Youth Groups
3) Some sided with the allies during the war and were executed
4) Others like the swing kids who liked banned jazz music were more of a nuisance than a threat, they wore banned colours and clothes along as having bad behavior
5) In Munich 1943 a group of youth from the non-violent anti Nazi group, the White Rose were executed for high treason

Question 43

How did resistance in the army grow during the war?

Answer 43

• Some began to believe Hitler was leading Germany to defeat
• Some organised plots against Hitler from the beginning of the war
• One of the most famous plots was by Stauffenberg, who put a bomb in the meeting room with Hitler, but he survived and Stauffenberg was executed

Question 44

What did Hitler to prove to people that Aryans were the superior race?

Answer 44

• He said slavic people and the Jewish were inferior
• He blamed the problems of German society on the Jews
• He wanted the population of Germans to be pure Aryans
• They eliminated people who were retarded, disabled, homosexual, held different beliefs or weren’t Aryan.
• Yet Hitler was angered that African- Americans at the Olympics did better than the Germans in some sports

Question 45

How did persecution of the Jewish increase during he 1930’s?

Answer 45

1) Laws stopped Jews from being German citizens
2) They banned marriage between Jews and non-Jews in Germany( Hitler still being a dickhead)
3) He banned sexual relationships between Jews and non-Jews

Question 46

Describe the events of Kristallnacht 1938?

Answer 46

1) A Jew murdered a German diplomat in paris november 1938
2) There was rioting throughout Germany- Thousands of Jewish shops were smashed and boycotted- many Jews were arrested, raped and some even murdered

Question 47

What happened to the Jews after they were put into the Ghettos?

Answer 47

1) After the invasions of Poland and Russia more Jews came over Nazi control
2) From 1940, Jewish people were forced to move into ghettos, they were separate districts of communities that were walled in and armed by police guards
3) Conditions in Ghettos were terrible, thousands died from Starvation and disease killed thousands, and rebellions were brutally put down
4) When Russia was invaded in 1941, soldiers followed with orders to kill every Jew in occupied villages and towns

Question 48

What was the Nazis final solution to destroy Jewish people in 1942?

Answer 48

1) Death camps were built in eastern europe. Gas chambers were built for mass murder
2) Mainly Jewish people were killed along with other groups such as Slavs, Black people, homosexuals, disabled people and communists
3) The biggest death camp was Auschwits
4) By the end of the war 6million were killed by the Nazis