germany- germany and the depression Flashcards
what caused the depression
America had grown rich after the First World War, by
manufacturing goods such as cars and fridges in America
and selling them all over the world. Some Americans even
had money to spare and bought shares in companies
and businesses, hoping to make a profit. Some borrowed
money from banks in order to join this share-buying trend.
However, in October 1929, what is now known as the Wall
Street Crash occurred. Many Americans hadn’t made as
much money as hoped from their shares and decided to
sell them very quickly. But the share prices dropped as
more and more people tried to sell their shares. Millions
of Americans couldn’t sell their shares for as much as
they had paid for them. Some couldn’t pay the banks back
either and were left ruined as debt collectors took their
cars and homes. Soon, many Americans couldn’t afford to
buy any new goods at all and as a result, firms went out of
business and millions lost their jobs.
the impact of the depression on germany
Americans didn’t just buy goods that were made in the
USA; they also bought items from Germany, Italy, Britain
and Japan. The Depression meant that Americans couldn’t
afford these things anymore, so foreign factories had
to shut down. Germany was hit particularly hard by the
Depression. Goods made in German factories, such as
cars, electrical goods and clothing, were not selling, so
factories had to close down and millions became jobless.
To make matters worse, American banks demanded back
all the money they had lent to Germany after the First
World War. German banks tried to get this money back
from German businesses, which could not pay, and so
went bankrupt. People were soon living on the streets
jobless, hungry, angry, and full of resentment.
the growth in support for extreme parties due to depression
Unemployment and hunger changed the way many
Germans thought and behaved. Millions blamed the
Weimar government for their problems. People were
prepared to listen to political parties (like left-wing
Communists and right-wing Nazis] whose leaders
promised them radical solutions to all Germany’s
problems, and ways of making their lives better.
Interpretation C demonstrates how one of these
groups gained a supporter.
growth of nazi party- the depression
The Depression hit Germany hard. Businesses collapsed, unemployment
soared and banks closed, but this helped Hitler. Those voters who
had paid little attention to Hitler in the 1920s now started listening to
him. The Nazis continued to repeat their core beliefs: that the Treaty
of Versailles was a crime to Germany, that Jews should be blamed for
the economic problems, and that Germany should be reborn as a great
and powerful country. Their message was still the same as in the early
1920s, except that now desperate Germans wanted to believe them and
to vote for them.
the growth of the nazi party- germans were unhappy with the weimar government
the weimar politicians couldn’t agree on how to help the unemployed to get germany out of the depression: they argued constantly and achieved very little. both chancellors müller and brüning made very little impact. at one point brüning was passing laws by using the presidents emergency decrees and making them legal under article 48. However, when Brüning
tried to pass laws to seize
rich people’s land and give
it to poor peasants, the
new President Hindenburg
quickly withdrew his
support (Hindenberg
himself owned lots of
land]. Without this support,
Brüning resigned. For many ordinary Germans then, the democratic
system of Weimar Germany was just not working.
Some people, who had always tried hard to support
the key principles of democracy, were drawn towards
political parties (both left- and right-wing) with more
extreme ideas about how to run the country.
growth of the nazi party- the appeal of adolf hitler
hitler himself had a lot to do with his increasing popularity. he had a charismatic personality and could make people believe that he could be trusted to make germany a great nation. as a powerful and inspiring speaker, he was able to fill his audience with hope
growth of the nazi party- fear of the rise of other german extremist parties such as the communists
In 1917, there had been a communist revolution
in Russia, and the Communist Party took over all
businesses and farms. There had been attempts
by German communists to take over Germany in
the years after the end of the First World War too.
As a result, middle- and upper-class Germans,
particularly businessmen and landowners, were
frightened of German communists. They didn’t
want to lose the wealth and position in society
that they had worked so hard to build. Communists
didn’t believe in religious institutions either, so
this worried churchgoers too. From the start, Hitler
said he would fight communism. He sent his own
private army, the Stormtroopers (SA), to fight with
communist gangs. Hitler gained support from the
German middle and upper classes because he
promised to deal with the communist threat.
growth of the nazi party- nazi party structure, methods and tactics
Hitler thought he could become Germany’s ruler by
leading armed soldiers in a revolution. He tried this
in 1923 but his Munich Putsch failed. He realised
that he needed to change tactics, so he decided
to win power legally by winning votes in elections.
After prison, Hitler and the Nazis started to spread
their ideas systematically and to build up support
through an effective combination of persuasion and
intimidation:
Nazi Party offices were set up all over Germany to
recruit more loyal followers. There were 100,000
men in the SA by 1931, growing to 400,000 by
1932. The SA protected Hitler’s meetings and
tried to influence voters at elections.
The Nazi Party made use of propaganda through
new media like radio broadcasts and cinema
news reports. They also bought newspapers
and printed millions of leaflets and posters to
persuade and influence Germans to their ways
of thinking. Hitler made one of his most loyal followers, Joseph Goebbels, the chief Nazi
propagandist from 1928
Hitler himself took part in fabulous parades to
show off the Nazi power, and rallies where he
made passionate speeches.
The Hitler Youth Organisation was set up to
encourage younger followers. Special clubs and
camping trips were organised for young Nazis
where they could learn to fire guns, wrestle, read
maps and build campfires.
After the Depression hit Germany in the 1930s, the
Nazis appeared the most organised and disciplined
group in the country - a party that might restore
the nation’s greatness. Hitler used new technology
in new ways. In 1932, he used an aeroplane to take
him to 20 cities in seven days to make election
speeches. This, and his constant use of radio, which
had only recently become widely popular, showed
how ‘in touch’ and modern the Nazis were.
voting for the nazis- farmers
The Nazis are popular in the countryside. Farmers have been hit hard by the Depression; people are not buying as much food and farmers have had to lower prices. The Weimar government didn't help farmers either. The Nazis have promised farmers higher prices for their crops, a better quality of life, and higher status in German society. The Nazis also hate communists - and if communists took over they would seize the land that families have farmed for generations.
voting for the nazis- middle class
Middle-class people - small business
owners, bank workers, doctors,
managers - vote for the Nazis in
large numbers. Some people’s wages
have been cut by the government in
the Depression, and large groups of
unemployed youths are all over the place.
The middle class fear that law and order
might break down or a communist
takeover could destroy their way of life.
They want the Weimar government to
be strong, but they just seem to argue between
themselves. The Nazis promise to deal with
problems decisively - and their Stormtroopers are
not afraid to take on communists. The Nazis seem
to show order and discipline in this time of chaos.
voting for the nazis- women
The Nazis appeal to many women voters. They say that family life, good morals and self-discipline are important. Some women agree with Hitler when he said that over the last 10 years 'our youth have been exposed to a flood of muck and filth, in word and print, in the theatre and in the cinema'. The Nazis promise to sort this out!
voting for the nazis- soldiers
Hitler is an old soldier who knows the value of a powerful army, navy and air force. He promised to tear up the Treaty of Versailles signed by weak Weimar politicians, and make this country strong once more. Many young people want to be a part of Germany's bright future and get jobs in the armed forces or building new homes, motorways and hospitals. People who have heard Hitler speak are won over by the sheer force of his beliefs.
voting for the nazis- upper class
The upper classes and rich factory owners might not support everything the Nazis want, but they do support them on some key issues. They have promised the wealthy classes strong leadership and a more powerful nation, like the 'good old days' when Germany was feared and respected throughout Europe. Hitler has promised to allow them to run factories how they want, and his plans to use their factories to build weapons, battleships and fighter planes mean they might make even more money. The Nazis will fight communists too, and not let them take their businesses.
the 1930 reichstag election
There was an election in September 1930. A year after
the Depression hit the country, unemployment had
more than doubled in Germany, to around three million.
As usual, a coalition government was formed since no
single party won a majority, and Heinrich Brüning, a
Centre Party politician, became the Chancellor. However,
Brüning was not a popular Chancellor because he
reduced unemployment pay and increased taxes
for everyone.
However, one very significant event happened during
this election. Hitler, who was hoping to get 50 or so
seats (or politicians) in the Reichstag, gained far more
than that. The Nazi Party was now the second largest
party in the Reichstag.
the 1932 reichstag election
The increasingly unpopular Brüning resigned in
July 1932 and Hindenburg appointed another Centre
Party politician, Franz von Papen. Von Papen didn’t have
much support either, so called an election. The results
were astonishing: the Nazis were now the largest
political party.
