Glossary: Depth Study Germany Flashcards
armistice
ceasefire, an end to the fighting
Treaty of Versailles
the Treaty that ended WW1
reparations
the compensation Germany was made to pay to the allies (set at 6.6 billion pounds)
diktat
an agreement forced upon someone
dolchstoss
‘the stab in the back’ said about the Weimar politicians when they signed the TofV
November Criminals
term used for politicians that signed the TofV
Weimar Republic
name given to the new democratic government Germany got after WW1 (1918-1933)
Reichstag
main house in the German Parliament
Proportional representation
system of voting where the numbers of seats you have in the Reichstag is based off the % of votes gained. Led to lots of political parties
coalition
a Government formed from two or more political parties
compromise
where no-one gets precisely what they want, they have to give way to other parties’ wished and views
article 48
rule in Weimar Constitution that says President can pass laws alone if no agreement can be reached in the Reichstag
hyperinflation
were the value of money falls so rapidly it becomes worthless
Ruhr region
part of Germany the French and Belgian soldiers occupied to seize goods when the Germans failed to pay reparations
sabotage
deliberately breaking equipment and machinery to prevent others using it
Rosa Luxembourg
leader of the Spartacists
Karl liebknecht
leader of the Spartacists
Wolfgang Kapp
leader of the Freikorps’ attempt to seize power
Spartacists
left wing group who wanted a Communist revolution, like in Russia. Attempted to seize control of Berlin in 1919
Freikorps
right wing group made up mainly of returning soldiers. Gave military support to right wing political parties
Rentenmark
the new currency issued by Stresemann to replace the worthless German mark
Dawes Plan
introduced in 1924 to reduce Germany’s annual reparation bill
Young Plan
introduced in 1929, reduced the overall amount of reparations to 2 billion pounds and gave them another 59 years to pay
Locarno Pact
1925 - improved relations between France, Germany and Belgium
League of Nations
international org. set up after WW1 to try and maintain peace
Gustav Stresemann
Key political figure (chancellor, then foreign minister) during Germany’s good years (1924-1928)
Kellogg-Briand Pact
agreement between 69 countries, including Germany, not to use war to achieve foreign policy aims
DAP
The German Workers Party - the party that later became the Nazi Party
Anton Drexler
leader of DAP
NSDAP
National Socialist German Workers Party - the official name for the Nazi party
Swastika
the crooked cross symbol of the Nazi Party
Mein Kampf
‘My Struggle’. The book Hitler wrote whilst in prison
Munich Putsch
Hitler’s failed attempt to seize power in 1923
Propaganda
Methods (speeches, posters etc) to make people believe what you want them to believe. Used very effectively by the Nazis
Josef Goebbels
Nazi minister for propaganda
Wall St Crash
The collapse of USA’s financial markets in Oct 1929 which led to the worldwide Great Depression
SA (stormtroopers/brownshirts)
the first private army of the Nazi Party
SS
replaced the SA in power and influence - began as a personal bodyguard for Hitler
Ernst Rohm
leader of SA murdered in 1934
Night of Long Knives
term used to describe the culling of the SA
State of emergency
a crisis so great that normal rules of government are suspended and the rulers are given extra powers
Gestapo
secret police - could arrest and send people to concentration camps without trial
Concentration Camps
Nazis ultimate weapon against their own people. Harsh forced labour camps. Many deaths through beating, lack of food, overwork
The 3 Ks - Kinder, Kirche, Kuche
Children, Church, Kitchen, the Nazi ideal for women
Lebensborn programme
Life Springs Programme ‘donate a baby to the Fuhrer’
Hitler Youth
Youth Groups set up by the Nazis to train young people to be good Nazis
Edelweiss Pirates
rebel groups of teenagers who did not conform with Nazi expectations
Scapegoat
an individual or group who is blamed for everything that goes wrong
Nuremberg Laws
laws passed in 1935 that persecuted Jews and other minority groups
Kristallnacht
Night of Broken Glass - state organised violence against German Jews and their property
Einsatzgruppen
special SS squads responsible for mass shooting of Jews, especially in Russia
Ghettos
small areas in cities walled off where Jewish people were forced to live in appalling conditions
Wannsee Conference
Conference in Jan 1942 where leading Nazis took he decision to try and exterminate the remaining Jews of Europe through gassing
Concordat
an agreement made between Hitler and the Pope about the Catholic Church
rearmament
policy of increasing armed forces and weapons in preparation for war
Strength through Joy (KDF)
Set up to replace banned trade unions. Gave people leisure time activities
Beauty of Work
designed to improve working conditions for people (eg canteens, better lighting, washing facilities)
