Growth in Nazi Support (Wall Street Crash) Flashcards
What is the Wall Street Crash?
1929, share prices began to fall on the Wall Street stock exchange
- investment value fell
- people rushed to sell their shares
- 13 millions shares were sold
- investors lost $4,000 million
What were the economic effects of the Wall Street Crash?
German major investors in the US stock exchange- suffered huge loss
- German banks lost huge amounts of money
Why did the Wall Street Crash cause an economic collapse on Germany?
banks demanded money back from business in industry and agriculture
German industries and farmers had to cut production or close down
How did the Wall Street Crash lead to unemployment?
German farms/industries had to scale back production so reduced the number of employees
unemployed germans couldn’t afford much so sales fell further and more workers were unemployed
What issues did unemployed German face?
- taxes were raised
- unemployment benefits were cut
What issues did German workers face?
- employers cut wages
- taxes rose
Why was there an increase in homelessness in Germany?
- could no longer afford rent
- shanty towns increased
- crime rates increased as people were desperate
What did the Weimar government propose?
- higher taxes to pay for unemployment benefit
Why was there a rise for kPD and NSDAP?
moderate parties were unable to solve Germany’s economic problems
Why was the support for the KPD strong amongst working class?
- growing unemployment, 5 million
- falling wages, 15% lower
Why did the popularity of the SA increase?
- uniformed SA implied they were reliable, organised, disciplined
- disrupted opposition parties
Why was Hitler seen as a strong leader?
- wanted to restore law and order
- disliked Treaty of Versailles
How did the Nazis appeal to big businesses?
- promised protection from the communists
- wealthy businessman invested in the NSDAP
How did the Nazis appeal to the working-class?
- policies appealed to workers (traditional German values)
- promised people ‘Work and Bread’ in their posters
How did the Nazis appeal to the middle-class?
middle-class lost savings/pensions, Hitler was seen as a strong leader
- afraid of the growing communist party (abolish business ownership of land and businesses)
- Hitler was seen as a strong party for protection
- moral decline (open drinking and sexual openness) Nazis supported traditional German values
