Hitler's Germany, 1929-1945

Question 1

When did the Reichstag fire happen:

Answer 1

Night of 27 February 1933 - during the election campaign

Question 2

What was life like under Hitler…

Answer 2

He…

Question 3

When did Hitler become Chancellor:

Answer 3

January 1933

Question 4

How did Hitler become Chancellor:

Answer 4

Increasingly clear President Hindenburg could not continue to work with a chancellor who did not have support in the Reichstag

Von Papen simply couldn’t pass any of the measures he wanted

Hindenburg and von Papen decided to make Hitler chancellor

Question 5

The most important reason Hitler was able to establish a dictatorship was because of the use of threats and violence. How far do you agree. 12 mark question.

Answer 5

Role of SA

Role of SS

Hitler Youth

Gestapo

Economical prosperity - job creation schemes

Destroyed the treaty of Versailles

Germans got pride back

Question 6

Nuremberg laws 1935:

Answer 6

Jews could no longer be German citizens

Marriages between Jews and Aryans were forbidden

Jews had to wear a yellow star on their clothing

Question 7

Boycott 1933:

Answer 7

Nazis organised a boycott of all Jewish businesses, doctors, dentists…

Jewish shops were marked with the Star of David

In education, Jewish children were intimidated at school and Germans were taught that Jews were unclean and responsible for German defeat in WW1

Question 8

Kristallnacht:

Answer 8

November 1938, a polish Jew, Herschel Grynszpan, shot a German diplomat in Paris.

Hitler ordered immediate attack on Jews and their property in Germany

9-10 November - thousands of Jewish businesses were attacked and 200 synagogues burned down

Question 9

How many Jews had died by the end of the war:

Answer 9

More than 1 million Jews had been killed in the gas chambers at Auschwitz

At least 2 million more Jews were killed in other death camps

Many perished as a result of terrible conditions in concentration camps and ghettos

Altogether about 6 million Jews had died by 1945.

Question 10

Impact of the Wall Street Crash and the depression:

Answer 10

Many American ankhs forced to recall their loans. German companies were unable to pay.

German businesses began to close.

Millions lost jobs. By 1932, number of unemployed had reached 6 million.

Many became homeless as could not afford rent

More people felt left down by the Weimar Government and turned to extremist parties

Question 11

The economy after Hitler came to power:

Answer 11

Hitler promised jobs

Public work schemes (RAD)

Auto balms

Military spending on weapons

Question 12

Why did the Night of the long knives take place:

Answer 12

German army saw the SA as a rival - army would not support Hitler unless the SA was disbanded

Some members of the SA looked to Hitler to follow a socialist programme of reform - Hitler was opposed to this since he knew he would love the support of wealthy industrialists

Röhm was a threat to Hitlers dominance of the Nazi party

Question 13

When was the night of the Long Knives:

Answer 13

30th June 1934

Question 14

How many SA leaders killed in the Night of the Long Knives:

Answer 14

400 SA leaders were killed including the SA leader Ernest Röhm

Question 15

Who killed all the SA in the Night of the along Knives:

Answer 15

The SS

Question 16

What had been happening to the SA before the Night of the Long Knives:

Answer 16

Röhm had threatened Hitler and he believed the SA should be at the core of a new peoples army

Question 17

What happened at the night of the Long Knives:

Answer 17

SS assassination squads murdered Hitlers potential SA rivals, including Röhm

Question 18

What did Hitler need to pass an enabling act:

Answer 18

To obtain the votes of two-thirds of the Reichstag members

Question 19

How many votes did Hitler get in order to pass the enabling act:

Answer 19

He had the support of only just over half. That was not enough.

Question 20

What did Hitler do in order to pass the Enabling Act:

Answer 20

Hitler ordered his SA to continue intimidating the opposition

The 81 communist members of the Reichstag were expelled

Atmosphere heavy with violence and threats, the enabling Act was passed by 441 votes to 94.

Hitler given power to rule for four years without consulting the Reichstag

Question 21

When did Hindenburg die:

Answer 21

Just over one month after the Night of the Long Knives

Question 22

What did Hitler do after Hindenburg’s death:

Answer 22

Combined the posts of Chancellor and President and also became Commander in chief of the armed forces.

Soldiers now swore personal allegiance to Hitler, who officially became known as see Führer

Question 23

What tactics did the SS and Gestapo use:

Answer 23

Terror tactics to intimidate, arrest and even kill any possible opponents

Question 24

Who were often arrested by the SS and Gestapo:

Answer 24

Enemies of the nazis, such as liberals, socialists and communists.

They were often sent to concentration camps without trial

Question 25

Who was Hitlers minister of propaganda:

Answer 25

Josef Goebbels

Question 26

Goebbels used his power to control all information that reached the German people such as:

Answer 26

Newspapers censored by government and allowed to print stories favourably to the Nazis

Radio controlled by government. Cheap radios manufacture so that most Germans could afford one.

Question 27

What could the Gestapo do in regards to concentration camps:

Answer 27

Could hold anyone arrested in ‘protective custody’ in concentration camps

Question 28

Who were the concentration camps run by:

Answer 28

The SS guards under the orders of the SS leader, Heinrich Himmler.

Question 29

Who were mainly in concentration camps in the early years:

Answer 29

Political prisoners

Question 30

What did teachers have to belong to:

Answer 30

To the German Teachers’ League and follow a Nazi curriculum

Question 31

How did Hitler control education and youth movements:

Answer 31

School textbooks were rewritten in support of Nazi ideas and history

Children were taught that the Aryan race was superior to others

Outside school, parents encouraged to allow children to join youth groups organised by Nazis, where they were indoctrinated with Nazi ideas and beliefs

Question 32

Effects of Nazi policy on women’s lives:

Answer 32

Hitler stated Women’s role was Kinder, Küche, Kirche (children, kitchen and the church)

Law for reduction of unemployment, there was financial incentives for women to stay at home

Nazis wanted wanted to encourage as many births as possible of ‘racially pure’ children. There were financial incentives for this

Most productive mothers received special medals

German women who had held positions of responsibility before 1933 lost status. Female doctors and civil servants were sacked.

Campaigns to direct how women should dress and look

Women happy to be mothers and remained loyal to their Führer were very happy with their lifestyle

Question 33

What did Hitler state was women’s role:

Answer 33

Hitler stated Women’s role was Kinder, Küche, Kirche (children, kitchen and the church)

Question 34

What did the law of reduction of unemployment do for women:

Answer 34

Provide Financial incentives for women to stay at home

Question 35

Why did the Nazis want women to have more children:

Answer 35

Nazis wanted wanted to encourage as many births as possible of ‘racially pure’ children. There were financial incentives for this.

Question 36

What happened to women who had lots of children:

Answer 36

Most productive mothers received special medals

Question 37

What happened to German women who held status after 1933:

Answer 37

German women who had held positions of responsibility before 1933 lost status. Female doctors and civil servants were sacked.

Question 38

What were Nazi campaigns held for women for:

Answer 38

Campaigns to direct how women should dress and look

Question 39

Generally in Hitlers Germany were women happy:

Answer 39

Women happy to be mothers and remained loyal to their Führer were very happy with their lifestyle

Question 40

How were Hitler and the Nazis able to exploit the Reichstag Fire:

Answer 40

Nazis quick to blame the Communist Party

Hitler persuaded President Hindenburg to pass an emergency law restricting personal liberty

Question 41

Who was arrested for the Reichstag Fire:

Answer 41

A communist, Marinus van der Lubbe

Question 42

What does Gleichschaltuung mean:

Answer 42

Coordination.

Question 43

What was Gleichschaltuung:

Answer 43

A nazi term for the process by which the Nazi regime successively established a system of totalitarian control and coordination over all aspects of society.