Impact of the Depression

Question 1

when did the depression begin?

Answer 1

the wall street crash, october 1929

Question 2

what can the impacts of the depression on germany be categorised into?

Answer 2

1. Economic
2. Political
3. Social

Question 3

what were the economic impacts of the depression on germany? (2)

Answer 3

• american banks were demanding back the money they had lent to germany after ww1; german banks tried to reclaim this money from german businesses, but they could not pay and went bankrupt
• americans that had been buying german goods couldn’t afford any of those things and many german factories shut down; people lost their jobs

Question 4

what were the political impacts of the depression on weimar germany? (3)

Answer 4

• people started listening to extremist parties that promised radical solutions to germany’s problems
• in the 1930 election, the communists seats increased from 54 to 77
• nazi support increased from 12 seats in 1928 to 107 seats in 1930

Question 5

what were the social impacts of the depression on weimar germany? (1)

Answer 5

• people were living on the streets, jobless, hungry and angry at their political leaders who they blamed for their problems

Question 6

what were the five reasons for the growth of the nazi party?

Answer 6

1. The Depression
2. Unhappy with the Weimar Democracy
3. Appeal of Hitler
4. Fear of Communism
5. Structure of the Nazi Party

Question 7

how did the depression contribute to the growth of the nazi party? (3)

Answer 7

• by 1932, unemployment stood at six million
• the nazis promised to create jobs
• they also continued to repeat their core beliefs; the TOV was a crime, Jews should be blamed for all of germany’s economic problems; germany should be reborn

Question 8

how did people being unhappy with the weimar government contribute to the growth of the nazi party? (3)

Answer 8

• weimar politicians could never agree on how to help the country; they argued constantly and achieved very little
• during this time, hindenburg appointed many different chancellors but none of them were able to help significantly
• people started turning to extremist parties (nazis, communists) who were providing solutions to the problems that the weimar government couldn’t

Question 9

how did the appeal of hitler contribute to the growth of the nazi party? (3)

Answer 9

• hitler had a very charismatic personality and good oratory skills to go with it
• he made people believe that he was trusted to make germany a stronger nations; he filled his audiences with hope
• listening to him talk, people thought that instead of hopeless unemployment, they could move into a time of economic recovery

Question 10

how did fear of communism contribute to the growth of the nazi party? (3)

Answer 10

• middle and upper class people were worried that, if communists came into power, they would lose all their wealth and position in society
• hitler had been expressing his hate for the communists since the beginning of his campaign
• he even sent his own personal army (the SA) to deal with communist gangs, ultimately getting the middle and upper class people of germany on his side

Question 11

how did the structure of the nazi party contribute to the growth of the nazi party? (4)

Answer 11

• nazi party offices were set up all over germany; 100,000 men in the SA in 1931, 400,000 men in the SA by 1932.
• nazi propaganda through the use of radios and newspapers, they printed millions of leaflets and posters
• hitler took part in mass parades and rallies to display nazi power
• hitler youth organisation (1922)