Nazi and Weimer Germany 12 marks: "Explain why..." Flashcards
Explain why Weimer faced opposition from extreme rights between 1918 and 1924?
Ebert was struggling to control the Friekorps:
- March 1920, Freikoprs units near Berlin due to disband.
- Feared unemployment, five thousand men marched Berlin.
Weimer could not turn the army on Freikorps:
-General Seeckt, head of the German Army, refused to fire upon Freikorps as they felt like they were still part of the Army.
Right-wing parties viewed Weimer as weak:
- Treaty of Versailles - Weimer did not get a say.
- French occupation of Ruhr - Weimers failed to resit.
- Saw them as weak and moderate compared to strong Kaiser Willem.
Explain why the Spartacist uprising failed?
The aid of the Freikorps:
- army could not put down revolt alone, needed help.
- Thousands of soldiers were released from the army but kept their weapons - right-wing strongly opposed communists.
- Numbered 250,000 men in 1919.
- Ordered German Army to organize them.
- drove rebels of the street.
Leaders shot and killed:
16th January, Luxemburg, and Liebknecht, Killed by Friekorps.
- 100,000 Workers abandoned rioting in the street when leaders were killed and Freikorps defeated them.
Explain why the Kapp putsch failed?
-In 1920, Ebert struggled to control the Freikorps. March 1920, Freikorps units near berlin due to be disbanded - fearing unemployment turned arms against the republic. But forward Kapp as there leader.
-First reason: General Seeckt refused to resist the rebels
because:
Freikorps (Ex-army).
Still considered the Freikorps as part of the.
- Second reason: Ebert called a general strike in berlin. Many workers obliged, had socialist leanings, did not want gov to be right wing, - didn’t want kaiser to return.
- Main reason: Kapp realized he could not govern, four days after Kapp putsch. put and end to Kapp putsch.
Explain why Munich Putsch failed?
-1923, Munish putsch, Government officials meeting in a beer hall. Hitler came in shot the ceiling, declared he was taking over Bavaria, and from there would march on to Berlin.
-The main barrack remained in the hands of army officers, loyal to the government.
Hitler had 1000 SA and 2000 supporters, with only 2000 guns - outgunned by the army.
Amry was still loyal to the state.
-Locals did not support the movement.
Townspeople remained indifferent, workers not wanting right-wing in charge. Failed to give support Hitler thought they would.
- Kahr, Seisser, and Lossow withdrew their support of the movement.
- Agreed to support Hitler under gun-point, withdrew as soon as released by Ludendorff.
Explain why Germany fell into Hyperinflation in 1923?
-Shortages in 1923, due to Occupation of Ruhr.
80% of German coal, iron, and steel reserves in Ruhr.
disruption of France increased German debts, increased unemployment, worsened the shortage of goods.
price of things went up, inflation.
-Government printing money due to
unemployment = less taxes + failing factories meant 1919-1923, gov income 1/4 of what was required.
Printed money for taxes. 1923 gov had 300 paper mills dedicated to printing bank notes.
more prices rose - more money printed - prices rose again.
1919 1 loaf of bread = 1 mark.
1923 1 loaf of bread = 200,000 billion marks.
Explain why Germany’s economy started recovering by 1924?
Rentenmark
- In Nov 1923, Stresemann set up a new state-owned bank - Rentenbank - issued a new currency - Rentenmark.
- Supply of notes strictly limited.
- Value tied to the price of gold.
- backed up by industrial plants and agricultural land.
- People trusted German money again.
Dawes plan, 1924
-Reparations reduced to 50 million per year
-US banks willing to give loans to German industry - loaned 25 billion to German industry between 1924 and 30.
This meant:
-industrial output doubled between 1923 and 1928.
-Employment, trade, and income from taxation increased.
Explain why there were economic problems in Weimer republic from 1919 - 1924?
Treaty of Versailles.
- Germany owed the allies £6.6 billion
- forced to cut back on investment within the country in order to clear the debt
- huge effects on living standards within the country and halted the growth of the business.
French occupation of the Ruhr.
-Majority of factories in Ruhr.
80% of coal, iron, and reserves in Ruhr.
-output of the Ruhr was benefitting France’s economy, rather than Germany
-cuts to wages, reducing public spending power.
Hyperinflation.
- Falling short on taxes, needed to pay reparations.
- Gove printing money, 300 paper mills in 1924, printing notes.
- loaf of bread 1919 1 mark, 1924 = 200,000 billion marks.
- Cycle - prices go up, money printed, the price goes up so on.
- This meant German money became virtually worthless, ruining disposable income,
- Circulation of money stopped working.
Explain Why Stresseman’s strategy in the 1920s was successful?
Set up Rentenbank, rentenmark, 1923.
- In Nov 1923, Stresemann set up a new state-owned bank - Rentenbank - issued a new currency - Rentenmark.
- Supply of notes strictly limited.
- Value tied to the price of gold.
- backed up by industrial plants and agricultural land.
- People trusted German money again.
- German money trusted home and abroad.
- Stabilising the economy.
Dawes Plan 1924
- Reparations were reduced temporarily to 50 million a year.
- American banks gave loans to the German industry, between 1924 and 1930 they loaned 25 billion.
- Allies reassured that they were getting their reparations, foreign affairs somewhat settled.
The Young Plan, 1929
-Further progress with reparations.
-Plan put forward by a committee in 1929, set up by allies, headed by American banker Owen Young.
-Reparations were reduced to 2 billion from 6.6 billion, Germany was given a further 59 years to pay them.
-Government could lower taxes on ordinary people.
-released public spending power - boosted german industry created more jobs, jobs boosted spending power which boosted more jobs. ‘Victorious cycle’.
economic growth.
-Increased confidence of germans in the Weimer Republic, the political situation in Germany was more stable.
Explain why Germany’s foreign relations recovered between 1924 and 1929?
The Locarno Pact, 1925
- Treaty between Germany, France, Britain, Italy, and Belgium.
- Unlike the treaty of Versailles, it was agreed by Germany on equal terms.
- Germany accepted the new border with France, France promised peace with Germany.
- Germany and Allies agreed Rhine land would be permanently demilitarized.
- Made war in Europe less likely.
- Germany was treated as an equal.
Germany Joining the League of Nations
- New international world body where powerful countries discussed ways of solving the world’s problems without resorting to war. Initially, Germany was excluded.
- In September 1926, Stresseman persuaded great powers to accept Germany as a member.
- Germany was given a place on the League of Nations council, which took the most important decisions of the council.
Kellog-Briand Pact
-In August 1928, Germany + 61 other countries signed Kellog Brian Pact.
-The pact promised that states would not use war to achieve foreign policy aims.
-Step forwards in foreign affairs:
Germany is now included amongst main powers, not dictated to by them.
Explain Why Germany’s economy recovered in between 1924 and 1923?
Rentenmark
- In Nov 1923, Stresemann set up a new state-owned bank - Rentenbank - issued a new currency - Rentenmark.
- Supply of notes strictly limited.
- Value tied to the price of gold.
- backed up by industrial plants and agricultural land.
- People trusted German money again.
Dawes plan, 1924
-Reparations reduced to 50 million per year
-US banks willing to give loans to German industry - loaned 25 billion to German industry between 1924 and 30.
This meant:
-industrial output doubled between 1923 and 1928.
-Employment, trade, and income from taxation increased.
The Young Plan, 1929
-Further progress with reparations.
-Plan put forward by a committee in 1929, set up by allies, headed by American banker Owen Young.
-Reparations were reduced to 2 billion from 6.6 billion, Germany was given a further 59 years to pay them.
-Government could lower taxes on ordinary people.
-released public spending power - boosted german industry created more jobs, jobs boosted spending power which boosted more jobs. ‘Victorious cycle’.
economic growth.
-Increased confidence of germans in the Weimer Republic, the political situation in Germany was more stable.
Explain Why the Munich Putsch was a failure for the NSDAP?
The Bavarian leaders failed to support the NSDAP
- Hitler walked into beer hall on Nov 8th, where Barvarian Government offcicials were meating.
- Agreed to support Hitler under gun-point, withdrew as soon as released by Ludendorff.
- Kahr, Seisser, and Lossow withdrew their support of the movement.
- This meant they did not have many powerful people backing them.
Failed to gain the support of the local ordinary people.
-Locals did not support the movement.
Townspeople remained indifferent, workers not wanting right-wing in charge. Failed to give support Hitler thought they would.
The Army did not support them
-The main barrack remained in the hands of army officers, loyal to the government.
Hitler had 1000 SA and 2000 supporters, with only 2000 guns - outgunned by the army.
Amry was still loyal to the state.
NSDAP was banned.
Explain why the NSDAP changed strategy after 1924?
Hitler was released from Prison in 1924, after just nine months of his five-year sentence.
Ban on NSDAP lifted 16 February 1925.
Failiure of the munich Putsch.
- Defeated, the Nazi party banned, Hitler went to prison.
- No longer believed he could take power over Germany by force, decided he had to be elected.
In order for them to be elected.
- The Nazi party had to be organized if they were going to be elected.
- Reorganised headquarters like a mini-state, Hitler as leader and leaders for departments of all aspects of government.
- Ready to be elected.
To appear stronger, and to make them seem like something to fear.
-The introduction of the SS in the Nazi party, a smaller group than the SA, more controlled than SA. Sa under control of Himmler, expanded to 3000 memebers by 1930. Famous and feared for menacing black uniforms introduced 1932.
Explain Why NSDAP had limited support between 1923 and 1929?
Stresemann’s new currency the Dawes Plan and the Young plan restored economic stability.
- Inflation eased
- employment increased, from 2 million in 1926 to 1.3 million in 1928.
- Cut support for extremist parties.
- moderate parties won 30% of the general vote in May 1928. Weimer Golden period.
Germany gaining more staus in the world
- Locarno Pact
- united league of nations
- Kellog-Briand pact.
- International growth of Germany’s status cut support for National parties such as the NSDSP.
Support for new Weimer president
- Ex-field marshal of the German Army - war hero.
- Gained increased support for the Weimer Republic, and cut support for parties that wanted to get rid of the Weimer part. (NSDAP)
Explain why the Bamberg Conference of 1926 was important to the development of the Nazi party?
The local power of the Gauleiters was creating a split in the Nazi party
- Strasser Goebbles based in northern, berlin, workers, emphasized the socialist part of National Socialism. Stressed benefits for workers, attacks on businessmen.
- Hitler and other leaders were from southern, more rural areas, emphasized Nationalism. Stressed strong German states and actions against the hews.
Hitler’s control of the party became clear
-Won Goebbles over to his side, Hitler rewarded Goebble with gauleiter of Berlin instead. Strasser was murdered in 1934.
The Socialist principles of the Nazi Part were weakened,
- He made the socialist wing of the Nazi Part sound more like communists than Nazis.
- He managed to win over Goebbels, who was originally one of the main emphasizers of the socialist part of National Socialism. thus weakening the socialist wing of the nazi party.
- Hitler had more freedom to adopt any policies he liked.
Explain why the condition of women in the Weimer Republic?
Women became equal in politics.
-Social democrats came to power, in 1918, gave women the right to vote.
-Gave women the right to stand for election.
-In the Weimer elections, 90% of the Wome electorate voted.
1922, 112 women had been elected to Reichstag.
-10% of the Reichstag was women by 1932.
-Rights of women strengthened by weimer republic:
-women had equal rights to men.
-marriage was an equal partnership, with equal rights on both sides.
-women should be able to enter all professions on an equal basis to men.
Women became equal to men in the workplace:
- In WW1 more women worked because men were at war.
- In 1918, 75% of women were at work. - in Jobs previously performed by men.
- Booming retail and service sectors produced many part-time jobs in shops and offices.
- Liberal professions like medicine and education.
- Female doctors rose from 2,500 to 5,000 between 1925 and 1932.
Women gained greater financial independence.
-Especially young, unmarried women who lived in cities with.
Explain why there were major cultural changes in the Weimer Period?
In the 1920s, several factors saw a surge of artistic and cultural energy change.
THE RESTRICTIONS OF THE OLD IMPERIAL REGIME OF KAISER HAD BEEN THROWN OFF
- WW1 ends in November 1918
- Kaiser abdicated on the 9th Nov
- Kaiser was a very right-wing, traditional, army leader
- The abdication lead to new ways of looking at the arts such as:
- New Objectivism (art should show life as it is - not romaticised- )
- Modernism (Art should not always hark back t the past, embrace the future, cities, and industry)
- Expressionism (Art should reflect the thoughts and feelings of the artist rather than show things as they are.)
THE NEW WEIMER CONSTITUTION INSHRINED FREEDOMS - SUCH AS FREEDOM OF SPEECH - IN LAW
- Freedom of speech and expression
- People able to write/draw about political veiws
- Modern approach
- Rights and empowerment of women.
ECONOMIC RECOVERY AFTER 1924 CREATED WEALTH TO FINANCE THE ARTS
-Hyperinflation ends in 1924
_govement begins to gain wealth - fed into art industry
-Government-supported industry by giving grants to art galleries, theatres, orchestras, museums and libraries,
explain why the wall street crash affected germany between 1992 and 1932
Wall street crashed in October 1929.
ECONOMIC PROBLEMS
- Banking crisis, german banks were major investors in American shares and lost huge amounts of money.
- People worried they could not access money in their accounts.
- People queued to take money out of banks - banks ran out of cash.
- For Example, German CIvil Servants bank went bust in 1929
- banks going bust caused more loss of money.
- Cause collapse of the economy as:
- Banks needed to cash urgently too, and demanded money back from industries, which then had to cut down on production or close down.
UNEMPLOYMENT AND FAILURE TO DEAL WITH IT
-Due to industries cutting back on workers as they did not have enough money to pay due to banks demanding returns.
-Economic crisis was worldwide - harder for companies to sell abroad - more unemployed.
-Unemployed became poorer, so could not buy as much, which meant industry had less demand, lead to more unemployment.
-From 1929-1932 there was a 40% fall in industrial output.
-in September 1929, just before wall street:
-1.3 mil were unemployed
By September 1931:
4.3 mil were unemployed
Weimer failed to deal with it:
-FIrst higher taxes to pay unemployment- benefits.
RISE IN SUPPORT FOR EXTREME PARTIES
-Failure to deal with unemployment pleased no one.
-Higher taxes were opposed by the rightwing, middle classes, and the wealthy.
-Left-wing opposed the fixed time limits on unemployment benefits.
-Life became harder and moderate parties failed to solve Germany’s economic problems people abandoned moderate parties - looked to other parties for solutions
-In May 1928, number of reivchstag seats had by… was:
SPD: 152
Nazi Party: 12
KPD: 54
and by 1932 it looked like this:
SPD: 133
Nazis: 230
KPD: 89
Explain why the Weimer government was unsuccessful between 1929 and 1923?
THE DEATH OF STRESEMANN
- Sever blow due to loss of his expertise
- He was well-liked and made the Weimer government more popular
- He had agreed to the Dawes plan in 1924 and the Locarno plan in 1929
- People were grateful as he helped recover the economy.
- His death on 3 October 1929 meant the loss of his expertise and loss of support.
THE WALL STREET CRASH - ECONOMIC PROBLEMS
- Banking crisis, german banks were major investors in American shares and lost huge amounts of money.
- People worried they could not access money in their accounts.
- People queued to take money out of banks - banks ran out of cash.
- For Example, German CIvil Servants bank went bust in 1929
- banks going bust caused more loss of money.
- Cause collapse of the economy as:
- Banks needed to cash urgently too, and demanded money back from industries, which then had to cut down on production or close down.
- Government failed to assist usefully in recovering the economy.
FAILURE TO DEAL WITH UNEMPLOYMENT
-From 1929-1932 there was a 40% fall in industrial output.
-in September 1929, just before wall street:
-1.3 mil were unemployed
-By September 1931:
-4.3 mil were unemployed
-Weimer failed to deal with it:
-Chancellor Bruning tried to help by introducing
1 - Higher taxes to pay unemployment benefits (Very opposed by the middle class, right-wingers, and wealthy people)
2 - A fixed time limit on unemployment benefits, to make payments more affordable. (Opposed by left-wing and working-class)
-Laws won Weimer no support
-Bruning lost control of the Reichstag, the economy and the streets, he resigned in 1932.
Explain why Hitler and the Nazi Party appealed to German society between 1929 and 1932?
A STRONG ALTERNATIVE TO WEIMER - WITH HITLER WHO WAS SEEN AS A STRONG LEADER
- Fed up with Weimer - through Weimer was weak and bullied by other nations
- Hitler was a strong leader and promised:
- To restore law and order
- to force other countries to get rid of ToV and treat Germany right
- Hitler also had a personal appeal:
- Featured a lot in Nazi posters
- Spoke in many parts of the country
-The Nazis were also supported by wealthy businesses.
THE SUPPORT OF THE SA
- SA seemed very organized, disciplined, and reliable.
- During economic turmoil - SA made Nazis appear strong enough to control unrest and stand against foreign powers.
- By 1932 - SA has 400,000 stormtroopers, more than the KPDs red front fighters who had 130,000.
THEY APPEALED TO LOTS OF DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF SOCIETY
- Big businesses: Hilter persuaded them that NSDAP was good protection against the rise of the communists - also benefited the Nazis’ finances.
- Supported working class: Nazis supported traditional German values. To attract working-class voters their posters promised ‘Work and bread’
- Middle-class Support: Often owned land and businesses. Supported Hitler because Strong leader who could help the country recover after losing their savings in the great depression, After 1929, they feared the growth of communist parties. Didn’t like moral decline under Weimer, Nazis had traditional veiws.
- Farmers: SUpported because they feared communists getting into power and confiscating their land - Nazis seen as protection against this, 60% of Nazis voted from rural areas.
