Nazism

Question 1

In what ways did the Treaty of Versailles restrict Germany?

Answer 1

BRAT
Blame - Germany received all of the blame for WW1 (Article 231 - War guilt clause)
Reparations - they had to pay over $33billion to repair damages and support soldiers
Army - Germany was allowed no more than 100, 000 men, no tanks, aircraft or submarines over 100, 000 tonnes
Territory - lost all Africa colonies, much of other territories (e.g. PNG) were given away and West Prussia which became the Polish Corridor. They were also denied a union with Austria (Anschluss)

Question 2

What was the basis of the Weimar Republic?

Answer 2

It lasted from 1919-1933 (14 years) and was Germany’s first attempt at proper democracy and was hated from the start. Lead by Friedrich Ebert. The political system consisted of the Reichstag and the Reichsrat.

Question 3

How did the Reichstag and the Reichsrat function?

Answer 3

Reichsrat: members were appointed by each state, could veto the Reichstag’s decisions unless it was overruled by a 2/3 majority
Reichstag: elected using proportional representation and elections were held every year. This meant it was unstable and hard to get things done (constant movement and many parties). Hence, smaller parties had disproportional power and could (as NSDAP did) disrupt proceedings.

Question 4

What was the Nazi party called?

Answer 4

NSDAP - National Socialist German Worker’s Party (the DA was for Deutscher Arbeiter)

Question 5

What was the ‘Stabbed in the Back’ theory?

Answer 5

A theory that pervaded the Weimar Republic until its downfall and aided Hitler, that said that Germany had only lost WW1 due to the Jews, socialists, communists etc. who had sued for peace to sabotage the country.

Question 6

What lead to the downfall of the Weimar Republic and the rise of the Nazis?

Answer 6

SICC PEN
Stabbed in the back
Impact of the Treaty of Versailles
Constitution (the role of emergency decrees -article 48)
Coalition (instability and inefficiency)
Putsches (Sparticists, Kapp, Munich)
Economic issues (hyperinflation and Great Depression)
Nazis (rise in nationalism)

Question 7

What were the two major pieces of legislation that meant the end of democracy?

Answer 7

1. The Reichstag Fire Act (1933) - after the burning down of the Reichstag building - pinned on a communist uprising but likely the work of the Nazis, Hitler convinced Hindenburg to enact this, ‘temporarily’ curbing civil liberties (freedom of expression, press, assembly…) which was passed using article 48 (the suicide clause)
2. The Enabling Act (1933) - This allowed Hitler to bypass the Reichsrat and Reichstag as Chancellor. Hindenburg required it to receive a majority vote and so the Nazis jailed all the communist members, 20 of the socialist one, and cowed the rest into voting for it through intimidation of the SA

Question 8

Detail the rise of the Nazis/ end of democracy

Answer 8

Chancellor - Hitler is elected chancellor by Hindenburg and immediately begins appointing his people. The NSDAP still have a minority however.
Concentrates - At the beginning of 1933, the first concentration camps are opened by the SA (Dachau and Berlin) for political prisoners and ‘re-education’
Reichstag acts - the Reichstag Fire Act is enacted which sees 4000 communists arrested. Then the Enabling Act was passed the same year (Nationalist Centre party helps)
Nightly - Knight of the Long Knives (June 1934). Now that the external challenges to the party have been eliminated, Hitler consolidates the inside too, assassinating 400 people, including Ernst Roehm, the leader of the SA who Hitler perceived as a threat
Hindenburg - Hindenburg dies and Hitler takes overr, combining offices and making himself ‘Fuhrer’
Terrorises - Through establishing a terror state (Gestapo. concentration camps, SS…), propaganda - sewing fear and mistrust, and their popularity - people of Germany still like him, the Nazi party terrorises the country, more acutely certain parts and groups.

Question 9

Gleichschaltung

Answer 9

Co-ordination - the process through which Hitler took complete control of Germany

Question 10

Volksgemeinschaft

Answer 10

People’s community - a unified German race made of pure-blooded Aryan Germans

Question 11

What were the acts of Gleichschaltung?

Answer 11

April 1933 - protection of the public service (all civil servants must support the Nazi party and no Jews)
May 1933 - abolition of trade unions (all Germans were part of one organisation - DAF (German workers front)
June 1933 - abolition of political parties (other than NSDAP)
April 1934 - people’s court is set up (no right to appeal)

Question 12

How did hyperinflation happen and when?

Answer 12

1923-1924 - after Germany could no longer pay reparations, France and Belgium invaded the Ruhr. The workers in the area were ordered to stop producing to avoid resources falling into French hands. This left Germany paying reparations and the workers in the Ruhr. To deal with this they printed more money causing hyperinflation.

Question 13

What impact did the Great Depression have on NSDAP?

Answer 13

In the September 1930 elections. NSDAP seats in the Reichstag increased from 12 to 107 (18%). Their popularity soared as they offered simple solutions (in part due to Joseph Goebbels)

Question 14

What did Hitler offer each level of society as he campaigned?

Answer 14

OIURMAFW
Ordinary people were full of nationalism
Industrialists - the rebuilding of the economy
Unemployed - jobs (better economy)
Rich - preyed on their fear of communism
Middle class - remembered the GD and hyper-inflation
Army - the destruction of the Treaty of Versailles
Farmers - hated the Jews and still felt the effects of the economic downturns
Workers - stable jobs in a stable economy, good wages

Question 15

What were the 10 principles of Nazi ideology?

Answer 15

1. Authoritarianism - Fuhrer had ultimate power which was needed to accomplish anything. Because of this, no other political organisations were accepted (April 1934)
2. Totalitarianism (Gleichschaltung) - state power had few to no limits. They controlled press and civil liberties
3. Nationalism - concerned with only Germany - no international relationships. Hated democracy, treaties
4. Militarism - defied Versailles to rearm Germany -needed to expand and defend. NSDAP was militaristic.
5. Expansionism - wanted to unite German-speaking Aryans. Needed ‘Lebensraum’ for new Germany. The first step was Anschluss.
6. A ‘third way’ - everyone hated democracy and socialism (communism - Jewish plot to enslave non-Jews). The ‘alternative’ was Hitler’s regime.
7. Economic sovereignty - wanted economic prosperity, autarky & jobs and industry back. No objection to private ownership as long as it aligned with Nazis and wasn’t Jewish.
8. Traditional values - were traditionalist but portrayed themselves as progressive. Wanted return to before democracy and women’s rights - Christianity, Volkisch.
9. Racial theories - Aryans (Nordic heritage) - master race - physically stronger, smarter, more cultured. Jews etc. were Untermensch - inferior race. Taught eugenics at school and ‘genetic hygiene’
10. Volksgemeinschaft - people’s community. Everyone should unite and work together to reduce inequality, living standards etc. Realistically didn’t care but made them look cohesive and put together.

Question 16

What were the Nuremberg Laws?

Answer 16

1. Only a person of German blood is a member of Germany (including Jews). They may not vote or hold public office
2. Marriage between Jews and citizens of Germany is forbidden
3. Sexual relations outside marriage between Jews and German citizens are forbidden
4. Jews are forbidden to display the national flag or colours

Question 17

What was Nazi policy towards children?

Answer 17

A process of indoctrination including compulsory Hitler Youth attendance (which was set up more like a militaristic version of scouts with enticing activities and excursions) and school. School involved elements of Nazism in every subject, such as calculating the cost of the disabled on Germany in maths. There were also classes on eugenics, race studies and party beliefs.

Question 18

What was Nazi policy towards women?

Answer 18

Kinder, Kuche, Kirche - children, kitchen, church. This was women’s mantra. They were encouraged to have as many children as possible, being awarded the motherhood cross and certificate for having more than 4 children. For more children, you received lower rent and rebaits, as well as 25% off your marriage loan for each child. Believed that women shouldn’t have opinions in politics or military and that emancipation of women was a slogan made by the Jews.
Women had strict fashions and could only wear very conservative, feminine clothes. No make-up, perms or smoking (un-German).

Question 19

Lebensborn

Answer 19

A Lebensborn was a clinic where a racially pure woman could go to be impregnated by a racially pure SS man.

Question 20

How did the Nazis govern through fear?

Answer 20

Nazi Germany was not a police state, but fear played a decent role in its governing. Not everybody lived in terror of the Nazis and they maintained support throughout their time, however, fear was sewn through the country. Essen had approximately 1 Gestapo officer per 15, 000 people - so not that many.
The SA was grown to 3 million people under Ernst Roehm until he was assassinated in 1934 and the SA was replaced by the SS. Gestapo brutality and process of arrest was notorious and neither organisation was given restrictions by the party. None of this brutality was hidden as it increased the fear and thus control level. Informants were also common, people never knew who was an informer and who was safe so stopped speaking at all. Germans were often fine to go along with punishment as it was said to be only for ‘real enemies’, such as castration of paedophiles. Only 1 or 2% of people in Nazi Germany went through concentration camps.

Question 21

How did Nazis govern through persuasion?

Answer 21

Most people didn’t experience concentration camps and police so the Nazis were quite popular. This was very much helped by propaganda and censorship. Goebbels was in charge of this and also proved effective at rallies. All newspaper and radio were censored. Volksempfanger radios were sold very cheaply so that people were able to hear propaganda. They could only listen to shorter wavelengths - i.e. not foreign stations. They mixed the propaganda with music, comedy and drama to keep people entertained.

Question 22

What were the pillars of Nazi propaganda?

Answer 22

Repetition of simple ideas, using contempt ad emotion to manipulate, the masses are stupid, lie, marginalise and only present a single view.

Question 23

What were the four stages of the Holocaust?

Answer 23

1. Identifying and dehumanising
2. The takeover of Jewish businesses
3. The Ghetto
4. Establishment of death camps

Question 24

Albert Speer

Answer 24

His major contribution was through propaganda.
Became very powerful and close to Hitler later on. He is thought to have extended the war by up to 2 years by making Germany more efficient. He was an architect and designed the Nazis massive flags, the Reich chancellory building, the Nuremberg rallies (the “Cathedral of Light”)

Question 25

Herman Goering

Answer 25

In 1933 he became the Prussian Minister of the Interior, Commander in Chief of the Prussian Police and the Gestapo (who he founded) and Commissioner of Aviation.
Had hero-like status from WW1 and he was an aristocrat, had an explosive personality. Took part in the Munich putsch. Was given a position as a SA commander. Became President of the Reichstag in 1932. Was made responsible for the four-year plan (control over the economy). Charged the Jewish community 1 billion marks and ordered their removal from the economy.

Question 26

Heinrich Himmler

Answer 26

In charge of death and concentration camps - ultimate responsibility for the Holocaust.
Spied on other students as a child. In 1933 became police president in Munich. Set up Dachau. Played a major role in Night of the Long Knives. Built the SS into an elite organisation and was obsessed with racial purity

Question 27

Joseph Goebbels

Answer 27

Played a huge role in propaganda and was a very gifted speaker.
Had clubfoot as a child due to polio and didn’t go to war. Felt very self-conscious and overcompensated. He wasn’t initially anti-semitic (was engaged to a half-Jewish girl). Created Volksgemeinschaft, the ‘Fuhrer myth’, organised Jewish shops boycott