part 2: impact of the depression

Question 1

when was the wall street crash?

Answer 1

october 1929

Question 2

why did the wall street crash occur?

Answer 2

the american stock market collapsed

Question 3

why did the wall street crash affect germany?

Answer 3

-they relied on loans from america through the dawes plan to pay their reparations and maintain their own economy
-america couldn’t loan them anything now and asked for some money back
-germany couldn’t pay it
-so germany’s economy collapsed

Question 4

what was germany’s economic recovery built on and why?

Answer 4

unstable foundations as it relied on american money

Question 5

what was the impact of the great depression on the whole world?

Answer 5

sparked an international economic crisis

Question 6

direct impacts of germany’s economy collapsing on the economy

Answer 6

-factories closed
-banks went out of business
-industrial production into a decline

Question 7

social impact of economy collapsing

Answer 7

mass unemployment

Question 8

give the unemployment statistic

Answer 8

1.6 million people unemployed in october 1929, 6 million by february 1932

Question 9

what did the government do to tackle unemployment (trick question) and why?

Answer 9

-nothing to help
-they cut unemployment benefits as they couldn’t afford to support the large number of germans out of work

Question 10

political impact of great depression

Answer 10

rise in support for extremist parties

Question 11

give the increase/decrease in support for each 3 party?

Answer 11

from 1928 to july 1932:
-nazis 3% of seats to 37%
-KPD 11% to 17%
-SPD 30% to 20%

Question 12

why did extremist parties rise?

Answer 12

lack of support for weimar (tax raise, chaos, benefits cut) combined with economic instability: the extremists were promising what the germans wanted, radical solutions to their problems

Question 13

when was the KDP founded, what was it, what was the aims/why did the get support?

Answer 13

-1918
-communist party
-wanted a worker’s revolution, promised to represent workers’ needs
-so gained support from the unemployed

Question 14

how did the great depression lead to unemployment?

Answer 14

-industries told to pay back money lent to them by banks
-could not then pay workers so jobs were lost
-other countries were suffering from the depression so couldn’t trade with germany so factories lost even more money so couldn’t pay workers
-unemployed germans couldn’t afford to buy german goods leading to even more unemployment

Question 15

why did the weimar government not help, what did they do and effect?

Answer 15

-raised taxes
-chancellor heinrich bruning had to use 44 emergency decrees to get things done
-government couldn’t make decisions and just argued
-chaos made germany look weak

Question 16

why did the SA look appealing?

Answer 16

they wore smart uniforms so they looked wealthy, organised, aggressive, powerful

Question 17

why did the unemployed support hitler?

Answer 17

-he promised ‘bread and work’ for all
-promised ‘law and order’ in the streets to tackle crime

Question 18

why did the working class support hitler?

Answer 18

-had wages cut during depression, and job losses
-promise of ‘break and work’
-term ‘socialist’ in NSDAP

Question 19

why did the middle class support hitler?

Answer 19

-saw hitler as strong, he could return their wealth they had lost in depression
-hated communism as they wanted to be richer than the poor, not equal
-liked traditional values promised by hitler

Question 20

why did business owners and the rich support hitler?

Answer 20

-promised it was the only party to protect them from communism
-promised to increase factory production

Question 21

why did the young support hitler?

Answer 21

-nazis were exciting, new, colourful and used modern technology
-exciting speeches with passion and hope for future

Question 22

why did women support hitler?

Answer 22

-promised women that a vote for nazis was a vote for their family
-made traditional life look attractive

Question 23

why did support for the nazis increase (4 main reasons + explanations)?

Answer 23

-fear of communism: middle and upper class germans voted nazi as they promised to rid communism
-hitler’s change in tactics: recruited more loyal followers, better use of propaganda, hitler took part in parades, new technology, made them look organised, modern and disciplined
-appeal of hitler: magnetic personality, powerful and inspiring speaker
-unhappiness with weimar: weimar politicians couldn’t agree, constantly argued, chaos, raised taxes, cut benefits

Question 24

describe the nazi’s use of propaganda

Answer 24

-josef goebbels was in charge
-held mass rallies, placed posters in prominent places and placed banners wherever: nazis were everywhere
-by early 1930s, nazis owned over 120 newspapers

Question 25

describe the nazi’s use of the SA

Answer 25

-private army
-used to provide protection for nazi meetings and disrupt meetings of opponents
-ernst rohm leader
-engaged in street fights

Question 26

describe the nazi’s use of financial support

Answer 26

-received money from leading industrialists e.g krupp
-as they were terrified of communist threat

Question 27

what were the key nazi beliefs?

Answer 27

-unification of germans
-t of v destroyed
-lebensraum
-provide jobs
-large army
-hatred of communism
-work and bread
-traditional family values
-germany would be strong again, one leader

Question 28

describe hitler’s image

Answer 28

-family man
-sex appeal
-angry
-passion and emotion
-single
-patriotic

Question 29

how did the nazi’s organise themselves?

Answer 29

-SA brownshirts
-led by ernst rohm
-2 million members, most unemployed or ex-soldiers
-instil fear, intimidation

Question 30

how did mein kampf help the nazis?

Answer 30

-It reinstated key political ideas to the public and cemented the belief system of the Nazi party
-People referred to it as a religious text, and Hitler was seen as Germany’s saviour.

Question 31

how did propaganda help them gain support?

Answer 31

It was targeted at specific groups, and this made individuals feel recognised by the party

Question 32

how many SA members were there by the end of which year?

Answer 32

170,000 members by end of 1931