Rise to Power Knowledge

Question 1

Wall Street Crash

What happened with unemployment?

Answer 1

Unemployment rose to over 6 million by 1932.

Question 2

Wall Street Crash

What happened with farmers?

Answer 2

Many farmers were hit by high interest rates and falling argicultural prices.

Question 3

Wall Street Crash

What happened to the banks?

Answer 3

In 1931, five major banks closed down

Question 4

Wall Street Crash

What was Bruining’s government response?

Answer 4

Bruining’s government chose to do very little, partly in the hope to avoid paying reparations and partly because they feared hyperinflation

Question 5

Wall Street Crash

What did Von Papen’s government do in response?

Answer 5

Von Papen’s government started to intervene after reparations were stopped in 1931.

Question 6

Wall Street Crash

What happened to war victims pensions?

Answer 6

Between 1928 and 1933, war victim’s pensions were cut by 1/3.

Question 7

Wall Street Crash

What did Hindenburg have to resort to?

Answer 7

Hindenburg had to resort to using Article 48 to rule by decree and call elections in September 1930 when divided politicians could not agree with cutting unemployment payments.

Question 8

Appeal of Hitler and the Nazis

Nazi policies

Answer 8

• Lebensraum - all Germans to live together in one (larger) Germany
• destroy the Treaty of Versailles
• Germany’s colonies and land to be returned
• only people of the German race can be German
• end of the Weimar Republic
• restore law and order
• ban trade unions
• destroy communism
• provide jobs and employment for all Germans
• create a state in which Germany is completely self-sufficient
• restore Germany’s reputation as an industrial superpower
• restore the German army

Question 9

Appeal of Hitler and the Nazis

What would be shown on Nazi propaganda?

Answer 9

• a scapegoat/enemy
• jobs
• fear of uncertainty/instability
• Hitler as a saviour
• food

Question 10

Appeal of Hitler and the Nazis

How did Joseph Goebbels help with propaganda?

Answer 10

Joseph Goebbels used many different methods to promote propaganda using a combination of modern media, like films and radio and traditional campaigning methods like posters and newspapers. Hitler had appointed Goebbels to establish the Reich Chamber of Culture in 1933.

Question 11

Appeal of Hitler and the Nazis

What was the Hitler myth?

Answer 11

It was through this technique Goebbels managed to build an image of Hitler as a strong, stable leader that Germany would need to become a great power again. This image of Hitler became known as the Hitler myth.

Question 12

Appeal of Hitler and the Nazis

What was the most notable Hitler rally?

Answer 12

The most notable rally was the Nuremburg; these rallies were held annually from 1923 to 1938 in Nurnberg in Bavaria.

Question 13

The role of other politicians

Heinrich Bruning

Answer 13

Heinrich Bruning became Chancellor in 1930. He took charge and as he feared inflation more than employment, he chose to increase taxes to reduce the budget deficit instead of increasing government spending to stimulate the economy. After this action, he decided to lower wages and spending reductions in place in an attempt to lower prices.

Question 14

The role of other politicians

Kurt Von Schleicher

Answer 14

• Schleicher originally persuaded Hindenburg to appoint Bruning as Chancellor. Schleicher also eventually turned against Bruning asking the President to remove him.
• Schleicher opposed the decision to dissolve the Reichstag, believing that without elections the country would fall into a civil war.
• Once von Schleicher held power in Germany, he offered Hitler the position of Chancellor in order to take control over the rising threat that was the Nazi party, however Hitler refused.

Question 15

The role of other politicians

Franz Von Papen

Answer 15

• Von Papen became Chancellor in 1932 with the support of General von Schleicher, however he had no political following and therefore lacked the majority in the Reichstag
• in Septemer 1932, Papen had persuaded Hindenburg to dissolve the Reichstag but not call new elections.

Question 16

The role of other politicians

How did Von Papen react to von Schleicher convincing Hindenburg to remove him as Chancellor?

Answer 16

Von Papen wished for revenge on von Schleicher so he plotted with Hitler which was when the new government was in discussion that Hitler should ne considered for Chancellor with von Papen as vice and a cabinet of non-nazis. Once this was announced, it was asked for von Schleicher to resign from his position, before the new government was announced on the 20th January 1933.

Question 17

The role of other politicians

Paul von Hindenburg

Answer 17

• as President, Hindenburg was responsible for appointing the country’s Chancellor and dissolving the Reichstag. As such, Hindenburg was at the centre of political intrigue.
• Hindenburg’s decision to regularly change Chancellor was partly a result of the Reichstag’s divisions. However, it was also undermined confidence in democracy. The fact that he was persuaded to make these changes, and also call early elections or use Article 48 powers, hurt Weimar too.