The depression & rise of the Nazis Flashcards
When was the Wall St. Crash?
October 1929
What was the Wall St. Crash and what effect did it have on Germany?
- A major stock market crash - millions of invested dollars in the USA were lost.
- The Dawes Plan was cancelled and then outlawed
- Led to an economic Depression in Germany
What effects did the Depression have on German industry?
- Drastic reduction of wealth and investment
- Factories dependent on US loans had to close or at least cut production
- 1/3 factories closed down
- 40% less production in 1932 than in 1929
- 1932: 6m Germans unemployed - poverty levels soared
- Wages dropped by 15%
What effects did the Depression have on German people?
- 1932: 6m unemployed
- Wages fell by 15%
- Banks collapsed; people’s savings wiped out
- Homelessness and violence increased
How did the Weimar government deal with the Depression?
- Refused to print more money (v scared of hyperinflation again)
- Bruning (chancellor) raised taxes to pay for unemployment benefits
- Did nothing to solve the problem - worsened economy
How did the Depression make the WR look weak?
- The coalition government constantly fell out, so nothing could be negotiated
- Hindenburg had to use Article 48 to pass every law
- Made WR look incompetent and weak
- Increased support for Nazis, who promised a strong, decisive government
Why did the Depression lead to increased support for the Communists?
Working class people voted for them, seeing the party as the only one that would defend them.
Why did the Depression lead to increased support for the Nazis?
- Communist support from the working classes grew
- The middle and upper classes feared losing their wealth in a communist revolution
- They began to support the Nazis to try to avoid this happening
- The Nazis promised to fix the economy, opening soup kitchens for the poor and Hitler promising “bread and work” to German workers
What role did Hitler play in increasing support for the Nazis?
- Appeared the strong, decisive leader that Germany needed
- Propaganda declared him “our last hope”
- Was an excellent and dedicated orator; flew to 6 cities per day, delivering simple yet powerful speeches
- 11m votes (30%) in 1932 presidential election
Who was head of Nazi propaganda?
Joseph Goebbels.
How did the Nazis operate propaganda?
- Joseph Goebbels was head of propaganda
- Used technology such as radios, films, loudspeakers alongside posters and leaflets
- Nazis owned 140 newspapers
- Propaganda was targeted at specific groups
- Message was of unity, using slogans like “One People, One Nation, One Leader”
The Nazis capitalised on the Depression by targeting propaganda at which particular groups of society?
- businesses
- middle and upper classes
- working class
- farmers
- women
- young people
How did the Nazis reach out to businesses?
- Hitler persuaded businessmen that the Nazis were their best defence against communism
- 2 businessmen who helped the Nazis were Bosch and Krupp
How did the Nazis reach out to the middle and upper classes?
Persuaded them that voting for the Nazis was the best defence against communism.
How did the Nazis reach out to the working class?
- Promised “bread and work”
- Appealed to the many workers who’d lost employment in the Depression
- Opened soup kitchens for the poor
