The position of the German middle class / artisans improved 1871-1990, how far do you agree with this statement?

Question 1

What fact about one man businesses shows how the artisans declined in the Bismarck era?

Answer 1

The number of one man business dropped by 13.5% 1883-85

Question 2

The impact of industrialisation meant that which two artisan industries closed completely?

Answer 2

Dyeing and weaving

Question 3

Why did the factory system undermine the Mittelstand?

Answer 3

They could make the goods that the mittelstand made but at much cheaper prices

Question 4

By what consequence of the growth of the factory system did the mittelstand feel threatened by?

Answer 4

The growth of unionism and working classes

Question 5

In the Kaiserreich, what did the Mittelstand lack?

Answer 5

A single political party which really represented their views

Question 6

To what, thanks to the lack of a single political party in the Kaiserriech that reflected their views, did many of the artisans turn?

Answer 6

Extremist parties such as the SPD

Question 7

Why was the artisans’ union with the SPD an ill-fated one?

Answer 7

The SPD were too working class

Question 8

Why did many Germans support the Mittelstand in the face of industrialisation?

Answer 8

they provided a reassuring connection with the past and continuity

Question 9

Why were the middle classes able to survive industrialisation?

Answer 9

new machinery and technologies that allowed them to adapt

Question 10

How did the Bismarckian system government try to win over the Mittelstand which shows that they are still a valued part of German society?

Answer 10

The protectionist craft laws of 1897, but this did not have the desired effect

Question 11

Overall did the position of the middle classes improve or decline under the Kaiserreich?

Answer 11

Declined generally because they were undermined by industrialisation

Question 12

What two ways did what party provide the artisans with good representation in the Weimar era?

Answer 12

The nazi party provided them with good representation because they were anti communist and supported small trades

Question 13

What does the fact that the Nazi party gained so much support from the Mittelstand in Weimar suggest about their fortunes during it?

Answer 13

It declined baeucae they had to resort to an extremist party which is an indicator of problems

Question 14

What was the original Nazi manifesto, helping the artisans?

Answer 14

The 25 point plan

Question 15

What two ways did the 25 point plan protect the artisans?

Answer 15

They woful receive more state support and big business would be shut down and the premises would be given to the middle classes

Question 16

The Mittelstand were early supporters of the new Nazi party early on during the 1920s, with skilled workers making up what percentage of the Nazi Party Membership in the 1920s despite making up only what percentage of the population as a whole.

Answer 16

33% 27%

Question 17

The mittelstand’s support of the nazis during Weimar was founded in what?

Answer 17

The Mittelstand’s support of the Nazis was founded in part in a resistance to the large, often Jewish-owned, shopping centres that threatened them throughout the Weimar period.

Question 18

Did the position of the artisans improve throughout Weimar?

Answer 18

Not really

Question 19

As a way of thanking the Mittelstand for their early support, Hitler did what?

Answer 19

Kept his promises in the 1930s

Question 20

What was banned and what were resirtcied that benefitted the middle classes under the Nazi government?

Answer 20

Trade unions were banned and large department stores were restricted

Question 21

How were the large department stores limited?

Answer 21

Banned from offering services that the artisans might be able to such as catering, cobbling, baking, barbering

Question 22

Highly skilled and established artisans were protected form competition in three ways. What were they?

Answer 22

Crack down on the employment of low-paid unskilled workers
New artisanal shops had to gain state permission before being allowed to open.
From 1935 all new artisans had to pass the Master’s Examination to ensure a high level of craft was maintained.

Question 23

Where did the Nazi army get their uniform?

Answer 23

From the artisans

Question 24

From 1931-36, what what percentage did the artisan businesses rise?

Answer 24

20%

Question 25

Those businesses that did survive until the war were able to what?

Answer 25

Pool together into co-operatives and even have access to Nazi slave labour

Question 26

How did re-armentment limit the artisans’ success in Nazi germnay?

Answer 26

The economy was increasingly geared towards heavy industry more than it was towards the smaller industries of the artisans

Question 27

The economy was increasingly geared towards heavy industry more than it was towards the smaller industries of the artisans. This meant that what artisans suggestion what rejected by the German government?

Answer 27

the de-mechanisation of industry

Question 28

Though the number had risen until 1936, the number of artisan businesses declined by what percentage between 1936-39 and give a judgement for this?

Answer 28

11% which shows that whilst the artisans may have witnessed improved condition until 1936, this was not maintained beyond this

Question 29

Though the number had risen until 1936, the number of artisan businesses declined by 11% between 1936-39. compare this to big business?

Answer 29

department stores’ turnover increased by 10%, who employed over 90 000 Germans in comparison with the small number in the artisan trade

Question 30

By the end of the 1930s, what were the Nazis doing to artisans businesses that suggests that whilst their position may have grown int h early part it was now firmly declining?

Answer 30

By the end of the 1930s, the Nazis were having to restrict artisans, saying that it was economically unviable to have so many bakers, butcher, shoemakers and tailors.

Question 31

Did the Mittelstand improve during the Nazis?

Answer 31

Yes int he first bit, not in the second bit

Question 32

What kind of a casualty were the Mittelstand in the Nazi period?

Answer 32

A casualty of re-armament

Question 33

Did the artisans improve or not improve during the FRG?

Answer 33

Improve

Question 34

Following the 1947 Marshall plan and the economic recovery that it provided, what happened to artisans?

Answer 34

they were given special status that meant that they could oversee the organisation and training of skilled labourers

Question 35

What is the increase in artisan traders between 1955 and 1939?

Answer 35

By 1955 there were 3.5 million employed in artisan trades, 1 million more than in 1939.

Question 36

How were the FRG citizens able to adapt industrially to make sure that the artisans still had a role in a modern economy?

Answer 36

Many Germans focussed on trades that supported big industry such as skilled metalworking, so were able to adapt to the changing economy to maintain their prosperity, fuelled by the co-operatives established during the war.

Question 37

What shows how valuable the artisans were in the FRG?

Answer 37

Their craft, combined with industrialisation gave Germany an internationally strong reputation for quality manufacturing