What destroyed the Weimar Republic?

Question 1

What threatened Hitler’s power and position as chancellor in 1933?

Answer 1

The Reichstag, Hindenburg and the SA.

Question 2

Who were the Nazis main rival political party during the Depression?

Answer 2

The Communists.

Question 3

What sort of promises did the Nazis make to people before elections?

Answer 3

Solve Germany’s economic problems, provide strong leadership, ignore the Treaty of Versailles, build up the army, make Germany great again.

Question 4

What does ‘Nazi’ stand for?

Answer 4

National Socialist German Worker’s party.

Question 5

How many seats did the Nazis win in the 1933 election?

Answer 5

288

Question 6

What happened to Hindenburg in August 1934 and how did Hitler react?

Answer 6

He died. Hitler then merged the position of President with Chancellor and became all powerful leader of Germany.

Question 7

1When did Hitler join the Nazis?

Answer 7

1919

Question 8

How many people were unemployed in Germany by 1932?

Answer 8

6 million.

Question 9

Why did fear of Communism make many moderate Germans vote for the Nazis?

Answer 9

People who wouldn’t normally vote for the Nazis decided they’d rather have them in charge than the Communists who would take their money and possessions.

Question 10

Who were the SA?

Answer 10

The Sturm-Abteilung or stormtroopers. Hitler’s brown-shirted private army, commanded by Ernst Rohm.

Question 11

What role did Von Papen, Von schleicher and President Hindenburg play in Hitler’s becoming Chancellor?

Answer 11

Political deals! Von papen was unsuccessful as Chancellor so was sacked by Hindenburg who replaced him with Von Schleicher. Schleicher also had little success with the Nazi dominated Reichstag. Meanwhile, von Papen wanted his revenge on von Schleicher so made a deal with Hitler who become a ‘puppet’ chancellor to be controlled by Hindenburg and him as vice-chancellor.

Question 12

What messages did Nazi propaganda give voters in 1932?

Answer 12

That Hitler was their last hope and that only the Nazis could save Germany from economic turmoil.

Question 13

When was and what happened on the Night of the Long Knives?

Answer 13

29th -30th June 1934. Ernst Rohm, SA leaders and other opponents were killed by the SS on Hitler’s orders.

Question 14

What month in 1933 were all political parties banned?

Answer 14

July.

Question 15

What started the Depression in 1929?

Answer 15

The Wall street Crash in America.

Question 16

What was the Enabling Law and when was it passed?

Answer 16

March 1933. It gave Hitler the power to pass laws without the Reichstag, basically ruling Germany on his own.

Question 17

How did the Nazis ensure they did so well in this election?

Answer 17

Opponents were killed, Sa and police pressure at polling booths, the Nazis’ anti-Communist message reinforced on radio.

Question 18

What happened in 1923 to change Hitler and the Nazis approach?

Answer 18

The Nazis were unsuccessful with the violent approach they had used in the Munich putsch and Hitler ended up in prison.

Question 19

How many Reichstag seats did the Nazis win in the July and November elections of 1932?

Answer 19

July: 230, November:196

Question 20

When did Hitler become Chancellor of Germany?

Answer 20

January 1933.

Question 21

Why did Hitler feel that he had to choose between the German army and the SA?

Answer 21

Because the army didn’t like Rohm and the SA whilst Rohm wanted command of the army. Hitler knew he needed the armies support to stay in charge.

Question 22

When was the Reichstag fire?

Answer 22

February 1933

Question 23

What was it about Hitler’s style and skills that made him so popular with voters?

Answer 23

A powerful and inspiring public speaker, could identify with his audiences, people believed in him.

Question 24

What else about the Nazis impressed voters?

Answer 24

They were well organised and well funded.

Question 25

What is ‘Mein Kampf?’

Answer 25

Hitler’s auto-biography written during his imprisonment. It stands for ‘My Struggle’ and details many of Hitler’s plans for Germany and his ideas on race etc.

Question 26

What did Hitler make the army do in August 1934?

Answer 26

Swear an oath of personal loyalty to him.

Question 27

Who was blamed for the fire and how did this help the Nazis?

Answer 27

A Dutch Communist named Van der Lubbe. This helped the Nazis because it made the Communists less powerful and gave Hitler Emergency powers which ment people could be arrested and detained without charge.

Question 28

What approach did Hitler change to in 1924?

Answer 28

A political approach which aimed to take control of Germany through the democratic process and then change it into what the Nazis wanted.