2C: Life in Germany c1919–c1945
The rise of the Nazi Party
1.1 The early years: the Weimar
Republic, 1919–1923
(Student Book pages 4–15)
Sample lesson plan 1 (available on the CDROM) is offered as a model way into the topic
of Germany before the Second World War, using
the Resource sheets provided. Though the lesson
plan is based on an hour, it might be good to
be flexible here and spend less or more time
introducing this topic depending on how your
students get on. A good pace early in this topic is
often a wise idea; long biographical background
is not necessary or desirable.
acceptable now and which seem part of their
time or even shocking now? (If necessary for
lower abilities, you could reduce the content of
Resource sheet 1.1d, which is on the CD-ROM.)
The central role of the ideas in Nazism can be
established early on.
Activities: Lesson review
(Resource sheet 1.1f)
The Lesson review resource sheet is offered as
a model for adaptation and use throughout
the course. There is a lot to cover initially and
students should get into the habit of reviewing
what has been learned. Writing down homework
is always a good idea, and time should be given
for this.
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Activities: Europe in 1914
There is a starter activity that builds on what
is already known about Germany. This should
build on Key Stage 3 but could include general
knowledge. Do not reject any associations that
come up, however ill-informed. It is useful to have
preconceptions in the open – ‘They like discipline’
or ‘beer’ could be taken up, as well as knowledge
about Hitler, the concentration camps and so
on. What could emerge is the huge weighting
towards the Hitler era and little about other
German history, culture or the present situation.
It would be useful to know if anyone has visited
Germany. The point could be made that the Nazi
era should not dominate perceptions of Germany,
and this could be discussed.
Activities: Hitler’s early life
(Resource sheets 1.1a–c)
The next way, or an alternative way, into the
topic is via a biography of Hitler, perhaps
supplemented by a video. Hitler does not appear
in detail in the Student Book until later in this
chapter, pages 12–15, but many students find
the biography – which demonstrates how events
had an impact on one individual – an easier way
in than they would a dry sketch of the whole
history of Germany before 1919. There is an
exercise to pick out key points and a simplified
biography (Resource sheet 1.1b) if needed.
Activities: Key points of the Twenty-Five
Point programme of the NSDAP
(Resource sheets 1.1d–e)
Activities: Skills review
(Resource sheet 1.1g)
An alternative activity for Lesson 1 that could
replace any of the tasks in the lesson plan might
be a skills audit. Students coming to this unit are
not generally coming to History for the first time,
and they should not leave their skills behind.
Also, this is an exercise in applying specific
evidence to statements.
Activities: The problems of Germany in
1918–1919
(Resource sheet 1.1h–j)
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Activities: Follow-up activity: the new
Weimar Republic in 1918–1920
(Resource sheet 1.1k)
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Before contextualising the ideas of the Nazis,
there is a chance for students to think of them
in today’s terms. Which of their ideas would be
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2C: Life in Germany c1919–c1945
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2C: Life in Germany c1919–c1945
(Resource sheet 1.1l)
extreme groups. Other members of the group
assume the roles of individuals described on the
resource sheet. The journalist interviews each
of these people, who explain their feelings. For
homework, the whole group could be tasked
with writing the journalist’s article explaining
why people supported the Nazis.
The establishment of the context of the
problems of Germany in 1919 should start with
Germany’s defeat in the First World War and
the humiliation of the Treaty of Versailles using
Resource sheet 1.1l.
1.2 Challenges and recovery: the
impact of economic problems,
1923–1929
Activities: The Treaty of Versailles
As an extension activity, students could work in
groups of 3 or 4 to produce a cartoon showing
how unfair Versailles was, or how sad the
Germans were to accept it. It is important that
this focuses on the ideas, not on the artwork
itself, which can become over-elaborate – the
focus should be on getting the message across
about how the Germans felt about the treaty.
The students should write a caption and a short
explanation to accompany the cartoon before
presenting on the wall of the classroom.
Activities: Chronology: Key events from
1918 to 1923
(Resource sheet 1.1m)
The Student Book established a sequence of
events (on pages 5–7) and the purpose of the
activities on Resource sheet 1.1m is to establish
a clear chronology. Rather than just a timeline,
groups should produce a ‘washing line’ that
can be put up in the classroom as a reminder
of the sequence of events. This may seem oldfashioned, but there is often a limited grasp of
sequence in students’ exam answers.
Activities: The rise of the Nazis
(Resource sheet 1.1n)
Resource sheet 1.1n introduces the idea of
maintaining a glossary; this is continued in
Resource sheet 1.1o. Many of the words should
be familiar to students, but some remain
puzzled by the basic vocabulary and it is
worthwhile checking students are maintaining a
glossary periodically.
Activities: Role-play exercise
(Resource sheet 1.1o)
The activity on this resource sheet is a role-play
exercise to identify why the ideas of the Nazis
had an appeal in the post-war situation. The
class is divided into groups. One member of each
group is a journalist investigating the growth of
© Pearson Education Ltd 2009
(Student Book pages 16–29)
The resource sheets for this chapter are
designed not only to build knowledge and
understanding but also to extend students’ skills
of explanation and judgement. Some useful
general educational ideas are introduced, such
as SWOT analysis, which can be carried on into
A level and beyond.
Activities: The Munich Putsch
• the election of Hindenburg as president
(Resource sheet 1.2b)
• Germany’s reputation as a centre for modern
art, music, cinema and theatre
Resource sheet 1.2b begins in an open-ended
way and this may need some guidance, but it
could be omitted or done after the more directed
section that follows. The sheet is intended to
help students focus their reading of the Student
Book. A more challenging exercise may be done
by getting students to look more critically at
the Putsch. Ask them to analyse which of these
statements is most accurate and why:
• Hitler stood no real chance of taking power in
November 1923.
• Hitler came close to taking power in
November 1923.
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There are some difficult concepts here,
particularly the distinction between inflation
and depression. Also, the very strong ‘story’ both
of Hitler and the Republic becomes less easy to
follow, with the emphasis being on the seeming
success of the Republic after 1924 and the
underlying failures, which can be a demanding
concept after the dramatic events of 1919–1923.
It is important to use judgement about the level
of work set for your students, and there are
alternative teaching ideas offered to support less
able and challenge more able students.
Activities: The failure of the Nazis in 1923
(Resource sheet 1.2a)
The activity on this resource sheet gets
students to sum up the situation by 1923 and
introduces them to the useful analytical tool
of the SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities and Threats). If this is a difficult
concept for students to grasp, it may need to
be introduced through an example from real
life – say a decision from The Dragon’s Den. How
much chance of success does an entrepreneur
have in launching their particular product into
the market? The ‘dragons’ assess the product’s
strengths and weaknesses, and also take into
account the opportunities and threats within
the target market. (Is it a good product? are
there weaknesses? its cost, perhaps – are their
opportunities to sell it to richer customers? is
the threat that it will be too expensive or be
undercut by a cheaper version?) On balance,
does the SWOT suggest Hitler was wise to
instigate the Munich Putsch in 1923?
• Hitler might have been successful in
November 1923 but lacked the support of key
groups, especially the army.
Activities: The lessons of 1923, and
challenges and recovery in the Weimar
Republic, 1925–1929
(Resource sheets 1.2c–d)
Resource sheet 1.2c is quite structured and is
focused on the development and explanation
of points. Resource sheet 1.2d is a way into
considering two views about Weimar Germany.
It could lead to a discussion about whether the
Weimar Republic was bound to fail or whether
it was faced with enemies that were just too
determined. The key objective is to see that
there were both strengths and weaknesses in the
late 1920s.
Activities: The role of Stresemann
(Resource sheet 1.2e)
Resource sheet 1.2e deals with the difficult
figure of Stresemann. Books at GCSE level
have tended to overestimate him, but there is
a realistic consideration in the accompanying
Student Book of his attitudes to foreign policy.
The resource sheet seeks to develop the skill of
explanation. The device of the soap opera could
be omitted, or replaced with something of a
higher intellectual quality (Shakespeare plots
perhaps), but the skill should be developed at
this stage. An extension exercise that focuses on
evaluation for the more able could be to arrange
the following factors in order of importance in
assessing Germany’s recovery in the 1920s:
• Stresemann’s foreign policy
• the small number of seats gained by the
extremist parties in elections.
Students should explain why they have chosen
the order they have.
1.3 Increasing support for the Nazi
Party, 1925–1932
(Student Book pages 30–39)
The rise of Hitler and the increasing support
for the Nazi Party requires students to link two
narratives. One is the recovery of the Nazis after
the disaster of 1923, with the establishment of
Hitler as leader, the development of the party
organisation and increasingly sophisticated
propaganda that targeted specific grievances.
The other narrative is the impact of economic
depression from 1929 and the failure of
Weimar governments to cope. A series of
election campaigns from 1930 to 1932 show the
interaction between the two. As unemployment
grew worse, so the skill that Hitler and his party
showed in exploiting the crisis developed. The
elections are a useful structure on which to
hang the story.
However, there also has to be some analysis
of why Germany turned to more extreme
parties. The increasingly undemocratic nature
of the Republic is quite a difficult topic, as the
understanding of Hitler’s success depends to
some extent on knowing that power had come
to be in the hands of a small group and rivalries
within that group allowed Hitler to break out of
a very difficult position by November 1932, in
which he could neither be voted into power or
attempt to take it by force. The resource sheets
try to isolate different elements and to offer
support for those who find the topic demanding.
Activities: Why was the Nazi Party stronger
by 1929 than it had been in 1925?
(Resource sheet 1.3a)
The activity on this resource sheet is a
straightforward one and asks, in the manner of
foreign language textbooks, for statements and
supporting evidence to be linked. This does have
a ‘message’ – that statements can be developed
– but is more a reading and comprehension
activity with a table to fill in.
• the growth of German industrial production
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2C: Life in Germany c1919–c1945
Activities: Understanding the role of
economic problems
(Resource sheet 1.13b)
4
This resource sheet is targeted at addressing a
particular problem for students (and an irritant
for teachers and examiners) of distinguishing
between the economic problems of 1923 and
those of 1929–1933. There may be chances to
link up with current economic problems in
discussion. There is also an opportunity to revisit
the events and specialist vocabulary from 1923.
Activities: The role of Nazi propaganda
(Resource sheet 1.3c)
Resource sheet 1.3c focuses on Nazi propaganda,
making the link with twenty-first century
marketing. The presentation would benefit from
being assessed rather than becoming a loose
activity with no success criteria. Key skills may
be useful here – with a progression from offering
a presentation through to using visual aids
effectively, to communicating in a varied and
interesting manner appropriate to the audience.
Assessing the presentations gives more weight
to the activity and, indeed, could be reported on
formally in end-of-term reporting.
Activities: Why did Hitler get support?
(Resource sheet 1.3d)
A useful activity here would be a role-play based
on characters from different groups described in
the Student Book (pages 38–39). In small groups,
students should give them a ‘back story’ – where
do they live? what are their names? what are
they like as people? what has happened to them
since 1918? Then they should discuss what they
think these different characters might be saying
in 1933 – what are their hopes and fears? what
do they think of the situation in Germany? what
are their views of Hitler? Note that it may have
to be explained that a lot of the unemployed in
the period post-1929 was considerably harsher
than in Britain today due to the absence of a
welfare state. Each member of the group should
choose to play the role of one of the groups and
act out their discussions, perhaps for the class.
After the role-play students should be
encouraged to think about what both Nazis and
Communists were offering to these groups of
people and why so many people turned against
the democratic parties after 1920?
© Pearson Education Ltd 2009
2C: Life in Germany c1919–c1945
An alternative activity on Resource sheet 1.3d
takes a closer look at the rise of unemployment.
This activity could make use of IT and making
graphs.
Resource sheet 1.1a
Activities: Increasing support for the
Nazi Party
1889
Adolf Hitler: a biography
(Resource sheet 1.3e)
Adolf Hitler is born on 20 April in Braunau, in Austria (then part of the AustroHungarian Empire).
His parents’ families are both of poor peasant backgrounds. His father, Alois, is a
customs official, older than his wife and a strict disciplinarian. Hitler’s mother, Klara,
is of a more artistic and caring nature. She adores her son.
Resource sheet 1.3e provides a card-based
exercise again, which develops explanation
skills. Cards are easier for some students than
lists, and they have the advantage of being
able to be put in order of importance. This
activity does need some advance preparation.
At the age of six, Adolf attends the local school and, while clearly intelligent, he is not
disciplined or hard-working and leaves with poor qualifications.
The death of his father when Adolf is 13 means that he is able to use his mother’s
pension to pursue his preferred choice of study, that of art. He attends art school and
regards himself as an artist, absorbing diverse cultural influences, the opera, theatre,
reading and drawing.
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Activities: What brought about the rise
of Hitler?
(Resource sheets 1.3f–g)
Resource sheet 1.3f provides another
‘washing line’ activity. It is a straightforward
exercise, but some of the previous resource
sheets have been quite demanding, and this
is a chance for a basic task that will reinforce
learning. Teachers may like to set a brief test on
the events listed.
The activity on Resource sheet 1.3g requires
students to do some independent research, but
some help should be given on using information
researched on the Internet to avoid excessive
downloading and indiscriminate cut-andpaste. Material gathered should be linked to the
question which is deliberately challenging. You
may feel that these sheets are too basic or too
hard for your students, so both can be omitted.
Activities: What have I learned about why
Hitler came to power?
1907
1909–1913 Without any means of earning money, Hitler struggles to survive in Vienna, living in a
men’s hostel. He sells his own postcards and drawings of famous sights and
undertakes a series of menial jobs to earn money.
In Vienna he becomes very interested in political ideas and is a keen German
nationalist.
1913
To avoid being called up for military service for the Habsburg Empire, Hitler moves to
Munich in Southern Germany.
1914
At the outbreak of the First World War, Hitler volunteers for service in the German
army. He distinguishes himself in service, being promoted to corporal and decorated
with the Iron Cross medal for services as a runner on the western front. He is a
devoted soldier, but has few close friends. He fights in the trenches and is gassed by
the British.
1918
When Germany is forced to sign an armistice (a ceasefire) in November, Hitler is in
hospital recovering from temporary blindness brought about by the gas. He returns
to his regiment in the city of Munich.
1919
Hitler is appointed to the Intelligence/Propaganda section of the army. He is trained
in persuading soldiers not to become Communists and to continue to support the
German cause. He becomes a good speaker.
(Resource sheets 1.3h–i)
Resource sheets 1.3h and 1.3i provide selfassessment exercises. It is important for
students to take responsibility for their own
progress and to get practise in being self-critical
and thinking in terms of both knowledge and
skills. These surveys are likely to be difficult
for students and not especially popular, but
it is worth persevering. So far there has been
a lot of activity and now is the time for some
reflection. It is also a time to review the glossary
and to check whether key terms have been
remembered.
Hitler moves to Vienna with the aim of attending the Vienna Academy of Fine Art but
is not admitted because he has no school leaving certificate.
He also acts as an army informer, spying on small political parties. He joins the
German Workers’ Party, an extreme anti-communist, anti-Semitic right-wing
organisation. By now Hitler is extremely opposed to Communism and to what he sees
as Jewish threats to the world.
1920
Hitler is discharged from the army. In the German Worker’s Party he undertakes
responsibility for publicity and propaganda. He changes the party’s name to the
National Socialist German Workers Party (or Nazi Party, for short). The party
represents a combination of intense hatred for the politicians who they considered
had dishonoured Germany by signing the Versailles Treaty and a hatred of Jews,
Communists and rich businessmen. They say they stand for lower middle class
Germans who believe in the German ‘nation’.
1921
Hitler challenges the former railway locksmith Anton Drexler who founded the
party and becomes leader of the Nazi Party. At this time the Nazi Party is not known
outside Munich, has relatively few members and has been more of a ‘beer-hall
debating group’ than a party.
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2C: Life in Germany c1919–c1945
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2C: Life in Germany c1919–c1945
Resource sheet 1.1b
Resource sheet 1.1c
Adolf Hitler
Which influences were most important in Hitler’s early life?
1889
1907
Hitler is born in Austria. His father is strict. His mother allows
him more freedom. Adolf is lazy in school and does not gain
qualifications.
He wants to be an artist but is turned down by the Art College in
Vienna. He lives on the streets and in hostels for the poor.
1913
He moves to Germany to avoid being called up in the Austrian
army.
1914
He volunteers for the German army and fights in the First World
War.
In the following table, write down in order of importance what the most important influences in
Hitler’s life were up until 1921 and how you think they might have affected his character.
Key influence in Hitler’s life
Why it may have affected his
character
1
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2
He is a brave soldier and wins the Iron Cross medal.
1918
He is shocked by the defeat of Germany and returns to Munich.
1918–1921
He becomes an army spy, spreading ideas of national pride.
He is sent to investigate the German Workers Party. He likes them
and joins. He becomes a leading speaker for the party and rises to
become its leader.
He speaks against the Communists, the Jews and the harsh terms
that Germany has had to agree to at the end of the First World War.
3
4
5
6
7
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© Pearson Education Ltd 2009
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2C: Life in Germany c1919–c1945
2C: Life in Germany c1919–c1945
Resource sheet 1.1d
Resource sheet 1.1e
Key points of the Twenty-Five Point programme of the NSDAP
8
Key points of the Twenty-Five Point programme of the NSDAP
1 In pairs, take one policy at a time and explain it. Some of these policies are hostile
to Jews and foreigners, some of them are hostile to rich businessmen and some of
thepoints call for social reforms.
2 Say what we might think of such an idea today if you heard it in a party political
speech/broadcast.
1
We demand the union of all Germans in a Greater Germany.
2
We demand the revocation (ending) of the peace treaties of Versailles.
3
We demand land and territory (colonies) to feed our people and to
settle our surplus population.
4
Only those of German blood may be members of the nation.
Accordingly, no Jew may be a member of the nation.
7
We demand that the State provide a livelihood for its citizens.
11
The abolition of incomes unearned by work.
14
We demand profit-sharing in large industrial enterprises (i.e., the
workers will share profits with the owners and businessmen).
15
We demand the extensive development of insurance for old age.
16
We demand the creation and maintenance of a healthy middle class.
20
The State must consider a thorough reconstruction of our national
system of education. The aim of the school must be to give the pupil a
grasp of the nation of the State.
21
The State must ensure that the nation’s health standards are raised by
protecting mothers and infants.
22
We demand a people’s army.
25
To put the whole of this programme into effect, we demand the
creation of a strong central state power.
© Pearson Education Ltd 2009
Policy
What people would think today
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Resource sheet 1.1f
Resource sheet 1.1g
Key points from Lesson 1
What skills have you got in the box?
[904509_aw_01 – a box
labelled ‘Skills’ with lid
half open and question
marks popping out.]
I have explained…
50w 35h
Skills
Examples from your earlier work
Explaining why something happened
Explaining what a source means
Putting events in chronological order
Learning a sequence of events
I have learned…
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Deciding what cause or effect is most
important
Using historical terms, for example ‘source’,
‘cause’, ‘evidence’, ‘revolution’
Handing work in on time
Working with others in class
Bringing books and notes to lessons
Joining in with discussions
Spelling key words correctly, such as names
and places
I have used new words…
Summary
What are my strengths and weaknesses as a GCSE student?
Targets – maximum 3
My homework is…
© Pearson Education Ltd 2009
What are my targets for this course? (They must be specific and you must be able to measure
whether you have achieved them. Don’t put ‘I must work harder’; but if you forget your books, then
try ‘I will make sure to bring my books to lessons’!)
© Pearson Education Ltd 2009
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2C: Life in Germany c1919–c1945
Resource sheet 1.1h
Resource sheet 1.1i
The problems of Germany in 1918–1919
Investigating the problems of Germany in 1918–1919
12
In your group, take the ‘problem’ you have been assigned and investigate it by studying pages 4–11
of your Student Book.
1 Describe the problem. This means say briefly what happened.
A: Germany was
not expecting
to lose the war.
The defeat
came as a
surprise.
B: There was a
Communist
revolt in Berlin
in 1919 called
the Spartacist
revolt. The
government
had to use
ex-soldiers
(the Freikorps)
to crush the
revolt.
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C: Prices had risen
during the war and
the disruption of
normal life after the
war meant that many
Germans had no jobs
and not enough food.
Soldiers came back
to the war to find
hardship.
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2 Explain the problem. Now think of why it was a problem and how serious it was for the men in
the picture.
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D: A new constitution
had to be set up
after the Emperor
(Kaiser) gave up
the throne and a
new republic was
set up. Germany
had to get used to
a new system of
government.
F: The new government
had to sign an
unpopular peace
treaty in March
1919 at Versailles
in which colonies
and territories on
Germany’s borders
were lost. Also, the
eastern province of
East Prussia was cut
off from the main part
of Germany.
The leaders of
the new Weimar
Republic in
Germany had
no experience
of running a
country. They
were faced with
many problems.
G: There was a
communist
government set up
in Bavaria, which
was crushed by
right-wing forces.
E: There was a
takeover (putsch in
German) by rightwing forces led by
Wolfgang Kapp and
supported by exarmy forces in 1920.
It was defeated by a
general strike called
by the trade unions.
H: Extreme
political groups
were set up
both on right
wing and left
wing. There
were political
murders and
violence.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Extension task
3 Put the problems in order of importance (most important first, at the top of the table) and
explain why you think some were more important than others.
Problem
(indicate the letter)
Why is this the most/least important problem?
4 In groups, take a problem and say what you would have done about it. Try to make two
suggestions in the table below. Report back to the class.
Problem:
Action 1:
Action 2:
5 Which is the best action?
© Pearson Education Ltd 2009
© Pearson Education Ltd 2009
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Resource sheet 1.1j
Resource sheet 1.1k
The problems of Germany in 1918–1919 – sample answers
Follow-up activity: the new Weimar Republic in 1918–1920
1 Describe the problem. This means say briefly what happened. Let’s take some everyday
problems as a model.
In small groups, create a poster to be used as part of a classroom display. Use the template below,
showing the problems of the new Weimar Republic in 1918–1920. Illustrate your points with
pictures/images. Number each point in order of importance.
A: I have no money. I had £10 at the start of the week, but I owed my friend £3 and I spent the
rest on an Xbox game.
This describes the situation – but it doesn’t explain why having no money is a problem.
Problem 2
Now describe one of the problems in Resource sheet 1.1h.
2 Explain the problem. Now think why it was a problem and how serious it was for the men in the
picture. The following tries to show the difference between describing and explaining.
Problem 1
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A: I want to go into town on Friday night to meet my friends. Jess is my best friend and I want to
buy her a present and go to a club. I can’t do this unless I can pay for the bus into town, pay
for a present and pay the entrance to the club. If I don’t do this, Jess will think that I am mean
and I may lose my friends. I will also feel unhappy because I will be stuck at home.
This explains why having no money will lead to unhappiness and goes beyond describing the situation and
links the situation – having no money – to the consequences – boredom, losing friends.
Extension task
3 Put the problems in order of importance (most important first, at the top of the table) and
explain why you think some were more important than others.
Some everyday examples are given – now try with Germany in 1918. Remember, there isn’t a right answer.
Problem
(indicate the letter)
Why is this the most/least important problem?
F
Why is this the most important problem?
Not doing my coursework would be the worst thing as my parents would
be annoyed and ground me so I couldn’t go out and I might get bad GCSEs,
which will affect my whole life.
A
Why is this the least important problem?
I can borrow some money from my Dad – this is bad as he will be annoyed,
but I will not necessarily lose my friends, which would upset me more and
the unhappiness would last longer than my Dad being annoyed, as he is
always annoyed about something!
4 In groups, take a problem and say what you would have done about it. Try to make two
suggestions. Report back to the class.
Again, some everyday examples may help – but you’re focusing on Germany!
Problem 3
Problem 5
Problem 4
Action 1: I could borrow from my Dad but he would get cross and go on and on about it, but at
least I could get Jess a present and go out.
Action 2: I could explain the problem to Jess, wait until I got paid for my work in the newsagents
and go out next week and get her a present later on.
© Pearson Education Ltd 2009
© Pearson Education Ltd 2009
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2C: Life in Germany c1919–c1945
Resource sheet 1.1l
Resource sheet 1.1m
The Treaty of Versailles
Chronology
In the table below, list 10 points about the Treaty of Versailles that the Germans hated and explain
why. The first has been done for you. (Remember, there is a difference between describing the point
in the Treaty and explaining why it was hated.)
The following is a list of key events from 1918 to 1923:
Point
Explanation
1 Germany’s army was limited to 100,000 men
This was humiliating for a proud military
nation and meant that Germany could not
defend itself against attack.
2
17
• November 1918 – The Kaiser abdicates. Germany is now a Republic.
• 11 November 1918 – The fighting in the First World War ends with an armistice.
• January 1919 – A Communist revolution breaks out in Berlin (led by the Spartacists).
• May 1919 – The German Republic’s leaders sign the Treaty of Versailles.
• July 1919 – The new constitution is established at a conference in Weimar.
• March 1920 – The Kapp Putsch – right-wing elements try to take power.
• 1921 – Reparations are set at £6,600 million.
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• January 1923 – French troops occupy the Ruhr.
3
• 1923 – Inflation gets out of control (by November £1 is worth 14,000,000,000,000 marks).
• November 1923 – Hitler tries and fails to take power in Munich.
Activities
4
1 Write each key event on a card.
2 On the back of each card, briefly explain what happened.
3 Put the cards in chronological order.
5
4 Finally, rank the events in order of importance. Do not take the points out of chronological order;
instead write a number between 1 and 10 on each card to indicate its importance: 1= least
important; 10 = most important.
Make sure you are sure what these words mean:
6
Republic
constitution
putsch
7
Ruhr
Spartacist
Kaiser
8
armistice
inflation
Glossary: Keep a record of all new terms as you meet them.
9
10
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© Pearson Education Ltd 2009
2C: Life in Germany c1919–c1945
2C: Life in Germany c1919–c1945
Resource sheet 1.1n
Resource sheet 1.1o
Role-play exercise
The rise of the Nazis
18
1 Read the information and think about which ideas might have attracted the following people to
the Nazi Party and why?
The following cards give some key ideas of Hitler and the Nazis.
Hitler and the Nazis believed that...
Germany needed a strong leader – a FUHRER – and not democracy, which was not in the German
tradition. Only a strong leader could solve all Germany’s problems. There could be no opposition
as the leader represented the true wishes of the people.
The German people were a special people called the VOLK. They were far superior to other
races and had a special mission and purpose to establish a 1000-year state (REICH) that would
dominate Europe.
Karl von Bedow
Heinrich Himmler
Wolfgang Lessing
A former soldier who
fought in the First
World War and was
wounded. He lost his
job when the army
was reduced in 1919.
The son of a school inspector in
Bavaria. He saw the civil war in Munich
in 1919. He reads widely on German
culture and becomes drawn to antiSemitic groups after the war. Very
nationalistic. His attempts to run a
chicken farm fail.
Runs a large engineering
business that supplied
arms in the war to
the German army.
Investments lost after the
war. Fears communism
and was horrified by the
Russian revolution.
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The Jews were an inferior race – barely human – who were corrupting the lives of Germans.
Germany should be free of Jews, who were like a disease. Other races were inferior to the
Germans and everything should be done to keep the German race (ARYANS) pure. These were
scientific facts in Hitler’s view.
Pure Germans needed living space (LEBENSRAUM) and had a right to take land from inferior
peoples like the SLAVS who lived in Russia and Eastern Europe and make these inferior people
their slaves.
All Germans should be together in the new Germany. The Treaty of Versailles had left some
Germans unable to join with others and also left some Germans under foreign rule. This must be
ended.
[904509_aw_03 Group of people as outlined on brief]
• man in 40s–50s, with visible war injury, looking poor and sad;
• Aryan male in his late 20s, should look studious;
• elderly couple standing outside the door of their greengrocers’ shop;
• man in 50s wearing a 1920’s style suit;
• man in 40s–50s, wearing a lab coat;
• and a woman in late 40s looking Aryan and as if could be a teacher.
Germans were so special that they deserved to be prosperous. All would work together in a
People’s Community (VOLKSGEMEINSCHAFT). The men would be workers, farmers and soldiers;
the women would be good wives and mothers. The children would be brought up to be physically
fit and to work for the community.
170w 75h
Communism was a plot by Jews and inferior races like the Russians to take over the world, and it
was the duty of the Germans to oppose and destroy it.
Activities
1 Carefully read the cards. Put them away and write down the meaning of the following words:
Fuhrer
Volk
Reich
Aryans
Lebensraum
Volksgemeinschaft
Treaty of Versailles
2 Now check your definitions with the glossary in your Student Book. How many did you get right?
3 Put the cards in order of their importance.
4 What do you think about these ideas? Talk about them with your neighbour.
Why were people drawn to these ideas?
© Pearson Education Ltd 2009
Gregor Strasser
Erwin and Maria Schoene
Run a small greengrocers
in Munich. Their son
was killed in the First
World War. Suffer from
competition from larger
shops and their savings are
lost due to rising inflation.
A chemist from Munich.
Fought in the First World
War and thinks that the
ordinary German soldier
is the finest in the world.
Wants a fair deal for the
ordinary man but is also
intensely proud of Germany.
Elsa Weiniger
A teacher from Upper
Bavaria. Heard Hitler speak
at a public meeting and was
impressed by his passion for
Germany and his courage in
standing up for the ordinary
German. Her husband was
wounded in the war and her
son is unemployed.
Journalist
Investigating the growth of extreme groups.
He interviews each of these people.
2 Working in groups, assign one person the role of journalist. The other members of the group
should each choose to play the role of one of the other people described.
3 The journalist should question each German about their views on the Nazi Party. Each person
plays their role by explaining his/her feelings.
4 For homework, each member of the group should write an article as if they were the journalist,
explaining why people supported the Nazis.
© Pearson Education Ltd 2009
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Resource sheet 1.2a
Resource sheet 1.2b
The Failure of the Nazis in 1923
Why did the Munich Putsch fail?
The putsch in Munich – Decision time
1 In pairs, think of what might have led to a successful revolution in Germany in 1923. Write your
points down.
Imagine you are Hitler in 1923 and you have to decide whether to risk taking power by force. You
decide to do a SWOT analysis to assess your situation and chances of success.
Strengths
2 Share your views with the class and write down any you didn’t think of in your pair.
Factors for a successful revolution:
Weaknesses
• a powerful and respected leader whose ideas were known throughout the nation
• a very weak government that was blamed for a lot of problems
• the support of key groups in the nation like the army
• huge popular support.
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3 Now put the above four factors in order of importance.
Opportunities
Threats
4 Using page 24 in your Student Book, state briefly whether these factors were present in Munich
in 1923, that is, was Hitler a powerful and respected leader whose ideas were known throughout
the nation?
A powerful and respected leader whose ideas were known throughout the nation
1 Here is some information about the situation. Try to put each one into the boxes above,
depending on whether they are a strength or a weakness, an opportunity or a threat.
• There was extreme inflation (a rise in prices), which had made the currency worthless. This
meant that many German people lost their savings (see Student Book pages 17–20).
A very weak government that was blamed for a lot of problems
• There was resentment about the French occupation of the Ruhr and the humiliation to
Germany.
• There was a fear of communism as left-wing governments had been set up in Saxony and
Thuringia.
• The Weimar government seemed weak and had encountered many problems since 1919.
• The army did not approve of illegal actions and feared French invasion if an extreme
government came to power in Germany.
The support of key groups in the nation like the army
• There was a danger of civil war if an extreme right-wing group took power.
• Hitler and the Nazis were not well-known in Germany as a whole.
• The Nazis were only one of many different opposition groups in Bavaria.
• Hitler was not a German citizen and was looked down on by leading generals and upper class
politicians as a rabble-rouser.
• Hitler had a private army – the SA.
Huge popular support
• Hitler’s forces were not strong enough to take on the army and the police if they decided to
stop him.
• Even if his takeover failed, Hitler might become famous.
• If it failed, he might be killed or given a long term in prison.
2 Was Hitler wise to try and take over Bavaria in the Beer Hall Putsch of 1923? (See pages 21–22 in
your Student Book.) Explain your view.
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Resource sheet 1.2c
Resource sheet 1.2d
The lessons of 1923
Challenges and recovery in the Weimar Republic, 1925–1929
What did Hitler learn from the failure of 1923 that helped him later on, when he campaigned and
gained power?
Hitler was released from prison in 1925 and faced a divided and weakened party. In the later 1920s,
the government was more stable and Germany was beginning to recover from the problems of the
early 1920s. The huge rise in prices had ended and there was a new currency. Loans were coming in
from the United States. Germany had better relations with other European countries, and the new
President in 1926 was a respected war leader, Paul von Hindenburg. He was widely respected by
middle-class Germans and gave the Republic a respectable figurehead.
1 Explain and complete each of the following and say why they were important:
Hitler realised that he must appear to be acting legally and not taking power in a revolutionary
way because...
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1 Using this information and Student Book pages 25–29, fill in this table:
German democracy was doing well in the late 1920s and stood every chance of
surviving because...
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Hitler realised how important publicity was because...
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Hitler realised that he needed the support of the army and of leading people in the government
because...
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g
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But were there also factors that made it less likely that the Weimar Republic would survive?
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2 Look at the following short biographies:
Johannes Wildner
He served in the war and was wounded badly. He has not worked regularly since the war and
cannot understand why Germany has been so humiliated in the Treaty of Versailles and why
his sacrifice was in vain.
Wilhelmine Schroeder
Her family’s savings were wiped out by the huge rise in prices in 1923. She had been saving for
her pension but everything she had put away over 25 years was lost when she had to spend
her savings just to buy food.
© Pearson Education Ltd 2009
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2C: Life in Germany c1919–c1945
Karl Drucker and his family
Resource sheet 1.2e
They are farmers in northern Germany, in Schleswig Holstein. Like many farmers in their area,
they have suffered from falling prices. As more food has been produced internationally there
has been less demand for farm products. Karl is heavily in debt.
The role of Stresemann
Gudrune Schmidt
She inherited her parents’ clothes shop when they died of influenza in 1918 in Berlin. However,
she has faced increasing competition from both department stores and mail order firms. She
finds the national insurance contributions hard to meet and has had to pay her workers more.
Eberhard Waechter
A teacher in a Hamburg suburb. He is shocked by the films he sees that show love affairs. His
son moved to Berlin where he attended night clubs and has come out as a gay man. Eberhard
thinks that moral standards have fallen and his family has been corrupted. He is worried
about the morals of the younger generation.
Stresemann was Chancellor (Prime Minister) in 1923 and was responsible for calming the situation
by calling off resistance to the French in the Ruhr and working to end inflation.
However, he worked not as Chancellor but as Foreign Minister from November 1923 to October 1929.
In this role, Stresemann was responsible for many important measures.
1 Look at page 26 in your Student Book and complete the table below. Describe what the measures
were and then explain why they were important.
Note that description and explanation are not the same thing. Look at this table from the imaginary
soap opera ‘Neighbouring Celebrity Wives and Girl Friends in Ramsey Avenue’ for an example of
what you need to do.
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Event
Description
Explanation of importance
Chantelle shop lifts
She takes a dress and handbag
from a shop without paying.
She does this because she is
upset that Bobby has broken
up with her, and it means that
she makes her parents come
together to support her and
Bobby stops seeing Lorraine.
3 Using these case studies and your own knowledge of the earlier history and problems of the
Weimar Republic (see pages XXX–XXX of your Student Book), fill in this table.
German democracy still had a lot of problems in the late 1920s and stood every chance of
being overthrown because...
a
b
Use your imagination to make up another event from this soap!
c
Now, seriously, look at the key events of the Stresemann era and fill in the table.
Event
d
e
f
g
4 What do you think? Was Hitler campaigning against a Republic that was strong up until 1929 or
was he campaigning against a Republic that was already quite weak by 1929?
Description
Explanation of importance
The Rentenmark is
established, November 1923
The Dawes Plan, 1924
The Locarno Treaties, 1925
Germany joins the League of
Nations, 1926
Stresemann establishes good
relations with the French
foreign minister Briand
Germany signs the KelloggBriand Pact, 1928
© Pearson Education Ltd 2009
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2C: Life in Germany c1919–c1945
Resource sheet 1.3a
Resource sheet 1.3b
Why was the Nazi Party stronger by 1929 than it had been in 1925?
26
1 Link the following reasons on the left as to why the Nazi Party was stronger by 1929 with their
explanations on the right.
Reasons
Explanations
A: The party was organised into
sections.
1: Various economic groups were
ready to support the Nazis
because they offered help in
difficult times, and this gave the
Nazis a good basis of support.
B: Hitler re-established discipline
over the party at the Bamberg
meeting in 1925.
C: The Nazis offered help for the
farmers and for other groups
who were not doing well under
Weimar.
D: The propaganda organisation
of the party was good.
Understanding the role of economic problems
A common mistake students make is to mix up details of the economic situation in 1923–1924 with
that of 1929–1933.
1 Read the information below very carefully. Highlight the information about 1923 in red and 1929–
1933 in blue.
• In 1923 prices rose very rapidly and the value of the currency collapsed.
• In 1929 there was no rise in prices – rather, prices fell as there was a severe depression.
• In 1923 Germany suffered a severe crisis that did not affect the rest of the world so badly.
• In 1929 Germany was part of a worldwide economic downturn.
2: Goebbels used a variety of
methods to promote the party
to different groups, and Hitler
became nationally known in a
way he had not been in 1923.
• In 1923 the main problem was the collapse of the currency.
3: Hitler could overawe his
enemies by force and showed
that he was attracting young
people. He seemed to be part of
Germany’s military tradition.
• In 1923 the government offered a new currency to solve the crisis.
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4: Different parts of the party
offered opportunities for
women, young people, teachers,
and workers.
E: The SA seemed to be offering
opportunities and discipline to
the young and was organised
in a military way.
5: The party offered a strong, clear
leadership and appeared strong
when problems arose for the
nation.
F: Hitler’s ideas were set out in
Mein Kampf and were general
enough to appeal to many.
6: The middle and upper
classes feared communism
and welcomed opponents of
Marxism.
G: Hitler offered clear
condemnation of communism
and stood for a stronger
national state, not one that
would be international in
outlook and linked to Russia.
7: Many Germans were strong
nationalists and distrusted
political parties, responding to
ideas that united the nation
rather than just appealing to
particular groups or classes.
• From 1929 to 1933 the main problem was very large scale unemployment.
• In 1924 the US helped Germany to recover by offering loans.
• In 1929 the crisis in the United States made the economic situation in Germany worse, and
the US could offer no help.
• From 1929 government spending cuts made the situation worse.
• In 1923 the crisis was brought about by the French invasion of the Ruhr.
• In 1929 the crisis was brought about by a global recession.
2 Cover up the information above when you have studied it carefully. Read the pages in the
Student Book about the crisis of 1923 and that of 1929.
3 Shut the book. Now try to complete the table of comparisons between the situations in 1923 and
1929–1933 below. Try to think in terms of categories, e.g. causes; effects on Germany; how long it
lasted.
1923
1929–1933
Inflation did not last beyond 1923
Unemployment was high from 1930 to 1934
2 Now put the reasons in order of importance.
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Resource sheet 1.3c
4 Which would be the most effective way of marketing? Why?
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
The role of Nazi propaganda
28
Imagine you are taking part in The Apprentice and have the task of marketing a new product.
1 What is the product you are marketing?
2 Produce a list of ideas for ways to market the product, such as using leaflets. How will you make
sure people know your product exists and want to buy it?
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A
5 Now consider the following aspects of Nazi propaganda and fill in the table.
B
Type of propaganda
C
What was the ‘message’?
and how was it put over?
Who was it aimed at?
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Rallies
D
Posters
E
F
G
Radio
3 Complete the table below about the marketing techniques you have listed. An example is given.
Type of marketing
What is the message? How
will it be put over?
TV adverts during
documentaries
That the electric car is ‘green’
and cheap to run
A
B
C
D
Who is it aimed at?
Top end of the market as the car
is expensive
Newspapers
Parades and marches
Local meetings
E
F
Extension activity: Presentation
Research examples of Nazi propaganda in your Student Book (pages XXX–XXX), other books in the
library or on the internet.
G
© Pearson Education Ltd 2009
Create a presentation to explain to the other members of your class what each example of
propaganda is saying and why it might have been effective.
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Resource sheet 1.3d
Resource sheet 1.3e
Why did Hitler get support? Unemployment
Increasing support for the Nazi Party
Unemployment figures 1928–1933
1 In your group, cut out the cards below.
Jan 1928
1,862,000
July 1928
1,012,000
Jan 1929
2,850,000
July 1929
1,251,000
Jan 1930
3,218,000
July 1930
2,765.00
Jan 1931
4,887,000
July 1931
3,990,000
Jan 1932
6,042.000
July 1932
5,392,000
Jan 1933
6,014,000
July 1933
4,464,000
31
Hitler’s great powers of public speaking
The flags, symbols and posters of the Nazis
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Hitler’s blaming the Jews and communists for all Germany’s problems
Seats in the Reichstag (Parliament)
Year
Nazis
1930
107
July 1932
230
November 1932
196
Hitler’s promises to end Germany’s suffering
The SA (the brownshirts) and the SS (Hitler’s elite black-shirted body guard)
Communists
77
The suffering caused by economic crisis both in 1923 (inflation) and 1929–1933
(unemployment and depression)
89
100
The fear of communism
March 1933
288
81
1 Use the unemployment figures to produce a graph.
2 Describe what your graph shows about the rise of unemployment in Germany 1928–1933.
3 Present the election figures in the form of a graph too.
The weakness of opposition parties
4 Compare the rate of growth of support for the Nazi and Communist parties with changes
in unemployment.
5 Do you think there is a link between unemployment and the seats gained by the extreme parties?
6 Find out:
The way that Hitler was invited to become Chancellor (Prime Minister) in January 1933
a What did Hitler promise to do about economic hardship?
b How important do you think economic hardship was in bringing about the rise of Hitler?
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© Pearson Education Ltd 2009
2C: Life in Germany c1919–c1945
2C: Life in Germany c1919–c1945
2 Select two cards and on the front of the cards continue the description. For example, in Hitler’s
promises to end Germany’s suffering, mention unemployment, resentment about Versailles, etc.
Example:
32
Germans still resented the Treaty of Versailles. This treaty meant that they had to pay
reparations, which the Germans resented when there was an economic crisis. They hated
losing land to Poland and having only a weak army to defend themselves. Many thought it was
unfair that all Germans could not be together in one state.
(front)
Resource sheet 1.3f
Timeline: What brought about the rise of Hitler?
It’s important to get the sequence of events from 1921 to 1933 clear. To help you, here is a timeline:
1921
Hitler becomes leader of the Nazis.
1923
France occupies the Ruhr. There is huge inflation.
1923
Hitler and his party try to take over in the Munich Putsch.
1924
The Dawes Plan helps Germany to recover.
1924
1925 – Hitler is imprisoned and writes Mein Kampf
1925–1929
Hitler rebuilds the Nazi Party.
1926
Field Marshall Paul von Hindenburg is elected as President.
1928
The Nazis fail to gain many seats in the elections. Germany is more prosperous.
1929
The Young Plan to spread out reparations payments is criticised by Hitler.
1929
The US stock market crash begins a period of depression.
1930
The Nazis gain 107 seats in the Reichstag.
1930–1931
Hitler campaigns against the government.
1932
Hitler fails to be elected as President.
1932
July, the Nazis gain 230 seats in the Reichstag.
1932
November, the Nazis began to lose support and fall to 196 seats.
1933
President Hindenburg is persuaded by Franz von Papen, a former Chancellor, to
make Hitler Chancellor.
3 On the back of the card in another colour, explain how the factor led to the rise of Hitler.
This was important for the rise of Hitler. He used the Young Plan (1929), which continued
reparations payments, to get support and promised to abolish all payments. He promised to
overturn the Treaty and blamed it for all of Germany’s problems. He blamed the politicians
who had signed the Treaty and called them traitors to get support for his own party, which had
always opposed the Treaty.
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4 Share your ideas with the class. Then put the cards into order of importance. Does everyone
agree on the order? (There is no ‘right’ answer, but you do have to think about what causes
are important.)
Use this timeline or create your own. Put each entry onto a sheet of paper and put it on a
‘washing line’ in the classroom to make a visual reminder of the order of events. (You might even
put one up in your room when you are revising to make sure you remember the sequence of events
in the exam.)
© Pearson Education Ltd 2009
© Pearson Education Ltd 2009
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2C: Life in Germany c1919–c1945
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2C: Life in Germany c1919–c1945
Resource sheet 1.3g
Resource sheet 1.3h
Stretch and challenge: What was most important in the rise of Hitler?
What have I learned about why Hitler came to power?
What was most important in the rise of Hitler – his own leadership and abilities OR the weaknesses
and problems of the Weimar Republic?
Have a thorough look at what you’ve studied in this topic and do an audit of what you have actually
learned – be honest!
1 Go back over Student Book pages 4–39.
Key topic
2 Do some extra reading on the topic or look at some websites. Links to websites on the following
topics can be found at www.heinemann.co.uk/hotlinks (express code 4509T, click on the
appropriate link):
• The Rise of Hitler
Hitler’s early life
• The Rise of Hitler and the Nazi Party
What problems Weimar had early on
The Treaty of Versailles
The Spartacists
The Kapp Putsch
• The Rise of Adolf Hitler
• Hitler's Rise to Power
Y = Yes, fine
OK = I understand most of it, but need to look at
it again and maybe ask some questions
H = Help!
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The formation and ideas of Nazism
• The Rise of Adolf Hitler
3 Use the following table and in each column add as many reasons as you can for Hitler’s rise to
power. An example has been given.
The strengths of Hitler
The weaknesses of Weimar
For example
For example
He used propaganda well, for example by
dramatic posters with clear and simple
messages.
Many people were ready to listen to Hitler
because they were angry that the politicians
had not done more to help the unemployed.
The events of 1923
The French occupation of the Ruhr
Inflation
The Munich Putsch
Recovery after 1924
The Dawes Plan and US loans
The Stresemann era
The Young Plan
How the Nazis got different groups’ support
The effects of the Depression of 1929
How Hitler rose to power 1928–1933
Key issues
Why was the Weimar Republic so weak
before 1924?
Why was it stronger after 1924?
Why did it collapse in 1933?
Why did Hitler fail in 1923?
4 Now come to your own conclusion. Try to explain WHY you have come to this view.
Who supported him and why?
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Why did Nazi support get stronger after
1929?
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Key Skills
Reading with understanding
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Taking notes
Working in a group/with someone else
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Making a contribution to discussions
Writing clear descriptions
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Writing explanations
Forming your own views
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© Pearson Education Ltd 2009
Handing in work on time
© Pearson Education Ltd 2009
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2C: Life in Germany c1919–c1945
Resource sheet 1.3i
Targets
36
1 If you set targets at the start of the course, look at them again now. How are you getting on?
Be honest.
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2 Now, set targets for the next part of the course. Be very specific – it’s no use saying ‘I will work
harder’. Be realistic, your target may be as straightforward as ‘I will look at my notes and resource
sheets more regularly’ or it may be as demanding as ‘I will write longer conclusions and support
my own views’. (3 targets maximum, please – you will have to try to meet them.)
Targets
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