GCSE
REVISION
BOOKLET
GERMANY
1918 – 1947
Key Issue 1:
The Rise of the Nazis and their consolidation of power 1929 – 33
KEY FACTS
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Kaiser Wilhelm II – abdicated in 1918
The Weimar Republic – new modern democracy set up under Friedrich Ebert.
The Treaty of Versailles 1919 – Harsh armistice imposed on the Germans
”November Criminals” – Name given to the Weimar politicians who accepted the terms of the treaty.
Article 48 – Part of the new constitution that gave the President special powers in a crisis
The Spartacist rebellion 1919– failed Communist uprising
The Kapp Putsch 1920 – failed Freikorps (Fascist soldiers) uprising
The Munich Putsch 1923– failed Nazi uprising.
Invasion of the Ruhr 1923 –French and the Belgian soldiers invade due to Germany’s failure to pay
reparations
Hyperinflation 1923 – the German economy reaches a real low as currency loses complete value.
Stresemann – Chancellor in 1923 and then Foreign minister from 1924 to 1929. He is given credit for
German recovery in the 1920s.
Rentenmark – Stresemann’s new currency to combat hyperinflation
The Dawes Plan 1924 – Huge US loans to Germany and an extension on the reparations deadline
The Locarno Pact 1925 – Stresemann negotiated the removal of foreign troops from the Ruhr and the
Pact guaranteed existing boundaries between Germany, France and Belgium
Germany accepted into the League of Nations in 1926
The Kellog-Briand Pact 1928 – over 60 countries signed a peace agreement
The Wall Street Crash 1929 – US loans were recalled which had a devastating affect on the German
economy and brought all of the old problems back to the surface.
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WHAT WAS THE IMPACT OF THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC ON THE RISE OF THE NAZIS ?
1) Problems
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Weaknesses of the constitution – Many groups like the Communists, Nazis aristocracy and the
judiciary all opposed a democracy. Proportional representation created weak coalition governments.
Article 48 paved the way for a dictatorial President.
Resentment of the Treaty of Versailles – Many blamed the Weimar government for being cowardly at
Versailles and they were called the “November criminals.” Reparations and losses in land and industry
would put a heavy strain on the economy.
Political extremists and their challenges to the Govt. – Spartacist rebellion 1919, Kapp Putsch 1920,
Munich Putsch 1923.
International hostility –Economic collapse in 1923 meant Germany could no longer pay reparations
and so France and Belgium invaded the Rhur land which led to further hyperinflation
2) Success – Recovery under Stresemann
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Firstly it is important to note that considering the amount of problems it was a success to simply
survive until 1923 as well as crushing the extremist uprisings
Economic and Political recovery under Gustav Stresemann
a. Introduction of new currency - the Rentenmark
b. Dawes Plan 1924 reorganised reparation payments and arranged for large loans of money from
the U.S.A.- $3000 million by 1930 which led to unemployment falling and some industries
prospering ;
c. Stresemann negotiated the withdrawal of French / Belgian troops from the Ruhr in 1925
d. Support for extremist parties fell as a result of the recovery e.g. in May 1924 election the Nazis
won 32 seats, but in 1928 they only won 12 seats.
e. As the political situation got better a cultural revival took place in Germany – writers, musicians,
more freedom, little censorship.
Better relations with foreign powers – Dawes Plan 1924; Locarno Pact 1925 with Britain, France,
Belgium and Italy guaranteed existing borders; allowed to join League of Nations 1926; Kellog-Briand
Pact 1928 was signed with 60 other countries agreeing they would never go to war with each other;
Young Plan 1929 reduced reparation payments from £6600 to £1850 million and extended repayment
period to the next 59 years. Stresemann’s greatest achievements were in foreign policy and in 1926 he
was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
3) Eventual Failure due to the Wall Street Crash
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Weaknesses underlying Stresemann’s recovery.
a. Not all businesses benefited from the recovery e.g. smaller companies and farmers
b. It was very dependent on short term, high interest US loans. Following the Wall Street Crash in
October 1929, repayment was demanded. This destroyed the German economy and
unemployment rose dramatically.
c. The economic crisis led to political crisis and by the early 1930s parliamentary democracy no
longer existed in Germany.
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– The Rise of the Nazis and their consolidation of power 1929 – 33
The early Nazi Party
The Background
 In 1920 Hitler writes the 25 point Nazi programme
 In 1921 Hitler sets up the SA (Stormtroopers/Brownshirts) to guard Nazi speakers but they go further
and begin beating and intimidating opponents.
 The Munich Putsch, 1923
 Mein Kampf 1924– Hitler writes out his ideas on politics and race in his book Mein Kampf (My
Struggle)
 1924 – 29 – The Stresemann years – Nazi support declined as the economy improved under
Stresemann but the party still survived an managed to hold on to its core support.
The Rise to Power
 1929 – The Great Depression – devastated the economy and renewed interest in extremist parties.
 Josef Goebbels – Propaganda minister who was responsible for creating the mass appeal of Hitler by
organizing rallies across the country and utilizing the media.
 By July 1932 – The Nazis were the largest party in the Reichstag and Hitler demanded the post of
Chancellor
 Hindenburg – The President of the Reichstag. He despised Hitler but he was too old and tired to stand
up to him.
 Von Papen – Chancellor in 1932. He did not stand up to Hitler and convinced Hindenburg to allow
Hitler to be Chancellor.
Consolidation of Power
 The Reichstag Fire, Feb 1933 – gave Hitler the excuse to attack his opponents
 The Enabling Law, March 1933 – Hitler banned his opponents from attending the vote and got a
majority support for the Enabling law which allowed him to pass laws without the Reichstag’s approval.
 Ernest Rohm – Leader of the SA. He made a big contribution to Hitler’s rise to power by intimidating
and beating opposition. After Hitler’s rise to power Rohm felt he should be made head of the army and
with the backing of the SA he was a potential threat to Hitler’s power
 The Night of the Long Knives, June 1934 – Hitler wanted one army – the SS (Hitler’s original personal
bodyguards) and so on 30th June 1934 he murdered 400 of the SA including Rohm and had the SS
swear a personal oath of allegiance to him.
 Hindenburg dies, 2nd August 1934 – Hitler announces himself as Fuhrer.
– WHY WAS HITLER APPOINTED CHANCELLOR IN 1933 AND HOW DID THE NAZIS CONSOLIDATE THEIR
POWER IN THE PERIOD 1933 – 1934?
a) Why was Hitler chancellor by 1933?
1. Hitler’s leadership – Hitler was an outstanding public speaker and managed to create policies that
were appealing to all sections of society. He promised to protect the upper and middle classes from
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Communism and Trade Unionism and he promised an end to unemployment for the working class. He
also promised to end the resented Versailles treaty and make Germany strong again.
The Great Depression in 1929 – The Depression of 1929 sent the German economy back to the crisis
levels of 1923 (6 million unemployed by 1932). People became desperate as the democratic Weimar
seemed to be doing nothing and so a extremist dictatorship seemed to be the answer.
The SA – The SA under Goebbels were formed to protect Nazi speakers but they went further and used
violence and intimidation against political opponents. They actually stopped people voting against the
Nazis (and forced other to vote for them) in the elections between 1930 and 1933 which was a crucial
factor in the increase of Nazi seats.
Goebbels – The Propaganda minister was responsible for spreading Hitler’s popular policies around
Germany. He used all types of media and flew Hitler around to give speeches. It seemed as if the Nazis
were the only party with any energy and determination.
The Failure of the Weimar government – The Weimar government allowed extremist groups to grow
in strength and did nothing about the great depression
These four factors meant that the Nazis went from having 12 seats in May 1928 to 196 seats in
November 1932. They now had a majority but to become Chancellor Hitler had to be asked by President
Hindenburg and so there is one final reason why Hitler became chancellor in 1933.
6. Weaknesses of Hindenburg and Von Papen
President Hindenburg hated Hitler but he was too old and weak to stand up to him. The Chancellor in
1932 was Von Papen and (as the Nazis had a majority) he felt forced to make a foolish agreement with
Hitler. Von Papen convinced Hindenburg to make Hitler Chancellor but only allow 3 of eleven cabinet
ministers to be Nazis. Von Papen felt he could control Hitler in a coalition government. He was wrong.
In January 1933 Hitler was appointed Chancellor.
b) Why was Hitler Fuhrer by 1934?
1. The Reichstag Fire – Hitler blamed the Reichstag fire (27th Feb 1933) on the Communists and insisted
the country was under attack. He asked Hindenburg to give emergency powers. With these powers
Hitler restricted the freedoms of the press and opposition parties and arrested political opponents.
The fire made Hitler look like a hero and discredited the communists before an election.
2. The Enabling Laws – Hitler used his vast majority after the March elections (and the intimidation of the
SA) to gain a majority vote in the Reichstag supporting the Enabling Laws which would allow him to
make laws without the Reichstag’s approval. He used these laws to immediately ban trade unions and
other political parties
3. The Night of the Long Knives – By June 1934 Hitler had got rid of his political opponents and now he
just needed to get rid of any possible military threat. Hitler’s SA had become very powerful and its
leader Rohm wanted to be leader of a new German army and seemed power hungry. On 30 th June
Hitler ordered his SS (personal bodyguards) to kill 4000 members of the SA including Rohm. The SS
became the new Nazi army and swore an allegiance to Hitler.
4. The Death of Hindenburg – Hindenburg dies on 2 August 1934 and Hitler seizes the opportunity and
declares himself Fuhrer. There is no one left to stand in his way.
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Key Issue 2 – Changing life in Nazi Germany 1933-39
KEY FACTS
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The Gestapo – Hitler’s secret police who would spy and find anyone who spoke out against the party.
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Heinrich Himmler – Head of the SS
Herman Goering – Head of the economy, he introduced his Four Year Plan in 1936 which aimed to rearm Germany, reduce unemployment and increase self sufficiency.
The German Labour Front (DAF) - replace trade unions, had strict control over workers who could no
longer complain about their conditions.
National Labour Service (RAD) gave community work to any unemployed men. In 1935 it became
compulsory for all men to do six months in RAD.
The Strength through Joy (KDF) attempted to control Germans’ leisure time.
March 1933 – The Ministry of Popular Enlightenment and Propaganda was set up under Josef
Goebbels to control all media and indoctrinate the public.
Education – school textbooks and lessons were reorganized to fit Nazi beliefs.
The legal system – only judges loyal to the Nazis were allowed to work as the courts became the
channel through which people were sent to the concentration camps
1933 - Women were banned from professional jobs and were ordered to be home makers and
mothers.
1935 – The Nuremburg laws – Jews could no longer be German citizens or marry German citizens.
1936 – The National Reich Church was set up to Nazify the Christain church structure
1938 – Introduction of the Motherhood Cross Award.
1938 – Kristallnacht – anti-semitism peaked with the first example of mass violence against the Jews as
shops, homes and synagogues were destroyed
1939 – It became compulsory to join the Hitler youth.
1939 – Jews begin to be forced into Ghettos
KEY QUESTION: HOW DID THE NAZIS AFFECT THE LIVES OF THE GERMAN PEOPLE?
1. Economic Policy.
d) Aims – to reduce unemployment; to rearm in order to create jobs, avenge Versailles and to
prepare for Lebensraum; to bring about economic self sufficiency (autarky) so that Germany
would not need to rely on imports.
o 1933-36 Economics Minister Schacht - 4 Year Plan to reduce unemployment
o 1936-40 Goering replaced Schact. 2nd 4 Year Plan to speed up rearmament
and lead to autarky.
b) Control of the Workers. Trade Unions banned in May 1933. New Nazi organization German Labour
Front (DAF) set up which controlled workers. e.g. no strikes, increased hours of work, wages were frozen.
Another Nazi organization was the National Labour Service (RAD) which put men to work on public work
schemes e.g. building motorways (autobahns).Schools, military barracks. This was compulsory from 1935 and
the men had to wear military uniform and live in camps
c) Rearmament. At first, this was limited so that it did not hurt the recovering German economy. But in
the mid 1930s billions were spent on producing tanks, ships, aircraft and this led to many jobs.
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d) Autarky – to reduce imports. Artificial substitutes for oil, rubber, coffee. Not that successful e.g. in
1939 Germany still imported 33% of its raw
materials.
e) Did Germans benefit from Nazi economic policies?
Unemployment fell dramatically and by 1939 stood at only 350,000. Most Germans were happy
about this since they now had jobs and an income. Wages and prices were now stable. However, the
unemployment figures did not include women, Jews or other groups, and conscription meant that many
young men were not counted as unemployed. Furthermore, workers had lost their trade union rights and
were at the mercy of the Nazi state. Big business did well, but many smaller businesses did not. Farmers
received government help but were now ordered what they could grow and told what they should charge for
their produce. Most Germans benefited from Nazi economic policies but lost out in terms of their personal
freedom. They now lived in a police state. Furthermore, economic growth was based on rearmament and
preparing the country for war
2. Social Policy.
a)Effects on Women. Women lost many rights they had under Weimar e.g.banned from professional
jobs – doctors, lawyers. Nazi propaganda glorified role of the Mother – Kinder, Kirche and Kuche (Children
Church kitchen )- and encouraged breeding – Motherhood Cross, Lebensborn. To increase the Aryan race.
German population rose sharply 1933 – 39 as did the number of marriages. However, abortion was illegal and
contraception limited. Some women disliked the new policies, but most welcomed the new security the state
now offered German families.
b) Effects on Church. Nazis saw religion as a powerful threat and tried to control the Catholic and
Protestant Churches. Although many in both religions opposed the Nazis (e.g. Martin Niemoller, a Protestant
pastor ) and many were sent to concentration camps, most conformed, or supported the Nazis.
c) Effects on the Young. This was seen as essential in order to control the future. The Nazis put a lot of
effort into indoctrinating young people in order to turn them into devoted supporters of Hitler. Education was
controlled – see notes. Hitler Youth set up – popular leisure activities such as camping, shooting, sport etc. for
boys, but also indoctrination. Made compulsory in 1939. Girls received physical training in preparation for
their role as mothers. Some youths refused to join and set up opposition groups e.g. Swing Kids.
d) Leisure Activities. The Strength through Joy (Kraft durch Freude) KDF organized and controlled the
leisure time of German workers. The KDF organized cheap concerts, cruises, sporting events. This aimed to win
the regime the support of workers and to control even their leisure time.
3. Political Control.
a) The legal system. Courts had to follow the views of the Nazi State. The People’s Court 1934, to try
“enemies of the state”.
b) Education – indoctrination e.g. Jews/communists blamed for Depression. Biology taught about
racial theory and the Master Race, History was about glorifying Germany. Teachers were sacked if they
disagreed.
c) Censorship and Propaganda. The aim was to brainwash Germans into accepting Nazi values and
beliefs. The messages of racial purity, national greatness and the cult of the Fuhrer were constantly
reinforced. Methods included speeches, mass rallies, newspapers, posters, radio, cinema and were
masterminded by Goebbels, Minister of Propaganda, as was censorship of the media and music and culture.
d) Attitudes and policies towards the Jews. Includes Aryans, racial purity, Mein Kampf, organization
policy, persecution, Nuremberg Laws 1935, Kristallnacht 9-10th November 1938 ( Night of Broken Glass ).
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EXAMPLE QUESTION AND ANSWER:
Did life improve for all people living in Germany between 1933 and 1939?
Many people did benefit under Nazi rule 1933-1939. Their rule saw a dramatic reduction in unemployment,
from over 6 million at the end of 1932 to just 350,000 in 1939. The Nazi Labour Service RAD, rearmament, the
push to autarchy (economic self sufficiency) and a world wide economic recovery all led to more jobs and
many Germans benefiting. Many Industrialists also benefited with increased profits and the abolition of the
trade unions and strikes. Despite these economic improvements, the figures are rather misleading. Nazi
unemployment figures did not include women, Jews and other groups, and conscription meant many were not
counted. Moreover, despite the decrease in unemployment workers lost their trade union rights and freedom
to choose their occupation
Socially, many women welcomed the new security the Nazis offered through the cult of motherhood. Other
women however, resented the fact that they were forced back to the home and were not allowed to have
professional jobs in law, teaching and medicine, as they had under the Weimar Republic. Young people
benefited from the Hitler Youth, with organized activities like camping, and increased status and the KDF
(Strength through Joy) organization offered people cheap cruises and sporting events. Germany became a
more social place but only if you were willing to be indoctrinated into Nazi beliefs.
Politically Germans lost their freedoms as the state became more totalitarian in nature. The Nazis took
complete control of the Reichstag and all political opposition was outlawed. The party then took control of the
legal system and education so they had a stranglehold on the whole of German society. Particular groups like
Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, communists and Jehovah’s Witnesses were oppressed by the Nazis and many of
them ended up in concentration camps.
In conclusion, not all benefited from Nazi rule 1933-39, and even those who did suffered in some ways e.g.
loss of personal freedom and having to live in a police state. However, it would seem that many accepted this
and in particular regarded the return to full employment as worth it, remembering the misery of the
Depression 1929 – 1933!
Key Issue 3 – Germany during the Second World War 1939-45
KEY FACTS
Phase One – Success – 1939-42
 By 1939 the Germans had the most technically advanced military in the world.
 Wehrmacht – German army
 Luftwaffe - air force
 Kreigsmarine – German navy
 Blitzkrieg – Lightning war meant that Germany successfully invaded Czechoslovakia, Poland, Norway,
Denmark, Belgium and France between 1939 and 1940. This meant morale at home was very high and
food and luxuries could be sent back to Germany from the conquered countries.
 1939-42 – The allies were too weak to attack Germany and so most German people went about their
normal lives unaffected by the war.
 Rationing – food and fuel were rationed from the start of the war
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Phase Two – Failure and Opposition – 1942 – 45
 Total war – After 1942 as the Germans started to lose the war a policy of total war was introduced
which meant all sections of the economy and society were geared towards the war.
 Labour shortages – there were massive labour shortages in the armament factories so the Nazis called
women to work and used slave labour.
 The Volkssturm – The Home guard was formed in 1944 as the allies pushed closer to Germany’s
borders. It was poorly organized with men too old or too young and was more important as a
propaganda stunt to boost morale.
 The Propaganda war – As Germany started to lose the war there were food and fuel shortages at
home which lowered morale. Goebbels warned people that their country would be taken over by
communists. The Propaganda was successful and Germans fought until the bitter end.
 Allied bombing – In May 1943 the Allies started bombing German cities. Raids on Dresden in 1945
destroyed 70% of the city and killed 150,000 people. The continuous bombing affect industry and
morale but it also made many Germans more determined in their war effort.
 The final solution – The Ghettos were becoming overcrowded and the killing squads (Einsatzgruppen)
were inefficient. Therefore Himmler and Heydrich were ordered to come up with a “final solution to
the Jewish problem. They decided on mass extermination using gas at concentration camps. It is
estimated that over 6 million Jews were murdered.
 Reinhard Heydrich – The “Blond Beast,” Head of the Gestapo, he planned the final solution with
Himmler.
 The Edelwiss Pirates – youth who rejected the indoctrination of the Hitler Youth.
 The Swing Youth – Listened to banned Western music in secret clubs.
 The White Rose Group – Munich students led passive resistance against the Nazis.
 Religious opposition – a number of key religious leaders spoke out against the Nazis and Niemoller set
up the Confessional Church as an alternative.
 Military opposition – There were three assassination attempts on Hitler’s life. The closest being the
July Bomb Plot in 1944 led by Colonel Stauffenburg. Hitler survived and over 5000 suspects were
executed.
 The defeat of Germany in 1945 – By April 1945 the Allies and the Russians had entered Berlin. The city
had been almost completely destroyed by allied bombing and millions tried to flee the advancing
enemy. Over 2 million refugees Hitler committed suicide on 30th April 1945 and Germany surrendered
on the 7th May.
KEY QUESTION: What impact did the Second World War have on the lives of German people?
Positive Impact
German successes from 1939 to 1942 kept morale high. The economy benefited from prisoner and slave
labour and people were able to enjoy goods sent back from conquered countries. Rationing limited the lives of
German people but the allies did not start bombing German cities until 1943 and so most Germans’ daily lives
did not change very much. Military success and Goebbels propaganda machine meant that people got behind
the war effort. Even as late as 1944 when Germany was faced with defeat, Goebbels still managed to sustain
the public’s support by warning people of a Communist invasion and creating the Volksturm (Home Guard).
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Negative impact
From 1942 onwards Germany began to feel the strains of the war. Military defeats affected morale as did the
heavy civilian casualties due to allied bombing. In 1943 the mass evacuation of children began dividing families
and causing further misery. Military defeats also meant that fuel and food became in short supply and
people’s lives became very hard. Everyone was expected to contribute to the “total war” effort and women
were forced back to work. For the “undesirables” in Nazi society (Jews, gypsies etc and anyone who spoke out
against the regime) the war was a very dark period. Millions died in the concentration camps and Himmler and
Heydrich’s final solution to the Jewish problem killed an estimated 6 million Jews. By 1945 many German cities
(including Berlin) had been mostly destroyed and millions of Germans died from cold, hunger, disease and
exhaustion as they fled the allies.
KEY QUESTION: Why did opposition to Hitler increase during the war?
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Before the war people were too scared of the SS and the Gestapo to speak out against Hitler, however,
as the war went on the SS were tied up in the war effort and in the final solution.
After 1942 military defeats and allied bombing turned meant a number of Germans lost a lot of
confidence in their leaders. People became fed up with the hardships of war – evacuation and
rationing.
The military became more militant with the increasing defeats and the public rebelled against the
control the Nazis had over their social lives. The Edelwiss Pirates, The Swing Youth and the White Rose
group were all young people who wanted more freedom.
KEY QUESTION: How effective were resistance groups in Germany 1939-45?
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The war was the best period for resistance groups for the reasons above. The military were the most
dangerous group coming very close to assassination Hitler in the July Bomb Plot of 1944. On the whole
resistance groups were very small and achieved very little but they did make Germans aware that
there could be a life outside the Nazi regime.
Therefore resistance groups were ineffective for a number of reasons…
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They were too small and unorganized.
The groups did not unite as they all had very different goals.
People were still too scared of the SS and the Gestapo to speak out against Hitler and they knew the
punishment would be certain death.
Goebbels propaganda campaign was very effective in keeping the majority of the public on side with
the Nazis.
Military men had sworn an oath to Hitler and even if they were unhappy they would have seen their
loyalty to their oath and their country as a matter of honour.
What was life like during the later war years 1942-45?
Between 1942 and 1945 German civilians were far more affected by the war.
Total War- announced by Goebbels in a speech at Sportzplatz Feb 1943
Albert Speer-Reich Minister for Armaments and Production Sep 1943 increased armaments productivity
greatly. Draw a diagram to illustrate how:
Shortages and the Black Market
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Start of war Autarky->rationing introduced (not too severe) to avoid shortages
Rations reduced 1942
Encouraged to use exotic foods from conquered countries-aubergines, fennel
New recipes-Parks and gardens dug up and used as vegetable patches
Other items rationed: cigarettes, soap, clothing, shoes. By 1941 1 ½ cigarettes/day for women
Illegal trading occurred on the black market- authorities against theme
Effects of Allied Bombing
From 1942-on cities- to disrupt war production-destroy civilians morale
1.4 million missions-2.7 million bombs-650k died
Single raid on Cologne killed 40k in 1942
By the end of the war 3.5 million civilians killed
Centre of city in ruins- Berlin, Hamburg, Dresden
Millions of refugees
The Volkststurm-The People’s Home Guard
Aim- to defend Germany’s cities from allied invasion.
People’s Army of men and boys- provided their own uniforms and weapons
Lacked experience-never a serious fighting force
Poorly trained few weapons- poor morale
Except a few Hitler Youth- well indoctrinated- defended Berlin vs Russian troops April 1945
How were the Jewish people treated during the war years?
1939 Reich Cental Office for Jewish emigration-set up under Reinhard Heydrich- ghettoisation, forced
emigration (Madagascar) BUT no mass slaughter at this point
Outbreak of warAllowed more extreme treatment of Jews without world opinion looking on
Early Blitzkrieg success-> more Jews in Nazi state-less land to east for forced emigration
Needed solution- especially for 3 million Polish Jews
Ghettos
‘Jewish reservations’ in towns-walled in
conditions appalling- starvation rations- thousands died from hunger/cold/typhus
Largest Warsaw- 55k died
Einsatzgruppen
Barbarossa-the invasion of Russia Jun 1941- the Jewish problem intensified
Special murder squads- Einsatzgruppen- moved in behind troops to round up and kill Jews
Raided towns and villages- picked out Jews –taken to village outskirts- made to dig their own graves before
they were shot- By 1943 estimated 2 million Russian mainly Jews killed
The Final Solution
Summer 1941 decision made to find ‘final’ and permanent solution to the Jewish question
Death camps – Goering signed the order- idea seems to have come from Himmler
Long term factors- Hitler’s hatred of Jews, desire to create a master race
Shorter term factors- massive number of Jews in German occupied territories
Wannsee Berlin Jan 1942 details of ‘Final Solution’ organised
Death camps built in Poland, far from Germany- Jews to be worked to death
Gas chambers and crematoria built quickly Auschwitz, Treblinka, Sobibor, Belzec (1 st camp)
The Death Camps
March 1942 Belzec began operating
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Jews arrived by train/road
Divided into 2 groups- fit to work/others sent to gas chambers (older women, children<10, pregnant women,
mothers with small children)
Workers often worked to death- poor rations/living conditions/ illness
Many lied about age to get work and stay alive- jobs forced labour in mines/factories/clearing ovens
Gases- Carbon monoxide/ Zyklon B- often came from showers
Bodies burnt in large ovens/ buried in mass pits
Efficient process Treblinka- 140k killed/month in 1942
Experiments (medical) carried out – no anaesthetic- to create perfect Aryan
Liberation 1945 – upto 6 million Jews, 500k European gypsies and countless other prisoners had been worked
to death, shot or gassed.
How was Germany defeated?
Allied advances in the West
 D-day Landings 6th June 1944 Normandy
 Paris liberated 25th August 1944
 Operation Market Garden 17th September 1944
Aim secure Rhineland bridges by airborne attack- advance rapidly northwards to lowlands of Germany skirting
around German defences- in Berlin by Christmas
Failed- poor radio communication, bad weather, poor intelligence
 Battle of the Bulge 16th December 1944
Aim-Hitler to split allied forces & stop them using Antwerp (port in Holland)
Total surprise rapid advances into Belgium and Luxembourg (Bulge) savage fighting 80,000 US,
100,000Gm casualties
Results- Gms used final reserves- forces pushed back West and East
 West -Allies reached east of Rhine Remagen 9th March
East –Russia reached Berlin early April
Allied advances in the East
 By summer 1943 Germans outnumbered 3;1 in terms of tanks- USSR manufacturing them at an
astonishing rate
 Limitless reserves of soldiers and war material-couldn’t hold back the Soviet war machine
 Savagery and scale- millions of soldiers killed and millions of civilian deaths
 7-20 million (13.5 Russian mainly reprisals for partisan attacks)
The Fall of Berlin
 No German troops occupying Soviet Union by the end of 1944
 Liberated Warsaw, Poland 17th Jan, Budapest, Hungary 11th Feb, Vienna, Austria 13th April
 The Surrender of Germany
 Donitz began negotiations with US General Eisenhower-hoping to gain better terms than with USSR
 Eisenhower, however, demanded complete and unconditional surrender on all fronts- threatened to
resume air raids if not
 Donitz accepted he had no option-Jodl, Chief of Operations Staff of the Armed Forces High Command,
signed surrender documents
 First surrender document signed 7th May Rheims-2nd 8th May Stalin felt that Soviet representative of
previous day had not been senior enough.
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 Germany at the end of the War
 Devastation extensive-3.25 million soldiers+3.6 million civilians had been killed- millions of refugees in
Gm from Russia, Poland, Czech. >25% of homes had been destroyed-45% schools remained-almost all
major towns and cities lay in rubble- Money worthless. No transport. No economy
 How was Germany Punished by the Allies?
 Allies agreed never again should Germany have the chance to start a war –prevent Germany becoming
powerful /aggressive again
 Germany to be de-militarised, de-Nazified, democratised
 Yalta Feb 1945- Germany near to defeat-Roosevelt, Stalin, Churchill agreed on many key issues but not
on reparations-Russia wanted huge reparations, Roosevelt and Churchill not too harsh, or on Poland
 Agreed on
 USSR enter war vs Japan once Germany had surrendered
 Divide Germany into 4 zones US, Br, Fr and Soviet
 Divide Berlin into 4 zones
 Hunt down and try Nazi war criminals in an international court of justice
 To allow liberated countries to have free elections
 Potsdam July 1945: since Yalta USSR had liberated many countries in Eastern Europe but did not
remove their military presence Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania,
Bulgaria
 Agreed on :
 Divide Germany as per Yalta, Demilitarise Germany, democratise Germany free speech, free press, free
elections
 Reparations to be paid to the allies in equipment and materials-most would go to USSR as had suffered
the most. USSR t be given ¼ of industrial goods made in the western zones in return for food and coal
from the Soviet zone
 Nazi Party banned- Nazi’s removed from important posts and leading Nazi’s put on trial in Nuremberg
 Poland’s frontier moved westwards to rivers Oder and Neisse acquiring German territory
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