Revision Notes—Germany c.1919 – 1945
THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC – WAS IT DOOMED FROM THE START?
SECTION A: WHAT EFFECT DID THE FIRST WORLD
WAR HAVE ON GERMANY?
Early in 1918, the Germans (Gns) were celebrating – the war was going
their way. By August 1918, their fortunes had changed – so quickly that
it was difficult for most Gns to accept that they were losing the war. Yet
by September 1918, it was clear that they would have to make peace –
enthusiasm for the war was long gone, over a million Gn soldiers were
dead, and Germany (G) was in a desperate state………
The immediate key effects of the war on G were….
ECONOMIC
 In 1918, production of butter, milk and meat was at 60% of pre-war levels.
 0.75m civilians died from starvation and disease.
POLITICAL
 During the war, the autocratic regime of the Kaiser (K) had tightened its grip on the
people. G was ruled as a dictatorship, and opposition leaders (those against the Kaiser/
war) were imprisoned.
 After G’s surrender in Nov 1918, armed soldiers were returning home and joining in
violent demos against the K.
PSYCHOLOGICAL
 Before the war Gns had been v proud of their country. Now they looked around for
someone to blame for their defeat. They were bitter and angry.
These effects combined to produce a revolution in Oct-Nov 1918. The K was forced
to abdicate, and the leading party in the Reichstag, the Social Democrats, took
charge. EBERT took over as Chancellor, G was declared a republic (called the Weimar Republic (WR) ), and on 11 Nov 1918 an armistice was agreed with the Allies.
SECTION B: WHAT PROBLEMS FACED THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC
BETWEEN 1918-1923?
From the info above, you can work out 3 of these problems already…..
1. sorting out how the country’s going to be run now the K’s gone
sorting out the effects of WW1 (especially on G’s economy)
3. The Gns were looking for someone to blame for their defeat in the war. Who were the easiest people to blame? The
politicians of the new government (WR), of course! After all,
they were the ones who had just signed the armistice, making Germany’s surrender to the Allies official…..IN EFFECT,
THE WR WAS DOOMED FROM THE START.
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BUT IN THE MEANTIME… Ebert had got the support of the German army. This
would help him and the Social Democrats (SDs) establish, and keep control.
So what did the Weimar Government do about its problems?
SORTING OUT HOW THE COUNTRY’S GOING TO BE RUN…..
 PROBLEM 1: other political parties wanted to take control of G



The Spartacists (a.k.a. Spartacus League/the Communist Party)
 a group of extreme left-wing Communist revolutionaries led by Rosa Luxemburg
 wanted to take the 1918 revolution a step further and allow the workers to seize control of G.
 Jan 1919, Spartacist Rising—attempted to take over government. They failed –
Luxemburg murdered, and the revolt was easily crushed by ……..
The Freikorps
 Group of ex-army soldiers organised by Ebert to help keep control
 they had extreme right-wing views, which meant that they hated democracy
 they wanted a strong leader who could make up for Germany’s humiliating defeat
 In reaction to the Treaty of Versailles (see below) they also tried to take over the
government in March 1920—Kapp Putsch. This was a big threat to the WR, as the
Freikorps had the support of the army. Ebert had to call on the support of the workers, who launched a general strike. With no transport, the Kapp Putsch collapsed.
The Nazis
 new group of right-wing extremists, many of them ex-Freikorps!
 Nov 1923 they also tried to take over the government by marching from Munich to
Berlin. Munich was the capital city of Bavaria (an area of Germany known for its
right-wing views). This revolt was called the Munich (Beer Hall) Putsch. It was
easily crushed by the army. (see page 10 for more details.)
So how did Ebert and the SDs do in tackling these threats?
They had crushed both left and right wing extremist threats to the Republic
They had kept the support of the rich landowners and industrialists, especially by
stamping on the Communists (Spartacists)
Ebert had cleverly played the opposition off against each other (RW (Freikorps) v.
LW (Communists/workers))
The general strike that crushed the Kapp Putsch was a positive show of support
for the WR by the people
In crushing the Spartacist rising, Ebert had put the fate of the WR into the hands
of the Freikorps – who could not be trusted to be loyal ( Kapp Putsch a year later?)
Also, as the Freikorps murdered 1000s of Communists under Ebert’s orders, the
workers weren’t likely to see the SDs as their ideal government.
It’s not the number of good/bad points that count when you’re measuring success – it’s the importance of each point.
How successful do YOU think Ebert was in dealing with early threats to
the WR? (Can you EXPLAIN 2 good AND 2 bad points of his actions? Overall, how
successful was he?)
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 PROBLEM
2: The WR had to sign the deeply unpopular Treaty
of Versailles
The Allies didn’t hold back in making sure that G was well and truly
punished in the ‘peace’ treaty to end WW1 (and start WW2!). But
Ebert had no choice but to sign it. There was no way G could return
to war and win. The treaty was so humiliating to G. that it was
called the “shameful diktat ” by the press (it was if it had been dictated to Germany).
o
So what were the terms of this terrible treaty?…..
 MILITARY: the Gn army was restricted to 100,000 men, and
she was no longer allowed an air force; and only 6 battleships
LAND RESTRICTIONS: G lost 13% of its land (including empire), and 6m of its population. Areas lost included the Saarland (a coal rich area) 15% of G’s agricultural
land, and 10% of her industry;
 REPARATIONS: G. was given a bill of £6,600m to pay in war damages;
 WAR GUILT: G had to accept complete responsibility for starting the war.
Why not try remembering these with a little acronym—eg. LARGE (Land lost, Army reduced,
Reparations, Guilt and Empire lost). Or even REGAL. Or even, more memorably, LAGER?!
The Gns (especially those with right-wing views) blamed the SDs/WR for
signing the treaty, despite it being unavoidable. Of all the factors which weakened the WR, this was the biggest. The Stab In The Back Myth developed –
right wingers said that the army had been stabbed in the back by weak politicians. They thought that G was so great before the war that she could have continued to fight…and won. Do you think this was a fair point? Can you explain
how bitterness about the treaty /the SITB myth helped the Nazis rise to power?

PROBLEM 3: What kind of constitution should the Weimar Republic have?
The new constitution was ready by 1919. In theory, it gave G. one of the most democratic governments in the world, at the time. In practice, it didn’t really work as it was
supposed to. Historians have argued that the weaknesses of the constitution made it
even harder for the Republic to cope with the difficulties it had to face.
The strengths of the constitution were ALSO weaknesses……
Hooray! After centuries of autocracy, G. was now a democracy. At last, the people
could rule themselves…..
BUT G’s politicians had no experience of democracy. They weren’t used to democratic
processes (decision making etc.) In 1919, at a time of such political, economic and
social chaos, many Germans cried out for a strong, decisive leader, not a government
in which power was shared and problems were talked through and decisions slow.
It was great that all Gns now had the right to vote…..
BUT many weren’t really interested in having this right. Plus, the Republic had many
enemies – they could now vote for parties who wanted to destroy the Republic, like
the Communists.
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Proportional representation was fair….
BUT in practice, it made it difficult for any party to get a majority – this would cause
squabbling in the Reichstag, and would make law-making a slow process – at a time
when laws were needed!
The President had a lot of power, and was only elected by the people every 7 years. It
was important to have a strong President….
BUT under Article 48, he could turn himself into a virtual dictator.
THINK! How did Hitler turn the weaknesses of the constitution to his
advantage (to get power) between 1924-34?
So, to sum up, you have just revised how the Chancellor Ebert and the Weimar
Government tried to sort out how the country was going to be run after the 1918
revolution. We have already noted the successes—but let’s just check the negatives again…..
By the end of 1919, the Weimar Republic was deeply unpopular with the these people…..
 the LW (Spartacists) wanted working-class Communism, not middle-class democracy;
 the RW (Freikorps, Nazis and army) blamed the WR’s ‘weak’ politicians for the armistice and Treaty of Versailles (they’d signed both of them, after all). This lead to the
SITB myth—a massive grudge against the WR;
 the RW and many others were not used to democracy. They wanted a strong, decisive
government that would sort out the chaos, fast;
 many ordinary Germans hated the Treaty of Versailles (TOV), and the government for
signing it.
That’s all the
thanks I get,
then?
SORTING OUT THE EFFECTS OF WW1 ON
GERMANY—ESPECIALLY ON THE ECONOMY……
1923 was crunch time for the WR, as it had to deal with 3 linked crises…….
CRISIS 1 :THE OCCUPATION OF THE RUHR
The French were determined to make G. pay for WW1 (most of the war had been fought
on French soil). When G. failed to keep up with its reparations payments (under TOV),
French and Belgian troops marched into the Ruhr, G’s most important industrial region,
and occupied it. This was legal under the TOV – they could seize coal if G. didn’t pay up in
money. The Ruhr workers responded with passive resistance (refusing to work/strike).
Was this a good strategy?…..
Yes, because if the workers were on strike, no coal would be produced, so the French
couldn’t take any. Cunning, eh?….
No! Without coal, Germany couldn’t pay for the goods she needed to import. Trade
with foreign countries stopped, and prices of everyday goods soared.
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CRISIS 2: HYPERINFLATION (aka. The Great Inflation)
The government could not afford to cover the costs of reparations or passive resistance—strikers still needed wages! Simple
solution – it printed more money. BIG MISTAKE. New printed
notes were not backed up by capital (money invested elsewhere)
SO the value of money spiralled downwards, and prices went up
(not as many goods being produced because of passive resistance).
Hyperinflation affected different groups in different
ways..….
Kids playing with worthless
Workers were OK. Unemployment benefit rose, and
bank notes—the little rascals!
those employed received higher and higher wages;
Rich businessmen, at first, could take over smaller
companies which were going bankrupt;
Those who had debts could pay the money back at a fraction of the real cost;
The rich had land, possessions and foreign currency. Possessions could be bartered (swapped) for food and other essentials;
In the end, normal business and trade became impossible – businesses went
bankrupt, causing much unemployment;
Old people living on fixed pensions/savings found these were worthless;
The middle classes saw their savings and (small) businesses destroyed—
they were the biggest losers during the Great Inflation.
CRISIS 3: THE MUNICH PUTSCH (aka The Beer Hall Putsch)
Hitler and the Nazi Party—neither were well known in 1923—got fed up with hyperinflation. They were already fed up about Versailles. When the government decided to put
an end to passive resistance in the Ruhr, the Nazis thought this was outrageous—why
should G. give in to France? They tried to march from Munich to Berlin, where they
planned to take over the government. This putsch was easily crushed by the German
army, BUT it reminded the government that extremist groups were still a threat to the
Republic. (For more info see later section on MP).
THINK! How were these
3 crises linked to (a)
each other, (b) The Treaty of Versailles?
You ain’t seen
me, right? You
will have soon .
Trust me—I’m a
dictator. (Well,
nearly…)
It was around 1923 that the Nazi Party
started to develop. BUT THAT’S FOR
LATER, NOT NOW!
Remember that if we want to be able
to explain why Hitler came to power,
we have to be able to explain why it
was the Nazis, and not the Weimar
Republic, that ruled Germany after
1933. In other words—why did the
WR fail and the Nazis succeed?
You will have to know all about the
Weimar Republic for the exam, so
read on…..!
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SECTION C: HOW DID STRESEMANN SORT OUT THE CRISES OF 1923 &
PUT THE WR ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY DURING THE 1920S?
In Aug 1923, Stresemann (right) became Chancellor.
He is still highly regarded by historians, who claim that
Yes, actually,
his policies (actions) led the WR out of crisis—to
I was a
recovery. Between 1924-29 G became both
genius….
economically and culturally richer. This period is
usually called ‘The Golden Twenties’. BUT—underneath
the surface, G was still struggling. Stresemann may have
covered up the symptoms, but he didn’t cure the disease. There were bad
times ahead for Germany, but you must remember that no one saw them coming….
HOW STRESEMANN SORTED OUT THE CRISES OF 1923
1. He put an end to passive resistance—the strike in the Ruhr was called off, and G started paying reparations to France once again;
2. Oct 1923—the old, worthless currency was scrapped. A completely new, temporary currency was introduced, called the Rentenmark. The amount of bank notes in circulation at
any one time was strictly controlled by the government—so its value stabilised. The plan
worked—so a year later, a permanent currency, called the Reichsmark was brought in. (But
why couldn’t they just keep the old currency? Because Gns had lost confidence in it—they
didn’t trust the old currency. It’s amazing what a new name and new bank note design can
do!);
3. Stresemann arranged talks with the US government, to sort out the problem of how G
could afford to pay reparations. The result was the Dawes Plan 1924. This was a huge loan
from the USA to help rebuild Gn trade and industry. The idea was, that if trade and industry
got back on its feet, the profits would be used to pay reparations.
What were the advantages and disadvantages of these solutions?
Thanks to the Dawes Plan and the new Reichsmark, the Gn economy could get back on
its feet. Hyperinflation came to an end. Trade and industrial production soared, so
G could afford to pay reparations again. This meant that…..
G had a better relationship with the Allies (Britain, and especially France and the
USA). The Dawes Plan had created strong ties between G and the USA, and France
began to trust G again now she was meeting the terms of the TOV (reparations);
Consequently, Gn people were better off, and happier—because of the WR’s policies.
For the first time since its birth, the WR seemed to enjoy the support of most Gns!
BUT not everyone was feeling hunky dory. The RW (Freikorps/army) hated the government for ending passive resistance and paying reparations again—they saw both
as giving in to France! The Dawes Plan was an added insult—the RW could not come to
terms with the idea that G needed help from the Allies to kick-start her economy
again;
Any loan is always risky—the Dawes Plan was the riskiest loan you could get! In
1924, the USA was the richest country in the world. But if the US’ economy were to
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collapse, the money would stop coming in, and G might have to pay back the loan at very
short notice. This could cause the Gn economy to fall flat on its face all over again!
Yeah—but that’s never going to happen. Right?
Summary: TO WHAT EXTENT HAD THE WR REPUBLIC RECOVERED BY 1929?
There are 3 main areas that you need to look at….
RECOVERY
FOREIGN POLICY
(relations with other
countries)
 Locarno Treaty 1925:
G and France agreed
not to attack each other
 Young Plan 1928: built
on Dawes Plan. G’s
reparations bill was
reduced
 G joins League of
Nations 1926: this
showed that the Allies
trusted G, and boosted
G’s international reputation
POLITICS
 Hindenburg elected Presi-

ECONOMY
 Dawes and Young
dent 1925: he was an army
general during WW1 and
very popular among Germans. This gave the WR an
image boost
1928 coalition: The SDs
managed to join forces in
the Reichstag with other like
minded parties (different
parties agreeing to cooperate to run the country =
a coalition). This allowed
laws to be passed by a majority vote (more than 50%
of total deputies - like
MPs—voting to pass a law).
Plans helped industry
recover. By 1928, G’s
industrial production
levels had beaten prewar levels
None of this under the
Locarno Treaty!
PROBLEMS STILL NOT SOLVED/CREATED...
 The right wing hated these
 Hindenburg was right-
policies: they didn’t want to
make deals, or compromise,
with the Allies—they wanted
nothing less that
REVENGE!
 how do these achievements and problems connect with (a) each other;
(b) previous problems?
 what do you think the most
serious problems—still not
solved by 1929—were, and
why? (Think about what trouble
they might cause in the future,
and how….)

wing, and antidemocracy, and yet he
was President. Under the
constitution, Presidents
stay in power for 7 years
once elected. Plus, they
can use Article 48! Hindenburg could become a dictator if he wanted to
Still no single party majority in Reichstag: the
SDs always got the most
votes from the people, but
never more than 50% of the
national vote. Coalitions
usually fell out after a while
over some disagreement.
 The Dawes Plan



was v. risky—see
page 6
Unemployment
was still high
Farmers still saw
a fall in profits
Power and money was concentrated in the
hands of big
business—a few
industrialists who
ran >50% of Gn
industry. Small
businesses could
not handle the
competition
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SECTION D: A LITTLE BIT OF CULTURE, THEN THE EXAM BIT
You have seen how the Gns had had a lot to
come to terms with in a short space of time. All
of the tension and anxiety of the past few
years found an outlet—in the culture of the
Weimar period. Moreover, it was allowed an
outlet: Gn culture under the Kaiser had been
limited by strict censorship. During the ‘Golden
Twenties’, many Gns began to enjoy themselves
again. In Berlin, painting, cinema, theatre, architecture and nightlife flourished. So did drinking,
and prostitution. …..
The right wing detested all of this. They complained that traditional Gn values (the family,
church and so on) were being undermined.
Enjoy myself?
When 1000s of
Germans have
died for our country? Have you
no respect?
THINK! What kind of impact would this cultural backlash
(led by the RW) have on the reputation of the WR? Why do you think Hitler
later attached so much importance to ‘traditional’ Gn values?
PAIN KILLERS AND EXAM IT’S NOT WHAT YOU DON’T
GET, IT’S WHAT YOU DO GET
ADVICE…….
THAT’S IMPORTANT!
 Perplexed by proportional representation? All you need to
understand is that it made law-making difficult.
 Hopeless with hyperinflation? All you need to know is who suffered the most because
of it, and how.
 Having your own left wing/right wing battles? All you need to know is that the WR was
in power, but not always in control—other, anti-democracy groups wanted to steal its
power. Right wing = Nazis, left wing = Communists. Each group tried to take over the
government—and failed. The most important attempt to take over was the Munich
Putsch, led by Hitler (see later).
I DON’T EXPECT EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING! EVERYONE
HAS PERMISSION TO FEEL SMUG FOR WHAT THEY DO UNDERSTAND!
Try answering these exam questions in bullet point format……
 Why did most Germans hate the Treaty of Versailles? (5 marks)
 In what ways did the rapid inflation of 1923 affect Germany? (5)
Most questions about Hitler’s rise to power will expect you to use your knowledge of
the failure of the Weimar Republic. The points you could come up with are….
 Treaty of Versailles (Hitler promised to get rid of TOV) and Stab In The Back Myth
 G not being suited to democracy—little experience of it, used to Kaiser/strong leader
making all the decisions—this weakened the Republic from the start (as did SITB Myth)
 Economic problems caused by Versailles/general impact of WW1
NOTE THAT ALL THESE POINTS ARE CONNECTED!
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THE RISE OF THE NAZIS: HOW WAS HITLER ABLE TO BECOME CHANCELLOR
BY JANUARY 1933?
The Nazis didn’t suddenly burst on the scene and seize
power, as you know. Between 1919 and 1929, they were
in the background—and had just as many setbacks as the
Weimar Republic. That’s why, whenever you answer any
essay or source question about the rise of the Nazis, you
must consider what was going on around them. That’s
where all the Weimar Republic stuff you’ve just revised
comes into play!
STEPS TO POWER: 1 BOLD IDEAS
The 25 point programme, a
list of early Nazi ideas about
how to run the country, contained many ideas that didn’t
appeal to many people eg.
remove all Jews from powerful positions. Such ideas were too extreme. BUT, at the
same time, some of their ideas cast the net wide—and caught the approval of loads
of Germans, no matter what their political views. Eg. abolish the TOV, set up a
strong central government.
The SA (Storm-Abteilung STEPS TO POWER: 2 SET UP A NAZI PARTY ARMY
or Stormtroopers, aka
Brownshirts) was set up in 1921. Some were ex-Freikorps. In
theory, they were there to protect Nazi speakers from left-wing
brawlers at Nazi meetings. In practice they stirred up fights at
SD/Communist meetings in order to break them up and make
the opposition look bad. The SA were mostly young men who
liked a bit of fisticuffs and the feeling of power and belonging
that the SA gave them.
Kicking a Communist, 1933 elections
STEPS TO POWER: 3 BE BOLSHIE
Hitler was famous for rarely taking ‘no’ for an answer, and taking bold leaps where others might be too cautious. For example, in 1923, Hitler took the very bold step of trying to take over
the government (see Munich Putsch). Although this was a
spectacular failure, what mattered was that it was spectacular.
The attempt at revolution alone made Hitler look like a man of
action next to his other right wing counterparts, like Kahr. Similarly, in 1932-3, Hitler continued to refuse any position in government offered by Hindenburg unless it was Chancellor.
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STEPS TO POWER: 4 SPIN—AND CREATE A STIR Hitler was able to bounce back
from the failure of the Munich
Putsch by taking advantage of the publicity it created. In this way,
the MP launched Hitler’s reputation as the natural leader of extremist right-wing elements in Germany. The trial which followed the
MP, in 1924, gave Hitler a national platform upon which to speak.
His eloquent public speaking, through which he slated the Weimar
Government, was reported in the press. It certainly impressed the
judges, who sentenced Hitler to only 5 years (he only served 9
months, in luxury ‘prison’ Landsberg Castle). Whilst in prison, Hitler
was able to write a book, Mein Kampf (My Struggle), which further
publicised his political views.
This was one of the Nazis’ strongest points.
STEPS TO POWER: 5 BE FLEXIBLE
Whilst the party image boasted strong principles, Hitler was willing to compromise on the finer details if it meant getting closer to power. In
Mein Kampf Hitler wrote that he realised Right lads,
anyone got
it would not be possible
a plan B?
to obtain power by force (the MP hadn’t
worked, after all). Therefore, getting
power by legal means, (ie. votes/elections) was the
way forward. In 1928, the Nazis showed similar flexibility in another change of tactic—they changed from
targeting the working classes to targeting the middle classes. This meant changing
Nazi policies to fit. For example, before 1928, one of the Nazi’s main promises
was to nationalise big industries. This was popular with the workers. After 1928, the
Nazis dropped this promise from election speeches, since it would not be popular
with big business owners, who would stand to lose a lot of profits under nationalisation. During the Depression, promises to voters gave every section of society
what they wanted to hear (see later for more detail). There is evidence to suggest
that voters were so confused by the range of Nazi promises that they didn’t actually
know what they were voting for.
STEPS TO POWER: 6 PROPAGANDA
Goebbels, in charge of Nazi propaganda
before and after 1933, was a master at
publicising the Nazis, and Hitler himself. Local Nazi leaders
were also trained in propaganda skills. Goebbels appreciated
the need for simple, clear-cut messages and images in order
to catch the eye and appeal to the widest section of society
as possible. Propaganda included election posters, mass
rallies/parades (giving the impression of order), news articles
in the Nazi newspaper The People’s Freedom, and public
speaking.
“The task of propaganda is to make complicated
ways of thinking simple, so even the smallest man in
the street can understand.”
Election poster, 1932
GOEBBELS
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STEPS TO POWER: 7 USE TECHNOLOGY Hitler took full advantage of radio technology. Whilst other politicians thought that the Nazis’ electioneering methods were absurd, Hitler was able to gain support by
doubling propaganda through radio broadcasts and the printing
press (millions of election posters were reproduced). Goebbels
chartered planes to fly all over Germany so that Hitler could
speak at 4 or 5 mass rallies per day.
It was no coincidence that the STEPS TO POWER: 8 BE ORGANISED
Nazi party was organised along
military lines, and that many members were soldiers who had fought in
WW1. These members, fresh from the trenches, brought teamwork and
obedience to the Nazi party. Local workers were well trained and motivated. Hitler made sure that the party was organised at every level to
gain the most votes possible.
STEPS TO POWER: 9 GET BACKING FROM BIG BUSINESS
Hitler was partly successful in gaining the support of the powerful industrialists in German society. He
needed their support not just because they were influential in politics, but because of the financial backing that they could
offer the Nazis.
STEPS TO POWER: 10 BE, UM...HITLER!
Of course, the trump card of the Nazi
Party was Hitler himself. Election campaigns focused around his personality and skills. Electioneering and propaganda
made him out to be the strong leader whom Germany needed and wanted. His
physical appearance was even adapted on posters. He practised his speech poses
for hours. In short, he was
made out to be a demi-god
who was instinctively aware
Yes, actually, I’m marvellous!
of the people’s problems
and could offer them a way
out of their troubles.
LEAP TO POWER: THE GREAT DEPRESSION
This graph shows the number of people voting for the Nazis between 1924-1932. There
could only be one thing responsible for such
a dramatic rise—the Great Depression. None
of the factors above could had worked alone
to bring the Nazis power. The Depression,
however, brought them into play.
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WHAT WAS THE GREAT DEPRESSION?
An economic depression is a slump mainly in trade. The Great Depression of 193033 was triggered by the collapse of the stock market in the USA. Banks lost all their
investments and were forced to close—which meant that people lost their savings
too. Many businesses also went bankrupt, since no one could afford to buy anything. This led to massive unemployment.
WHO SUFFERED BECAUSE OF THE DEPRESSION?
The Great Depression was worldwide. Events in the USA affected Germany badly,
since American banks demanded that Germany repay loans they had given to Germany since 1924. This included the Dawes Plan. In an effect similar to falling dominoes, Germany’s economy collapsed.
Businessmen: Many German companies that had borrowed money went bankrupt
as they had to pay back private loans to foreign banks. New loans, of course,
were also out of the question;
Workers: By 1932, 6 million Germans were unemployed. Many more were affected by unemployment—namely workers’ families;
Farmers: They hadn’t done too well in the ‘20s. Prices had been falling since
1925– now they just slipped into further debt.
HOW DID DEPRESSION WEAKEN THE WEIMAR GOVERNMENT?
Historians have argued to the death (well, almost) about whether the WR would have
survived had it not been for the Depression. We have already seen how far the WR had
recovered from earlier crises (see page 7). The Dawes Plan had been a gamble—and in
the event, it didn’t pay off. There were other ways, however, in which the Depression
weakened the WR….
The government responded with unpopular economic policies….taxes were
raised, wages were cut, and unemployment benefit was reduced. Hmmm, that’s
sure to win the support of the people!!!?!
Democracy collapsed….The Reichstag was in such a
mess that the Chancellor fell back on Article 48 to pass
laws. Germany was now ruled by presidential decree. And
who was the president? That’s right—an 84 year old controlled by big business and army leaders who hated democracy anyway.
Rise of extremism…..Communists claimed that the Depression showed how capitalism was flawed, and that
communism was the only answer. The Nazis pointed the
finger at the TOV, Marxists and Jews, and of course, the
WR. They promised to get rid of the ‘enemy within’ who
was destroying Germany. Political violence increased as Many unemployed Gns
couldn’t afford to eat
the left and right started battling with renewed energy.
12
HOW DID THE DEPRESSION HELP THE NABrownie’s
Whilst the Weimar Republic seemed to be mudHonour!
dling through, Hitler appeared strong and decisive—his leadership and ideas seemed to be
just what Germany needed. Hitler made 2 promises to
the people….
1. The Nazis will get rid of unemployment….by provid-
ing work on road-building and public works schemes;
2. The Nazis will get rid of Communists…..the middle classes were worried about
the rise in the popularity Communism during the Depression. Hitler pointed to the
reputation of the SA in ‘dealing with’ Communists.
Remember that the Depression only partly explains the success of the Nazis between 1928-33. Plenty of other parties were claiming that they had the solutions
to Germany’s problems. What set the Nazis apart were all of those things we’ve
already looked at (see steps to power section). These were the tools that the Nazis
applied in order to take advantage of the Depression in order to get support.
BOTH were essential for Hitler’s rise to power. Think of the Depression as a car,
and the steps to power (pages 9-11) as the engine. Without
the engine, the car doesn’t go anywhere. Without the car,
the engine’s pretty useless. Get it?
THINK! Why a VW Beetle?
These election posters show the car and the engine working together, so to
speak—Hitler’s promises to solve unemployment and kick Communists out combined with the tool and skill of propaganda…..
Makes Communists out to be the
‘enemy within’, working to undermine Germany.
Appeals to female voters—vote Shows unemployed workers.
Nazi and get your husband back Caption = ‘Hitler: our last
into work.
hope”.
13
WHY WAS HITLER INVITED TO BECOME CHANCELLOR IN JANUARY 1933?
It is unlikely that you will be required to explain the political ins and outs of the situation that brought Hitler to power in 1932-3. Good job then, since it’s quite complicated.
Basically, all you need to know is this….
 The Nazis were the largest party in the Reichstag in 1932 (they won 37% of the
vote in July 1932 elections). Usually, the leader of the party with the most seats
in the Reichstag becomes Chancellor. BUT President Hindenburg distrusted
Hitler, and didn’t want to appoint him as Chancellor. Besides, the other parties in
the Reichstag would not work with Hitler;
 So instead, there were lots of back-room deals as different politicians tried to
construct a workable government. There
 were 2 possible candidates besides Hitler to Limit my
be Chancellor—von Papen and von Schlei- power?!!! I
cher. BUT neither of them had enough sup- want world
port in the Reichstag;
domination.
 Eventually, by end of January 1933, Hinden- NOW!!!!
burg had been persuaded to appoint Hitler as
Chancellor on the condition that von Papen was viceChancellor and the number of Nazis in the cabinet (the
central government body) was limited. SO, Hindenburg
only appointed Hitler as Chancellor because he
thought he could limit Hitler’s power.
This is you in the paper 1 exam. Because you’ve
What’s
So much to
my name
revised the last section
again?
write...so little
really well. This is NOT
time!
you in the paper 1
exam. Because you’ve re- vised
the last section really well.
EXAM ADVICE…..
Yes, the reasons for Hitler’s rise to power WILL be on your exam paper in some shape
or form. Common questions will ask you to……
1. Analyse an election poster from 1928-32—maybe explain why it was printed at that
particular time, or what message it is trying to give/who it will appeal to and how;
2. Explain why the Nazis weren’t successful before 1929, but were after 1929;
3. Explain how far the Depression helped the Nazis’ rise to power.
Like numbers 2 and 3 above, the rise to power is a popular topic for the 8 mark essay
question. Remember to give BOTH sides of the argument to get more than 4 marks!
TOP TIPS: 1. AVOID general statements like “The Nazis offered a way out of the
mess…”. Explain how the Depression affected Germany, and what solutions the Nazis
offered. BE SPECIFIC! 2. For 8 mark questions, fully explain 2-3 points on each side.
14
HOW DID HITLER CONSOLIDATE HIS POWER, 1933-34?
For Hitler, not even the position of Chancellor was enough. In January
1933, Hitler knew 2 things….(1) now he had power, he had to make sure
he kept hold of it, and (2) if he wanted to put his ideas into practice, he
would have to get more power. With Hitler Chancellor, there were still 2
more powerful agents in Germany—the President, and the German national army. Hitler would have to overcome, or neutralise both, in order
to achieve his aims. There were 2 options open to Hitler in 1933—get them on side by
persuading them to support him, or use force. Between 1933 and 1934, Hitler used both.
POWER-BOOSTER: 1 GET A MAJORITY IN THE REICHSTAG
If Hitler and the Nazis had more than 50% of the seats in the
Reichstag (ie. 50% of the national vote), then he could pass whatever laws he wanted (because no party would able to gather enough
votes to vote against a law). As long as his laws didn’t go against
the Weimar Constitution, he would have a free rein. So, Hitler decided to organise fresh elections for March 1933. He was determined
that the Nazis would win a clear majority.
POWER BOOSTER: 2 SABOTAGE THE OPPOSITION
When Hitler became Chancellor, he gained control of all the
powers of the state, including the police. On 4 Feb 1933, he got President Hindenburg to pass a law which on the surface of things, ensured peaceful and free elections. All election meetings had to be notified to police (unless they were Nazi or SA
ones) 48 hours in advance. In theory, this was to ensure that meetings could be adequately policed, guaranteeing law and order. In practice, it allowed the Nazi controlled police and SA to break up the meetings themselves, and beat up opponents.
Rather worryingly for the Nazis, the last POWER-BOOSTER: 2 THE REICHSTAG FIRE
election had seen their share of the national vote drop by 4% (to 33%). Now Hitler was Chancellor, he was no doubt more
popular with the electorate. But there was still a risk that he would not be popular
enough to win a majority. It was rather fortunate, then, that some little firestarter or
other decided to torch the Reichstag building. This was a golden opportunity for Hitler to secure his power. WHY? Because, in the name of na- Pass the
tional security, Hitler could get laws passed which would severely limit
matches
people’s freedoms—the legal rights that every citizen has under a democracy. This meant that Hitler could get rid of his
enemies. Hitler announced to Germany that the fire was evidence the Communists were plotting against his government,
aiming to bring down democracy. 4000 Communist leaders
were arrested an imprisoned by the police. Hitler persuaded
Hindenburg to pass an emergency law suspending all parts of
the constitution that guaranteed personal liberty, freedom of
speech, the press and of assembly (to have meetings). This gave the police powers
to do anything they wanted with anyone they wanted—and they did.
15
Dutch Communist van der Lubbe (left) was arrested and charged with starting the fire. It is most
likely that neither van der Lubbe nor the Nazis
started the fire. Who did is not important—what
is important is how the Nazis were able to use the
fire to their advantage. The British cartoon on the right is a possible source for the exam paper—it shows Hindenburg on the left saying to Hitler: “This is a heaven-sent opportunity, my lad. If you can’t
be a dictator now, you never will be.” The title of the cartoon, ‘The
Red Peril’ refers to the supposed ‘Communist threat’ to the government (red is the background colour of the Communist flag).
POWER-BOOSTER: 4 THE ENABLING LAW
In the March election, the Nazi got their
best ever result—44% of the vote. But
this still wasn’t a majority. He therefore needed an Enabling Law. This law, or Act, gave
Hitler the power to make laws without the approval of either the Reichstag of the President. In voting to pass the Enabling Law, the Reichstag voted itself out of existence,
and voted in a Nazi dictatorship. The law was only passed because Hitler used his emergency powers to ban Communists from the Reichstag, and used the SA to intimidate the
Reichstag deputies into passing it—Hitler knew this was necessary because there was a
rule in the constitution that said that any change to the constitution had to be passed
by 2/3 of the Reichstag.
With the Enabling Law, Hitler had POWER-BOOSTER: 5 NIGHT OF THE LONG KNIVES
dealt with the parliamentary
threat to his power. Now he had to deal with the armed threat—whether that be the
German national army, or Hitler’s own private army—the SA.
So why couldn’t Hitler just have both behind him—the SA and the army?
 The SA was beginning to get out-of-hand—it was much larger than the army, and its
leader, a old friend of Hitler, Rohm, had his own ideas about what the Nazi Party
should be doing. Rohm also wanted to merge the army and SA. Hitler wasn’t keen...
 the army was completely against being taken
over by the SA, and were suspicious of Rohm.
Some generals even disliked Hitler and the
Nazis.
Why did Hitler choose the army over the SA?
(in additional to the reasons above)
 Rohm wanted Hitler to reduce the power of big
A British cartoon about the NOLK—the caption says “’They salute with both hands now’.
16
business (taking away important financial backing for
the Nazis). Judging by the size of the SA (2.5 million), if Hitler used the SA to control the army, he
would have to go along with Rohm’s ideas. Rohm was a
rival to Hitler’s power;
 The Nazis and the army had much in common—they wanted to expand and re-arm the
the army, and abolish the TOV. It also had the support of big business, and because
the army only numbered 100,000, it would be easier than the SA to manage from the
outset.
What have long knives and nights got to do with this?
The Night of the Long Knives is the name given to the night of the 30th June 1934,
when Rohm and other SA leaders were arrested and shot. Killings continued for several
weeks—they were carried out by the black-shirted SS (Hitler’s private elite bodyguard
if you like).
How did Hitler get away with it?
The whole episode was extremely shocking—to both the Nazi Party and the rest of Germany. After all, it was the SA who had fought for Hitler in the Munich Putsch and in
later fights against Communists. The SA had helped Hitler get power in the first place!
Just as with the Reichstag Fire, Hitler told the Reichstag that the killings were necessary to secure the security of the state. Hitler claimed that Rohm and SA leaders had
been plotting to seize power.
POWER CONFIRMED: HITLER BECOMES PRESIDENT
Will you
just hurry
up and
die???
In August 1934, President Hindenburg died. Within
hours, Hitler had declared himself President. He was
now Chancellor, Head of State, and Commander of the
Army. Every soldier had to swear an oath of personal
loyalty to Hitler. The army were already used to being disciplined and
obedient—to break this oath would be a serious crime.
Feel as if you’re running on empty? Don’t
EXAM ADVICE….. panic—you probably know more than you
think. Try jotting down 3 bullet points from memory about each of
the ‘power-boosters’ in this section. Then try your hand at some of
these lovely exam questions…!
 Explain what Hitler did in 1933 to make himself a dictator (5) TIP:
fully explain 2 points
 Explain how Hitler managed to strengthen his power in 1933 and
1934. (5) same tip
 Why did Hitler order the Night of the Long Knives in 1934? (7) TIP: fully explain 3
points using your knowledge and give a conclusion.
Questions on Hitler’s consolidation of power are usually essay ones, BUT it is
quite possible to get a source on the Reichstag Fire or NOLK. Check the
sources given in these notes!
REVISION TIP: change your method of revising every 15 minutes. Use a variety of
techniques—not just note taking, OR YOUR BRAIN WILL HATE YOU.
Now, take a deep breath. You are about to enter the Nazi dictatorship!
17
WHAT DID HITLER AND THE NAZIS WANT, AND HOW WERE THEY GOING TO GET IT?
Now that Hitler had the powers of a dictator, he wanted to dictate the way Germany was going to
go. This meant putting those core Nazi aims into practice. Like the pledge of free drinks on Tuesdays*, many Nazi-voters were disappointed that Hitler didn’t deliver all that he had promised in the
run up to 1933. But did Hitler care? Nope—it wasn’t as if he could be voted out now. He could only
be removed by force, and with the way that Hitler intended, and did, run the Nazi State, there was
no way that was going to happen…..
AIM 1: A STRONG GERMANY The Nazis believed that the weak leadership of the Weimar
period had been responsible for many of Germany’s problems. A strong leader was the answer. This meant….
 Overturning the TOV
 Building up a strong army to make Germany the great military power she had once been;
 Rebuilding the economy to new heights after the helplessness of the Depression
AIM 2: A RACIAL GERMANY Hitler believed that blond, blue-eyed Germans (ARYANS)
were superior to all other races. He also thought that many of Germany’s past problems were
the fault of non-Aryans running Germany.
 Getting rid of racial minorities (such as Jews), firstly by removing them from powerful positions, then by getting them out of the country, would be vital to pursue Hitler’s aims of creating a strong Germany.
 Women would also be instrumental here—they would have to sacrifice their existence to
producing as many racially pure children as possible (especially boys, to build up the army).
AIM 3: CREATING THE VOLK (OR PEOPLE’S COMMUNITY) In Hitler’s racially-pure Germany, he wanted all Germans to feel and act as if their own lives were less important than the
State, or their contribution to Germany itself. This was perhaps the tallest order on the Nazi wish list….
 Everyone’s right to think differently, and loyalty to their families and friends, would come
second place to the German people (the Volk), to Hitler (the Fuhrer) and to Germany (the
Fatherland). There was only one catchphrase: “Volk, Fuhrer and Vaterland” (work it out!)
 Practically speaking, all organisations such as churches, political
parties and knitting clubs would have to be dissolved or taken over
by the Nazis— as they could distract people from serving the Volk
 Free speech would be wiped out—even private conversations
between friends. All ideas opposed to Nazism were to be eradicat-
TOP TIP FOR TIP TOP EXAM ANSWERS: It’s no good writing “Hitler wanted to make G strong again”. For all the examiner
knows, you could be referring to more frequent gym visits.
EXPLAIN HOW —what
Goebbels had wanted to add ‘one love’,
state was G in and what was
but Hitler decided that this was not
Hitler going to do about it?
the image he wanted to project
* not really! It is interesting, but not at all constructive, to note that A.HITLER can be re-arranged to
make THE LIAR. However, this probably doesn’t work in German.
18
RUNNING GERMANY—CARROTS AND STICKS
It has been said that the Nazis ran day-to-day life in Germany using a mixture of carrots and sticks—carrots being the things
that tempted people into actively cooperatKit Kats and sticks?
ing the Nazis, and sticks being the ways of
forcing people if they weren’t tempted. Not
surprisingly, as neither carrots nor Nazi
‘carrots’ are particularly tempting, the sticks came out a lot more often.
The Nazis used the following means to try and achieve their aims. Can you tell your
carrots from your sticks?….
DICTATORSHIP: Fairly obvious, this one. No democracy—what use is that when you can
have a strong leader who instinctively knows what the people want, and what’s best for
them? (Yes, like God!)
ONE-PARTY STATE: Again, not rocket science. The Nazi Party would be the only political party. Every other organisation in Germany would be run by members of the Party, or not
at all. The Party was the State. Elections would continue, but these would simply confirm
Hitler’s power, since there was no one else to vote for.
Sticks and Prada shoes?
ECONOMIC SUCCESS: Ensuring the
Gn people had jobs and food. Incentive
schemes for workers—helping them save
for cars , and giving them holidays.
POLICE STATE: To crush opposition, AND to step in when propaganda doesn’t work.. A
police state is where the police have unstoppable powers. In Germany, the police state was
made up of a network of various police/para-military organisations—the normal police, courts
and prisons, informers , Gestapo (secret police under the command of Himmler) and the SS,
who became the main means of terrorising Germans into obedience. The SS ran the concentration camps, another important element of the police state. Whilst the police state could
never be 100% effective against all opposition to the Nazis, what mattered most was
that it was feared by ordinary Germans—especially the Gestapo. This alone was
enough to stop people from opposing the Nazis .
PROPAGANDA STATE: The Nazis believed that if they controlled what the Gns heard,
saw and read, they could control what they thought and felt. Goebbels, in charge of propaganda, worked tirelessly to flood Germany with Nazi propaganda. He was very clever at it
too. (See the next section on propaganda for more details.) Importantly, it is impossible to
measure just how effective propaganda is, or was—since we cannot measure what
people are thinking at any one time—and views can change over a length of time such
as the 12 years Hitler was in power. Note that just as the police state stepped in where
propaganda failed, the propaganda state
also propped up the police state—it covSticks and SHARP sticks!
ered up for any atrocities carried out by
the police state.
19
PROPER PROPAGANDA*
Dictatorships are very much the stuff of the 20th c and the
future—because they depend on technology. It’s no small
wonder that Guardian readers have alleged a likeness between Bill Gates and Hitler! Goebbels was
careful to make full use of all the technology available to him in the 1930s-40s. Controlling the
media was of utmost importance if the Nazis wanted to control the hearts and minds of the Gns.
How did Goebbels go about doing this?
NEWSPAPERS
 Most publishers were taken over by the Nazis
 A press agency was set up to tell editors and journalists what the news
should be.
 People who cancelled their subscriptions to Nazi newspapers were threatened.
FILMS
 Propaganda films such as Jud Suss (the evil
Jew) were one of over a 1000 made by the Nazis.
What—no
Admission to cinemas was only allowed at the beginning of
Pearl and
an entire programme—so you had to sit through the Nazi
version of Pearl and Dean - newsreels and short documen- Dean???
taries carrying the Nazi message.
 The Nazi Reich Radio Company controlled all local radio stations.
 Millions of v cheap radios called ‘The People’s Receiver’ were made. These,

RADIO
deliberately, could not tune in to foreign broadcasts. By 1939, 70% of Gns had one.
You couldn’t even get away with putting your hands over your ears—loudspeaker pillars
were erected in public squares all over G to broadcast Nazi propaganda programmes.
Psychologists reckon that the
more you smile, the happier you
become. And so, the Nazis forced Gns to smile, cheer, wave little flags and attend parades
and speeches on fixed days of the year. The Gestapo might investigate households who
refused to hang out flags on celebration days. The NuWhat
remberg rallies were held annually for a week at time—
about an ‘I thousands of ordinary Gns turned out. The idea was
love school’ that people would naturally adjust to actually want to
celebrate the Nazis’ power—whilst foreign countries
day...
would look on and see nothing but a happy nation. The
rallies also gave the impression of order and discipline.
FESTIVALS, CELEBRATION DAYS AND RALLIES
 Music had to be German. Classical music by Mozart,
MUSIC AND LITERATURE
Beethoven and Bach were to be preferred. Jazz was
considered ‘black’ music, and thus racially inferior and banned.
 Banned books were withdrawn from libraries and book
What do
shops. The Nazis encouraged students to burn books they
you mean “I
believed were un-German and Jewish. (It is probable that
can’t listen
students just liked burning books.) Books were to be about
to Foo
race, war and the Nazi movement and its ideas. A popular
Fighters?!”
topic was the heroic actions of Gn soldiers in WW1.
20
* Check the spelling difference. Get it right in the exam!
The Olympics themselves
THE BERLIN OLYMPICS, 1936
weren’t really very important to
the Nazis. The fact that the Berlin Olympics would attract the attention of the media of 49 different countries WAS important. Goebbels
seized this opportunity to show the world that Germany was a modern, civilised and well organised society. He also aimed to show that
Aryans were racially superior, by having a wholly Aryan German
team of athletes. Was Goebbels successful?….
Foreign visitors and Germans alike were struck by the planning and expense that had
gone into the Olympics. The Olympics showcased the Nazis’ technological expertise—
tons of radio equipment was provided for foreign broadcasters to use, and photo finishes
decided the outcome of races. Possibly the largest stopwatch ever built was mounted on the
Marathon Gate. Foreign visitors used it to calculate the number of women in the audience
fainting per second whenever Hitler appeared. (Only joking—the stopwatch was just for
show.)
Many foreign visitors saw the whole performance for exactly what it was—an exercise in
political propaganda, rather than a sporting event. Hysterical women and vast numbers of
soldiers lining the stadium were hardly hallmarks of a civilised country. Most embarrassing
for Hitler, 10 black athletes from the American team won 7 gold medals between them. It
‘BEGINNING WITH THE YOUNG’
Nazi youth policy, alongside the Final Solution, was arguably the darkest aspect of the
Third Reich. In today’s world, children are often referred to as ‘an advertiser’s
dream’ (amongst other things) - and because young minds are so impressionable, Hitler
and Goebbels regarded the youth of Germany as their secret
weapon. The 3 greatest influences on young Gs. were their
families, their schools and youth
movements. The Nazis tried to con“We older ones are
trol all 3….
used up…We are rotWhat did Hitler want for boys?
ten to the marrow. But
 A future in the army—physical
my magnificent youngstrength and fitness and loyalty to
sters! Are there finer
the Fuhrer were all.
ones in the world?
What did Hitler want for girls?
With them I can make
a new world.”
If he’d attended CHS, it
 Motherhood—the higher G’s population, the greater the nation’s
power.
might have been a completely different story...
How did Hitler intend to achieve these aims?
THE HITLER YOUTH—for boys
 Membership was made compulsory in 1939
 Activities were designed to create future soldiers out of members…..
 Practising carrying ‘dead’ comrades to the funeral pyre, chariot races, throwing
‘grenades’, jumping out of windows in military uniform….
 And to turn them into loyal Nazis…
 Swearing oaths of loyalty, watching propaganda films, reading Der Sturmer, singing patriotic songs, parades to commemorate the Munich Putsch etc.
21
On camp, letters written by children to parents were checked by censors first. Children
were also encouraged to report relatives and
friends who showed opposition to the Nazis.
THE LEAGUE OF GERMAN MAIDENS
Girls’ youth organisations were thought to be
less important, since girls were not being prepared for military service. Nevertheless, they
would contribute to the military in a different way—by having lots of babies (preferably boys).
They also needed to be taught how to be loyal Germans. Therefore, girls too had to…..
 Attend camps
 Learn about Nazi leaders
 Memorise details of the TOV, German customs and stories
 Learn how to make beds, cook economically and be ‘good little Nazi women’
EDUCATION Of course, youth organisations only picked up
where schools left off. The Nazis used their
control over teachers to influence what children learned at
school. 97% of teachers joined the Nazi Teachers’ Association,
whilst those who refused to teach the Nazi curriculum and nothing else were sacked.
What did children learn at school?
 15% of a timetable was PE, with examinations of physical
fitness;
 History : the rise of the Nazis, the injustices of the TOV,
the evils of Communism and the Jews;
 Biology : Nazi ideas on race and population control. Students taught how to recognise a ‘true’ Ayran, and how not to marry ‘inferior’ races. Girls had classes on
Eugenics : the science of Aryan baby-making.
Leadership Schools provided a military style education to prepare the best of Germany’s
boys and girls for leadership positions in the Nazi State.
None too surprisingly there were many complaints about falling academic standards.
Questions on Hitler Youth and
Nazi education are popular. Always use the golden word in your
answer…..INDOCTRINATION—
it sounds so much better than
‘brainwashed’. The principal aim
Hitler Youth
behind Nazi youth policy was to
indoctrinate children into ways of Nazi thinking—so
their world revolved around the Fuhrer and Fatherland.
22
“Just you wait until your Fuhrer gets home!”
WHAT DID THE NAZIS WANT FROM GERMAN WOMEN?
1933
1937
Women were to have as many
children as possible, and care
for her family, NOT work.
WHY?
 To build up the army;
 The Nazis were worried about
the falling birth rate. Women
working and contraception
were blamed.
HOW?
 A massive propaganda campaign to promote large families
and motherhood as a woman’s
role;
 Contraception and abortion
made illegal;
 Marriage loans offered to new
brides who agreed not to take
a job. Repayments were reduced, and eventually cancelled, the
more kids a woman had;
 The Honour Cross of the German
Mother was awarded to women—gold
for 8 kids;
 Sport, no smoking, no slimming, no
fun—to increase fertility.
Women were now needed to work
and have kids/look after the family.
WHY?
 By this stage, Germany was rearming. Men were joining the army.
There was no one to work in the
arms (weapons) factories!
HOW?
 Marriage loans abolished;
 Compulsory duty year introduced for all women entering work;
 1938—divorce law changed. A
man could now divorce a woman if
she was ‘infertile’. (Yes, even if he
had made her so…)
 The Lebensborn programme
‘allowed’ unmarried women to
‘donate a baby to the Fuhrer’ by
becoming pregnant by ‘racially pure’ SS
men.
SUCCESSFUL?
The birth rate continued to rise, and the
number of women working rose.
These were good times for most women—
compared to the Depression. Female employment increased;
Wages in factories were low, and condiSUCCESSFUL?
tions poor. Many employers did not have
Birth rate rose by 30%, 1933-36.
the facilities for women.
Many women resented having their freeWomen had 2 jobs to do now….
dom taken away. Under the WR, for the
This U-turn in policy smacked of inconfirst time in G it had became socially acsistency—did the Nazis know what they
ceptable for women to build careers, and
were doing? Historians point to Nazi polidelay having children. The Nazis scrapped cy on women as a good example of how
such progress.
chaotic Nazi government could be.
EXAM STUFF The topics of youth policy and Gn women are more likely to come
up in the document questions than as structured essay questions.
You could use the example of Gn women in those 8 mark structured questions that
ask you to explain how far Germans benefited under the Nazis—see the ‘successful?’
notes above. With propaganda—it is unlikely that you will be asked to write …..→
23
….Nazi propaganda under the dictatorship (1934 onwards) - but you will need
to know how it aimed to control the Gns and make them loyal Nazis. Could you
explain 2 examples of how propaganda did this after 1934?
TOP TIPS ….Remember that the Nazis used propaganda to WIN support
before 1933, and to CONTROL Gns after 1933/4. Propaganda before and
after 1933 were v. different! After 1934, Hitler could afford to step-up propaganda to all-encompassing heights;
 Use the word indoctrination in ALL answers you write about youth policy/education;
 Remember that Nazi policy on women is a great example of how flexible Nazi ideas
and theory could be in changing to fit the circumstances;
Memory problems? Imagine yourself as a teenager in Nazi Germany. Visualise what you
would do at school, and after school. What would your parents do? Good and bad points?
WHAT DID THE NAZIS WANT FOR THE ECONOMY, AND DID THEY GET IT?
HITLER’S AIMS FOR THE GERMAN ECONOMY?
1. To reduce unemployment—it stood at 6 million in 1933;
2. To build up the Gn armaments (weapons) industry and rearm and enlarge the Gn navy,
airforce and army;
3. To make G economically self-sufficient (be able to cope alone) so it could not be blockaded during wartime.
HOW DID THE NAZIS TRY TO ACHIEVE THESE AIMS?
Hitler put SCHACHT (right) in charge of sorting out and building up the
economy after the Great Depression. Schacht was a financial genius and
well respected economist. He came up with the New Plan—a set of economic policies. Between 1934-36, this plan solved the economic crisis and
enabled Hitler to rearm his forces.
BUT this wasn’t enough for Hitler. By 1935, Hitler wanted to prepare G
for WAR, and wanted to rearm much faster. Schacht said G couldn’t
afford it. Hitler said: concentration camp for you, then!
GOERING (left) replaced Schacht. He was NOT a financial expert. He
came up with the Four Year Plan, that aimed to make G ready for war in
4 years. This plan rested heavily on the idea of AUTARKY—making G
self-sufficient in materials essential for war (oil, rubber, steel...).
DID THE FOUR YEAR PLAN WORK?
Public works schemes building autobahns , draining marshes etc. put men to work. The
RAD (Labour Service) ensured that all men performed 6 months compulsory labour.
Unemployment fell to under 150,000 by 1939.…
Workers were unhappy—these jobs were poorly paid and physically exhausting. This
was only a short term measure anyway—it only ‘fixed’ the unemployment figures.
Industrial production, especially of arms, soared as the Nazi government poured money
into big business. This was a boost for big business and helped to create jobs……
Food production decreased. Food had to be imported—this isn’t self-sufficiency!!!
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The Nazis paid firms to develop substitutes (synthetics) for oil, rubber, textiles etc, so imports could be reduced. These projects were successful…
Not enough of these synthetics were reduced to stop G having to import raw materials. The
government spent more money than it had—it went deeper and deeper into debt.
This poster was produced by Nazi opponents. It says “Hurrah, the butter is all gone!” and shows a family eating weapons for dinner. It refers
to Goering’s favourite saying…”arms, not butter”.
Having trouble remembering this information? Why not draw a picture
to represent each tick/cross point —your memory can recall pictures a lot
more effectively than words.
WAS EVERYONE BETTER OFF UNDER THE NAZIS?
How far did the people financially/economically benefit under the
Nazis? (A FAVOURITE EXAM QUESTION FOR 8 MARKS!)
BIG BUSINESS
Big profits were made from the rearmaments programme. The average salary of company
owners rose by 70% between 1934-38….
But they also suffered from excessive government control—of prices, wages, imports and
profits. The Nazis made industry produce what the government wanted.
WORKERS
After 6 million had been unemployed in 1933, the working class were glad to get jobs
through 2 organisations (both of which aimed to control the workers)….
 the DAF, which put them to work building new autobahns, hospitals, schools and other
public buildings. Both employees and employers belonged to the DAF, so any arguments
between them were settled (the Nazis got rid of trade unions, as they were non-party organisations);
 The RAD (Reich Labour Service) - al men aged 18-25 had to do 6 months work service;
Workers also had leisure time activities to look forward to, organised by Strength Through
Joy (which also offered workers credit to buy Volkswagen cars)…..
The RAD was unpopular—work was hard manual labour and poorly paid. The Nazis tried
to use the RAD to indoctrinate adults. Workers had no outlet for their views—trade unions
were abolished by the Nazis. (People started paying for them, but the cars were never delivered).
WHY DIDN’T THE NAZIS DESTROY THE CHURCHES? This was a sticky issue for
the Nazis. There were lots of reasons why the Nazis should destroy the Churches, and
yet many reasons to suggest that doing this would be foolish. WHICH ARE WHICH?
Many Church members, especially
Protestants, had
voted for Hitler.
Church meetings could be
used for
spreading anti
-Nazi ideas.
Religious beliefs are powerful—how can
you worship
Hitler and God?
The Church
was a local
power base for
Nazis—ready
to build on!
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It’s often said that the Nazis only handicapped, rather than crushed the Churches.
WHY?
 Rare for Hitler—he struck a deal with the Pope. The
agreement (or Concordat) said that the Catholic Churches, schools and youth groups would be left alone, as long Our Fuhrer,
as the Pope stayed out of politics;
who art in
 Hitler united all Protestant Churches to form one
the Alps….
Reich Church (easier to control) under pro-Nazi bishop Muller. Aka the German Christians, they adopted
Nazi style uniforms, salutes and even marches;
 Hitler set up the German Faith Movement, a Nazi alternative to
Christianity. The sun, not God, was worshipped.
WHICH GROUPS OF PEOPLE DID THE NAZIS PERSECUTE, AND WHY?
The Jews weren’t the only group of people who did not fit the Nazi ideal. This ideal was
based upon a theory called SOCIAL DARWINISM…...
 It applied Darwin’s law of evolution to society. Darwin had argued that all living creatures
had evolved, or changed over time. The way they changed was that only the fittest and
strongest survived. Weak species died out because they could not compete with the
strong;
The theory of Social Darwinism held that the ideal Germans were ARYAN, ‘SOCIALLY
USEFUL’ and WILLING TO SACRIFICE THEMSLEVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY.
ARYAN: Hitler believed that war between races
was natural—the strongest would win the struggle.
For Hitler, the strongest were Aryans (the Germanic people). They were superior because of their
intelligence and willingness to work and sacrifice
themselves for their country.....Therefore, all Aryan men were to be encouraged to have lots of
healthy children to make Germany great again,
whilst non-Aryans were to be prevented from reproducing.
A military style drill in the RAD—
‘SOCIALLY USEFUL’: ‘Work shy’, ill or disabled
men being ‘socially useful’.
Germans , who did not contribute to the Volk by
working and so weren’t socially useful, were thought
to be a ‘burden on the community’. It cost the Nazi State money to look after these people,
money which might be ‘better’ spent on improving Germany/going to war …...Therefore, they
should be eliminated.
WILLING TO SACRIFICE THEMSELVES FOR THE COUNTRY: Alcoholics, homosexuals,
prostitutes and juvenile delinquents were seen as being unsocial and undesirable. If the Nazis
wanted everyone to fit their ideal, the presence on the streets of those who did not fit this ideal
could undermine the Nazi programme. They were dangerous and had to be eliminated.
Of course, ‘socially useful’ and ‘Aryan’ were terms which were interpreted freely by the
Nazis….
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HOW DID THE NAZIS DEAL WITH ‘BURDENS ON THE COMMUNITY’?
 Propaganda to stir up resentment against these ‘undesirables’;
 The Sterilisation Law, 1933: the Nazis could sterilise people with certain illnesses,
‘simple mindedness’ and alcoholism to prevent them from having children. Between 193445, 700,000 people were compulsorily sterilised;
 Concentration camps: most Gns welcomed this removal of ‘awkward customers’;
 Euthanasia campaign: Besides many others, 6000 handicapped babies, children and
teenagers were murdered by starvation or lethal injection. This only started in 1939.
The figures aren’t essential, just the policies. These shouldn’t be difficult to remember.
THE JEWS: FROM PERSECUTION TO GENOCIDE
The Jews were the most infamous scapegoats
under the Third Reich. But Nazi racial policy
was not just about the convenience of having
someone to blame when things went wrong for
Germany—Hitler and his leading Nazis actually
believed that Jews were evil. The theory of Social Darwinism, when applied to Germany’s History, made sense to Hitler. Germany was the
greatest nation because of its superior Aryan
people—the Master Race. So why had Germany lost WW1? According to Hitler, this
was because a large number of Jews had been fighting on Germany’s side, making her
divided and weakened. Likewise, the Depression had been the fault of Jewish moneylenders and businessmen—who had been planning to bring Germany down all along.
HOW DID PERSECUTION LEAD TO GENOCI DE?
There was little organised persecution of Jews 1933-5, since
these were the early days of the
regime. The Nazis had yet to
build its police powers and ‘win’
the Gs round to anti-Semitism
using propaganda. Persecution
was limited to this propaganda
and boycotts of Jewish shops,
doctors and lawyers.
1941-45: The Final Solution–
the invasion of Russia, 1941,
adds more Jews to the Reich. Jews have to
wear yellow stars to identify them. Death
camps are built in Poland. Jews are worked to
death, or gassed. Einsatzgruppen, special
groups of SS soldiers, are organised to murder all the Jews they can lay their hands on.
1935: The Nuremberg Laws. Marriages and sexual relations between Jews
and Aryans are forbidden. Certain
civil liberties are taken away from
Jews.
1937-8: Jewish businesses
are confiscated, and Kristallnacht (Night of the Broken
Glass) sees the destruction of
synagogues, Jewish homes
and shops in serious riots.
1939: 3m Jews come under the Nazis’
control when they invade Poland. Jews
are rounded up and put in ghettos,
where they live (and die) on starvation
rations.
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OPPOSITION TO THE NAZIS—WHY DID NO ONE IN GERMANY STOP THEM?
 Historians have agreed that there were 4 kinds of opposition to the Nazis in Germany between 1933-45…
1. Attempted coup d’etat (ie. trying to kill Hitler):
HARDLY ANY. Plots only gathered support during the
war years. Hitler was hard to reach;
2. Underground resistance/open opposition: NOT
MUCH. E.g.. producing and distributing anti-gov leaflets,
acting as spies for other countries;
3. Passive resistance/non– cooperation: QUITE COMMON. Eg. refusing to join the Party, or give the ‘Heil Hitler’ salute, banned political parties continuing to meet ;
4. Private grumbling: VERY WIDESPREAD. People went along with Nazi controls and
schemes because their lives and jobs depended on it– show of support was a mere pretence for most. Anti-Nazi jokes was as daring as it got—and these were rarely made in
public.
 Why didn’t private grumbling become open opposition?
1. Germans were afraid...of what might happen to them if caught. The apparatus of the police state was NOT all powerful, but the belief that it was, was enough to stop many Germans;
2. Opposition was divided...Left wing groups such as the SDs and Communists, both
banned in 1933, did not trust each other and so didn’t co-operate. Plus, since the Nazis had
dismantled or taken over virtually all organisations, their were no resistance groups to join (the
main exception was the Christian Churches);
3. Many were pleased with the Nazis….especially their foreign policy successes. They believed the Nazis were creating success and stability, so they went along with policies they did
not entirely agree with—basically, the Nazis were trusted. The Nazis even dropped some unpopular policies—e.g.. all measures against Jews were kept secret after 1938, following widespread condemnation of Kristallnacht by ordinary Gns.
EXAM STUFF
Try this instead!
Don’t try this at home
One of the most popular 8 mark essay questions is…..
How far were the Nazis in control of the German people between
1933 and 1945?...Here are the pieces of the answer. Can you arrange them to make a two
part, balanced answer?
The White Rose group of university students
refused to conform to the Nazis’ Hitler Youth
policies. They worked against the Nazis by
distributing leaflets, putting up posters, and
writing anti-Nazi graffiti on walls. The leaders
were executed in 1944.
The Nazis failed to destroy the Churches, since this
would be too dangerous – many Church members
had voted for Hitler. A small minority of Churchmen
opposed the Nazis. Pastor Paul Schneider was put
in a concentration camp for two years, yet he still he
refused to stop preaching.
The Nazi police state could never be 100% effective. Private grumbling about the Nazis would
sometimes escape the notice of the Gestapo. It was impossible to uncover and stamp out all
opposition. Often, propaganda would try and win the majority round to supporting the Nazis,
whilst the police would concentrate on serious opposition.
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Informers and block wardens were part of the Nazi police
state. At a local level they would report people who were
overheard making anti-Nazi jokes or comments, or people
who refused to fly the Nazi flag on celebration days, to the
Gestapo. The Gestapo would intimidate people into actively
supporting the Nazis, or put them in a concentration camp.
Use a similar structure for all 8 mark essay
questions!
Ideal structure:
A. Yes, they were in
control—2 e.gs explained
B. No, they weren’t—2
e.gs explained
C. Conclusion—how far in control?
DICTATORSHIP DESTROYED—WAR AND DENAZIFICATION 1939-45
HOW DID THE WAR AFFECT GERMAN CIVILIANS?
1. RATIONING/SHORTAGES—Food was already in short supply
before the war began, since G was cutting imports in order to be
self-sufficient (but growing weapons and not food). After 1939,
G was able to take some food from the countries conquered.
Rationing, anywhere and at anytime, was not popular;
2. BOMBING– From 1939 onwards, the British RAF made raids
C’mon—it’s the taking on Germany. At first, this was limited to industrial and military
part that counts!
targets. Yet both were hard to find, and after 1942, whole
towns were bombed. Cologne was one of the hardest hit—
communications, houses, industry….whole infrastructures were obliterated.
3. REFUGEES—Bombing of cities made millions homeless. There were 16m German refugees by 1945. At the end of the war, they were terrified of what would happen to
them if captured (especially by the USSR).
DENAZIFICATION—MISSION IMPOSSIBLE?
There is more to defeating a dictatorship than getting rid of a dictator. This is what the Allies found in 1945, and indeed, what President Bush has (probably only in the last few minutes) grasped in
this century. What specific problems did the Allies face in 1945?
 Dictatorship to Democracy—you already know that democracy
was never one of Germany’s strengths. Political parties were undeveloped and weak (having been banned for the last 12 years). How do you set up a
new government from this? And how do you find ‘definite’ non-Nazis to run it?;
 Re-education— you can destroy textbooks, sack or retrain teachers, and re-write the
curriculum (the Allies did all of these), but who’s going to write the History textbooks
when 12 years of history have been hidden? The writing was left to the Gns—but of
course, the effects of Nazi indoctrination shone through;
 Master Race to defeated nation—it has been estimated that 10% of the adult male
population remained convinced Nazis beyond 1945. Many more still thought Nazism to
be ‘a good thing badly carried out’. Hitler had been voted in, after all. Where Hitler
had struggled to win the hearts and minds of the people, so did the Allies.
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GLOSSARY AND ABBREVIATIONS
 Abdicate when a leader literally runs away, giving up
their power
 Allies Britain, France, USSR and the USA—who fought against Germany in both wars
 Armistice a ‘truce’, agreement to stop fighting a war. A peace treaty usually follows.
 Article 48 a rule in the Weimar Constitution that said that the President could overrule the Reichstag
and Chancellor and make any law he wanted, if ‘necessary’
 Aryan the Germanic people. Describes the ideal racial features of a person according to Nazi
thought—the Master Race
 Autocratic describes a system of government in which a monarch has complete power
 Censorship when the government screens what the public are allowed and not allowed to see/read/
hear etc.
 Chancellor the post in German government similar to our Prime Minister. Leader of the Reichstag,
one step below the President.
 Civilians non-soldiers
 Communist someone who believes that their should be no private property or business—the State will
share out the money fairly. The workers are the most important group.
 Fuhrer Hitler. His official title as leader of Germany
 G/Gns Germany/Germans
 Gestapo the Nazi secret police
 Informers loyal Nazis/Block Wardens who kept watch on their neighbours and reported opposition to
the Gestapo
 K Kaiser (Wilhelm)
 Left-wing describes political groups such as Communists
 Majority having enough people on your side in the Reichstag to win a vote (or not be outvoted by
others) - ie. more than 50% of Reichstag deputies on your side
 Marxists another name for Communists (after the Communist theorist, Karl Marx)
 Nationalise if the government takes over industries, it is nationalising them
 NOLK Night of the Long Knives
 Propaganda mis– information, or information designed to make you think in a certain way
 Proportional Representation an electoral system in which the number of seats a party wins in the
Reichstag is equal to the proportion of the vote they win across the country
 Putsch German for ‘rebellion’, or attempt to get power
 Reich the German State/country/nation. Nazi Germany is called the ‘Third Reich’
 Reichstag the German Parliament, whose deputies (MPs) made laws
 Republic a country that has no monarch (king or queen)
GOOD LUCK!
 Right-wing describes political groups such as the Nazis
 SDs Social Democrats
 SS Hitler’s private bodyguard. Rivalled the army in terms of power and size by
1939
 TOV Treaty of Versailles
 WR Weimar Republic
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