Germany

Contents:

1. The Weimar Constitution

2. Weimar problems

3. How far did the republic recover?

4. The Nazis 1919-29

5. Hitler's Rise to Power

6. Consolidating Power

7. Apparatus of Power

8. How Nazi Rule affected Germans

9. Self-test

Plus:

• Revision sheet

• Hard-copy booklet

• Exemplar AQA Assessment

• Exemplar OCR Assessment

Links:

  Germany 1919-1939: basic narrative overview

AQA SYLLABUS CONTENT:

•  How far do the early problems of the Weimar Republic suggest that it was doomed from the start?
  • The origins of the Weimar Republic; the armistice; the effects of the Treaty of Versailles
  • Political problems: the constitution and its consequences for government; political instability
  • Challenges to Weimar, 1919–1923: the Spartacists; attempted takeovers by the right-wing: the Freikorps; Kapp Putsch; Munich Putsch
  • Economic problems leading to hyperinflation; the invasion of the Ruhr.
•  How far did the Weimar Republic recover under Stresemann?
  • The role of Stresemann, as Chancellor and then Foreign Minister
  • The recovery of the economy: new currency; the Dawes and Young Plans
  • Developments in international relations: Locarno Pact, League of Nations, Kellogg-Briand Pact
  • The extent of recovery – politically, economically and culturally.
•  How far did the Nazi Party develop its ideas and organisation up to 1929?
  • Early career of Hitler; German Workers’ Party under Drexler; early development of the Nazi Party
  • The Munich Putsch and its consequences; Mein Kampf
  • Decline in support in the Stresemann years; consolidation of Nazi organisation in the later 1920s.
•  How and why was Hitler able to become Chancellor in January 1933?
  • The impact of the Wall Street Crash and Depression in Germany; growth in support for the Nazis and other extremist parties
  • The Weimar system of government and the failure of democracy; the elections of 1930 and 1932; invitation to lead a coalition government, 1933; reactions among German people.
•  How did Hitler change Germany from a democracy to a Nazi dictatorship, 1933–1934...
  • The Reichstag Fire; the election of March 1933; the Enabling Act.  The elimination of political opposition: political parties, trade unions; the Night of the Long Knives; the death of Hindenburg; Hitler becomes Führer
  • ... and reinforce this?
  • Main features of totalitarian dictatorship: one party law and order: SS and Gestapo; concentration camps; propaganda; censorship; the media; control of education; youth movements; control of the churches.
•  To what extent did Germans benefit from Nazi rule in the 1930s?
  • Economic policy: increased employment through public works programmes, rearmament and conscription; self-sufficiency
  • Social policy: standards of living; promises to the German people; effects of Nazi policy on the lives of women; effects on culture
  • Racial persecution: the Jews and other alien groups, e.g. gypsies.

OCR SYLLABUS CONTENT:

•  Was the Weimar Republic doomed from the start
  • ● How did Germany emerge from defeat in the First World War?
  • ● What was the economic and political impact of the Treaty of Versailles on the Weimar Republic?
  • ● To what extent did the Republic recover after 1923?
  • ● What were the achievements of the Weimar period?
  • The Revolution of 1918–19 and the establishment of the Republic; the impact of the Treaty of Versailles on German politics and the German economy; the Weimar Constitution; the political disorder of 1920–1923; economic distress and hyper-inflation; the occupation of the Ruhr; the Stresemann era – recovery at home and abroad; underlying weaknesses of the Republic; cultural achievements of the Weimar period.
•  Why was Hitler able to dominate Germany by 1933?
  • ● What did the Nazi Party stand for in the 1920s?
  • ● Why did the Nazis have little success before 1930?
  • ● Why was Hitler able to become Chancellor by 1933?
  • ● How did Hitler consolidate his power in 1933?
  • The early years of the Nazi Party; Nazi ideas and methods; the Munich Putsch; the roles of Hitler and other Nazi leaders and the change of tactics after the Putsch; the impact of the Depression on Germany; the political, economic and social crisis of 1930–33; reasons for growing support for the Nazis and the election results 1928–33; how Hitler became Chancellor in 1933; the Reichstag Fire, Hitler’s use of emergency powers, the Enabling Act of 1933.
•  The Nazi regime: how effectively did the Nazis control Germany, 1933–1945?
  • ● How much opposition was there to the Nazi regime?
  • ● How effectively did the Nazis deal with their political opponents?
  • ● How did the Nazis use culture, propaganda and the mass media to control the people?
  • ● Why did the Nazis persecute many groups in German society?
  • The nature of Nazi rule in Germany; the Night of the Long Knives; the death of Hindenburg; removal of opposition, methods of control and repression and the roles of the SS and the Gestapo; the use of culture, propaganda and the mass media; opposition to Nazi rule – the Communists, church leaders, passive resistance, youth groups, growing opposition during the war including from within the army; persecution of the Jews and the Final Solution; the persecution of other minorities.
•  The Nazi regime: what was it like to live in Nazi Germany?
  • ● What was the purpose of the Hitler Youth?
  • ● How successful were Nazi policies towards women and the family?
  • ● Were most people better off under Nazi rule?
  • ● How did the coming of war change life in Germany?
  • The Hitler Youth and the League of German Maidens; the aims and development of Nazi policies towards women and the family; the effectiveness of German economic policies; rearmament; the impact of the Second World War on the lives of the German people; the conversion to war economy.