GCSE GERMANY
BOOKLET
GERMANY
Key individuals within Germany Unit
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Friedrich Ebert – First man in charge of Weimar Republic
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Gustav Stresemann – Weimar leader who began to sort out German
problems
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Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg – leaders of the Communists
group The Spartacists who failed to seize power
•
Dr Wolfgang Kapp – led the Freikorps in a failed attempt to seize
power in the Kapp Putsch
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Paul Von Hindenburg – President of Germany. Appoints various
chancellors including Hitler
•
Franz Von Papen and Kurt Von Schleicher – the two chancellors
directly before Hitler who failed to deal with the Nazi threat and get
Germany out of economic problems
•
Ernst Rohm – Leader of Hitler’s SA. Murdered in the Night of the
Long Knives
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Heinrich Himmler – In charge of the SS and a main person behind the
Final Solution to mass murder the Jews in extermination camps by gas
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Joseph Goebbels – In charge of Propaganda for the Nazis
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Hermann Goring – In charge of Hitler’s 4 year plan to get Germany
ready for war. In charge of Luftwaffe (German Air Force) too.
•
Reinhard Heydrich – In charge of the Gestapo and another main
person behind the Final Solution. Assassinated in 1942 by a Czech man.
•
Robert Ley – In charge of DAF (German Labour front) strictly
controlled the workers in Nazi Germany. E.g no Trade Unions, wages
frozen.
•
ADOLF HITLER – Leader of the Nazi Party. Chancellor of Germany.
Fuhrer of Germany
THE
WEIMAR
REPUBLIC
Birth of the Weimar Republic
•
Previous leader Kaiser Wilhelm II flees and gives up throne as Germany
are losing WW1
Democratic government The Weimar Republic take over and sign
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armistice to end war
Many felt Germany was not losing the war and feel Weimar has stabbed
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the country in the back to get into power. In reality Germany had lost
but many just wanted someone to blame.
They are dubbed the November Criminals for signing the Armistice in
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November 1918
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Friedrich Ebert first leader of Weimar Republic
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Weimar system worked by having a President at the top who only steps in
and makes laws in emergencies (that is known as Article 48). Chancellor
runs the country and sets main laws but must consult the Reichstag
(German Parliament) when setting these new laws. If majority of
Reichstag agree law gets passed.
Early threats to the Weimar Republic
Threat 1: The Spartacist
Uprising
•
•
•
Who: Dr Wolfgang Kapp and
the Freikorps
Who: Communists group
called the Spartacists
•
Threat 2: The Kapp Putsch
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Event: Although Freikorps
Leaders: Liebknecht and
had saved Weimar previously
Luxemburg
they also disliked them. Kapp
Event: Spartacists tried to
and Freikorps try to seize
set up Communists towns
power in Berlin. Army refuses
and cities but the Freikorps
to help government as won’t
(ex WW1 soldiers) who hate
fire on ex WW1 soldiers.
Communists crush them and
execute the leaders
•
Weimar saved when workers
in Berlin go on strike as they
do not support Kapp.
1923 – A very bad year for the Weimar Republic
In 1921 the London Ultimatum happens. This is where the
reparations bill is set at 6.6 billion. Germany pay the first instalment
in 1922 but fail to pay the next instalment in 1923 claiming they
cannot afford to do it. This sets off a chain of events.
Occupation of the Ruhr
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France and Belgium are angered not getting their reparations money.
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They march into the Ruhr which is an industrial area where much of
German raw materials are, as they plan to seize their payments in raw
goods
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Workers there go on strike (Passive Resistance) and refuse to make and
hand over goods
•
Results are catastrophic as German economy grinds to a halt. No goods
to make and sell means no money made.
Hyperinflation
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With no money being made, Germany just prints more money.
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This money becomes worthless as it is not based against anything.
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This leads to ‘Hyperinflation’ where billions of worthless money is printed,
savings are wiped out and prices sky rocket.
The Munich Putsch
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In this period of unrest with no money and other countries such as France
and Belgium occupying the Ruhr Hitler thinks it is the ideal time to try
and seize power in Munich.
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Hitler and Nazis take over a government building with the plan to seize
control of Germany
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Putsch/uprising fails when the government is tipped off and the people do
not rise up and support Hitler as he thought they would.
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Hitler arrested and later sent to prison. He gets a very small prison
sentence as the judge is impressed with him. Showing important people in
Germany are beginning to listen to more radical men.
Stresemann and his impact on the Weimar Republic
Economy Positives:
Ends strike in the Ruhr that restarts Germany’s economy
Recalls worthless money and starts new currency the Rentenmark
Secures loans from USA called the Dawes Plan to pay reparations
Invests loans into big businesses who prosper
Economy Negatives:
American loans could be recalled at any moment which would send them back
into chaos
Small businesses do not benefit from the loans
Farmers do not benefit as they are now over producing food from the bigger
need that was happening in the war.
Culture Positives:
Freedom of expression is now allowed
New architecture, risqué clothing, music, films
Culture Negatives:
Many attacked this freedom of expression as leading to a moral decline
Politics Positive:
With the economy improving many begin to vote for the Weimar Republic
Nazis and Communists are not doing well whilst the Weimar is succeeding
Politics Negative
Nazis and Communists never truly go away and still stir up trouble
Foreign Policy Positives:
Germany joins the League of Nations, accepts the new borders of Europe
Foreign Policy Negatives:
By joining the League of Nations the Weimar is accused of just lying down and
accepting the Treaty of Versailles
THE WALL STREET CRASH IN 1929 AND THE RESULTING ECONOMIC
DEPRESSION LEAD TO THE EVENTUAL DOWNFALL OF THE WEIMAR
REPUBLIC. USA RECALLS THEIR LOANS AND GERMANY BECOMES
DESPERATE ONCE MORE. PEOPLE THINK DEMOCRACY DOES NOT WORK
AND IN DESPERATE TIMES PEOPLE DO DESPERATE THINGS. NAMELY
VOTING IN ADOLF HITLER AND THE NAZIS
NAZI
GERMANY
The Nazis not doing well 1923-28
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Hitler in Prison until 1924
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Nazi Party banned whilst Hitler in Prison
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Nazis do not get many votes whilst Stresemann and Weimar are doing well
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Hitler reorganises the party into one that will win votes rather than seize
power
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Starts up youth groups with the idea of making children loyal to Hitler
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Creates a Nazi newspaper and puts Joseph Goebbels in charge of
propaganda
How Hitler comes to Power
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Wall Street Crash of 1929 hits Germany hard and now people more likely
to listen to radical parties such as the Nazis
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Hitler is a powerful and persuasive speaker
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Some people fear the Communists and would rather have the Nazis
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Negative Cohesion. People share the same hates (e.g Jews) as Hitler so
vote for him
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Feel democracy does not work with so much unemployment
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Powerful use of propaganda under direction of Goebbels
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SA and SS intimidate voters
The Nazis go on to gather the most votes and become the biggest
party within the Reichstag. Hindenburg initially refuses to appoint
Hitler Chancellor as he does not like him. He appoints two other
Chancellors Von Papen and Von Schleicher. Both fail to control the
Nazis or sort out Germany’s problems.
Eventually Hindenburg appoints Hitler as the Chancellor of Germany.
He mistakenly believes they can control him.
Hitler becomes Chancellor in 1933
Hitler consolidates his power (gains complete control)
BACKGROUND: Nazis are the biggest party in the Reichstag but do not have
an overall majority. (This means if you add up all the other seats of the other
parties in the Reichstag they number more than the Nazis).
Hitler wants an overall majority as he can then pass any law knowing the
Reichstag will always vote to agree
•
Step 1: REICHSTAG FIRE: The Reichstag (parliament) building burns
down. Hitler blames the Communists. He is given special powers by
Hindenburg to deal with this. Hitler has the Communist party banned and
bullies others parties into joining him. He now has an overall majority.
•
Step 2: Hitler passes the ENABLING ACT. The Reichstag, now mainly
made up of Nazis agree to this. It means Hitler can pass whatever law he
wants without having to get the Reichstag’s permission.
•
Step 3: THE NIGHT OF THE LONG KNIVES: Ernst Rohm leads the
SA who fight for the Nazis. Rohm wants the SA to be the new German
army with him in charge. The army do not like Rohm and don’t want this
to happen. The army could remove Hitler. So Hitler has Rohm and the
leaders of the SA killed. He also takes the opportunity to kill anyone else
who he deemed a threat. Army is now happy as Hitler has removed Rohm.
Hitler tells the rest of the SA that Rohm was plotting to kill him. They
believe him. SA absorbed into army under control of normal army leaders
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Step 4: Hindenburg dies. Hitler now combines the role of Chancellor and
President. Now the supreme leader. The Fuhrer.
NAZI CONTROL OF GERMANY
THE SS
The Gestapo
Concentration
Police and Courts
Fanatically loyal to Hitler
German secret police
Camps
Judges swear
Under control of Heinrich
Reinhard Heydrich in
Set up to
oath of loyalty to
Himmler
charge
take
Hitler. Nazis
2 Divisions. One that
Worked by fear. No
undesirables
unlikely to get
removes undesirables in
one knew who they
e.g Jews,
convicted in court
Germany
were
Communists,
Police work for
One that goes along side
Could arrest and
homosexuals,
the Nazis and
imprison with no
gypsies and
arrest on their
proof
criminals
behalf
the army and carries out
racial policies and murder
PROPAGANDA IN NAZI GERMANY
MEDIA
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Goebbels in charge of media
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Nazis ban other newspapers other than their own
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Nazis control radios and make sure they are cheap so all can have one and
hear the Nazi message directly in their homes
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Illegal to listen to other countries radio messages
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Films had pro-Nazi message and news reels on how great the Nazis were,
were played before films
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Nazi’s burned books that did not agree with their opinions
NUREMBERG RALLIES
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Set in the city of Nuremburg
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Huge event with military on show, lots of colour and great organisation.
Gave the people the sense they belonged to something. Gave them pride.
•
Made other countries fearful as they saw the power of the German
armed forces
1936 BERLIN OLYMPIC GAMES
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Chance to showcase German Aryan Race, show off organisation and new
technology such as biggest stop clock ever seen.
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New stadium built
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Germany win most gold medals
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Jesse Owens, Black USA athlete wins most individual golds. Propaganda
backfired here as showed Hitler’s so called Aryan Race was not better
than all others
Women in Nazi Germany
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Women generally do not benefit as they are removed from certain jobs
and banned from doing others
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Hitler saw women as just as important as men. But their job was to stay
at home and raise children. This job just as important as men working.
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Women given medals and financial rewards for having lots of children.
Hitler wants big population to expand into Eastern Europe (Lebensraum)
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Couples who struggle to have children encourages to split up as a result
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Some women do well. Leni Riefenstahl directs Nazi Propaganda films
CHILDREN IN NAZI GERMANY
Education
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The point of Nazi Education was INDOCTRINATION (brainwashing).
The Nazis wanted children to be brainwashed into loving the Nazis
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Lesson taught Germany did not lose WW1, Jews were evil, and it got the
boys physically fit ready for war. Girls did things like needlework ready
for home life. Books that went against Nazi teachings were removed
PRO NAZI YOUTH GROUPS
THE HITLER YOUTH
-
MAIDENS
Gave Children something
to do
-
THE LEAGUE OF GERMAN
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Boys handled guns, read
maps all ready for war.
Gave the girls something
to do
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Physical exercise
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Taught discipline
important as healthy
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Made compulsory by
women will have more
1939 as the war started
children
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Many boys stop enjoying
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the Hitler Youth as
Taught here too that
women’s role is at home
becomes too strict
ANTI NAZI YOUTH GROUPS
THE SWING MOVEMENT
THE EDELWEISS PIRATES
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Middle class teenagers
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Working class teenagers
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Listened to American
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Sometimes attacked
Hitler Youth
music
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Dressed in British
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anti-Nazi songs
clothing
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Accepted Jews
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Talked openly about
taboo subjects such as
Went camping and sang
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Listened to American
music
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Talked openly about
taboo subjects such as
sex
sex
THE JEWS
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Some murdered by
The Jews did not support the Nazis
Nazis in Cologne after
as they were persecuted against
Gestapo chief attacked
THE ECONOMY AND THE WORKERS
POSITIVES
NEGATIVES
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Lowers unemployment
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Women removed from jobs
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Goering comes up with a 4
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Jews removed from jobs
year plan to get Germany
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DAF (German Labour Front)
-
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ready for war by building up
set up and this strictly
the armed forces and
controls workers
introducing conscription into
E.G
the army. This creates jobs
Trade Unions (which look
and lowers unemployment
after the workers) are
Public Works Projects such
banned
as building Autobahns creates
Wages remain low
jobs.
It is not easy to leave one job
Big businesses do well as
for another
Hitler heavily invests in them
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STRENGTH THROUGH JOY
– Hitler gives people
-
-
benefit from the Nazi
-
REICH ENTAILED FARM
ACT has a draw back as banks
cheap radios, cinema tickets
now refuse to loan to
to keep them happy
Farmers as no guarantee they
BEAUTY OF LABOUR –
will get their loans back
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Hitler wanted more people
e.g gives them a canteen
living in the countryside but
REICH ENTAILED FARM
many people leave the
LAW – banks cannot seize
countryside as not happy with
land from farmers if they fail
the law that only the eldest
to repay loans/mortgages.
son inherits the farm. They
REICH FOOD ESTATE ACT –
feel there is nothing to stay
shop keepers have to buy
for.
food from farmers giving
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Small businesses do not
affordable things such as
Improves working conditions –
-
-
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Hitler wanted to achieve
them a guaranteed market
Autarky where you are self
BLOOD AND SOIL – Hitler
sufficient and do not need to
promises that the farmers
trade to bring in goods. The
are the true Aryans and tries
Nazis failed at this as still
to treat them well
relied on other countries
PERSECUTION (mistreatment) OF MINORITIES
The groups persecuted against were:
* Jews
* homosexuals
* mentally and physically handicapped
* Gypsies
* Criminals and beggars
* different skin colours
THE JEWS ARE THE MAIN ONE THE FOCUS IS ON
The Holocaust
Background – Hitler dislikes the Jews because
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Blames them for him not getting into Arts academy in Vienna
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Blames them for loss of WW1 as says they did not help out financially or
fight
Boycott of Jewish shops – SA and SS stop people buying from Jewish shops
Nuremberg Laws – Nazis pass laws stating a Jew cannot marry a German and
the Jews citizenship is taking away so they can no longer be called German
Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass) – a Nazi is killed by a Jew in Paris. The
Nazis react by destroying Jewish synagogues (like a church), shops and homes
Ghettos – As the Nazis begin to remove the Jews from Germany and other
countries they invade they place Jews in Ghettos. These are walled off tiny
sections of a city where it is cramped and diseased. Warsaw Ghetto is the most
famous
Mass Murder: Groups of SS men known as the Einsatzgruppen round up and kill
Jews by shooting them and burying them in huge pits
The Final Solution – At the Wannsee conference near Berlin in 1942 it is agreed
to mass murder the Jews in gas chambers. This is decided because as the Nazis
invade more countries they come across more and more Jews and the ghettos
cannot take them all and the Einsatzgruppen cannot kill them quickly enough by
mass shootings
Results- Death camps such as Auschwitz are used where gassing,
experimentation and brutal working to death regimes occur
Resistance – Some Jews fight back as seen in The Warsaw Ghetto uprising but
this is crushed eventually. Oskar Schindler save Jews by convincing the Nazis
he needs them in his factories. Ordinary men and women smuggle Jews out of
Germany and occupied countries
EXAM TECHNIQUE
• Message of the cartoon questions must start with the
phrase ‘the message of the cartoon is’.
Then refer/make inference as to what in the source
makes you think this and put into context by using you
knowledge and explaining what was happening at the time
• What is the purpose/reason this was produced questions.
Exactly the same as the message of the cartoon question.
Just change the start to say ‘the purpose of this source
was to’.
Then use the source and knowledge in exactly the same
was as with the message of the cartoon
• Any question that starts with ‘EXPLAIN’ must have two
points minimum explained in detail
• How far do you agree/are you surprised/who benefited
more type questions. If it looks like it wants a balanced
view then do that! Give both sides and an overall
judgement. E.g person A benefited because. Person B
benefited because. My overall judgement is Person B
benefited most because.
LAST GENERAL TIP – Look at how many marks a question is worth. If it is
worth a lot of marks like 10 then spend enough time making the answer detailed.
If it is only worth 4 marks then only a few minutes should be spent on it.