Contents

Page 2 Weimar Republic

Page 12 The rise of the Nazi Party
Page 25 Nazi control and dictatorship
Page 34 Life in Nazi Germany
Page 46 – Exam technique

pg. 1
 The Weimar Republic 1918-29 Revised Confident

The Legacy of WW1, Abdication, Armistice and

Revolution,1918-19

The Weimar Republic: Strengths and Weaknesses

Reasons for the early unpopularity of the Republic:

‘stab in the back’ theory and Treaty of Versailles

Political Threats – Left and Right: Spartacists, Freikorps

and Kapp Putsch

The Challenges of 1923: hyperinflation and the Invasion

of the Ruhr

Reasons for economic recovery: Stresemann,

Rentenmark, Dawes and Young Plan

The impact of Stresemann on foreign affairs: Locarno,

League of Nations and the Kellogg-Briand Pact.

Changes in the standard of living; wages, housing and

unemployment insurance

Cultural changes: architecture, art and the cinema

pg. 2
 The Weimar republic 1918-1929
The formation of the Weimar Republic

Up until the end of World War One Germany had been run by a Kaiser (pretty
much the same as a King or Emperor). The Kaiser had complete control, he had
a government but they only made recommendations to him, Germany was not
a democracy. The Kaiser also took personal charge of the army and did not
allow freedom of the press so even when Germany began to lose the war, they
were still convinced that they were winning! When it came time for Germany
to surrender the Kaiser abdicated and fled to Holland leaving Germany without
a leader in 1918.

What was life like in Germany in 1918?

 Due to his refusal to accept his defeat the Kaiser abdicated and ran away
to Holland.
 Due to the blockade there was a fuel shortage which led to a very
unpleasant winter.
 Germany was all but defeated in WWI, no one in Germany knew this
though.
 As Germany had been blockaded by her enemies and food was needed
for the soldiers many in Germany were starving.
 Due to malnutrition many in Germany died from the Spanish flu
epidemic which swept across Europe in 1918.

The Weimar Republic

 After Germany lost the First World War, the Kaiser fled and a new
democratic government of Germany was declared in February 1919 at the
small town of Weimar, hence the name. It was too dangerous to make a
declaration in Berlin where there had just been a revolt by a Communist
group called the Spartacists. The Weimar Republic was a genuine attempt
to create a perfect democratic country. It is a republic as there is no king or
queen as head of state. The Social Democrats won the January 1919
elections. They held the first meeting of their new government in a town

pg. 3
 called Weimar – and got the nickname “The Weimar Government”. Their
first job was to write a new constitution (set of rules) for Germany.
The structure of the Weimar Republic
A small selection of political parties in
Their new rules included: everyone over
the Weimar Republic
the age of 20 could vote, people voted for
MPs who would sit in the Reichstag, the Left wing Centre/ Right wing
Reichstag would suggest and vote on new parties democratic parties
laws, the Chancellor would be head of the parties
Reichstag and would be voted for every 4
years, there would be a President who Communist Social People’s Party
Party Democrats (DVP)
would choose the Chancellor and keep
control of the army and he would be voted Spartacists (SPD) Nationalists
for every 7 years. Each German state Centre (DNVP)
would also have its own local government Party (ZP)
for local laws. Voting was to follow Nazi Party
Proportional Representation – parties got Democratic (NSDAP)
the number of seats in the Reichstag in Party (DDP)
proportion to the number of votes they
received in the election. In an emergency, the President could use Article 48 to
make emergency laws without consulting the Reichstag.

The Weimar Republic was seen by

many as a perfect democracy. The
constitution (set of rules by which
the country is run) ensured that the
country was very democratic
however, it came at a cost.

pg. 4
 Strengths of Weimar Constitution Weaknesses of Weimar Constitution

 A Bill of Rights guaranteed  Proportional representation - instead of voting for

every German citizen
freedom of speech and
religion, and equality under
the law.
 All men and women over the
age of 20 were given the
vote. This was even better
than Britain where only
women over 30 could vote.
 There was an elected
president and an elected
Reichstag (parliament).
 The Reichstag made the
laws and appointed the
government, which had to
do what the Reichstag
wanted.
 State governments would
ensure local issues were
addressed
Early problems facing the Weimar Republic
an MP, like we do in Britain, Weimar Germans
voted for a party. Each party was then allocated
seats in the Reichstag exactly reflecting
(proportional' to) the number of people who had
voted for it. This sounds fair, but in practice it was
a disaster it resulted in dozens of tiny parties, with
no party strong enough to get a majority, and,
therefore, no government to get its laws passed in
the Reichstag. This was a major weakness of the
Republic.
 Article 48 - this said that, in an emergency, the
president did not need the agreement of the
Reichstag, but could issue decrees. The problem
with this was that it did not say what an
emergency was, and in the end, it turned out to be
a back door that Hitler used to take power legally.
 State governments could pass laws that went
against what the Reichstag wanted

Rebellions against the new government

Several groups believed that they should be running the country rather than
those who had been democratically elected.

 Many German people hated this new, seemingly weak democracy as they
blamed it for surrendering the war and their failure to tackle the food
shortages after the war. In particular those in the army, communists and
nationalists disliked it intensely.
 In March 1920, there was a rebellion - the Kapp Putsch - that aimed to set up a
new government as the rebels were angry at them for signing the Treaty of
Versailles.
 Nationalist terror groups assassinated 356 government politicians.
 Many of the people in Germany were communists, who wanted to bring in a
Russian-style communist government. There were a number of communist
uprisings. For instance, in 1919 the Spartacists rebelled in Berlin.

pg. 5
 Germany between 1918 and 1919 was in chaos. People were starving, the
Kaiser had fled and people hated the government for signing the armistice in
November 1918 - they called them the November criminals. Bands of soldiers
called Freikorps refused to disband and formed private armies. It was not a
good start for the Republic.

The Treaty of Versailles

When the Germans heard about the Treaty of Versailles, they felt ‘pain and
anger’. They felt it was unfair. It was a 'Diktat' – an IMPOSED
settlement. They had not been allowed to take part in the talks – they had just
been told to sign.

The Germans hated Clause 231; they said they were not to blame for the
war. The soldier sent to sign the Treaty refused to sign it – ‘To say such a
thing would be a lie,’ he said. Clause 231 did not physically harm Germany,
but it hurt Germany's pride - and it was this, as much as anything else, that
made them want to overturn the treaty.
The Germans hated reparations of 6.6 billion; they said France and Britain
were trying to starve their children to death. At first they refused to pay, and
only started paying after France and Britain invaded Germany (January 1921).
The Germans hated their tiny army. They said they were helpless against
other countries. At first they refused to reduce the army, and the sailors sank
the fleet, rather than hand it over.
The Germans also hated the loss of territory. Germany lost a tenth of its land
- they claimed that the treaty was simply an attempt to destroy their
economy. Other nations were given self-determination – but the Treaty
forced Germans to live in other countries. Germans were also angry that they
could not unite with the Austrian Germans.
Despite the fact that it was a dictated peace the German government were
hated for signing this harsh treaty.
This Treaty of Versailles led to the members of the German government who
signed it to be branded criminals. Despite the fact that the government had
no say in the terms of this Diktat (dictated peace) they were still hated in
Germany for doing so. This resentment led to long term bitterness toward the
Weimar Republic which boiled up any time that things were hard in Germany.

pg. 6
 The crisis of 1923

The Weimar government's main crisis occurred in 1923, when the Germans
failed to make their first scheduled reparation payment on time, which set off
a train of events that included:
 A French invasion of the Ruhr to take what they were owed.
 A general strike in the Ruhr as workers in mines and factories resisted Frances
demands.
 The German government printing off money to keep the workers on strike.

Hyperinflation crisis

Prices ran out of control - eg a loaf of bread, which cost 250 marks in January
1923 had risen to 200,000 million marks in November 1923. German's
currency became worthless. Workers collected their wages in suitcases. One
person, who left their suitcase unattended, found that a thief had stolen the
suitcase but not the money. The poor became even poorer and the winter of
1923 meant that many lived in freezing conditions burning furniture to get
some heat.
The very rich suffered least because they had sufficient contacts to get food
etc. Most of the very rich were land owners and could produce food on their
own estates. People were paid by the hour and rushed to pass money to loved
ones so that it could be spent before its value meant it was worthless. People
had to shop with wheel barrows full of money. Bartering became common -
exchanging something for something else but not accepting money for it.
Restaurants did not print menus as by the time food arrive the price had gone
up. The group that suffered a great deal - proportional to their income - was
the middle class. Their hard earned savings disappeared overnight. They did
not have the wealth or land to fall back on as the rich had. Many middle class
families had to sell family heirlooms to survive. It is not surprising that many of
those middle class who suffered in 1923, were to turn to Hitler and the Nazi
Party. Pensioners on fixed incomes and people with savings were the most
badly hit. One woman sold her house with the intention of using the money to
live on. A few weeks later, the money wasn't even enough to buy a loaf of
bread. Despite all the suffering, those who had borrowed money found that it

pg. 7
was very easy to pay off their debts. If a person had borrowed 10,000 marks in
1920, they could now pay it back with one bank note!

Economic recovery and the work of Gustav Stresemann

Stresemann arranged a 'Great Coalition' of the moderate pro-democracy

parties (based around the SDP, the Centre party and Stresemann's own
'German people's Party', the DVP). United together, they were able to resist
the criticism from smaller extremist parties, and in this way, he overcame the
effects of proportional representation - the government had enough members
of the Reichstag supporting it to pass the laws it needed.

Stresemann introduces new currencies

In November 1923 Stresemann set up a brand new, state owned bank, The
rentenbank. This new bank issued a new currency, the Rentenmark. There was
a strict limit to the amount of money that was created and this currency’s
value was linked to the value of German gold reserves, meaning that unlike the
now worthless mark, it had actual value. This meant that it was trusted by the
people. The exchange rate was 1 rentenmark to one trillion marks)

In August 1924 the new Reichsbank was created and given control of the
currency. The name was changed from Rentenmark (temporary) to Reichmark
and as it was backed by the German gold reserves it was trusted at home and
abroad. Whilst this did not recover all that was lost in the hyperinflation crisis
it allowed Germany to start rebuilding businesses.

The Dawes Plan, 1924

 This was an agreement reached between Gustav Stresemann (who was now
foreign secretary) and an American banker called Charles Dawes (who had
been asked to resolve Germany’s non payment of reparations by the Allied
powers) which led to:
 Annual reparation repayments capped at £50 million temporarily so that
Germany could afford to pay it.

pg. 8
 American banks agreed to loan Germany and it’s businesses $25 billion
between 1924 and 1930 so that they could pay the reparations and rebuild
the German economy.
 This was a very important factor in German recovery as it led to France
getting paid what it was owed. This in turn led to the end of the workers
strike in the Ruhr and France leaving. This in turn led to Germany’s
industrial output doubling between 1923 and 1928 and significantly
reduced unemployment, which also led to the government being able to
collect more taxes.
 However, this left Germany dependant on American loans to survive, and
angered the more left and right wing political groups who saw the payment
of the reparations as a great betrayl.

The Young Plan, 1929

The Young Plan (which involved yet another American banker, Own Young, and
Stresemann) reduced toat reparations debt from £6.6 billion to £2 billion and
permanently reduced the annual repayment amount to £50 million by giving
Germany until 1988 to repay it. (an extra 59 years)whilst this did anger the
extreme left and right wing parties it was still popular as it allowed the
government to reduce taxes. The lower taxes meant that Germans had more
money to spend and so it boosted economic growth. It also led to the French
leaving the Rhineland.

Paul von Hindenburg becomes president

In 1925 Freidrich Ebert, the first and only president of the Weimar Republic
died. He was a Social Democrat who had spearheaded the formation of the
new republic after the Kaiser fled and was seen by many Germans as one of
the key ‘November criminals’. He was succeeded by Hindenburg, who was the
former field member of the Kaiser’s army.

Hindenburg was seen as a strong man and gave many in the middle and upper
class faith that the Weimar Republic could be strong. This increased support
for the republic and the more moderate democratic parties in the Reichstag.

pg. 9
The Locarno Pact, 1925

On 1 December 1925 Stresemann signed the Locarno Pact which was a treaty
between Britain, France, Italy, Belgium, and Germany. In this pact Germany
accepted the boarders under the Treaty of Versailles, accept the
demilitarisation of the Rhineland, and the other powers agreed to try and gain
Germany a place in the League of Nations. As Germany was being treated as an
equal in this pact it boosted the image of the Weimar Republic in the eyes of
many Germans.

Unlike the Treaty of Versailles, Germany had a say in the terms of this treaty,
although many in Germany resented that it seemed to accept some of the
terms of the much hated Treaty of Versailles. Stresemann, as the architect of
this Pact won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1926 as this Pact made war in Europe
significantly less likely.

Membership of the League of Nations

This organisation (a forerunner to the United Nations) was set up by the allied
powers after World War One as a council of powerful countries who tried to
avoid future world conflicts. Germany had been excluded from being a
member of this organisation. By 1926 Stresemann had convinced the League of
Nations to admit Germany as a member. This boosted confidence in the
Weimar Republic and reduced support for extremist parties in the Reichstag.
However, there was still a core of Germans who resented the League of
Nations as they associated it with the much hated Treaty of Versailles.

The Kellogg-Briand Pact, 1928.

This pact, which was signed by Germany and 61 other countries, promised that
all those who signed it would not resort to war to achieve foreign policy aims.
This was good as Germany was now included among the main world powers
rather than being told what to do by them.

This increased the prestige of the Weimar Republic and showed that they
were capable of making Germany strong, however, many Germans resented
this as the pact did nothing to change the harsh terms of the Treaty of
Versailles.

pg. 10
 The ‘Golden Years’ of the Weimar Republic

Area of life What was happening in this area 1924-1929?

in Germany
Wages Wages increased by 10% - German workers were some of the best paid in Europe.
Middle classes did not benefit as they had been bankrupted by hyperinflation and did not experience
wage increases.
In 1928, 184,000 middle class workers were seeking employment and half of these did not qualify for
unemployment relief.

Housing Weimar governments during this period also attempted to deal with a critical shortage of housing in
many parts of Germany.
Government investment was used to help stimulate the building of new houses and apartments.
1924-1931 – more than 2 million homes were built while almost 200,000 were renovated or expanded.
By 1929, the Government were spending 33 times more on housing than it had been in 1913.
By 1928, homelessness had been reduced by 60%
Unemploy Unemployment fell generally but remained high for lawyers, civil servants and teachers.
ment In 1927, an unemployment insurance law was passed which required workers and employees to
make contributions to a national scheme for unemployment welfare.
Other reforms provided benefits and assistance to war veterans, wives and dependents of the war
dead, single mothers and the disabled.
Women 1919- Women over 20 were given the vote and took an increasing interest in politics.
The Weimar government also introduced equality in education, equal opportunity in the civil service
and equal pay for professionals.
By 1928, women enjoyed some of the most advanced legal rights of any country in Europe.
By 1926, there were 32 women deputies in the Reichstag which was higher than the USA or Britain.
The proportion of women who worked during this time remained the same throughout the period.
By 1933, there were 100,000 women teachers and 3,000 doctors.
Married women who worked were often criticised for working and neglecting their homes.
Women enjoyed much more freedom socially – they went out unescorted, drank and smoked in
public, were fashion conscious and wore make up and short skirts.
Culture Censorship was removed.
Berlin challenged Paris as the cultural capital of Europe.
Artists such as flourished using basic shapes, colours and economy of space which was vastly
different to the elaborate and decorative style of pre-war Germany.
Cinema became technically advanced and film stars such as Marlene Deitrich were born.
Cinema/film was glamorous and uncensored. One of the main genres of film to come out of Germany
at this time was ‘modernism’ which focused on freedom of expression and a desire for a better future.
One of the most famous directors of the time was Fritz Lang who created classic films such as
‘Metropolis’, made in 1927. At the time this was the most expensive film ever made and was a science
fiction film focused on a future society.

There was a massive departure from traditional architecture in Weimar Germany with much of the
architecture being focused on a modernistic approach that rivalled that of 1920s New York.

Literature flourished and authors George Grosz and Otto Dix started a new approach to painting
called ‘New Objectivity’. To show what society was really like.
Architecture also
wrote of the glory of WW1 and criticised democracy as well as authors writing of the horrors of
WW1.

pg. 11
 The rise of the Nazi Party
Hitler’s Rise to Power 1919-33 Revised Confident

The Early Years of the Nazi Party 1919-20

The early growth and features of the Party. The 25 Point

Programme and role of SA

The reasons for, events of and consequences of the Munich

Putsch

Reasons for limited support for the Nazis, 1924-28: Party

reorganisation, Mein Kampf and Bamberg Conference of 1926

The growth of unemployment causes and impact. Weimar

governments reactions. Communist growth

Reasons for the growth in support of the Nazi Party: Appeal of

Hitler, propaganda and work of SA

Political developments in 1932: Hindenburg, Bruning, von Papen

and von Schleicher

The role of Hindenburg and von Papen in Hitler becoming

Chancellor

pg. 12
 The early development of the Nazi Party
Adolf Hitler, the early years

Date Event in his life

1889 Born in Austria, not particularly successful at school.

1903 Father dies and Adolf becomes very close to his mother

1907 Mother dies and Adolf is grief stricken

1908- Adolf is rejected from Art school in Vienna twice. He spent the next 5
1913 years, spending his inheritance and often living rough, earning bits of
money from selling small postcards of his paintings.

1913 Fled to Munich in Germany to avoid military service in the Austrian

Army but then volunteered to join the German army in 1914.

WW1 Fought throughout the war and fought in the Battle of the Somme
winning the Iron Cross and reaching the rank of Lance Corporal. He
was temporarily blinded during a gas attack. He blamed the politicians
for surrendering and accepted the ‘stab in the back myth’.

The German Workers Party (DAP)

At the beginning of 1919, Anton Drexler founded the German Worker’s party
(DAP). By the summer, it had 50 members. At the end of WW1, Hitler was an
informant in the army, working in the intelligence department. In September
1919, one of his duties was to attend and report on the meeting of the DAP.
Hitler was angered by one of the comments one of the speakers made and
made a powerful speech in reply. Drexler was so impressed by Hitler that he
asked him to join the party. He made a great impression on the party and
Drexler and from 1920 onwards became a key figure in shaping the party and

pg. 13
its appeal. He became leader of the DAP in 1921. As he took more and more
control of the DAP Hitler focused on changing the party in five key ways:

1. 25 Point Programme

In January 1920 Hitler became head of

party propaganda. In Febuary he and
Draxler wrote the 25 point programme
which was the key key policies of the
Nazi Party. There were things in this
document which would appeal to most
groups in Germany most notably the
nationalist ideas such as the union of
all German peoples and the abolition
of the Treaty of Versailles.

2. Hitler’s personal appeal

Hitler had a powerful and dominating personality. He was intelligent and

decisive. He had a great physical presence and piercing blue eyes which he
would fix on his listeners and he was a charismatic public speaker. He would
start softly and gradually build up to a furious finish, driving the audience wild
with enthusiasm. He rehearsed carefully for important speeches and even
practised his hand gestures and his posture. He was keen to show himself as a
great orator and spoke at 31 of 46 party gatherings held between 1919 and
November 1921.

As Hitler’s fame grew so did party membership. It had 1000 members by June
1920 and 3,000 by the end of 1920.

pg. 14
3. The organisation of the German Workers Party

 In January 1920 Hitler set up of the party’s permanent office in Munich and
introduced a close friend, Rudolf Schussler as the party’s first full time
administrator. As the party was now more organised and advertised in
meant that party membership and funds began to increase.
 The name of the party was changed to the National Socialist German
Workers Party. (Nazi Party for short!) This was done to increase the appeal
of the party beyond the workers through its focus on nationalism.
 To increase its popularity further and distinguish it from other small right
wing parties the straight, one armed salute and the instantly recognisable
swastika were introduced.
 In December 1920 the party bought its first newspaper, the People’s
Observer. Initially it produced 11,000 copies but within a year it had
increased 17000 copies, most of which being sold in Bavaria (the region of
Germany in which Munich lies) but some were being bought in other areas
of Germany.

4. Party leadership

In July 1920 Hitler forced and won a leadership contest in the party. He then
surrounded himself with skilled supporters who would help him run the party,
including general Ludendorff who had led the German army in the First world
War. These included:

 Rudolf Hess, a rich academic who became deputy leader.

 Ernst Rohm, a grizzled ex army officer who was popular among ex
soldiers and ran the SA.
 Herman Goering, a rich, handsome, World War One fighter pilot.

By the party conference of January 1922 Hitler persuaded the party’s members
to make him permanent leader by giving up their right to elect a leader.

pg. 15
5. The Sturmabteilung (SA)

 The political meetings in Munich at this time generated much violence

and in order to protect Nazi speakers, protection squads were used.
 The SA were set up (Sturmabteilung) and led by Ernst Rohm. The
members of the SA were known as the brownshirts because of the
colour of their uniform.
 The SA became the private army of the Nazi party. From 1920-1923, the
SA were used to disrupt the meetings of the Social Democratic party and
the Communist party.

The Munich Putsch

Causes:

By 1923, the Nazi party had 50,000 members and was stronger than ever
before. This was due to a variety of reasons but the leaders of the Bavarian
state government such as Gustav von Kahr disliked central government and
turned a blind eye to many of the activities of the Nazis. Hitler had a huge
army of storm troopers, but he knew he would lose control of them if he did
not give them something to do.

In the years after World War One there was much resentment toward the
Weimar Republic. The aftermath of the Treaty of Versailles led to support for
nationalist parties such as the NSDAP.

The hyperinflation crisis turned many away from the government as they saw
them as unable to take the action needed to solve the crisis. This turned a
great many more people toward extremist parties such as the Nazis and during
this time of weakness Hitler felt it was his time to take power by force.

Key Events

On the night of 8 November 1923, Bavarian government officials were meeting

in the Burgerbrau Keller in Munich. They included Gustav von Kahr, the leader
of state government, von seisser, the head of the Bavarian police and von
Lossow, the head of the German Army in Bavaria. Hitler believed that he could
take power by organising a rebellion in Munich which would then set in motion
a chain reaction of rebellions across Germany. Hitler, Lundendorff, and 600

pg. 16
storm troopers burst into the meeting. Waving a gun at them, Hitler forced
them to agree to rebel. The SA took over the army headquarters and the
offices of the local newspaper.

Later, when Hitler was elsewhere Ludendorff let Kahr, Lossow and Seisser free
and by 5am the following morning they had withdrawn their support and
decided to stop the uprising. Despite this at midday Hitler, 1000 SA members
and 2000 other supporters marched on the town robbing two Jewish owned
banks.

Hitler had expected the support of the people and to be declared President of
Germany, however many of the town’s people were indifferent and the army
were still loyal to the local government. Hitler and a group of SA faced off
against state police in the main square and the confrontation left four police
men and fourteen of Hitler’s supporters dead.

After this Hitler’s supporters scattered, Ludendorff and Rohm were arrested
and Hitler fled and hid at a friend’s house. He was found on 11th November
hiding in a wardrobe and promptly arrested.

Consequences

Hitler, Ludendorff and three others were put on trial for treason. Hitler was
found guilty and sentenced to five years in prison and the NSDAP was banned.

However, in the long term the Putsch was an important turning point for the
Nazi Party:

 Hitler used his trial as a platform to share his goals and grievances with a
wider audience.
 There was lots of media coverage of the trial which brought Hitler to a
wider audience outside Bavaria.
 Hitler realised that to destroy democracy, he would have to be elected into
power.
 Hitler spent his time in prison writing Mein Kampf which set out his vision
for Germany and his role within that.
 Hitler realised that to have political success the Nazi Party would have to
grow, so deals were made to merge with other right wing parties.

pg. 17
 In 1925 the ban on the NSDAP was lifted.
The lean years of the Nazi Party, 1924-1928
Mein Kampf

While in prison Hitler wrote his book, Mein Kampf in which he developed his
Nazi programme. He orated most of it to Rudolf Hess who wrote the book for
him. His ideas included:

 Lebensraum: To expand the territorial boarders of Germany in Eastern

Europe to create a ‘Greater Germany’ in which all German speaking peoples
could be united.
 Anti-Communism: Hitler blamed left wing politicians for the failure in
World War one and Germany’s current problems. Linked in to the existing
‘stabbed in the back’ and ‘November Criminals’ labels which had been
thrown at the government since it’s creation.
 Anti-Semitism: Jews were anti-German and responsible in some way for all
problems in society. To make Germany great again all Jews had to be
eliminated from Germany.
 The Aryan race: That those of the ‘pure’ German race (Aryans) were racially
superior to other inferior races such as the Jews and Slavs (people of
eastern Europe)
 Traditional German Values: Hitler was clear that Germans should have a
strong work ethic, Christian morality, and women and men had clearly
defined gender roles.
 Need to be democratically elected: the realisation that Hitler could only
gain power in Germany by being elected into the government he so hated.
Only then could he destroy democracy.

Party reorganisation 1924-1928

• Hitler was released from prison on 20 December 1924 after just nine
months. The ban on the Nazi Party was lifted on 16 December 1925.
• Hitler re-launched the Nazi party on 27th Feb 1925 the scene of the failed
Munich Putsch.
• 4000 people came to hear him speak and the hall was so full that a 1000
others had to be turned away.

pg. 18
• Following this, Hitler began changing many the organisation of the Nazi
Party, in a bid to make it more efficient and ensure their rise.
• Hitler appointed Phillip Bouhler as party secretary and Franz Schwarz as
treasurer. This ensured that the party was well organised and well funded.
He also gained the support of rich industrialists like Thyssen, Krupp and
Bosch who were attracted to his nationalist ideas. This would help pay for
the national development of the Nazi Party.
• As well as the SA Hitler set up the German Womens order and the National
Socialist German students’ league or Hitler Youth.
• To help in being democratically elected Hitler set up lots of different
departments within the party such as foreign affairs and agriculture.
• The German Nazi Party was divided into regions called ‘Gaue’s’ and each
had a local Nazi Party leader, or Gauleiter. This led to the rise of Gregor
Strasser in the north of Germany and Joseph Goebbels in the Rhineland.

Changes to the SA and creation of the SS

• Whilst the SA was strong (by 1930 it had 400,000 members) Hitler was
aware that many had become loyal to Rohm as their commander and that
many were difficult to control violent thugs.
• Rohm was removed as leader of the SA and forced to go abroad until 1930.
• Hitler set up a new security group called the Schutzstaffel (Protection
Squad) which was much smaller than the SS and had specially selected,
trusted members to act as Hitler’s bodyguard.
• This SS was soon put under the control of Heinrich Himmler, they wore
black uniforms and were expanded to 3,000 members by 1930.

The Bamberg Conference

By 1926 the success of some Gauleiters was leading to division in the Nazi
Party with such such as Stasser and Goebbels focusing on the socialist element
of the 25 points to appeal to the workers, whereas others focused more on
anti-semtism and the nationalist aspect of the programme.

The likes of Strasser were allowed to put their ideas forward and Hitler spent
much time wining over Goebbels. Hitler also put his ideas forward in five hours
worth of speeches.

pg. 19
How successful was the Bamberg Conference?

 The party had only 27,000 members in 1925 but by 1928 they had over
100,000.
 The Gauleiters became fiercely loyal to Hitler.
 The Nazis won only 12 seats in the Reichstag in the 1928 elections, having
held 32 in 1924.
 In 1929, Hitler made Goebbels Head of Propaganda. Goebbels used radio,
mass rallies, newspapers, Hitler's speeches and posters to spread the Nazi
message.
 The threat from Gregor Strasser was destroyed once Goebbels joined
Hitler's side after the Bamberg Conference.
 By 1930, the Hitler Jugend had recruited over 25,000 boys aged 14 and
upwards.
 The new leader of the SA, Ernst Von Salomon, was a strong ally of Hitler and
could be guaranteed to follow orders.
 By 1929, the SA had nearly a million members. Although Hitler was still
leader of the SA, many of its working class members still carried out
violence and favoured the ideas of Rohm.
 Many middle class Germans still saw the Nazis as violent thugs who
threatened their businesses.
 Many farmers and workers in the countryside began to support the Nazis.

Reasons for limited support for the Nazi Party, 1923-1929

 The success of Stresemann in getting the German economy back on track.

 When Hindenburg became President in 1925 it increased public support for
the republic.
 All of the above led to a decrease in support from the working classes.

pg. 20
How did the Wall Street Crash affect Germany?

After WW1 investors in the USA made huge amounts of money trading on the
stock market. Stock prices rose continuously. By 1929, however, some people
began to question whether US shares were really as valuable as they appeared.
On 24th October 1929 some investors began to sell their shares. More
followed. People began to panic as share prices fell, trying to sell their own
shares too. Share prices collapsed as everyone tried to sell instead of buy.
Billions were lost and thousands went bankrupt.
Why did this affect Germany?
1. Germany’s recovery during the 1920s had been fuelled by US loans.
After the WALL STREET CRASH US loans were stopped and debts were
called in. To make matters worse, Stresemann had died three weeks
before the Wall Street Crash.
2. German people panicked and draw out all of their money from German
banks. This led to the banks running out of money so many people lost
their savings.
3. As German and American banks desperately needed cash they
demanded the repayment of loans to German businesses. As well as
this, the Great Depression was an international crisis so German
companies could no longer sell their goods abroad. This led to these
businesses having to cut back production or shut down all together. This
meant that many Germans lost their jobs or faced significantly reduced
wages.
4. As so many were now unemployed they could no longer buy anything so
sales fell even further. This high unemployment meant that the
government had to support more people through unemployment relief
at a time when much fewer people were paying taxes.
The German WELFARE STATE could not cope with the millions of extra
unemployed. With less income themselves the government were forced to cut
unemployment benefits. People could not afford to pay rent or mortgages and
the housing market slumped. SHANTY TOWNS appeared in every major

pg. 21
German city. Germany’s mood became decidedly dark.

Why did the Wall Street Crash lead to increased support for the KPD?
(Communist Party of Germany)
 From 1930-1932 the chancellor of Germany was Heinrich Bruning of the
Centre Party. He tried to raise money for unemployment relief by raising
taxes and putting fixed time limits on unemployment benefits which made
him unpopular. He had no support in the Reichstag and had to rely on
presidential decrees from Hindenberg to run the country. He resigned in
May 1932.
 As the moderate political parties failed to solve the crisis there was
increased support for extremist political parties such as the KPD and
NSDAP.
 Support for the KPD was strong amongst the unemployed and working class
as unemployment reached 5 million by 1932 and wages dropped for those
still working. The KPD promised so ‘share the wealth’ of those better off. By
1932 15% of voters voted for the KPD.

Why did the Wall Street Crash lead to increased support for the NSDAP?

The fear of a communist government drove many middle class and rush
Germans to support the Nazis as Hitler was seen as the best defence against
communism.

Many working class began to support the Nazis as they seemed strong at a
time of such weakness.

Why did people support the Nazi Party after 1929?

Adolf Hitler had radical ideas like LEBENSRAUM and SOCIAL DARWINISM (the
idea that groups or races had to struggle to survive and succeed.) These ideas
became much more popular in the difficult times after 1929. Hitler also
promised to ignore the Treaty of Versailles and re-build Germany’s army and
strength. Hitler’s passionate speeches also made the Nazi stand out after 1929.

pg. 22
He particularly offered hope of better times ahead to those who had lost
hugely in the Great Depression. He had also re-invented himself as a
professional politician to appeal to more voters. Sharp suits and polished
photographs presented him as a believable politician and future leader.
Hermann Goering’s wealthy background and medals for bravery as a WW1
fighter pilot helped make the Nazis acceptable to the upper classes. He was
considered to be witty and charming though he could also be loud and
swaggering.
Josef Goebbels was the son of an office worker who had studied hard to
achieve a doctorate in German Literature. He was a successful writer and a
gifted journalist. His talent for propaganda made him perfect for the post of
editor of the Nazi newspaper. He was also an excellent public speaker.
Ernst Röhm came from a working class background and was a career soldier.
He had been a captain in WW1, a tremendous achievement for someone from
his background. After WW1 he joined the Freikorps and helped crush the
Spartacists. He set up and ran the SA in 1921. He was tough and ruthless and
had a violent temper.
Heinrich Himmler: He was the youngest Nazi leader and had only seen a few
weeks of action before WW1 ended. He was efficient and hard-working and an
excellent leader. He joined the Nazis in 1923, taking up posts as GAULEITER
(regional party chief) in various regions.
Hitler’s was a strong leader. As a public speaker he could identify with his
audience and fill them with a sense of hope.
Nazi promises were very appealing (see previous page). Policies were designed
to appeal to everyone and unpopular policies were dropped.
The Nazis were also highly organised. They raised lots of money for election
campaigns from ordinary members and rich businessmen. Party members
went door to door leafleting. Public meetings and SOUP KITCHENS drew in
more supporters. Nazi uniforms and marches appealed to people who were
looking for strength and order in Germany.
Nazi propaganda, organised by Goebbels also drew in support. Loudspeakers,
slide shows and films were used to spread the Nazi message. Mass rallies and
marches gave the impression of strength of numbers and discipline while

pg. 23
propaganda posters with simple SLOGANS were immensely powerful.
Support for the communists also increased from 1930 to 1932. The Communist
Party became the largest in Europe outside the Soviet Union. Many people in
Germany, particularly businessmen and farmers, began to fear a communist
take over. In the Soviet Union communism had led to the seizure of businesses
and farms. These groups supported the Nazis as a way to stop the communists.
There was weak OPPOSITION to the Nazis too. The Nazis’ two main rivals - the
Communists and the Social Democratic Party - were bitter enemies. Voters had
also lost trust in mainstream political parties as they seemed unable to solve
the problems caused by the Wall Street Crash and the Great Depression.
Instead, they argued amongst themselves leading to frequent changes in
government and repeated elections. President Hindenburg even ended up
using ARTICLE 48 (the power of emergency decree) to get laws passed.

How did Hitler become Chancellor in January 1933?

 Hindenburg was up for reelection as President in 1932. He stood against
Hitler and the leader of the KPD and, as he did not gain 50% of the votes
there was a repeat of the election in April 1932. Hitler came a close second
which was a huge boost to the prestige of the Nazi Party.
 In November 1932 elections the Nazis again failed to get a majority of seats
in the Reichstag. Their share of the vote fell – from 230 seats to only 196.
Hitler contemplated suicide. But then he was rescued by Hindenburg.
 Franz von Papen (a friend of Hindenburg) was Chancellor, but he could not
get enough support in the Reichstag. Hindenburg and von Papen were
having to govern by emergency decree under Article 48 of the Constitution.
They offered Hitler the post of vice-Chancellor if he promised to support
them.
 Hitler refused – he demanded to be made Chancellor. So Von Papen and
Hindenburg took a risk. On 30 January 1933 Hindenburg made Hitler
Chancellor. He thought he could control Hitler – how wrong he was. In the
end, Hitler did not TAKE power at all – he was given it.

pg. 24
 Nazi Control and dictatorship: 1933-1939

Nazi Control and Dictatorship 1933-39 Class Confident

The Reichstag Fire and the Enabling Act

The threat from Rohm and the SA. The Night of

the Long Knives and the death of Hindenburg.
Fuhrer and Army Oath

Role of the Gestapo, SS, SD and concentration

camps

Nazi control of the legal system, judges and law

courts

Nazi policies towards Catholics and Protestants

Goebbels, censorship, media, rallies and sport

Nazi control of culture and the arts

Opposition to the regime: Churches and

Niemoller. Swing Youth and Eidelweiss Pirates

pg. 25
How did Hitler create a dictatorship?

Reichstag Fire

Nearly one month after Hitler’s appointment, on the 27th February 1933
Germany was shocked by a terrible event. The Reichstag building, the home of
Germany’s parliament, burned down. Inside the burning building police found
a young Dutch man - Marinus Van Der Lubbe. He was a communist and he
admitted to starting the fire.
Hitler and other leading Nazis quickly arrived. Göring, now in charge of the
police in the region, quickly got involved in the investigation.
The next morning, 28th February, Hitler convinced Hindenburg that the
burning of the Reichstag was the possible beginning of a communist
REVOLUTION in Germany. Hindenburg signed a presidential decree giving
Hitler wide-ranging powers to deal with the ‘state of emergency’. The ‘DECREE
FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE PEOPLE AND THE STATE’ and gave Hitler the
power to rule by decree. FREEDOM OF SPEECH and FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY
were limited. This gave the police the excuse to arrest Communist leaders.
More than 4000 were arrested in Prussia alone in the next few days.
These events fundamentally undermined the Weimar constitution and Hitler
was now clearly not under anyone’s control, except perhaps Hindenburg. In
March 1933 new elections were held. With the Nazis main opponents
imprisoned or in hiding the Nazis made massive gains in the election.

Enabling Act

The Nazis used the police and SA to pressure their opponents. More than 50
were killed and many more were injured. The Nazis used radio broadcasts to
spread anti-communist messages too. In the March 1933 elections the Nazis
ended up with 44% of the vote.
Hitler now wanted an ENABLING LAW to allow him to pass all laws without any
consultation for 4 years. He argued that this was needed to stabilise Germany
and make it strong again. However, Hitler needed the support of 2/3 of the
Reichstag for the law to be passed as it would be a change to the
CONSTITUTION.

pg. 26
First, Hitler banned the Communist Party from voting, blaming their role in the
Reichstag Fire. Second, he persuaded the Catholic CENTRE PARTY to vote for
his law by promising to protect the Catholic Church in Germany. Catholics were
afraid of the communists as the communists in Russia had banned religion. In
the final vote only the Social Democrats opposed Hitler’s law. It was passed by
444 votes to 94. Germany was no longer a democracy.
The Nazis then moved quickly to stamp out any future opposition. On the 2nd
May all TRADE UNIONS were taken over and their leaders were arrested.
Workers could now only be members of the Nazi controlled GERMAN LABOUR
FRONT (DAF).
In July 1933 it became illegal to create a new political party. The Communist
Party and the Social Democratic Party had already been banned as potential
supporters of communist revolution. Other political parties had also broken up
with no more elections to work for. There were now no opposition parties.

The Night of the Long Knives

By 1934 there were no opposition parties, no trade unions, no elections.

However, there were still potential threats to Hitler’s control. President
Hindenburg still had the power to sack Hitler if he chose. The army was well-
trained and highly disciplined and could have overthrown Hitler. One other
group was also a concern for Hitler - the SA.
Why had the SA become a problem?
 The SA had over 3 million members and wanted to take over the army.
 The SA were violent. Beating up a few opponents had been useful for the
Nazis in the 1920s but by the 1930s the violence was an embarrassment.
 The SA’s leader, Ernst Röhm, argued that the Nazis needed to do more to
help the workers, at the expense of big business if necessary.
 Röhm had an embarrassing private life - he was known to be homosexual,
something the Nazis publicly disapproved of.
 Himmler wanted his more disciplined SS to become the Nazi’s ‘army’,
replacing the role of the SA.

pg. 27
On the NIGHT OF THE LONG KNIVES 29-30th June 1934 over 100 SA leaders,
including Röhm, were summoned to a meeting at in Bad Wiessee, a Bavarian
resort. They were then arrested by heavily armed SS men and taken to Nazi
headquarters where they were shot. The army and big business approved of
this ruthless squashing of the SA and Röhm in particular.
Then, on 2nd August 1934, President Hindenburg died. Hitler had no desire to
allow anyone else to share power so he simply combined the offices of
president and chancellor, giving himself the new title ‘FUHRER’ - leader.
The army had been reassured by the destruction of the SA so they made no
complaint when Hitler asked them to swear an OATH OF LOYALTY to him
personally, not just to the office of president as before.

The police state

The SS

The SS (Schutzstaffel = protection squad) started out as a small guard unit

providing security for Nazi Party meetings in Munich. Heinrich Himmler
became its leader from 1929 and under his leadership the SS grew from into
one of the largest and most powerful organizations in Nazi Germany. It had
almost unlimited power to arrest people without trial, search houses, or
confiscate property.
The SS led the ‘euthanasia’ programme against those they thought had ‘bad
blood’ or ‘hereditary illnesses’. It was the SS who organised the ‘Final Solution’
and ran the death camps.
The SD (Security force)
Originally formed in 1931 by Himmler to monitor political opponents. Heydrich
was appointed its leader and they kept an index card on every person in
Germany the believed may oppose the Nazi Party. (This was also for people in
other countries too!)
Concentration Camps
CONCENTRATION CAMPS were temporary prisons set up by the SS in disused
factories or warehouses or with barbed- wire fences in the countryside. Some
were took overflow from nearby jails. Others specialised in trade union or

pg. 28
youth prisoners.
Opponents of the Nazis were taken to camps for questioning, torture, hard
labour and ‘re-education’ in the early days of the Nazi regime. If prisoners died
their families were told they had died of disease or whilst trying to escape.

The Gestapo
The GESTAPO was originally the Prussian secret police run by Goering. After
June 1936 it became the state secret police under the command of Himmler.
The Gestapo tapped telephones, intercepted mail, and spied on people. Any
opposition to Hitler could be reported to the Gestapo by an informer - people
could be arrested just for telling jokes.
As the Gestapo got busier, particularly towards the end of the war, they did
not have the time to fully investigate allegations. Often Gestapo officers
tortured or imprisoned suspects, just in case there was something to the
allegations.
The court system

• All judges had to be members of the Nazi Party.

• They also had to join the ‘National Socialist League for the Maintenance
of Law’.
• In October 1933 the ‘German Lawyers Front’ was established and had
over 10,000 members by 1934.
• In 1934 the ‘People’s court’ was established to try cases of treason.

pg. 29
 Controlling religious views

Christians in Nazi Germany

Christianity is most common religion in Germany. 2/3 Protestant, 1/3 Catholic.

NAZISM CHRISTIANITY
Glorified strength and violence Teaches love and forgiveness
Despised the weak Helps the weak
Believed in racial superiority Respect for all people
Saw Hitler as a god-like figure Belief in one God

Believed Christianity was a product of

Judaism.

Nazi values of violence and the dominance of the strong over the weak didn’t
work with Christian values of love and tolerance. However, the Nazis had a
problem. 2/3 of Germans were Protestants and a 1/3 were Roman Catholics.
In 1933 Hitler signed a CONCORDAT [agreement] with the Catholic Church. The
church got freedom to worship and keep their youth organisations and schools
and in return, the church promised to stay out of politics. They also had hatred
of the communists in common.
However, within a year Hitler forced Catholic schools to remove Christian
symbols. Soon schools were removed from church control. In 1937 the Catholic
Youth was banned. Meanwhile, 400 priests vocally opposed to Nazi policies
were arrested and imprisoned in Dachau concentration camp. Cardinal Galen,
leader of German Catholics, publicly attacked Nazi policies. In 1941 he
publicised the ’euthanasia’ programme leading a campaign which made Hitler
stop the killings. The Pope tried to avoid conflict but lost patience by 1937. His
public statement ‘With Burning Anxiety’ publicised his opposition to Hitler.
Protestants became divided in their attitudes to the Nazis. 2,000 pastors who
supported the Nazis agreed to form the ‘REICH CHURCH’ led by Bishop Ludwig
Muller. The keenest members called themselves ‘German Christians’ and wore
Nazi uniforms. Their motto was ‘The swastika on our chests and the Cross in

pg. 30
our hearts.’
For many SS men, religion became irrelevant. Hitler was their god and Mein
Kampf was their bible. Some elite SS men were even involved in building non-
Christian worship based on ancient pagan religions. Altars contained swords
and swastikas with rituals based on fertility and the seasons.

How did the Nazis use propaganda and censorship to control the German
people?

As soon as the Nazis came to power anti-Nazi newspapers were shut down.
Goebbels’ Ministry of PROPAGANDA sent out daily instructions to all remaining
newspapers telling them what to print.
The Nazis also organised book-burning in public on massive bonfires. The Nazis
burned books by Communists, Socialists, Jews or anyone else they disapproved
of. All new books published had to be CENSORED by Goebbels’ Ministry.
Goebbels controlled all of the films made in Germany from 1933. He focussed
on high-quality films containing subtle Nazi messages about sacrifice, the
superiority of the Aryan race, anti-Semitism and the evils of communism.
Goebbels also took control of all radio broadcasting from 1933. Regular
programmes included Hitler’s speeches, German music and German history.
Goebbels ordered the mass production of cheap radios so that by 1939 70% of
Germans owned a radio. None of the new sets could pick up foreign signals,
however, so the Nazis could control what was heard. Loudspeakers were set
up in public squares and work places to broadcast important speeches to all.
Poster campaigns continued and rallies became even more impressive. A huge
stadium at Nuremberg was specially built for rallies. Goebbels stage-managed
these rallies to give the impression of overwhelming power and unity.
The Berlin Olympics of 1936 provided the ideal opportunity for the Nazis to
advertise their successes. A vast new stadium that could hold 110,000 people
was built. Though Germany won far more medals than any other nation Jesse
Owens won four gold medals wrecking Hitler’s message of Aryan superiority.
To control the arts the Reich Chamber of CULTURE was also set up in 1938.
Artists needed to be members to get work. Approved artists were expected to

pg. 31
use ‘Aryan themes’ such as the family, national community, and heroism. The
modern art, jazz and progressive theatre of Weimar was stamped out.

Opposition to the Nazis

Religious opposition

When the Nazis came to power, 2/3 Germans were Protestant. The people of
Germany were very religious and this gave the Protestant Church influence
over a majority of the German people. This made it a threat to the Nazis.
However, for all of the speeches made condemning the Nazis for their actions,
this did not stop any of the actions of the Nazis and many of their leading
members were killed. One of the most famous leaders of Protestant
opposition, Martin Niemoller spent the entire war imprisoned.

In 1933 a group of Protestant pastors set up the Pastors’ Emergency League in

opposition to the treatment of Protestants Churches in Germany. They didn’t
like that regional churches into one overall Reich Church under Nazi control.
They also disliked that the Nazis would not accept Jews converting to
Christianity and that the Nazis banned the teaching of the Old Testament of
the bible as it was based on the Jewish faith.

In 1934 the PEL (who disliked Nazi involvement in the church) set up the
‘CONFESSIONAL CHURCH’ led by Pastor Martin Niemöller. More than 6,000
pastors joined. Niemöller and many other pastors ended up in the
concentration camps for anti-Nazi preaching.

Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer preached and published anti-Nazi ideas in the early
‘30s. In 1935 he campaigned against the Nuremberg Laws. However, he failed
to raise significant opposition. In 1937 the Gestapo closed his training college
and banned him from preaching.

Some Catholic priests stood up against the Nazis beliefs which led to 400 of
them being imprisoned in Dachau concentration camp in a specially designed
unit known as the ‘Priest’s Block’.

pg. 32
Youth opposition

Although the Nazi party worked hard to involve young people in Nazi Party
activities there were several groups of young people who refused to conform.
These groups suggest that not all young Germans followed Nazi expectations,
however they were an extreme mionority.

Edelweiss Pirates

 Emerged in the late 1930s in working class areas of big cities.

 Pirates is an overall name given to a variety of groups such as the
Navajos and Travelling Dudes. All sued the white edelweiss flower as
their symbol of solidarity.
 Mostly teenagers of both genders who resented the military
discipline of Nazi youth groups.
 Heavily influenced by American attitudes to fashion.
 Hung around on street corners and attacked or goaded members of
Hitler Youth groups.
 Went on long hikes and sang anti-Nazi songs to get away from Nazi
restrictions.
 Did not try and get rid of the Nazis, and were only small scale. By
1939 they only had 2,000 members in comparison to Hitler Youth’s
eight million.

Swing Youth

 More wealth and middle class than the Edelweiss Pirates.

 Heavily influenced by American culture and music.
 Loved swing bands such as Glen Miller Orchestra. They would get
tother, drink, smoke and dance.
 Over time, began to organise large scale illegal dances.
 Did not try to remove the Nazis, they just did not wish to conform to
their rules and expectations.

pg. 33
 Life in Nazi Germany
Life in Nazi Germany 1933-39 Class Confident

Nazi views on women and the Family

Nazi policies towards women: marriage, family,

employment and appearance

Nazi aims and policies towards the young:

Hitler Youth and the League of German
Maidens

Nazi control of youth through education,

curriculum and teachers

Nazi policies to reduce unemployment: labour

service, autobahns, rearmament and invisible
unemployment

Changes in the standard of living: The Labour

Front, Strength Through Joy, Beauty of Labour

Nazi racial beliefs and the treatment of

minorities: Slavs, gypsies, homosexuals and
those with disabilities

The persecution of the Jews: Boycotts, the

Nuremberg Laws and Krystallnacht

pg. 34
 Life in Nazi Germany
Women in Nazi Germany

How did the lives of women change?

Women played an important part in Nazi ideology as Hitler wanted to increase

the population of Germany therefore the Nazi Party went to great lengths to
encourage an increase in the birth rate. The Nazis even considered making it
law that families should have at least four children. Girls did keep fit in the
BDM to make themselves healthy for childbirth, but they were discouraged
from staying slim, because it was thought that thin women had trouble giving
birth.

Women were expected to stay at home and look after the family. Women
doctors, teachers and civil servants were forced to give up their careers. Even
at the end of the war, women were never asked to serve in the armed forces.
By the end of 1934 approximately 360,000 women had given up work.
Grammar schools (schools which education the most academically able) were
banned for girls in 1937.

A woman's life should revolve around the three 'Ks': Kinder, Kirche, Kuche.
(Children, Church, cooking). From their earliest years, girls were taught in their
schools that all good German women married at a young age to a proper
German and that the wife’s task was to keep a decent home for her working
husband and to have children.

The Law for the Encouragement of Marriage gave newly wed couples a loan of
1,000 marks, and allowed them to keep 250 marks for each child they had.
Mothers who had more than eight children were given a gold medal.
Unmarried women could volunteer to have a baby for an Aryan member of the
SS. August 12th had been the birthday of Hitler’s mother. On this day each
year, the Motherhood Cross was awarded to women who had given birth to
the largest number of children. The gold cross went to women who had
produced 8 children; silver was for 6 children and bronze was for 4 children,

Another programme introduced to encourage population growth was the

Lebensborn programme. (Fountain of life) This was started in 1935 and

pg. 35
encouraged women to have children with members of the SS by providing
nursery care for the children as well as financial aid.

Women were not expected to wear make-up or trousers. The dyeing of hair
was not allowed nor were perms. Only flat shoes were expected to be worn.
Women were discouraged from slimming as this was considered bad for child
birth. Women were encouraged to have a well built figure as slim women, so it
was taught, would have problems in pregnancy. Women were also discouraged
from smoking - not because it was linked to problems with pregnancies - but
because it was considered non-German to do so.

Many German women did not agree with the ideas and policies of the Nazis.
In October 1933, the Nazis opened a concentration camp for women. Those
sent here tended to be women who had been critical of the Nazi regime. By
1939, there were 2,000 female prisoners at Ravenbruck concentration camp.

Did women benefit from Nazi rule?

Yes No

• The Law for the Encouragement of • Job-discrimination against women

Marriage gave newly-wed couples
a loan of 1000 marks, and allowed
them to keep 250 marks for each
child they had.
• Mothers who had more than 8
children were given a gold medal.
• Women were valued and praised
for their role as mother’s.
• Financial security for whole family
that didn’t exist before Nazi rule.
was encouraged. Women doctors,
teachers and civil servants were
forced to give up their careers.
• Women were never allowed to
serve in the armed forces - even
during the war.
• Women lost many of the rights and
freedoms they had gained in the
liberal Weimar Republic.

pg. 36
 How did the Nazis control the young?
Hitler saw the young as the future of the Third Reich. Hitler spoke of the
Thousand Year Reich and this would be impossible to achieve unless the youth
of Germany was converted to the Nazi way of thinking. Young people had to
accept obedience to the Fuhrer, Nazi racial theory and Nazi social theory, in
terms of the ideal role of a man and a women in society. These aims were to
be achieved through indoctrinating children in school and during their leisure
time.

Nazi control of schools

When the Nazis came to power, they established the Ministry of Science,
Education and National Culture. This brought education under the control of
the government. Previously, education was controlled by regional leaders
called Landers. Under Nazi control, huge changes were introduced. The Nazis
created their own types of school, designed for the future leaders of Germany.
Napola schools took boys from the age of 10 until 18. Upon graduation, these
students joined the armed forces. These schools were run by the SS from
1936.

Adolf Hitler schools were also established. Only racially pure blonde haired
blue eyed Germans could join. . The majority of the time spent in an Adolf
Hitler School was based around physical training. It outweighed academic
classroom work by a proportion of 5 to 1. Six years of tough physical training
took place and when the pupils from these schools left aged 18, they went to
the army or to university. The very best pupils went to Order Castles. These
were schools which took pupils to the limits of physical endurance. War games
used live ammunition and pupils were killed at these schools. Those who
graduated from the Order Castles could expect to attain a high position in the
army or the SS.

Teachers
Teachers had to swear an oath of loyalty to Hitler and join the Nazi Teacher’s
League. By 1937, 97% had joined. Teachers had to promote Nazi ideas in the
classroom and were sacked if they were not committed Nazis. By 1936, 36% of
teachers were members of the Nazi Party. Jewish teachers were removed
from schools in 1933, followed by the expulsion of all Jewish children in 1938.

Textbooks
Textbooks were rewritten to fit the Nazi view of history and racial purity. They
were used to promote Nazi ideals and influence children. All textbooks had to

pg. 37
be approved by the Nazi Ministry of Education, and Mein Kampf became a
standard text.

Lessons
Lessons began and ended with students saying ‘Heil Hitler’. The Nazis
completely changed how subjects were taught. Nazi themes were presented
through every subject. Geography lessons were used to show how Germany
was surrounded by hostile neighbours, and how much land had been stolen
from Germans. History taught about the evils of the Treaty of Versailles.
Questions were rewritten in maths to promote an acceptance of Nazi racial and
social beliefs.

Curriculum

The curriculum was changed to prepare students for their future roles. Boys
and girls had a separate curriculum which would prepare them for their future
roles in society. The emphasis on boys was preparation for the military. Boys
did lots of military drilling, maths and science. The emphasis on girls was on
preparing them for motherhood and the role of the homemaker. They took
needlework classes, home crafts and cookery.

New subjects were introduced to the curriculum. Eugenics was a subject that
taught pupils about selected breeding, more specifically about the creation of a
master race. They were taught not to mix with or marry inferior types, such as
the Jews. Race studies taught pupils that the pure German, or Aryan race, was
the superior race. Pupils were taught how to recognise the ‘conniving’ Jew.’

Nazi Youth organisations

The Nazis wanted to control children in their spare time. This was achieved
through creating the Hitler Youth. All other youth organisations were banned,
and membership was made compulsory in 1936. By 1939, the Hitler Youth had
over seven million members. The Hitler Youth catered for 6 to 18 year olds.
There were separate organisations for boys and girls. The task of the boys
section was to prepare the boys for military service. For girls, the organisation
prepared them for motherhood.
Many young people were enthusiastic and committed to their membership of
these youth groups. However, many did not enjoy being forced to do activities
that they did not enjoy or believe in. As well as this, many parents disliked the
youth organisations as they saw them as undermining their role as a parent.

pg. 38
 Boys Girls
Group Ages Activities Group Ages Activities
name name
Little 6-10 Sport, hiking Young Girls’ 10-14 Sport and camping
Fellows and camping League
German 10-13 Military League of 14-18 Lessons in
Young preparation German preparation for
People Maidens motherhood &
domestic science
Hitler 14-18 Military Faith and 18-21 Training for life as a
Youth training Beauty (voluntary housewife, cooking
membership) healthy meals and
clothes making

Boys
Boys had to swear an oath of loyalty to Hitler as well as attending courses
about Nazi ideology and reporting anyone who was disloyal. Activities were
based on competition, physical fitness and military training. Youth leaders
organised hundreds of sporting contests and other activities such as hiking.
Boys were prepared for the army with frequent drilling, practice in shooting,
map reading and signalling. There were also annual military style training
camps that encouraged teamwork and comradeship. Lessons were given to
reinforce Aryan superiority, the importance of the state and the Fuhrer, and
other Nazi ideals. Members of the Hitler Youth had to swear an oath of loyalty
to the Fuhrer.

Girls
For girls there were also political activities and the oath of loyalty as well as lots
of physical exercise such as marching to keep them fit. They were also trained
to cook, iron, make beds and prepare for their role as a housewife. They were
also taught about eugenics and racial hygiene to ensure that they chose
husbands that would give them good Aryan babies.

How successful were the Nazis in tackling unemployment?

One of the main reasons for increased support for the Nazis was the high level
of unemployment, which had reached six million in 1932. Hitler promised
Germans the Nazis would be able to solve all of Germany’s problems,
particularly the unemployment issue caused by the Great Depression. Through

pg. 39
a variety of questionable methods, Hitler kept his promise to ‘solve’
unemployment. Hitler introduced a series of measures to reduce
unemployment.

The Invisible Unemployed - The Nazis used some dubious methods to keep
down their unemployment figures. The official figures did not include the
following groups:

 Jews who had been dismissed from their jobs.

 Unmarried men under 25 who were pushed into the National Labour
schemes. -
 Women who were dismissed from their jobs or who gave up work to get
married.
 Opponents of the Nazi regime who had been arrested and sent to
concentration camps.
 The figures also listed part-time workers as being fully employed. Jobs has
been ‘created’ by removing certain groups from their positions in the
workplace and filling them with unemployed Germans.
Military Rearmament

Hitler was determined to build the armed forces in readiness for war. This
greatly reduced unemployment. The reintroduction of conscription in 1935
took thousands of men into the military service. The army grew from 100,000
in 1933 to 1.4 million by 1939. Heavy industry also benefited. Billions were
spent producing tanks, aircraft and ship, creating lots of jobs armaments
factories. Heavy industry expanded to meet the needs of rearmament. Coal
and chemicals doubled between 1933 and 1939; oil, iron and steel trebled.

The Reich Labour Service (RAD)

This was a scheme to provide young men with manual labour jobs. From 1935
it was compulsorily for all men aged 18-25 to serve in the RAD for six months.
Workers lived in camps, wore uniforms and did military drills. The RAD
removed thousands from unemployment figures. However, workers were paid
low wages.

pg. 40
Job creation schemes

Hitler spent billions on job creation schemes, rising from 18.4b in 1933 to 37.1b
by 1938. The Nazis introduced a massive road building programme to provide
Germany with autobahns (motorways). Over 125,000 men were employed in
their construction. The plan was to provide Germany with 7,000 KMs of
motorway, yet only 3,000KMs had been built by 1938. Hitler hoped autobahn
would enable his troops to move rapidly in the event of war. The Nazis
subsidised private firms, especially in the construction Industry. This led to
other public work schemes, such as building hospitals, schools and houses. This
too created lots of jobs.

How did living standards change under Nazi rule?

The Nazis were determined to control the workforce to prevent the possibility
of strikes and to ensure industry met the needs of rearmament. This was
achieved through two organisations, the Labour Front and Strength through
Joy. These were schemes that the Nazis hoped would make people feel part of
the creation of the people’s community (Volksgemeinschat).

Strength through Joy (KdF)

The strength through Joy organisation was set up by the German Labour Front.
The Nazis wanted to improve the leisure time of workers. It was hoped this
would result in happy workers who would be motivated to work harder.
Strength Through Joy served two main purposes. The first was to ensure that
no one had too much time on their hands to get involved in untoward activities
against the state. There was a belief that idle hands might get involved in anti-
state misdemeanours. The second main purpose of Strength Through Joy was
to produce an environment within Nazi Germany whereby the average worker
would be grateful to the state for providing activities and holidays that in
‘normal’ circumstances they could not afford as individuals. KdF offered
workers a range of leisure and cultural trips, all at an affordable cost. Only the
rich could have previously been able to afford these activities and trips. These
activities included trips to the theatre, museums, sporting events, weekend
trips, hikes, and even holidays and cruises. All were provided at a low cost.

pg. 41
Beauty of Labour

This was a department of the KdF. It tried to improve working conditions. It

organised the building of canteens, swimming pools and sports facilities- all
within the workplace. It also installed better lighting in workplaces and
improved noise levels.
Wages
Average weekly wages rose from 86 marks in 1932 to 109 marks in 1938.
Although the Nazis offered schemes and incentives to workers, not all workers
benefited. Women were denied employment opportunities, as were
opponents of the Nazis, such as Jews and communists.
Lack of freedoms
German workers lost their rights under the Nazis. Trade unions in were banned
in 1933 and replaced by the German Labour Front. However, this meant
workers had fewer rights. Workers could not negotiate for better pay or
reduced hours of work. Strikes were banned, as those who were to strike were
seen as opponents of the Nazi regime and were sent to concentration camps.
The lack of trade unions resulted in an increase in the hours of work. Average
working hours in industry increased from 42.9 per week in 1933, to 47 in 1939.
Strength through Joy
In 1936, KdF had a membership of 30 million workers. Yet ‘only’ 7.4 million
participated in a KdF trip that year, with nearly 23 million not doing so. A total
of 150,000 went on KdF cruises between 1934 and 1939. This was a
considerable number but vastly short of the total membership of KdF. Some
workers went to holiday camps but while they were there they found that their
holidays were regimented and controlled. No one was allowed to do exactly
what he or she wanted to do. In a totalitarian state, the government even
wanted to control a worker’s holiday.
Cost of living
The cost of living increased during the 1930s. All basics groceries, except fish,
cost more by 1939 than they had in 1933. This is because the Nazis wanted
agricultural production to be low to help keep high prices so that they could
help the farmers.
Volkswagen car scheme
In 1938 the German Labour Front organised the Volkswagen (people’s car)
scheme, giving workers an opportunity to own a Volkswagen by paying five

pg. 42
marks a week. However, the scheme was a swindle. By the time war broke out
in 1939, not a single customer had taken delivery of a car. None of their money
was refunded.

Nazi racial beliefs

For years before Adolf Hitler became chancellor of Germany, he was obsessed
with ideas about race. In his speeches and writings, Hitler spread his beliefs in
racial "purity" and in the superiority of the "Germanic race"—what he called an
Aryan "master race." He pronounced that his race must remain pure in order
to one day take over the world. For Hitler, the ideal "Aryan" was blond, blue-
eyed, and tall.

When Hitler and the Nazis came to power, these beliefs became the
government ideology and were spread in publicly displayed posters, on the
radio, in movies, in classrooms, and in newspapers. The Nazis began to put
their ideology into practice with the support of German scientists who believed
that the human race could be improved by limiting the reproduction of people
considered "inferior." Beginning in 1933, German physicians were allowed to
perform forced sterilizations, operations making it impossible for the victims to
have children. Among the targets of this public program were Roma (Gypsies),
an ethnic minority numbering about 30,000 in Germany, and handicapped
individuals, including the mentally ill and people born deaf and blind. Also
victimized were about 500 African-German children, the offspring of German
mothers and African colonial soldiers in the Allied armies that occupied the
German Rhineland region after World War I.

Hitler and other Nazi leaders viewed the Jews not as a religious group, but as a
poisonous "race," which "lived off" the other races and weakened them. After
Hitler took power, Nazi teachers in school classrooms began to apply the
"principles" of racial science. They measured skull size and nose length, and
recorded the color of their pupils' hair and eyes to determine whether
students belonged to the true "Aryan race." Jewish and Romani (Gypsy)
students were often humiliated in the process.

pg. 43
 1934, SA organised a ‘boycott of Jewish shops and businesses.
 1934, Jewish books burnt. Jews could no longer work in government jobs.
 15th September 1935, Nuremberg Laws passed. Only those with ‘German
blood’ could be citizens. Jews lose citizenship and right to vote. Sexual
relations and marriage forbidden between Jews and Aryans.
 1936, Jews banned from professions such as teaching nursing and dentistry.
 HOWEVER, lull in anti-semtism during Olympics.
 1938, Jews have to register their possessions, carry identity cards, and
Jewish doctors are forbidden from treating Aryans.
 1938, Jewish men have to add ‘Israel’ to first name, Jewish women the
name ‘Sarah’. Jews have red J stamped in passports.
 Young people encouraged to hate Jews through teaching in schools and
school textbooks portraying Jews as evil money lenders responsible for
Germany’s problems.
 In October 1936 Jewish teachers forbidden to give private tuition. 1938
Jewish children expelled from German schools.

The Nuremberg Laws

The Nuremberg Laws did not define a "Jew" as someone with particular
religious beliefs. Instead, anyone who had three or four Jewish grandparents
was defined as a Jew, regardless of whether that individual identified himself
or herself as a Jew.

SEPTEMBER 15, 1935 NUREMBERG LAWS ARE INSTITUTED

At their annual party rally, the Nazis announced new laws that revoked Reich
citizenship for Jews and prohibited Jews from marrying or having sexual
relations with persons of "German or related blood." "Racial infamy," as this
becomes known, was made a criminal offense.

OCTOBER 18, 1935 NEW MARRIAGE REQUIREMENTS INSTITUTED

The "Law for the Protection of the Hereditary Health of the German People"
requires all prospective marriage partners to obtain from the public health
authorities a certificate of fitness to marry. Such certificates are refused to
those suffering from "hereditary illnesses" and contagious diseases and those
attempting to marry in violation of the Nuremberg Laws.

pg. 44
 Night of broken glass, 9th November 1938

• Herschel Grynszpan, a 17 year old Jew living in Paris, shot and killed a
member of the German Embassy staff there in retaliation for the poor
treatment his father and his family suffered at the hands of the Nazis in
Germany.
• The shooting in Paris provided an opportunity to incite Germans to "rise in
bloody vengeance against the Jews.”
• On November 9, mob violence broke out as the regular German police
stood by and crowds of spectators watched. Nazi storm troopers along with
members of the SS and Hitler Youth beat and murdered Jews, broke into
and wrecked Jewish homes, and brutalized Jewish women and children.
• All over Germany, Austria and other Nazi controlled areas, Jewish shops
and department stores had their windows smashed and contents
destroyed. Synagogues were especially targeted for vandalism, including
desecration of sacred Torah scrolls. Hundreds of synagogues were
systematically burned while local fire departments stood by or simply
prevented the fire from spreading to surrounding buildings.
• About 25,000 Jewish men were rounded up and later sent to concentration
camps where they were often brutalized by SS guards and in some cases
randomly chosen to be beaten to death.

pg. 45
 Exam technique guidance

Q1 Give 2 things you can infer… (4 marks)

 Give 2 inferences backed up by a source detail for each
inference.
 Provenance is classed as part of the source.
 Source detail can just be a quote, doesn’t need to be a
sentence.

Q2 Explain why…? (12 marks)

Based on 100 years.
 The mark scheme for 12 mark explain questions is the
same on all papers.
 Given 2 stimulus points.
 3 PEEL paragraphs. (Point, evidence, explain, link)
 Use more that the stimulus points – the clue in question
is if you get 2 points than 3 are expected in the answer.
 If only use the 2 given points then limited to Level 3.
 You don’t have to use the given points at all.
 You must consistently show the line of reasoning for top
marks.

Q3a How useful are sources… for… (8 marks)

 Explain how useful is each source, don’t have to compare.
 Use source details and own knowledge.
 Comment on how the provenance affects the content.
 This sets up the theme for the rest of question 3.
 The sources will have different views.

pg. 46
 Q3b What is the main difference… (4 marks)
 Written by historians so provenance not important here.
 Highlight the MAIN difference between them. They will be clear.
 Identify the difference, back it up using the source – what does it
say? How does it come across? What tone/language is used?.
 This focuses on WHAT not WHY – that’s 3c.

Q3c WHY are the interpretations different? (4 marks)

 Identify ONE reason they are different. This not about bias as the
sources are written by historians.
 This question is about how historians get to their interpretation.
3a should help them with this – Historians may have used
different sources.
 You could reference dates – one source focused on different times
so different interpretations based on what was happening – give
some detail.

Q3d How far do you agree…? (16+4 marks)

i
 The question will focus on 1 interpretation and how far
you agree.
i
 You must have BALANCE – FOR and AGAINST the
interpretation in the source.
 Use the other interpretation to challenge it and also other
specific context.
 Example Structure: Introduction, Interpretation 1,
Interpretation 2, Own Knowledge, Conclusion.

pg. 47