5. Collapse of the Weimar Republic Flashcards
(99 cards)
1
Q
When did the Wall Street Crash occur?
A
October 1929
2
Q
What were the main consequences of the Wall Street Crash?
A
- Unemployment rose
- Prices fell
- Foreign Trade fell
3
Q
How many Germans were unemployed in 1932?
A
6 million people were unemployed
4
Q
What did falling prices lead to?
A
led to a lack of investment and lower wages
5
Q
What did the government do as a reaction to the crash?
A
Cut public spending
6
Q
Which welfare spending got cut to one-third?
A
War victims pensions
7
Q
Why did the March 1930 SDP collapse?
A
They could not agree on welfare cuts
8
Q
Why could the Reichsbank not print more money?
A
They were restricted by the Dawes and Young Plans
9
Q
How many people were unemployed in 1932
A
6 million
10
Q
How many in three Germans were unemployed by 1933?
A
1 in 3
11
Q
What did the Government do to try and solve the 1929 crisis?
A
reduce public spending
12
Q
What did a reduction of public spending mean?
A
less spending on
- Infrastructure
- public services
- One-third reduction in war victims pensions
13
Q
How did the coalitions make solving the crisis more difficult?
A
They could not agree on which approach the government should take
14
Q
Why did the Government not intervene more in 1929?
A
They feared that intervention would lead to hyperinflation
15
Q
How were the governments actions limited in 1929?
A
They were restricted by outside groups
16
Q
Why would foreign investors not invest in German businesses?
A
They did not trust the currency
17
Q
What year were reparation payments suspended for a year?
A
1931
18
Q
What are protectionist policies?
A
When a government prioritises products from its own country over imports
19
Q
How is Protectionism carried out?
A
Using import taxes
20
Q
How did Protectionism work?
A
- Helped German companies hire or retain staff
21
Q
How did Protectionism not work?
A
retaliatory policies where foreign countries did the same to Germany thus reducing the exports.
Germans had to pay higher for certain products
22
Q
Why did many people loose faith in democracy by 1930 ?
A
Unemployment and huge falling wages
23
Q
How many elections took place during the depression.
A
5
24
Q
From 1928 to 1932 how much did unemployment rise?
A
from 1.25 million to 5.75 million
25
From 1928 to 1932 how much did the Nazi vote grow?
1 million to 11 million
26
From 1928 to 1932 how much did the KPD vote grow?
3.2 million to 6 million
27
What did the Communists pledge to do in 1930?
Take control of businesses and factories to create work for Germans
28
How did the Nazis portray Hitler in the 1930s?
As the only man who could save Germany
29
Why could Parliamentary democracy no longer function?
Due to the huge increase in anti-democracy parties sat in the Reichstag
30
Which four men held the chancellorship between 1929 and 1933
Muller
Bruning
Von Papen
Von Schleicher
31
What party did Muller belong to ?
Social Democrats
32
How long did Muller lead the government?
Almost 2 years
33
What hindered Muller the most ?
- Economic crisis
| - Hindenburg trying to replace him
34
Why did Muller resign ?
Hindenburg refused to use Article 48 to help him
35
What type of coalition did Muller have ?
5 party with a working majority
36
When did Bruning become Chancellor?
March 1930
37
Where was Brunings government on the political scale?
Centre-right
38
Which party was not apart of Brunings government?
SPD
39
What was Brunings biggest flaw?
He relied heavily on Article 48
40
Why did Brüning call the 1930 elections?
Because he thought it would win him and his policies more support
41
What were Brüning s economic policies ?
- Public works
- reducing spending
- tax rises
42
What were Brünings foreign policies?
- reperation suspended
| - demanded change to rearmament
43
What did Bruning do in 1932 to the Nazis?
He banned the SA
44
Why did Bruning resign in may 1932?
Hindenburg refuse to back him in his plan to distribute spare land to unemployed
45
When did Von Papen become Chancellor?
June 1932
46
What party did Papen belong to ?
Centre and then independent
47
Who persuaded Hindenburg to appoint the Chancellor?
Von Schleicher
48
What role did Schleicher have in Papens cabinet?
Defence Minister
49
Who sat in papers cabinet?
Germany's elite and not members of the Reichstag
50
When did Papen lift the ban on the SA?
July 1932
51
What did Papen lead against the Prussian government?
A coup using Article 48
52
When did Hitler become Chancellor
1933
53
What was the Nazi vote in each year leading up to 1933?
```
1924 December - Lost 3%
1928 May - 2.6%
1930 September - 18.3%
1932 July - 37.3%
1932 November - 33.1%
1933 March - 43.9%
```
54
How can we track Nazis votes with the economic status of Germany?
In times of economic strife Hitlers simple message and solutions gained the nazis favour which then declined as the economy imporved
55
What did the Communists do that helped Hindenburg win?
They did not back his largest opposition Willhelm Marx
56
How old was Hindenburg in March 1932?
84
57
Why did Hindenburg re-run for president?
He was opposed to seeing Hitler win
58
How did the presidential election help Hitler?
It increased his public awareness and helped gain the Nazis greater success
59
Who originally led the Nazi Party?
Anton Drexler
60
What does the NSDAPs decline in support in 1924 show us
That Hitler was important to the party
61
What is Fuhrerprinzip?
The idea that democracy cannot properly function so therefore a one party state with one strong leader was needed
62
How was Hitler a key part of propoganda?
- He designed the flag
- he created the salute
- he designed the SA brown uniform
- Hitler Myth
63
Who was the propaganda chief?
Joseph Goebbles
64
Who were the Nazis organised by ?
Gregor Strasser
65
How were local areas organised?
Into Games and organised under a Gauleiter
66
What were the Nazis main social policies?
- Lebensraum
- Volksgemeinschaft
- end of the treaty of Versailles
- Anti-Semitism and communism
67
Why did the unemployed start to support the nazis ?
They ran soup kitchens and organised food parcels
68
How did the Nazis win support through the media?
- radio adverts
- cinema adverts
- Plane
- Leaflets
- Posters
69
What did the Nazis call themselves?
Bewegung (movement)
70
How many members did the SA have in 1933?
500,000
71
What was the SA's main role?
Engage in marches
Distribute leaflets
Violent confrontations
72
Who led the SA?
Ernst Rohm
73
When did Hitler become Chancellor ?
January 1933
74
How many Germans were members of the Nazi Party by 1933?
719,446
75
Who were the Nazi parties bourgeoisie?
The middle class
76
How did the Nazi support from the middle class reflect on Communism?
It showed there was still a massive fear of it
77
What religion were Nazi members more likely to be a part of ?
Protestants
78
Who were slightly more likely to vote for the Nazis, men or women?
Women
79
Who were slightly more likely to vote for the Nazis, older or younger people?
Younger people
80
How were mothers targeted with Nazi propaganda?
They were encouraged to believe that only Hitler could provide them protection, as well as fears of sexual exploitation of girls
81
How were workers targeted by Nazi propaganda?
Work and bread
82
How were the middle-class targeted by Nazi propaganda?
anti-Communism slogans as well as committing to low taxes and economic prosperity
83
How did Brüning help the Nazi Party?
- he relied on Article 48
- Calling early elections
- Economic policies
84
How did Papen help the Nazi Party?
- He didn't have members of the Reichstag in his cabinet
- Lifted the ban on SA
- calling early elections
- taking control of the Prussian state government
- the lefts lack of opposition
85
How did Schleicher help the Nazis rise to power?
- removal of Brüning and Papen
- angered the elite
- wanting to hold early elections
86
Which of Schleichers policy did Hitler get the credit for?
Public works programme
87
What would have happened if Schleicher had agreed to a longer recess?
Lifted some pressure off of him and left him in a stringer position especially with the president
88
How did Hindenburg help the Nazis rise to power?
- Presidential decrees
- Underestimating Hitler
- Believing he could control Hitler
- Old age
89
How did Hindenburg view Hitler
As a 'bohemian Corporal'
90
Why did Hindenburg appoint Hitler as chancellor?
Because he believed Hitler would have to work with the German elite and reign in his extreme instincts
91
What is the politics of intrigue?
This means plots and secret deals aided the Nazis, by individuals or groups
92
When did Papen and Schleicher first meet?
The Prussian Military academy
93
Why was Papen removed from Chancellorship?
He called for Hindenburg to dissolve the Reichstag and not call new elections, but Schleicher believed this would lead the country to civil war, so encouraged Hindenburg to remove him from power
94
How did Schleicher help Hitler into power?
He argued against Papen instead of Hitler because he believed that Papen had stabbed him in the back and not Hitler
95
Who were Hindenburg's Camarilla?
The group of heavily important men that influenced him and all his decisions, contain his son Oskar
96
How did Germany's elite help bring Hitler into power?
They influenced Hindenburg
97
When did Hitler become Chancellor?
30 January 1933
98
What did Papen claim about Hitler when he was appointed vice-chancellor in 1933?
"we've hired him"
99
Why did Hitler want Hindenburg to hold early elections?
He believed the Nazis would become more powerful and he would not have to have a coalition
