GERMANY Flashcards
(179 cards)
1
Q
When did Germany unite
A
1890
2
Q
What is Weltpolitik and what 3 things did it mean for Germany
A
World Power
They would be seen as a world power, play a more active role in world affairs and Germany would be recognised as a great European country
3
Q
Where did Kaiser Wilhelm II came from and what influence did this have on what Germany would centre around
A
Prussia- He would be the centre of German nationalism and didn’t see a need for a parliament like Britain had
4
Q
What influence did Weltpolitik have on the German navy
A
He wanted a place in the sun which means an empire (specifically in Africa)
5
Q
Kaiser Wilhelm was an autocrat. What does this mean
A
He would be a sole leader and there would be no press
6
Q
What is the relationship between an autocrat and a dictator
A
An autocrat is just below a dictator
7
Q
What were the 6 signs that the Kaiser’s autocracy was strong
A
1) Germany’s foreign trade over tripled in the years 1890-1913
2) The first navy law was passed in 1898 in spite of opposition from the SDP and conservative party
3) Industrialization increased rapidly
4) The kaiser ruled all decisions that related to the army,navy and other foreign countries
5) By 1913 industrial production by Germany exceeded that of Britain
6) The military was very strong, well-disciplined and equipped
8
Q
What were the signs that Kaiser’s Wilhelms autocracy was weakening
A
1) Development of the SDP in the 1870’s, that now had ⅓ seats (1912) in teh Reichstag
2) Introduction of pensions for OAP’s in 1889 due to pressure from the SDP
3) There was a growth of working class who started to look to people like Karl Marx
9
Q
How did the SDP pose a threat to the Kaiser’s autocracy
A
The SDP was a left wing party that was opposing to the Kaiser’s right wing nature
10
Q
The Kaiser had a passion to overtake/match Great Britain, but in what exports
A
Iron and other Prime Exports
11
Q
When did Stresemann become foreign minister
A
August 1924
12
Q
Who became president of Germany in August 1919
A
Friedrich Ebert
13
Q
How did Germany respond to the occupation of the Ruhr
A
The workers went on strike with government support
14
Q
How did the dawes plan work
A
America would loan money to Germany to pay the allies war reparations and then the allies could use that money to pay back america of war debt
15
Q
How did the Dawes plan have a negative effect on Germany when the great depression hit
A
Germany became dependant on foreign economies so when the depression hit, they were left stranded
16
Q
When was the left wing Spartacist uprising
A
6th January 1919
17
Q
Who lead the Spartacist uprising
A
Luxemburg and Liebknecht
18
Q
Who put down the Spartacist uprising and who were they
A
Free Corps - 2,000 men who were strong and most of them ex-servicemen
19
Q
What happened to the leaders of the Spartacist uprising
A
Brutally murdered
20
Q
What were the Spartacists uprisers aims
A
Wanted Germany to be run by a small council of soldiers and workers not a large parliament
21
Q
How did Weimar Germany compare to the Kaisers leadership on the political spectrum
A
Weimar in complete centre whilst autocracy is quite far right
22
Q
As the Weimar republic was so democratic what 2 far wing parties were allowed in the Reichstag
A
Communist KDP and Fascist National People’s Party
23
Q
Who was Wolfgang Kapp and how was he relevant in March 1920
A
He lead a far right uprising with the support of the free corps, ex-police and police
24
Q
How was the Kapp Putsch put down
A
The working class who didn’t support the uprising went of strike
25
How long was Edbert out of power during the Kapp Putsch and where did Wolfgang Kapp flee too
100 hours. He fled to Sweden
26
Where did the Kapp Putsch and Spartacist uprising occur
Berlin
27
What was the intentions of the Kapp Putsch
To make Germany strong and overturn the treaty
28
What were the 3 economic impacts on Germany after WW1
1) National income was 1/3 down from what it was in 1913
2) War left 600,000 widows and 2million children fatherless- by 1925 the state was spending 1/3 of its budget in war pensions
3) Industrial production was 2/3 of what it was in 1913
29
What were the 3 social impacts on Germany after WW1
1) There was a huge gap between rich and poor
2) German workers were bitter that factory owners made fortunes from the war, but they had restrictions placed on their earnings
3) During the war, women were called up to work in factories and many saw this as damaging to traditional family values and society
30
What was the difference between the president and chancellor in the Weimar constitution
The president stayed out of day to day affairs, but controlled the military and could provoke Article 48, whilst the chancellor was responsible for day to day running of the country
31
How often was the president elected
Every 7 years
32
What was Article 48
When the president could rule on his own without getting the support of the Reichstag by issuing special emergency decrees in times of crisis
33
Who elected the chancellor
The president
34
What would the chancellor need in order to introduce new laws
The support of at least half the politicians in the Reichstag
35
How often were members of the Reichstag elected
Every 4 years
36
The Weimar government was proportionally represented. What did that mean
The percentage of votes you got was how many seats you had in parliment
37
What is the problem with proportional representation
There was never a majority with the leading party, making law making very difficult with over 20 different parties arguing over laws
38
What groups of people prefered the Kaiser's autocratic rule over Germany
Older army generals, judges, upper-class families, rich factory owners and university professors.
39
What age could men and women vote in Weimar Germany
Over 20 (compared to Britain where for women it was 28)
40
Why did hyperinflation begin
The workers in the Ruhr went on strike, and the Weimar government continued to pay them by printing more money, so they spent all their money and shopkeepers put their prices up and the government printed more money.
41
In November 1923 how much did a loaf of bread cost compared to 1918
201 billion marks compared to 0.6 in 1918
42
Why did the French and Belgians invade the Ruhr
Germany couldn't afford to pay reparations in 1922
43
When did France and Belgium invade the Ruhr
23rd January 1923
44
How many French and Belgian troops invaded the Ruhr
60,000
45
Who lost out because of hyperinflation
* People with savings - they lost all value
* Elderly people on fixed pensions - their income couldn't buy them what they needed
* Small businesses - normal trade became impossible due to daily price change
46
Who benefited from hyperinflation
People who had borrowed money - it was very easy for them to pay off their debt
47
What was the red rising and how was it put down
Left-wing workers in the Ruhr stayed on strike and took several towns, however the goverment send soilders and free corps to deal with the rebellion
48
How many were killed in the red rising
Over 1000 workers
49
When was the red rising
March-April 1920
50
What assassinations took place in Germany after the war
* August 1921 - Matthias Erzberger who signed the armistice was shot dead by right-wing
* Foreign Minister Walter Rathenau was killed
* Acid was thrown on Philipp Scheidemann and important political
* Between 1919-22 over 350 murders were carried out
51
What was the rise of members of the Nazi party between 1920 and 1921
3000-5000
52
When was the Munich Putsch
8 November 1923
53
What was the significance of Ludendorff supporting Hitler
He was a great German war hero and many people respected him
54
How many died in the Munich Putsch
3 policemen and 16 Nazi's
55
What happened to Hitler and Ludendorff during the end of the Munich Putsch
Hitler dislocated his shoulder and Ludendorff was arrested
56
What were the benefits for Hitler from the Munich Putsch
* He gained lots of publicity and media attention
* He was able to write Mein Kampf in prison
* He realised he had to change his strategy and win votes rather than take by force
57
Who was Gustav Stresemann
Briefly chancellor in 1923, but Foreign Minister in 1924 onwards until his death in 1929
58
What was Stresemann's solution to hyperinflation
He replaced the old paper money with the Rentenmark and then in 1924, it was replaced by the reichsmark
59
Did people with savings ever get their money back from hyperinflation
No - they blamed Stresemann and his goverment
60
How did Stresemann deal with the invasion of the Ruhr
He met with American VP Charles Dawes and arranged the Dawes plan in 1924
61
What was the Dawes plan
It meant USA would lend money to Germany who would then be able to pay reparations and the allies were able to pay war loans to America
62
What was the Young plan
In 1929, Steressmann negotiated reparations down to £1.8mil and Germany was given longer to pay it
63
How did Stresemann deal with the decline of Germany's status
He signed the Locarno Pact in 1925 and in 1926 joined the league of nations, then in 1928 signed the Kellogg-Briand Pact
64
How did Stresemann deal with the problem of German industries declining
With money from the Dawes plan, he built new factories, houses, schools and roads which led to more jobs for Germans as well
65
What was the problem in 1929 with Germany's financial issues
They relied too heavily in foreign loans, so when the WSC hit they would retract loans and demand them back
66
What things thrived in 1920's Germany
Cinema, Nightlife, Literature and art
67
What were the views on the social changes in the 1920's
Some loved the changes, however some hated them. They preferred the more traditional values and when Hitler came to power, many artists and performers left Germany
68
What were specific impacts of the Depression in Germany
* American foreign factories had to close - unemployment
* Luxury goods like cars, electrical goods and clothing weren't selling - unemployment
* American banks demanded back all the money they had lent Germany
69
How did Hitler become more popular after the depression
Millions blamed the Weimar government for the financial problems, and so people were prepared to listen to political parties who promised radical solutions to the problems
70
What were the main factors in Hitler's rise to power
1. Depression - Unemployment meant more people turned to someone who had the solutions to the problems and who blamed the government and the jews
2. Germans were unhappy with the Weimar Government - politicians couldn't agree on how to deal with the crisis and so the rise of new parties emerged
3. Appeal of Hitler - He was charismatic and a great speaker which made him able to inspire his audiences
4. Fear of communism - middle and upper classes were fearful of communists and so were religious figures, and Hitler promised to fight communism
5. Nazi tactics - Offices were set up across the country recruiting SA, propaganda led by Goebbels, parades rallies and speeches, and the Hitler Youth appealed to children
71
How did Hitler use airplanes to his advantage after the depression
he used it to take him to 20 cities in 7 days to make speeches showing how modern they were
72
What was the growth of SA members between 1931 and 1932
100,000 - 400,000
73
What were the farmers view on the Nazi's
* Supportive
* Farmers were hit hard by the depression and people weren't buying as much produce and so they had to lower prices
* The weimar government didn't help farmers either and Nazi's promised a better quality of life and higher status
* Communists would've taken over all their land if they got in control
74
What were Women's views on the Nazi's
* Mostly supportive
* They claim that family life, good morals and self-discipline is important which many liked
* Hitler thought that the 1920's were outrageous and thought women should be more conservative in how they acted
75
What were the middle-classes views on the Nazi's
* Mostly supportive
* Some people's wages had been cut during the depression and there was unemployment which Hitler promised to change
* People feared law and order might break down if communists took over
* Nazi's seem to show desicivness when making decisions internally (unlike the Weimar goverement)
76
What were young people's view on the Nazi's
* Supportive
* He promised to tear up the treaty of Versailles and these young people wanted to be a part of Germany's bright future
* He promised jobs in the armed forces and buildings homes, motorways and hospitals
77
What were the upper classes views on the Nazi's
* Mixed opinions
* He promised that Germany would be a more powerful nation like before the war
* Hitler promised to allow them to run factories how they wanted and they might even make more profit from making war material\
* Communists would also take over factories
78
What happened in the September 1930 election
* Bruning (Centre party) became chancellor but was unpopular as he reduced unemployment pay and increased taxes
* Nazi party now had the 2nd most seats in the Reichstag (107 seats)
79
What was the significance of the SA
They beat up communists and disrupted meetings
Many argued that this was the end of democracy as fights were constantly breaking out and Hindenburg kept having to use his emergency decrees without the verification of the Reichstag
80
What significance is July 1932 for Hitler
* Bruning resigned in July, and Hindenburg appointed Von Papen
* He didn't have much support either and so called an election
* The Nazi party now had the most seats (230seats)
* Hitler demanded Chancellor however Hindenburg appointed Von Papen again using Article 48
81
What happened in November 1933
* Von Papen called another election and the votes for the Nazi's and the centre party fell due to the economic problems settling
* After his votes falling, Von Papen resigned
82
What happened in January 1930
* Hindenburg gave the job to von Schleicher who had little support and so resigned
* Hindenburg had little choice and appointed Hitler as Chancellor, however tried limiting his power by appointing von Papen as vice chancellor and restricting the number of fellow Nazis that Hitler was allowed in the cabinet to 2
83
When was Hitler appointed chancellor
30 January 1933
84
What happened on 27 February 1933
* The Reichstag was burned down and Van der Lubbe was blamed for the fire
* Hitler said the fire was part of a communist plot to take over the country
85
What happened 28 February 1933
Hitler asked Hindenburg to pass a special emergency ‘Protection Law’ giving Hitler the power to deal with Germany's problems, and Hindenburg agreed
86
What happened in March 1933
* The new decree for ‘Protection of the people and state’ banned leading communists from taking part in election campaigns
* 4000 communists were thrown into prison and their newspapers shut down
* In the 5th March election he got more votes but NOT the majority he needed
* On 23rd March, he persuaded politicians in the centre party to join the Nazis - Hitler now had the power to make laws without asking the rest of the politicians
87
What happened on the 7th April 1933
* Nazis were put in charge of all local government councils and the Gestapo was formed
* The first concentration camp (Dachau) was opened
88
What happened on 2 May 1933
* Hitler banned all trade unions, took away their money and threw their leaders in jail
* This meant Hitler had taken away a worker's way of complaining about pay and conditions
89
What happened 14 July 1933
* Hitler banned all political parties in Germany, except the Nazis
* The new law ‘Against the formation of New Parties’ stated anyone trying to set up a party would go to prison for 3 years
* Germany was. no a one-party state
90
What happened 2 August 1934
* Hindenburg died and Hitler immediately took over the President's job as well as remaining Chancellor
* He made the army swear an oath of loyalty to him
* Hitler gave himself the title ‘Der Fuhrer’
91
When was the ‘Night of Long Knives’
30 June 1934
92
What was the problem with the SA and Rohm by June 1934
* Many of them were unemployed and violent thugs who wanted well-paid jobs as a reward for their loyalty
* Rohm wanted to join the SA with the army with both under his control making him too powerful
* He also needed the support of his army leaders for him to take back land from the Treaty of Versailles and there were rumours Rohm was trying to take over
93
What were the impacts of the night of long knives
* Many of the people close to Hitler who were regarded as a threat to him were now dead - Rohm and all the leading Nazis who didn't agree with him
* The SS emerged as the group now responsible for Hitler's security not the SA who were now a minor force
* The gestapo and the SS formed the police state
94
After the night of long knives, what agreement did Hitler make with his army leaders
They would stay out of politics and serve Hitler, and in return Hitler promised to spend large sums of money to make Germany a great military power again
95
Who was part of the National Labour Service (RAD) and what did they do
* All men between 18 and 25 had to spend 6 months in RAD
* They planted forests, mended hedges and dug drainage ditches on farms.
* Men in RAD had to wear uniforms and live in caps, but were given free meals
* They weren't paid well but were employed
96
In June 1933, what public work schemes were intorduced
Autobahns would link Germany's major towns and cities, giving work to nearly 100,000 people and in 1938, 3800 km had been built. New schools and hospitals were built as well giving work to more people
97
Employment figures in 1929, 1933, 1935, 1939
1929 - 1.7m
1933 - Over 6m
1935 - 3m
1939- 0.4m
98
How did rearmament help reduce unemployment
* Factories to build new tanks, battleships, fighter planes and guns - thousands of jobs created
* Huge government contracts made factory owners and bosses of businesses a fortune
* Conscription also meant that the army grew from 100,000 to 1,400,000 in 5 years
99
How did the Nazis reduce the statistics of unemployment
Women who ran a family and jews weren't included in the figures. Part time workers, also counted as full time workers
100
When was Schacht appointed Minister of Economics
As soon as he came to power in 1933
101
How did Schacht get raw materials without paying fortunes
He signed deals with South-American countries and South-East Europe to supply Germany with the raw materials in return for German made goods
102
Why was Schacht replaced with and why
* Goering replaced him
* Germany was still dependent on raw materials from foreign countries and the changes were happening far too slowly for the impatient Hitler
103
Why did Hitler want an Autarky
When Germany was ready for war, they would be able to supply themselves rather than rely on other countries
104
What was the four year plan
* In 1936, Goering planned to get Germany ready for war
* They ordered huge amounts of weapons, equipment and and uniforms
* Very high targets were achieved in steel and explosive industries
* Targets weren't met in oil and Germany was still not ready for war
105
If Germany was unable to produce a certain material they would create artificial products in Germany. What were some examples
* Petrol from coal
* Wool and cotton from pulped wood
* Make-up from flour
* Coffee from acorns
106
What percentage of the population were involved in agriculture
30%
107
What did Hitler do to help the farmers and why did he need to do this
* He needed them to make more material to become self-sufficient
* He cut taxes for them
* Guaranteed they couldn't be thrown off their land if they got into debt
* He forbade it for land owners to split up their farm - it meant that it would keep it in the family and keep it large however some children now had to look for jobs in the cities
108
What did the SDA do
A scheme that tried to improve the working environment by installing better lighting, safety equipment, new wash room, low cost canteens and sport facilities
109
What did the KDF do
A scheme that organised leisure activities to encourage hard work. It offered cheap holidays, trips to the theatre and sports tickets to workers who met their targets
110
What 2 groups were in the German Labour Front (DAF)
SDA and KDF
111
How did Hitler spread pro-Nazi teachings in school lessons
Syllabuses were changed to spread this message like
* History - Great German military victories and how badly they were treated at the end of WW1
* Geography - Areas of the world where Germany would soon conquer
* Science - Weapon making and chemical warfare
* Maths - How much money Germany would save if they got rid of all disabled people
* PE - trebled
112
What was Eugenics
Students were taught how to improve their race and about the Nazi belief in inferiority minorities
113
What happened to German teachers
They had to join the German teachers league and any who refused to teach the new material were sacked
114
What was 'Napolas'
Teachers identified students who were potential future Nazi leaders and were sent to special academies (Napolas). They were clever tough and loyal to Hitler
115
What happened to German university lecturers
Between 1933-34 15% were replaced - a third for racial reasons and half for political reasons. By 1939 over 3000 had been dismissed
116
What happened to Einstein
He fled and physics courses didn't teach his theory of relativity because he was jewish
117
What did Hitler do to youth clubs
When he came to power in 1933, he banned them like cub scouts and church youth groups
118
What was in the law was passed to give the Hitler Youth high importance
In 1936, the law gave the Hitler Youth equal significance to school and home life
119
What happened in regards to the Hitler Youth in 1939
It was made compulsory
120
How old were boys in the Hitler Youth and how often did they meet
* 14-18
* Several times a week after school and special weekend camps
121
What were boys taught in the Hitler Youth
* Marching
* Fighting with knives
* Firing a gun
* Physical health importance
* Competition
* Heroism
* Leadership
* Ultimately to prepare boys for their future soldier roles
122
What did the girls do in the Hitler Youth
* Between 14-17 girls would be in the ‘League of German Girls’
* Attended weekend camps
* Tough marches
* Keeping fit
* Cooking, looking after children and preparing for motherhood
123
Membership of Hitler Youth in 1933, 1936, 1939
1933 - 2.2m
1936 - 5.4m
1939 - 7.2m
124
Who were the swing youth
* Refused to join Hitler Youth
* Went to parties and listened to jazz
* Had Jewish friends
*
125
What youth groups opposed the Hitler Youth and what did they do
* Roving Dudes, Edelweiss Pirates, and the Navajos
* Mocked Hitler
* Attacked Hitler Youth Groups
* Beat up Nazi officials
* Helped army deserters
* Sabotaged railway lines and acted as spies, passing on military secrets to other countries
126
Why was there a decrease in birth rates during the Weimar period
More women became focused on careers than children
127
How did birth rates compare from 1900 and 1933
1900 - Over 2m
1933 - Under 1m
128
What were the 3 K's and what other law was passed that encouraged them to stay hom
Kinder, Kirch and Kuche (Childre, church and cooking) - women were banned from jury service as they were unable to think without emotion
129
Socially, what were women banned from doing
Smoking, trousers and high heels were seen as ‘unladylike’
130
What did the government do to encourage newly married couples to have more children
* Loans were given to them and after each child, they were able to keep a ¼ of it
* Contraception and abortion was banned
* Slimming was discouraged as it was thought that it was unsuitable for pregnancy
* On 12 August (hitler's mothers birthday), the motherhood medal was awarded to women who had the most children
* Mothers with 8 children received the gold cross
131
Were all women encouraged to have children
No - Women with a history of mental illness, hereditary diseases or anti-social behaviour (like alcoholism) could be forcibly sterilised
132
What was the protestant-catholic split in Germany
20m Catholic - 40m Protestant
133
What policies of the Nazis did the church support
1. The importance of marriage, the family and moral values
2. Threat of communism - they were anti-religion
3. Hitler promised to respect the Catholic Church
134
What was the concordat and when was it signed
* 1933 between Hitler and the Pope
* It meant they wouldn't interfere with each other
* Hitler soon broke this promise
135
Why did Hitler clash with the Catholics
* He felt they listened to the Pope more than him
* He harassed and arrested priests and closed down Catholic youth clubs and schools
* In 1937, the Pope issued a statement that said the Nazi's were hostileto Christ and his church
* In August 1941, Archbishop Galen openly criticized the use of terror tactics, euthanasia and concentration camps and so was placed under house arrest until the end of the war
136
What was the positive relationship between the Nazi's and the protestants
* Some admired him on his views on marriage and moral values
* They were known as ‘German Christians’ and their leader Ludwig Muller became the Reich Bishop in September 1933
137
What was the negative relationship between the Nazi's and the protestant church
* They felt Nazi beliefs completely opposed the ones of the church
* The ‘Confessional Church’ was formed led by Martin Niemoller and they openly criticized the Nazis
* The Nazis struck back and arrested around 800 pastors, Niemoller was send to a concentration camp and the Confessional Church was banned
138
What key feature of Jehovah Witnesses disagreed with Nazi policies and so how many of the group were killed in concentration camps
They were pacifists and refused to serve in the army - around ⅓ were killed
139
Apart from Jews, Christians and Jehovah Witnesses, what other minorities were punished
Salvation Army, Christian Scientists and the Seventh Day Adventist Church
140
How many Jews and Gypsies died in death camps in the years up to 1945
Over 6m Jews and Over ½m Gypsies
141
How many Jews were in Germany in 1934, and what percentage left by 1941, when Hitler stopped them leaving Germany
500,000 in 1934, however nearly 80% had left buy 1941
142
How many tramps, beggars and alcoholics were sent to concentration camps in 1933
Around half a million
143
How many prostitutes, homosexulas and problem famalies were sent to concentration camps
Thousands
144
How many physically and mentally disabled men and women were forcibly sterilized by the Nazis
About 350,000
145
When were physically and mentally disabled people sent to specially-built ‘nursing homes’ to be killed, and how many were killed
From 1939, 200,000. (including 5,000 children) were murdered
146
Key events in the persecution of Jews
* September 1933 - Eugenics introduced teaching children about them being undesirable
* September 1935 - The Nuremberg Laws: Jews forbidden from voting, and marriage between jews and non-jews banned
* November 1938 - Jewish children banned from schools, and Kristallnacht
* September 1939 - Jews no longer allowed out of their homes between 8pm and 6am
147
What happened at Kristallnacht
* Jewish homes, synagogues and businesses were attached all over Germany and Austria
* About 100 Jews were killed and 20,000 sent to concentration camps
* 10,000 Jewish shops had theri windows broken
* Nearly 200 synagogues were burned down
148
What was the Jewish resistance like
* Some jews escaped into forests and formed resistance groups who attacked German soldier and blew up railway lines that the Germans were using
* They were hunted down ruthlessly
* The Warsaw ghetto uprising of 1943 lasted 43 days before the Germans finally regained control, arrested and executed all those involved, burning down the ghetto
* In 1943, one of the prisoners in a death camp got into the weapons store and killed 15 guards, allowing 150 prisoners to escape
* The Nazis gained control, killing all the escapees and 550 other prisoners were killed in revenge
149
When was the Wannsee conference and what was decided
* 1942
* Nazi leaders met to discuss the final solution for the mass murder of every Jew in German territory
150
How was the Nazi Police state used to repress ordinary Germans
* Regular police and law courts - Ignored crimes committed by Nazis, and top jobs went to Nazis. the death penalty was used for very minor anti-Hitler things like jokes.
* Concentration camps - People returning from these camps would bring back terrible stories of hard labour
* The SS - Set up into 3 groups who over time became the most feared organisation in the country
* Gestapo - Secret police who didn't wear uniforms and spied on people by tapping in on telephone calls and opening mail. Had the power to arrest, impirso without a trial and torture anyone.
* Gestapo - Encouraged children to report their parents or teachers who spoke out against Hitler and the Nazis
151
What were the 3 divisions of the SS
* SD - Looked after ‘security’. COUld arrest anyone for any reason, search homes and even spied on and policed the Nazi party itself
* Waffen SS - Elite unit of the army
* Death's Head Unit - Ran the concentration and death camps
152
Why was Himmler so significant to the fear and repression of German people
* All police forces were under his control
* Head of the SS
* Personally reported to Hitler
* Known Hitler since 1923
153
Why was Goebbels put in control of propaganda
* Joined the Nazi party in 1924 and had grown into a layal Nazi
* He understood propaganda works best if people were repeatedly given short messages and powerful images like blaming Jews for Germany's problem and making Germany great again
154
How did Goebbels control propaganda and censorship
* Newspapers - Only stories that sowed the Nazis doing good things were allowed to be printed, and negative stories about Jews were printed. Newspapers that weren't approved by him were closed down
* Films - All film plots were shown to Goebbels before it was made. ALl films must show that Nazis in a good way and the ‘enemies’ in a negative one
* Radio - Goebbels controlled what was played across these (pro-Nazi messages), and cheap radios were produced that could only tune into Nazi controlled stations → Loudspeakers were placed in streets, factories and cafes to air radio broadcasts
* Books, theatre and music - Writers were forced to write books, plays and songs that praised Hitler and the Nazis
* Mass rallies - Special arenas were built to hold half a million people, where choirs , bands, speeches, fireworks and air shows were performed to showcase how impressive and well organised the Nazis were and to celebrate Hitler's greatness
155
What was the Chamber of Culture
* Led by Goebbels
* All musicians, writers, artists and actors had be members of the organisation, and anyone who refused would be not allowed to work
* Some people like Jews were banned from joining
* The Chamber of Culture ruled that all cultural activities such as art, theatre, music, film and literature all had to give the same message (Nazi beliefs and ideas were correct, and everything Hitler did was in the best interests of the country)
156
How was cinema controlled by the Nazis
* Nazi supporters like Hugenberg owned film studios, sot the Nazis had a direct influence on exactly which films were made
* Goebbels himself made sure he read and approved all film scripts and all thrillers,comedies, factual films and dramas carried the pro-Nazi message
* News reports of Hitler's achievements were shown before the film
157
How was music controlled by the Nazis
* Music should be German or Austrian
* Some music popular in Weimar Germany was not permitted and Jewish composers like Mahler were banned
* Jazz was also banned due to to it's black origins
158
How was theatre controlled by the Nazis
* Nazis set up the ‘Militant League for German Culture’ that protested against films they didn't approve of like ‘The Threepenny Opera’ as it was written by a jew
* They played plays that should mainly focus on German history and politics
* Shut Germany's cabaret clubs that had songs about sex and politics commonly paid
159
How was Art and Design controlled by the Nazis
* Hitler hated modern art that was popular in the 1920's, and so in 1936, publicly burned 5,000 paintings they disapproved of
* In 1937 they put on an exhibition of unacceptable art
* Art should be clearly understandable and show healthy, heroic German figures and pictures of Hitler
* Hitler didn't approve of the ‘Bauhaus’ movement and closed down the movement in 1933
* He favoured huge stone structures that were often copies from ancient greece or Rome
160
How was the Berlin Olympics of 1936 used to promote Nazi Germany
* For a while, anti-semitic newspapers were stopped
* Games were widely popular and the German Olympic squad came top of the medals table
* Filmmaker Riefenstahl filmed the entire games and pioneered the use of ‘tracking shots’ to follow and athlete's movement in slow motion → showing that Germany was one of the most technologically advanced races and superior to inferior races
* The most advanced photo-finish equipment was in use and the main stadium contained the largest stop-clock ever made
161
What was the lowest form of opposition to the Nazis
‘Grumbling’ - People telling an anti-Hitler joke or complaining about the way their Jewish friends were being treated
162
What was passive resistance like
When Germans publicly showed they didn't support the Nazis by refusing to do what they were told like not giving the ‘Heil Hitler’ salute or to give money to the Hitler Youth members going round house to house collecting funds
163
What did the White Rose group do
* Uged Germans to get rid of Hitler
* Handed out anti-Nazi leaflets
* Put up posters and wrote graffiti on walls
* Led by Sophie and Hans School who were beheaded for their crimes in 1943
*
164
What was the Kreisau Circle
* Consisted of army officers, university professors and aristocrats who were shocked by Hitler's plans for war and brutality of the Nazi regime
* Discussed assassinating Hitler and getting rid of the Nazis, but didn't actually do anything
165
What was the Beck-Goerdeler resistance group
* Contacted the British about removing Hitler but nothing could be agreed
* Made attempts at Hitler's life in March and November 1943
* Behind the July Bomb Plot of 1944
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What happened and what were the consequences of the July Bomb Plot 1944
* Colonel Stauffenberg agreed to be part of the group to detonate the bomb
* They hoped to take over and end the war, changing the country for the better
* They killed 4 men, but the only damage done to Hitler was his hair burning off, bursting his eardrums and blowing some of his clothes off
* Stauffenberg and Geordeler were executed and Beck committed suicide
* About 5,000 were executed in revenge for the attack
167
How was rationing affecting German people
* Clothing and food were rationed from November 1939
* People were limited to 1 egg per week
* Soap and toilet paper were in very short supply so alternatives like soggy, stewed pine needles could be used instead of soap
* Hot water was rationed to two days per week
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What was total war
* Everything was entirely focused on making weapons and growing food for soldiers
* Anything that didn't contribute was stopped
* Beer houses, dance halls and sweet shops were closed, as well as letterboxes being boarded up
* Factories were forced to stay open longer and female workers were drafted in
* By 1944, 7m foreign workers had been drafted in from occupied countries to work as slave labour
169
How did bombing affect the German people
* From 1942, Britain and America bombed cities
* They were left with no electricity, water or transport and panicked people left their homes
* Thousands died and were injured
* Bombing caused flooding and gas explosions and there was a constant danger of unexploded bombs
*
170
What power did the Kaiser have over parliament
He didnt need to do what they day - He made all decisions that related to the army, navy and foreign countries by himslef
171
What was Germany producing in 1913 that exceeded and matched Britain
Iron and steel exceeded, coal matched
Industries like electrical goods and chemicals, they dominated Europe
172
What worried the Kaiser about the growth of the SDP and why was it rising in popularity
* Workers in factories, mines and workshops were unhappy as their wages were low, food was expensive and working conditions poor
* The SDP hoped the Kaiser might share some of his power and allow the Reichstag to make more social reforms or laws to improve the workers' rights and conditions
173
Why did Kaiser Wilhelm want a large navy and powerful battleships and how did he achieve it
* Would help Germany take over more countries
* Protect countries already in the German empire
* Wanted the navy to rival Britain's
* Huge sums of money were spent on the navy
* Taxes were raised and money borrowed leaving Germany in debt for a very long time
174
What protests were there to the first world war in Germany
In 1915, 500 women gathered in front of parliament buildings and said they wanted their men back from the trenches and a year later, 10,000 workers assembled in Berlin protesting it and the government
175
What protests happened before the Kaiser's abdication
On October 28 1918, a group of sailors refused to fight, and the word spread around the country and in six days soldiers and workers were governing cities all over Germany like Munich and Hamberg
His army generals refused to support him and on 9th November he abdicated
176
Who took control after the Kaiser's abdication and what 2 things did he do
Ebert - The leaders of the SPD
He promised to hold an election and signed the armistice
177
What things made Germany bankrupt after the first world war
* Germany had borrowed money from foreign countries like the USA and needed to pay it back
* germany had lent some of its own money to their allies and might not get it back
* War left 600,000 widows and 2m children without fathers, and war pensions would cost a fortune
* Factories had been exhausted from the war as they had been producing guns, bullets and shells not goods to sell abroad for profit
178
Who were the Free Corps main enemy
Communists
179
Who were the main supporters of the SDP
Working-class
