Policies for the Workers/ Mittlestand

Question 1

Policies for the workers/ mittelstand
Background Fact -

Answer 1

One of the reasons that the Nazis gained power was due to their response to various German economic crises, which they did so through a range of policies aimed at workers and business owners.

Question 2

Policies for the workers/ mittelstand
Business owners - Donations

Answer 2

• The Nazis gained large donations from big business owners who supported policies like the banning of trade unions.

✔ Businesses benefited from Nazi policies like the banning of trade unions, generating support for the Nazis

Question 3

Policies for the workers/ mittelstand
Business owners -

Answer 3

• Businesses supported the Nazis due to their fear of communism.

✔ This meant that business owners were pleased with a Nazi government as they were not communist.

x However, some still businesses lost as Nazis set up their own steel companies, stealing income from already existing businesses.

Question 4

Policies for the workers/ mittelstand
Mittelstand - hyperinflation/ depression

Answer 4

• The Mittelstand were small companies in Germany which lost out due to hyperinflation and the great depression.

✔ They benefited from the persecution of Jews as the banning of Jewish businesses reduced their competition.

Question 5

Policies for the workers/ mittelstand
Mittelstand - Farms

Answer 5

• In May of 1933, the Entailed Farm Law was introduced which stopped farms from being sold or mortgaged and tied a farm to one family.

✔ This made it harder for farmers to lose their farms, benefiting them.

x However, this also stopped farm owners from getting loans

Question 6

Policies for the workers/ mittelstand
Workers - Trade unions

Answer 6

Workers made up the majority of the population in Germany. The Nazis banned trade unions but forced workers to join the German Labour Front, a trade union controlled by Nazis.

✔ Germany saw a fall in unemployment, as it fell from 6 million to 1 million by 1932.

Question 7

Policies for the workers/ mittelstand
Workers - Workplace conditions

Answer 7

• The Nazis improved workplace conditions through the ‘Strength Through Joy’ programme which introduced subsided holidays to workers.

✔ This improved workplace conditions and therefore benefited workers

x However, higher wages meant that workers had to work longer hours for them and received higher taxes.

Question 8

Policies for the workers/ mittelstand
Historians - Integrate workers

Answer 8

Tim Mason - The Nazis failed to fully integrate workers into their regime, or stop the divisions between the classes.

Question 9

Policies for the workers/ mittelstand
Historians - Traditional support

Answer 9

Thomas Childers - The economic strife of the 1920’s and early 1930’s saw the Mittelstand give up their traditional support for the centre and right-wing parties, in favour of the radical Nazi party.