The Weimar Republic Flashcards
(111 cards)
1
Q
What happened on November 9th 1918?
A
Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated.
2
Q
What did this mean for Germany?
A
It spelled and meant the end for Imperial Germany and a new German republic was declared.
3
Q
What happened on November 11th?
A
The newly formed government signed an armistice agreement with the Allies meaning the end of WW1.
4
Q
What were they accused of?
A
They were accused of being unpatriotic and for not standing for Germany.
5
Q
When was the Spartacist Uprising and when was it?
A
The Spartacist Uprising was from January 4th to January 15th 1919 and it was when a communist group led an uprising in order to overthrow the new government. The uprising was unsuccessful as the revolt was suppressed and the leaders executed.
6
Q
When were the first elections held in the Weimar Republic?
A
January 19th 1919.
7
Q
Who was elected the first president of the Weimar Republic?
A
Friedrich Ebert.
8
Q
When was the Treaty of Versailles signed?
A
June 28th 1919.
9
Q
What were the consequences of this?
A
They were severe as Germany was plunged into economic crisis.
10
Q
When was the Weimar Constitution passed?
A
July 31st 1919.
11
Q
When and what was the Kapp Putsch?
A
It was in March 1920 and it was when a group of right wingers and soldiers led an uprising against the Weimar government in Berlin. However, the uprising failed as trade unions called a general strike bringing the city to a halt.
12
Q
What and when was the Munich Putsch?
A
It was in November 1923 and it was when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party attempted a takeover of Germany.
13
Q
What was Hyperinflation?
A
By the end of 1923, the nation had fallen into economic crisis. 4.2 trillion German marks are needed to buy $1.
14
Q
What happened between 1924 and 1929?
A
- No major political figures are assassinated and there are no rebellion attempts against the Weimar government.
- Coalition governments change less often as political parties cooperate with one another.
- Germany experiences a period of economic recovery.
15
Q
What was the Dawes plan?
A
The Dawes plan was a plan implemented by Gustave Stresemann which included US loans to help Germany recover economically.
16
Q
What happened in September 1926?
A
Germany joined the League of Nations.
17
Q
What happened in May 1928?
A
Elections occurred. Political parties in favour of the Weimar Republic receive 76% of the votes demonstrating the public’s support for democracy.
18
Q
What happened in October 1929?
A
The Wall Street Crash.
19
Q
What was this?
A
After the collapse of the US stock market, America stops renewing foreign loans and recalls in loans from abroad. This had a detrimental effect on the German economy. This meant that they spiralled into an economic depression. By 1933, a third of the German workforce was unemployed.
20
Q
What happened on July 31st, 1932?
A
The Nazi Party receive 37.4% of votes making them the largest political party in Germany.
21
Q
What happened on January 30th 1933?
A
Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany.
22
Q
What happened in August 1934?
A
Adolf Hitler establishes his dictatorship of Germany.
23
Q
What does Imperial Germany mean?
A
It was the title given by Germany from 1871 to 1918 and the end of the First World War.
24
Q
What does Kaiser mean?
A
It is the German word for Emperor.
25
What does mean to abdicate?
It means to give up power or responsibility.
26
What is an autocracy?
A political system where one person has absolute power or total control.
27
What was the Weimar Republic?
It was the title given to the regime which governed Germany between the end of the First World War and the election of Adolf Hitler in January 1933.
28
What is a republic?
A country in which the power is held by the people and their elected representatives.
29
What is a democracy?
A form of government in which the power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or their elected representatives.
30
What is a constitution?
The set of political principles outlining how a nation is governed.
31
What is the Reichstag?
The German parliament.
32
What is legislation?
The process of making or passing laws.
33
What is the "stab in the back myth"?
The right wing myth coined by World War one Generaol Hindenburg in November 1919 which declared that the German Army could have won the war but were "stabbed in the back" by the government that replaced the Kaiser.
34
What is the SPD?
The social democratic party.
35
What is inflation?
When prices rise and the value of a currency decreases.
36
What is an armistice?
A truce or an agreement made by opposing sides to stop or delay fighting a war.
37
What were the Allies?
In WW1, the Allies considered of Britain, France, Russia and their empires.
38
What was the Second Reich?
The Second Reich is the name given to the unified German state that was established following Prussia's victory in the Franco-Prussian war 1870-1871.
39
What happened to Germany in the years prior to WW1?
Germany industrialised rapidly and the urban working class grew substantially.
40
What was the economic impact of World War 1?
Fighting the war was an enormous economic challenge. Taxation contributed only 16% of the cost of the war. War bonds were also used and money printed. Printing money led to inflation. German agriculture was not mobilised effectively causing food shortages.
41
What was the social impact of the war?
The impact of the war on ordinary people was often severe. Two million soldiers were killed and 6.3 million were injured. Living standards fell by 20-30%.
42
What was the political impact of the war?
During the war, the government became increasingly authoritarian and militaristic. By 1916, Hindenburg and Ludendorff were essentially running a silent dictatorship.
43
What was the impact of impending defeat?
In the autumn of 1918, Germany's impending defeat came as a great shock to many Germans. This contributed to the outbreak of revolution and the acceptance of the 'stab in the back myth'.
44
How far do you agree that the main impact of the First World War on Germany was increased political tension?
To some extent, the main impact of the First World War was the political problems the war produced. The war increased tensions as many people disliked the 'silent dictatorship' of Ludendorff and Hindenburg. These generals effectively ran the country from 1916, and their authoritarian leadership produced opposition. Huge strikes in 1917 and 1918 showed the extent of people's discontent. As the war dragged on, politics became more divided. The Reichstag opposed the government bu urging them to try to negotiate a peace settlement in 1917, while the Spartacists and the USPD were completely anti war. Politics was ;polarised as the generals continued to seek a victory.
45
What does legitimacy mean?
Legitimacy is commonly defined as the belief that a rule, institution or leader has the right to govern.
46
What does diktat mean?
A "dictated people" - a harsh settlement imposed on a defeated nation.
47
What does treaty mean?
A formal agreement between two or more states/nations.
48
"November criminals".
A name given to the Weimar politicians who signed the armistice agreement in November 1918.
49
"Stab in the back myth".
The right wing myth coined by World War One General Hindenburg which declared that the German Army could have won the war but were "stabbed in the back" by the government that replaced the Kaiser.
50
What does it mean to cede?
It means to give up.
51
What was the Treaty of Versailles?
The Treaty of Versailles was the peace agreement signed by Germany and her opponents on June 28, following their defeat in the First World War. The Treaty was widely condemned as a 'diktat' as Germany was forbidden to negotiate the terms of the treaty.
52
Economic impact of war.
Germany financed much of the cost of WW1 by printing more money. This led the currency to decline in value{inflation}. After the war, Weimar government spending remained high as they had to support war widows, injured veterans and demobilised soldiers. BY 1924, about 10% of the Germany population were receiving federal welfare payments. More were on regional poor relief. The new Weimar constitution made social security a constitutional right so the government had to support the unemployed.
53
The treaty of Versailles.
The Treaty of Versailles committed Germany to pay £6,600 in reparations starting in 1921. Reparations had to be paid for in gold which held its value against the declining German mark.
54
Weimar Government response.
The German government tried to pay the reparations by borrowing and printing money. This made inflation even worse and the value of the mark declined further. In 1922, the German government sought to pause their reparation payments but were refused permission. By early 1923, the German government failed to pay its reparations.
55
Weimar government 2
The German government stopped all reparation payments to France. The Weimar government paid the wages of workers who went on strike.
56
The French invasion of the Ruhr.
French and Belgian governments responded to German failure by ordering an invasion of the Ruhr. Their armies seized raw materials and goods.
57
What does Putsch mean?
A plotted rebellion or attempt to overthrow a government.
58
The Freikorps.
Private, parliamentary groups made up of former World War One soldiers.
59
Paramilitary.
A military force whose organisation is similar to a professional army but it is not included as part of a state's armed force.
60
Reichswehr.
The German army.
61
The Stinnes- Legien agreement.
An agreement negotiated between Ebert and Germany's trade unions.
62
The Ebert-Groener pact.
An agreement negotiated between Ebert and the Reichswehr.
63
Reichsexekution.
The removal of a local government which was a threat to the Weimar government.
64
Judiciary.
The part of a country's government that is responsible for its legal system.
65
Trade Union.
An organized association of workers in a trade, group of trades, or profession formed to protect and further their rights and interests.
66
What was the Spartacist uprising?
- It happened in January 1919.
- The Spartacists founded the KPD at the end of 1918.
- On January 6, 1919, thousands of armed workers poured into the centre of Berlin.
- The leaders of the KPD and USPD called for a general strike.
- Result of a power struggle between the KPD and the USPD.
- The Weimar government hired the Freikorps to put down the rebellion.
67
What was the Kapp putsch?
- It happened in March 1920.
- An attempt to overthrow the Weimat government by Wolfgang Kapp.
- They took over Berlin on March 12, 1920., causing the government to flee.
- They aimed to restore the empire and overturn the Treaty of Versailles.
- The Stinnes-Leigen agreement was made.
68
What were the Communist uprisings?
- No date.
- Communist governments were set up in Bavaria and Saxony.
- Government was opposed by extremist groups.
- Communists didn't have enough support.
69
What were the political assassinations?
- No date.
- 376 political assassinations between January 1919 and June 1922.
- Those involved were trialled.
70
What was the Munich putsch?
- Happened in November 1923.
- Hitler and the Nazis believed they could gain the support in Munich.
- On 8th November, the Nazis surrounded a large beer cellar in Munich. Here, Hitler announced the government had been overthrown and he was forming a new one.
- Took advantage of the rising unpopularity.
- The Nazis were defeated and captured by the police.
71
How successfully did Stresemann solve Germany's economic problems?
Worthless currency: - Stresemann withdrew the worthless mark and replaced it with the Rentenmark.
- Inflation was quickly brought under control and this restored faith in the German currency. Prices were settled.
- People who had lost savings due to hyperinflation were not compensated. They were angry and blamed the Weimar government for their losses.
Germany was internationally isolated: - Negotiated the Dawes plan and the Young plan.
- Germany joined League of Nations.
- D and Y plans make reparations more manageable and loans help rebuild the economy.
- Germany now accepting foreign power.
- The German economy remained fragile and became subject to changes in the US economy. This would bring future difficulties as unemployment remained around 1 million and began to rise after 1928.
Small businesses were collapsing/bankrupt: Encouraged cartels.
- State arbitration established.
- Rise in levels of industrial production and new production methods.
- Industrial disputes between business owners and workers.
Heavy tariffs on German goods: - Germany's admission into the League of Nations.
- Stresemann set up international agreements.
- German exports were back to their 1913 levels of 10 million marks by 1926.
- German exports rose by 40% between 1925-29.
- Although Germany's exports improved, the value of imports always exceeded that of exports.
Small farmers often heavily in debt: Not applicable.
- Farming remained a significant employer in the 1920s.
- Investment in new machinery and farming techniques.
- ,Many small farmers were heavily in debt.
High government spending: Heavy German borrowing
- Heavy German spending.
- Loans from international community.
- Economic recovery built on foreign borrowing and government support.
72
What were the positive and negative features of Stresemann's domestic politics?
- Increased political stability: There were no putsch or political assassination attempts between 1924 and 1929.
- Increased acceptance of democracy: Between 1924 and 1929, the support for extremist and anti-constitution parties.
- The creation of the Grand coalition: The coalition was a coalition of the left, right and center.
- Hindenburg: Hindenburg upheld the new constitution and in 1928, chose a SPD chancellor despite his hostility to socialism.
Negative:
- Unstable coalition governments:
- Forming stable coalition governments proved difficult.
- Extremism: Support for extremists had reduced but remained worryingly high.
- Growing contempt towards democracy: The turn-out to elections declined in mid-1920s compared to high turn out in 1919 and 1920.
73
What were the positive and negative features of Stresemann's foreign policies?
- As foreign minister, Stresemann began reparations payments.
- The Dawes plan contributed to improved relations between France and Germany.
Negative:
- Nationalist right wingers were opposed to the acceptance of the treaty of versailles.
- The Dawes plan was dangerously dependent on the continuation of American loans.
74
What was Weimar culture like at the time?
- Newly democratic Germany saw a flourishing of cultural experimentation and a more liberal and tolerant atmosphere.
- This has contributed to the creation of a positive perception of Weimar Germany. Society also reflected these values.
- Many Germans did not regard these changes positively and came to associate the Weimar system with decadence and experimentation.
- Most Germans still preferred traditional culture and traditional roles for women and did not tolerate homosexuality.
75
What was the position of women?
- Women enjoyed freedom and were able to live freer lives.
| - However, some women preferred to stay at home and be wives and mothers.
76
What was the position of gay people?
- In Berlin in the Weimar era, gay culture was tolerated to a large extent despite homosexuality being theoretically illegal.
- Gay culture flourished after WW1 in Berlin and there were countless gay bars and gay publications in existence in the 1920s and early 1930s.
77
What was education like in the Weimar republic?
- According to the Weimar constitution, education had a a moral purpose to encourage students' personal development and sense of civic responsibility.
- Free education was provided for all until age 14.
- At primary level, schools were not allowed to select according to ability or religious affiliation but at secondary level, some religious private schools remained.
78
What was the status and attitudes towards ethnic minorities?
- Practicing Jews in Germany formed about 1% of the population.
- The legacy of anti-Semitic attitudes remained in the Weimar German society. Stereotypes and prejudice continued.
79
What was the economic impact of the Great depression?
- Following the Wall Street stock market crash in America in October 1920, the American economy tanked. The German economy was reliant on US money and was exposed when US investment dried up and loans were recalled.
- National income shrunk by 39% between 1929 and 1932.
- Industrial production declined by more than 40%.
- The number of unemployed rose to officially around 6 million by 1932. One third of people of working age were affected.
- 50,000 businesses were affected.
- In 1931, as the German economy collapsed, a banking crisis was triggered and five major banks went bankrupt.
- Homelessness and poverty increased.
80
What effect did the depression have on living standards?
- The depression had a catastrophic effect on living standards for workers, with around one in three people affected by unemployment. Reductions in the level of welfare support further increased the suffering and left many in desperate and destitute circumstances.
- Shanty towns and soup kitchens sprang up. In the middle classes, some people were affected by reduced wages and redundancies, and others lost their savings in the banking crash. Many business owners went bust.
81
What was the political impact of the depression?
- The Grand coalition led by Muller fell apart in 1930 when the parties in government disagreed over whether to cut unemployment benefits as levels of unemployment rose.
- Following the collapse of the Grand coalition, subsequent governments were minority administrations which lacked Reichstag support.
- The German political system moved in a more authoritarian direction in the years before Hitler became Chancellor.
- Politicians did not take effective action to deal with the Depression.
- Democratic norms began to break down as political violence returned to the streets of Germany.
82
How did support for the Nazis grow?
In 1928, the Nazis were a fringe party with minimal support and yet only four years later they had become the most popular political party winning more than 37% of the vote in the July 1932 election. The economic and political crisis that Germany experienced made the Nazis and their message much more appealing.
83
What provided an opportunity for the Nazis?
The Depression and subsequent political crisis provided an opportunity for the Nazis. It was easy for them to attack the Weimar government and more people were open to hearing the Nazis' message.
84
What was the growth of the SA?
The SA grew from 70,000 members in 1931 to 170,000 in 1932.
85
Why were members attracted to the Nazis?
Members were attracted to Nazi party organisations such as its young wing, the Hitler youth. Uniforms, activities and hiking appealed to young members while the frequently unemployed members of the SA were given a sense of purpose and an outlet for some of their frustrations in the violent ethos of the organisation. It was the Nazis' popularity in elections and their creation of a mass-membership organisation that put Hitler in contention for the chancellorship of Germany.
86
What was the demographic of Nazi voters and Nazi members?
- A much larger number of people voted for the Nazi party than were members.
- Nazi members were most likely to be young and male partly because the party did not encourage active female participation.
- Women were more likely to vote for the party than men.
- Catholics were less likely to support the party than Protestants as the majority of Catholic voters always supported the Zentrum party.
- Urban dwellers were less likely to vote for the Nazis.
87
What was the impact of propaganda?
Nazi propaganda was tailored to different tailored audiences to try to maximise their support. So, for example:
- messages about bread and work were deployed in working class areas.
- messages about Weimar's supposedly lax moral standards were tailored to conservative mothers.
- Anti-Semitism was often emphasized in rural areas.
88
What was Hitler's appeal?
- The Nazi head of propaganda, Joseph Goebbels cultivated an image for Hitler as Germany's heroic saviour. The image of Hitler as a strong, decisive leader in a time where politicians seemed weak and ineffective was very appealing.
- This 'Hitler myth' helped to gain support for Hitler and the Nazis. Hitler ran against Hindenburg in the presidential election of 1932 and his campaign 'Hitler over Germany' portrayed him as dynamic and modern, harnessing modern technology such as radio to put his message across and travelling via aeroplane to region to region to campaign.
89
Hitler's appointment to power.
- Hitler and the Nazis were able to capitalize upon the Depression and political crisis to gain the support that put Hitler in contention for the Chancellorship of Germany.
- President Hindenburg resisted appointing Hitler after the July 1932 election, however despite the Nazis' success. Hitler was offered the vice-chancellorship but refused the offer - he held out to become Chancellor.
90
What were factors in Hitler's appointment to power?
On 30th January 1933, Hitler was only appointed as Chancellor of Germany, with Von Papen as Vice-chancellor in a cabinet that only contained two other Nazi members. The economic depression and the failure of politicians to deal effectively with it gave Hitler an opportunity and caused more people to listen to his message. Many were profoundly disillusioned with Weimar democracy which was not strongly entrenched and which never appeared to have worked very effectively. The Nazis saw their support rise dramatically until they were the most popular political party.
91
The nature of Nazi government.
A totalitarian state:
- In the aftermath of the Second World War, the image of the Nazi state was of an efficient and highly organised system. The Nazi state was viewed as totalitarian.
A chaotic state:
- This has been challenged by historical evidence since suggesting that the organisation and decision making processes of the state were chaotic and inefficient.
92
The nature and extent of Hitler's power.
In the Nazi state, all decision were supposed to emanate from Hitler. However, the chaotic stare and Hitler's own haphazard methods of working meant that he did not always control decision-making. However, when Hitler was particularly interested in policy, he did take a dominant role.
93
Support for the Nazi regime.
A consensus dictatorship:
- Historians have debated whether the Nazi system was one based on popular support - a consensus dictatorship or whether in fact the Nazi regime's power rested on repression and terror.
Evidence that the regime was popular:
- There were no significant attempts to overthrow the regime in the 1930s and underground opposition did not have widespread support during this era.
Reasons for support for the regime:
- Perceptions of the Weimar years were very negative. The Nazi regime seemed to bring greater stability to the lives of many Germans.
- Some Nazi policies may have been popular and some of their policies did improve the lives of some Germans.
- The propaganda that people were subjected to may have been effective.
94
Support during wartime.
- Despite evidence that many Germans were not wholly in favor of the decision to go to war in 1939, early successes helped to booster morale and support for the regime.
95
Declining support.
- After 1942, evidence suggests that people wrere more critical of Hitler and that non-conformity and cynicism were rife. Many people in the Hitler youth were disaffected.
96
Opposition and dissent.
Was the regime really popular:
- Some historians have opposed the idea that the Nazi state was a consensus dictatorship.
Opposition, non-conformity and resistance:
- Some evidence suggests that civil disobedience and non-conformity to Nazi ideals were common. Different methods of opposition include:
- active resistance - such as attempts to overthrow the regime.
- protest - such as criticism as an aspect of Nazi policy.
- non-conformity - failure to adhere to Nazi ideals.
There was very little active resistance.
97
Terror and repression.
- One reason for the lack of opposition to the Nazis was the scale of brutal repression launched in the period of their consolidation in 1933-34 when 100,00 =0 people were held in camps. In June 1934, terror was also used against some potential right-wing opponents of the regime during and after the Night of the Long Knives.
The terror state:
- There were many impediments to people resisting the Nazis:
- The Nazis established a system of concentration camps to house undesirable elements.
- The Nazis ran an extensive network of terror and repression. From 1936, the head of the SS, Heinrich Himmler was in charge of a huge security network including the SS, security service, the police and the security police.
98
Was the Nazi state a consensus dictatorship?
- The lack of active opposition may be accounted for by the success of the initial Nazi efforts to smash their political opponents.
99
Nazi racial policies.
Origins:
| - Europe had a long history of Christian anti-Semitic attacks on Jewish communities.
100
What did the Nazis think?
- Racial ideas were at the heart of everything that the Nazis did. They aimed to create a racially pure master race in an expanded and dominant Germany.
101
Policies towards other outisider groups.
Other groups who were considered 'outsider' groups and excluded on 'racial' grounds included:
- Gypsies: this group was the first to be murdered because of 'racial' identity. When the Second World War broke out, German Gypsies were deported to Poland.
- Disabled people: the Nazis wanted only people that they classed as 'racially fit' in the Third Reich.
- Homosexuals: gay people were subject to Nazi persecution partly because they were viewed as resisting the nazi desire for all Aryans to breed.
In addition, from the mid-1930s, the Nazis' political enemies and asocials were often imprisoned in concentration camps including the homeless and alocoholics.
102
Nazi policies towards women.
Nazi ideas about women:
- In Weimar Germany, many women had paid employment but the Nazis believed that women should not work. Nazi officials said that women should focus upon their traditional role as homemakers and childbearers.
- The Nazis' attitude partly resulted from a desire to build a healthy master race - it was felt that the birth rate must increase, and reducing the number of working women would, it was believed, help with male unemployment.
103
Nazi education and cultural policies.
Nazi ideas about children and education:
- For the Nazis, children were central to providing the future master race. The Nazis felt that children could be indoctrinated with Nazi ideas, education should be harnessed to serve the state and Nazi ideology.
Nazi educational policies:
- Jewish teachers and teachers considered to be politically dubious were removed from their jobs in 1933. Remaining teachers were encouraged to join a Nazi teachers league.
- The curriculum was altered to reflect Nazi values.
104
Nazi economic policies, 1933-1939.
The German economy in 1933:
- Germany's economy was still in serious trouble when the Nazis took over: the economy had shrunk by around 40% and it is estimated that 8 million people were unemployed.
105
Government in wartime.
- During the war, the chaotic tendencies of Nazi government increased as Hitler withdrew even further from direct control of much of the government. The most idelological part of the regime , the SS became increasingly powerful and radical during the war.
Governmental anarchy:
- The structure of the government continued to lack clear-decision making procedure and lines of accountability and contained complex and overlapping structures. The economic requirements of the war created a new layer of complexity, as bodies such as the Todt organisation and the SS pursued their own economic agendas.
The role of Hitler:
- Hitler was primarily focused upon military matters during the war, and did not generally concern himself with other areas of government. His secretary Martin Bormann often acted to deny other people's access to Hitler. Himmler did visit Hitler to discuss the Holocaust, however, Hitler considered himself a military expert.
The role of the SS:
- The lawlessness of the Third Reich increased during the war. The SS were entrusted with running Nazi-occupied terrorities in Eastern Europe, and instituted brutal and exploitative policies in those areas. By 1944, the organisation's army the Waffen SS contained 900,000 people responsible for the most extreme aspects of Nazi policy - the mass killings of European Jews and the system of death camps.
106
The war economy.
The German economy:
- Early on in the war, Hitler sought to dramatically expand the German war economy. German millitary expenditure doubled. By 1941, 55% of the workforce was involved in projects related to the war. Despite these efforts, Germam productivity was disappointing and below that of its enemies. Britain produced twice as many aircraft as Germany in 1941 and the USSR produced 2,600 more tanks. The chaotic organisation of the Nazi state hindered economic efficiency as the various bodies responsible did not co-ordinate effectively. During the war, the Office of the Four Year plan, various parts of the SS, the ministry of the economics, the ministry of armaments and the armed forces all had responsibility for armaments production while sat a local level the powerful Gauleiters often interfered with economic plans.
107
What were the failures of the war economy?
- Although German production levels increased, Germany was still out-produced by the USA and the Soviet Union. Despite Speer's improvements, the war economy contributed to Germany's defeat. There are a number of reasons for this:
- The state remained chaotic with some Gauleiter and the SS often actimg against economic efficiency.
- Labour shortages held the economy back.
- Unlike in the Soviet Union, Britain and the US, women were not fully mobilised in the war effort.
- There was a heavily reliance on foreign workers.
- Shortages of raw materials held the German economy back.
- The Germans neeeded the raw materials of the countries they conquered in order to fight a major war but the destructive manner of their conquest was not conducive to the effective exploitation of these resources.
- Supply of some materials such as iron ore and magnesium did improve as other countries were ovverun.
- Allied bombing reduced the capacity of the German economy to expand further.
108
The domestic impact of the war.
- The impact of the war on ordinary Germans was profound, although the problems with shortages were not as bad as those seen in the First world War.
- The war affected different social groups in different ways:
The impact on workers:
- In order to try to maximise the productivity of German workers, wages were reduced and bonuses and extra overtime payments were banned at the start of the war. This strategy backfired however as there was then a higher level of absenteeism. Consequently by October 1939, wage levels were restored.
- The regime also now sought to improve its mobilisation of labour by transferring workers in non-essential work to war work and by creating a register of men and women of working age.
- As the war dragged on into 1944, the impact on German workers became severe, as holidays were banned and the working week was increased to 60 hours per week. Workers were in a weak position to resist these new pressures.
- Workers were also kept in line via the system of organising them into groups overseen by a loyal party member.
The impact on women:
- Married women with young children were often left alone to manage food and fuel shortages and look after the home as men were conscripted.
- Nazi ideology emphasised the role of women as mothers and homemakers and thus the regime was left with a dilemma when there were labour shortages.
- Women did not voluntarily join the workforce in large numbers.
- The demands of total war required an adjustment in Nazi policy towards women.
- In the later stages of the war, Hitler was persuaded to increase the upper age limit compelled to work to 50 and there was a significant increase in the number of women workers.
109
The 'final solution' and the Holocaust.
Nazi persecution during the Second World War:
- 1939: September 1939: the invasion of Poland and the start of the Second World War: ghettos for Polish jews established.
- October: German Jews placed under curfew.
1940: The madagascar plan drawn up.
110
The role of Hitler.
- Hitler's speeches and writings showed that anti-semitism was fundamental to his world view. His ideas were the inspiration behind the ever-escalating anti-semitism of his regime. It is also inconceivable that Hitler did not agree to the policy of the 'final solution' and indeed a diary entry of Himmler's indicates that at a meeting to discuss the final solution of the Jewish solution in December 1941, Hitler authorised or ordered that Jews should be exterminated as partisans.
111
The impact of the war.
The final solution developed in the context of war:
- The German invasion of Poland had created what the Nazis regarded as a problem. The Jewish population of Poland was large, at around 3 million. Jews were forced into ghettos, which were overcrowded and insanitary. When Jews from other parts of Europe started to be deported to the ghettos, the problem intensified.
- Fighting, particularly on the Eastern Front, was brutal and dehumanising and made it easier to consider extreme action.
- When invading areas of the Soviet Union, Einsatzgruppen carried out the first systemsatic massacres of the Holocaust.
