Weimar and Nazi Germany: Paper 3
• Plot 15 dates on your timeline:
Leave more space for: • 1919 • 1923 • 1933 The Kaiser (German emperor) is forced to abdicate Nov. 1918
Armistice is signed by a representative of the new republic. January: Spartacist uprising (communist), govt. uses Freikorps to ‘put down’ the rebellion.
Weimar Constitution is established (REMEMBER: strengths and weaknesses)
June: Treaty of Versailles is signed (LAMB) Kapp Putsch: a right-wing attempt to seize power. Lead by Wolfgang Kapp, invited Kaiser back to rule, not what the people wanted. Kapp fled. French invasion of the Ruhr; marching in to seize goods as Germany had defaulted on reparations.
Hyperinflation: govt. needed money to pay its debts, printed more money. Prices rose and were quickly out of control; Germany in crisis.
Stresemann becomes Chancellor, then foreign minister.
November: Munich Putsch; Hitler and Nazi’s attempt to overthrow the govt. Unsuccessful but does help the Nazi Party in the long-run. Dawes Plan: American banker Charles Dawes and Stresemann plan to deal with the problem of reparations. Reduce reparations to £50 million per year. Loans from US banks. Hitler’s book Mein Kampf (My Struggle) is published.
Locarno Pact: Stresemann signs pact in December along with Britain, France, Italy and Belgium. Terms were agreed with Germany’s involvement; Germany accepted new border with France as outlined in T of V, 1919, Rhineland to be free of troops permanently. Kellogg-Briand Pact: Germany and 61 other countries signed in August. This promised that countries would not use war to achieve their aims. Young Plan: another economic plan agreed by Stresemann. Reparations reduced to £2 billion, Germany given more time to pay (59 years, until 1988).
Wall St Crash and start of the Depression: America’s stock exchange crashes; huge impact on Germany, loans need to be paid back. https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/guides/zt9v7hv/revision/1
Overview of Weimar 1919-29 BBC Bitesize NSDAP (National Socialist German Workers’ Party/ Nazi’s) became the largest political party in the Reichstag; 230 seats in the July 1932 elections. Prior to this the Nazi’s had experienced the ‘lean years’; no mass support. 1929 was a turning point for the party. January: Hitler is appointed as Chancellor.
February: The Reichstag Fire.
March: The Enabling Act is passed.
April: People were asked to boycott Jewish shops, doctors and lawyers. Stars painted on shop windows by the SA.
Gestapo established.
Concordat with Catholic Church, agreement between Hitler and the Pope. June: Night of the Long Knives, Hitler met with Rohm and 100 other SA leaders. The SA were arrested, imprisoned and shot.
August: Hindenburg dies. Hitler announced that he is now Germany’s Fuhrer (leader) and every soldier in the army has to swear an oath of allegiance. https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/guides/z3bp82p/revision/1
Hitler’s rise to power, 1920-34 BBC Bitesize https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/guides/z3bp82p/revision/7
Audio of speech when Hitler becomes Chancellor BBC Bitesize Nuremberg Laws passed. These increased the persecution of Jews: ‘Only those of German blood are citizens’, ‘Jews cannot marry German citizens’, ‘Jews cannot have a German passport’. Berlin Olympics: used as propaganda to show Nazi Germany in a good light. Stadium covered in swastikas, the games were filmed and used as propaganda. Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass): attacks on Jewish people and property. On the night of 9th/10th November gangs smashed and burned property, some wore Nazi uniforms others wore plain clothes. About 100 Jews were killed and hundreds of properties damaged. https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/guides/zsvhk7h/revision/3
Nazi use of propaganda BBC Bitesize https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/guides/zqrfj6f/revision/1
Women and youth BBC Bitesize https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/guides/zqrfj6f/revision/3
Employment and living standards BBC Bitesize