2_Germany - created from Mind Map

Seite 1

Weimar Goverment

Nazi rise to power

The end of the war The German army had not been defeated by October 1918. However, it was necessary for the Government to end the war and make peace for a number of reasons: • Many German civilians were starving and there were severe food shortages. • Germany was running out of raw materials

The Treaty of Versailles The German Government agreed to sign the Treaty of Versailles in June 1919, to make peace. *Territory was taken from Germany, •Germany had to accept responsibility for starting the war, leading to feelings of humiliation and anger. *Germany had to pay reparations of £6.6 billion, •Germany’s armed forces were severely reduced. For example, there was no air force, a maximum 100,000 soldiers and a reduced navy.

Weimar government The end of World War One, Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated and fled to Holland. The new Government which replaced him initially met in Weimar as there were security risks in Berlin. So, it became known as the Weimar Republic.

The Spartacist Revolt January 1919, the Weimar Government led by President Friedrich Ebert and his Social Democratic Party, was challenged by a group of revolutionaries called the Spartacists. The aims of the Spartacists The Spartacists were communists, who wanted Germany to be run by the working classes. They believed that power and wealth should be shared equally among the population.to achieve this they had to Overthrow the central government. The revolt In January 1919, 50,000 workers went on strike and demonstrated in the centre of Berlin

Economic problems 1919-23 The French invasion of the Ruhr Cause As a consequence of signing the Treaty of Versailles, the Weimar Government was obliged to pay reparations to the victors of World War One. In 1922, the Weimar Government stated that it would not be able to pay the next three years’

Germany’s problems. They adopted policies that could be supported by many different groups of Germans: • Socialists – they promised that farmers would be given their land, pensions would improve and public industries such as electricity and water would be owned by the state. • Nationalists – they promised that all German-speaking people would be united in one country, the Treaty of Versailles would be abandoned and there would be special laws for foreigners. • Racists – they promised that Jews would not be German citizens and immigration would be stopped. • Businessmen, landowners, the rich and the army – they promised that remilitarisation would begin and contracts would be awarded to Germans. They also promised protection from the communists. • The unemployed and workers – they promised an increase in employment and wages. He came across as energetic and passionate - as someone who cared about the plight of the German people.

Effects of the Wall Street Crash The economic crash in the USA in 1929 meant that the loans given to Germany under the 1924 Dawes Plan were called in. The German economy could not survive and as a result businesses closed and many Germans became unemployed. This worsened the situation with a lack of demand for goods leading to more closures and job losses.

olitical issues In the July 1932 Election, the Nazis won more votes than any other party. Hitler was offered the position of Vice Chancellor in a coalition with von Papen and von Schleicher. He refused as he did not want to be associated with a failing Government when he had no power to act. After the November 1932 election, Hitler refused the Chancellorship because President Hindenburg tried to limit his powers. In January 1933, Hitler accepted the Chancellorship. This came after von Papen convinced Hindenburg that he could keep Hitler under control in his position of Vice Chancellor.

The Reichstag fire The German Reichstag building burning with plumes of smoke rising from the building The German Reichstag building on fire On 27 February 1933 the Reichstag building, which was home to the German Parliament, was burned down. The communists were blamed for the fire because a Dutch communist, called Van der Lubbe, was found in the building as it burned. Hitler used the fire to the Nazi Party's advantage in two ways: He expelled the communists from Parliament and imprisoned many communist leaders. This stopped them campaigning prior to the March elections. He announced that the country was in danger from the communists during the election campaign. This encouraged many to vote for the Nazis, who were seen as anti-communist. Hindenburg declared a state of emergency using Article 48 of the Weimar Constitution. This resulted in newspapers being censored and personal letters and phone calls being checked. This is seen as the start of the end of democracy in Germany. Both th

Nazi consolidation of power The following events saw Hitler and the Nazis strengthen their grip on power, ending in Hitler taking complete dictatorial powers and the title of Führer. February 1933 The Nazis take control of the German police system. 5 March 1933 - General election The Nazis win 288 seats in the Reichstag. Although this does not give the Nazis a majority, it does give them enough seats to get the Enabling Act passed. 20 March 1933 The first concentration camps are established for political prisoners. 23 March 1933 - The Enabling Act The SA intimidates all the remaining non-Nazi Reichstag members. As a result, the Reichstag votes to give Hitler the powers to make his own laws. 26 April 1933 The Nazis reorganise and take control of local government. Hitler sets up the Gestapo, the secret police of Nazi Germany. 2 May 1933 Trade unions are abolished and their leaders arrested, which eliminates another group that opposed the Nazis. The German Labour Front is establish

The nature of the Nazi Government The Nazi Government of the 1930s developed along the lines of the ideology that Hitler described in his book, Mein Kampf. The Führer Principle - there must be a single leader of a single party, holding complete power. Racism - Germans were the 'Master Race' as they were descended from the Aryans and all other races were inferior. Jewish people and Slavs were regarded as subhuman. All inferior races had to be removed or made slaves of the Master Race. Lebensraum (living space) - the territorial expansion of Germany was required in order to allow the Master Race to grow. Autarky - meaning that Germany must be economically self-sufficient and not dependent on goods imported from abroad. Control of Germany Hitler introduced many policies and measures to ensure the Nazis remained in control, once he declared himself Führer in 1934 after the death of President Hindenburg. Control through fear and oppression The Nazis created a terror-state whereby those l

Control through propaganda and censorship Joseph Goebbels making a speech in 1934 Joseph Goebbels Josef Goebbels was appointed Minister of Propaganda in 1933 and aimed to brainwash people into obeying the Nazis and idolising Hitler. Propaganda Goebbels controlled the media and arts, making sure that Germans were fed Nazi ideology while censoring other information. The Nuremberg Rallies, held annually from 1933, glorified war and the military. The 1936 Berlin Olympics were intended to showcase the superior athleticism of the Master Race. Poster showing the 'Work and Bread' slogan Poster showing the 'Work and Bread' slogan Radios were cheap to buy and would broadcast Nazi Party messages and speeches. Loudspeakers in public places blared out Nazi propaganda. Hitler's picture was everywhere and he was portrayed as Germany's saviour. Simple slogans were used to introduce Nazi ideology to the German people: "Free Germany from the Jews" "Work and Bread" "Smash Communism" "Blood and Soil" "O