Nazi Racial Beliefs 36 Persecution of Jews 37-38 KT1 – The Weimar Republic – 1918-29 The Impact of WWI on Germany National income was 1/3 of what it had been. Workers rebelled against their leaders who they believed had led them to defeat in WWI. World War One had resulted in many German soldiers causalities. Over 2 million children were left without fathers. Many people were angry with the monarchy. The king of Germany, Kaiser Wilhelm II was forced to abdicate (step down). During the war women were called up to work in factories. Many people saw this as damaging to traditional family values and society as a whole. The war had deepened divisions in German society. Stresses of war led to a revolution and became a democratic republic – the Weimar Republic. The German people called the politicians the ‘November Criminals’ for signing the Armistice. There were huge gaps between the living standards of the rich and poor. Industrial production was about 2/3 of what it had been. Germany was virtually bankrupt. Many poor people were worse off than they had been before the war. Many German workers were bitter at the restrictions placed in their earnings during the war while factory owners had made vast fortunes. The German people felt ‘stabbed in the back’ by the politicians who had signed the armistice (peace agreement to end WWI). Many ex-soldiers and civilians despised the new democratic leaders and came to believe that the heroic leader Field Marshall Hindenburg had been betrayed by weak politicians. War left 600,000 widows who all needed to be supported financially by the government. By 1925 the state was spending about 1/3 of its budget in war pensions. Task: Categorise the effects into economic, social and political EXTENSION – Which was the most important effect and why? trial
The Origins of WR The National Assembly met in Feb 1919 in Weimar to decide how Germany would now be led. They took 6 months to create the Weimar Republic, which would be governed by the Weimar Constitution. It was a genuine attempt to create a perfect democratic country. Task: Read through the information and complete a diagram of how the government worked. Task: Read through the information and colour code it into strengths and weaknesses of the Weimar Republic. The Voting Age was reduced to 20 and women were able to vote as well as men. The system prevented one party getting the majority, which then led to a lack of clear policies. The President was elected by the people. They had the power to choose the Chancellor and if needed could dismiss the Reichstag. The only way governments be formed was by coalition (joining together) but this often fell apart. Central government now had more power. Also, each of the 18 provinces of Germany kept their own local government. This system meant even small parties had a fair chance of seats in the Reichstag. This meant one party could not have too much power. The Chancellor decided which laws should be passed, but only after they had been approved by the Reichstag and Reichsrat. The new government had relied on the power of the army to crush rebellions against the new Republic. In an emergency the President did not need the agreement of the Reichstag and could issue a ‘decree’ to pass a law rather than relying on votes. The Communists and Nationalists democracy and the new Strengths Weaknesses trial
The Reich Pension Law of 1920 gave pensions to 750,000 war veterans, 400,000 war widows and 200,000 parents of dead servicemen. Working people actually improved their situation with better real wages, unemployment insurance and lower working hours. What this did, however, was to alienate other groups such as big business, who resented their loss of power and profit, and the lower middle class, who saw their own position threatened by a system which seemed to favour the working classes. Employment had improved but remained insecure as the loss of savings during hyperinflation caused hardship. Because of women’s improved position in the workforce and their newly acquired rights as citizens, women themselves seemed to change. Magazines presented a new generation of women that differed fundamentally from their mothers. A magazine cover from 1925 comparing modern women (on the left) to those of the past (on the right) A woman’s position in politics improved greatly: Women were able to vote and had equal rights with men. By 1932, 112 women had been elected to the Reichstag (10%). Women could enter all professions on an equal basis with men Conservatives and Traditionalists did not like the new opportunities for women and believed they should concentrate on being wives and mothers. The 1920s saw a huge cultural revival in Germany. Indeed, these years have been seen as the greatest period of experimentation in the whole of German history. As things settled down politically, writers and artists had more chance to try out new ideas. The results were impressive and spread across all areas of the Arts. For example, New Objectivism, Modernism, Expressionism and The Bauhaus Movement. During this time, films became very popular. The government funded some films such as this science fiction film about life and technology in the 20th Century. Developments Limitations
The German government responded quickly. They ordered the army to crush the revolt. When armed Nazis marched to a military base in Munich they were met by police and soldiers. was read by millions of Germans following his release. lot of much-needed publicity. The day he was released, thousands came to hear him speak. martyrs for their cause against the government. A monument was made to commemorate their efforts. In jail, Hitler had time to reflect on his actions and realised that the only way to come to was legally. He hatched a plan of how he was going to gain support through legal means when he was released. Hitler was sentenced to five years in prison, but only served nine months of his sentence. His visitors nick-named his wing ‘The General’s Hill’ and he was able to receive visitors when he liked. He lived in comfortable surroundings and was able to have contact with the outside world. his time in jail, popularity for the Nazi party seemed initially very positive. Many people came to hear Hitler speak on his release. However, throughout the years following, 1924-8, the Nazi party decreased in popularity and numbers. It was not until the devastation of the Wall Street Crash that they gained the support they needed. EXTENSION – Overall, was the Munich Putsch a success or failure for the Nazis? Why? ‘The Lean 1924-28 Hitler re-launched the Nazi party on 27th Feb 1925 the scene of the failed Munich Putsch. 4000 people came to hear him speak and the hall was so full that a 1000 others had to be turned away. Following this, Hitler began changing many the organisation of the Nazi Party, in a bid to make it more efficient and ensure their rise. Political position Hitler created his own personal body guards called the SS who were loyal and fanatical followers Hitler merged like-minded political parties into the Nazi party He was an excellent orator, and many people to watch his speeches Finance Hitler gained the support of rich Industrialists and Businessmen which helped to fund the Nazi regime Hitler was able to do this by threatening that the communists take over Germany – if that happened the rich people would lose their businesses Tactics Propaganda
After the failed Munich Putsch, Hitler realised he had to come to power by democratic means rather than force He believed that help him appeal to the German people He believed in: racial purity; a strong army; one Fuhrer who has the loyalty of his people; and the expansion of Germany. Josef Goebbels was put in charge of propaganda He used the latest technology and various methods to spread the ideas of the Nazi party such as: Posters, Speeches, Rallies, Newspapers, Radio Speeches and the Nazi’s own newspaper He boosted the Nazi appeal with his clever targeting of individuals with strong and positive messages Task: Highlight the key features in the information above and then explain how each would help Hitler gain support Political position Tactics Propaganda Finance EXTENSION – Why do you think they did not gain the support they hoped for? The Wall Street Crash October 1929 was a very important month the change of support for the Nazis. Gustav Stresemann died on 3rd October and many lost faith in the Weimar Republic. The Wall Street Crash happened on the 29th October (the collapse of share values on the American stock market), causing world-wide Depression. Task: Highlight the key features in the information above and answer the question below How did the Wall Street Crash help the Nazis gain support?
Nazi Racial Beliefs The believed in two key aspects to ‘purify’ the German nation: Eugenics – The belief of selective breeding, that of pure German blood. Racial Hygiene – The belief that Aryans should only reproduce with other Aryans. In the 1923 economic depression, the Jews are blamed and Anti-Semitism begins. In 1925, Hitler explained in Mein Kampf that the Aryan race was superior to all other races. Throughout the 1930s, the Nazis taught the Slavs (people from the East) were and should be treat differently. In 1933, the Nazis passed a law that made it compulsory for people to be sterilised if they were mentally ill. 400,000 people were sterilised. During 1933, Jews were banned form government jobs including civil servants and teaching. From 1933 onwards, children were taught racial hygiene in schools and how people had to have ‘pure blood’. 1933, gypsies were arrested and send to concentration camps, as Hitler believed they were ‘a-socials’. In May 1935, Jews are banned from the army. They also lose their German citizenship and suffer the many Nuremberg laws that follow. The laws against homosexuality were strengthened in 1935. By the following year, 4,000 had been imprisoned. In 1936, gypsies were forced to live in special with little water and food and no electricity. By 1938, the number of homosexuals in prison reached 8,000. Many were sent to concentration camps. Laws also encouraged voluntary castration. In Nov 1938, the Nazis attack Jewish homes and shops in an event known as Kristallnacht. Many are round up and send to concentration camps. In Jan 1939, the Nazis decided to evict all Jews from Germany and they were evicted from their homes. All remaining gypsies were rounded up for ‘deportation’ throughout 1939. By the end of 1939, 5,000 children had been killed with a lethal overdose who were mentally or physically disabled. Task: Use the information to answer the questions: Who did the target? Why did they target undesirables?