history

• what are the strengths of weimar republic

  proportional representation, most views and interests are being presented in the Reichstag, laws have to be approved by the Reichstag
• how are laws being approved a strength of Weimar republic

  The chancellor could not just push them through which prevents the abuse of power
• How does views and interest being presented not good

  Since every party has a say in running the country, politicians spent time negotiating deals with other parties rather than ruling the countries
• what is the weakness of the weimar republic

  coalition government and Article 48
• why is coalition government a weakness of weimar republic

  It is hard for one party to gain majority, parties against democracy, government coalition made it challenging for Reichstag to pass laws, led to government being weak and short-lived due to inability to compromise or come to an agreement
• why does article 48 a weakness of weimar republic

  could be used to preserve and protect democracy, could be exploited and misused by president, and a threat to the constitution
• why is the government weak

  governments could not implement law and politicies effectively
• what happen during the TOV

  German people were expecting a negotiated treaty in which they were treated as equals. However, it was not how they expected many germans considered it a dictated peace forced upon the Germans. Ebert had no choice but to sign the treaty many germans blamed them and name them the "November Criminals".
• How are the left-wings and the right-wings a threat to the republic

  They opposed Ebert and his government and made many attempts to overthrow the weiwar government
• Who is the left-wing

  They are a group that wanted social change for a more equal society

  Mostly communist and opposed democracy
• Who is the right-wing

  Group that favoured the existence of traditional social classes and hierarchy

  Believed that Germany should not be solely responsible for WWI

  Unhappy with the Weimar government for the humiliation brought about by the TOV
• What happen during the Kapp Puch 1920


  It was led by Wolfgang Kapp who was a right-wing politician

  Felt that the Weimar government brought humiliation to the Germany by signing the TOV

  Planned to overthrow the Weimar republic and return to Germany to a more authoritarian system similar to that in the time of the Kaiser.

  took over berlin on 13 march 1920

  Did not have the support of the german people and was eventually crushed
• how did the Kapp Putsch make hitler popular

  It led to a loss of credibility of the government, which made other political individual like Hitler to gain popularity due to their promises
• What are the two economic challenges

  occupation of the ruhr and hyperinflation

  great depression
• what happen during the occupation of the Ruhr

  Germany was greatly in debt after WWI, and it struggled with paying the heavy reparation of 6.6 billion pounds demanded by the TOV.

  In 1923, when germany failed to pay, France occupied Ruhr and seized raw materials there.

  Weimar government ordered german workers to not co-operated and go on strike.

  This disrupted industrial production causing german currency to collapse
• What happen during hyperinflation

  Weimar responded by printing more money to pay workers to go on strike.

  The more money they printed, the more the money become worthless.
• What is the effects of hyperinflation

  price of daily needs rose rapidly

  middle-class people's savings were wiped out and felt disillusioned towards weimar government.
• solutions that were attempted

  Germany negotiated with the allies to reduce debts and reorganize reparation payments.

  Stresemann, the new chancellor, replaced the worthless old money with a new currency called Rentenmark.
• How did the soltuion that stresemann gave work

  It stabilise germany's finances and democracy had chance to take root
• What happen during the great depression

  Stability in Germany need in 1929, economy in USA crashed, causing USA companies to lose money and resulting in rising unemployment rates.

  This affected germany as Germany dependent on USA for loans but USA could not provide anymore

  US bankers asked German banks to repay the loans ad removed their investments in Germany
• First Impect on germany during the great depression

  
  

  1. Businesses in Germany were bankrupt and 6 million people were unemloyed.

  German people have not enough money to buy basic necessities like food or pay house rent.
• second impect of the great depression

  During this time, Germany was ruled by the SDP

  SDP wanted to increase welfare for the jobless but coalition partners refused.

  1930: Coalition collapsed and president hindenburg used Article 48 to appoint a new chancellor, Heinrich bruning.

  Bruning suggested cutting salaries of cilvil servants and cutting welfare.

  The measures was so harsh that Bruning couldn't get support in the Reichstag to pass them into law

  Hidenburg used Article 48's emergency powers to pass Bruning's suggestions into law.
• what are the effects of the great depression

  weimar democracy died because parties was so divided it couldn't even form a coalition majority in Reichstag.

  As weimar republic was unable to make decisive decision to pass welfare measure for the country during an economic crisis.

  Hidenburg ruled by decree: chose who be came challncellor and pass laws without democratic discussion.

  Helped Hitler by paving the way for his future as he only needed to convince Hindenburg to appoint him as chancellor
• Third impect is the rise of communism 


  German workers were disappointed wit the weimar government for not handling economic crisis well

  Political parties seem more concerned with their own selfish agenda rather than passing laws to help people.

  German workers turned to German communist party.

  Communist rebuilt their party in the 1920s with many local political parties.

  This frightened many Germans, especially the rich and wealthy business leaders who feared that they will lose ownership of their property and business
• Effects of the rise in communism

  Rise of communism created a climate of fear

  As Germans lost faith in weimar's ability to deal communist threat many turn to Hitler's Nazi as only the group is willing and strong enough to deal with the communist
• What is the origin of the nazi party

  German's worker's party (DAP), a right-wing group, was founded by Anton Drexler.

  Local authorities were suspicious of the new party and sent an army intelligence officer, Adolf Hitler, to investigate

  When Hitler spied on the DAP, he found that he agreeed with their ideas and criticism of the Weimar Republic and eventually joined the DAP.

  Hitler changed the Party's name to NSDAP.
• What is the Nazis main beliefs of the 25-point programme

  Abolition of treaty of versailles

  Anschluss (union) between Germany and Austria

  Only "true" Germans to be allowed to live in Germany excluding the Jews

  Nationalisation of large industries and business

  Generous provision of old-age pensioners

  Creation of a string central government in Germany
• How did Hitler become the leader of the Nazis party

  Hitler overthrow Drexler and made himself the leader of the party

  He appointed close allies in the party to key roles

  Placed Hermann Goering in charge of the stromtroopers (SA/Blackshirts)

  Hitler turned them into a provate army of 50000 members complete with uniforms and a command structure

  Many were attracted to SA's strength and discipline
• What happened during the Munich Putsch

  Hitler was confident of taking power by force

  He had the support of Lundendorff, who was a nation hero in the army during WWI

  Hitler and his followers marched on Munich in an open act of rebellion

  He expected the local government, police and troops there to support him. But he misjudged the situation.

  When Hitler and the Nazis marched into the centre of Munich they were met by armed police and a battle broke out.

  Hitler was left unharmed but the Naizs Party were banned
• What is the Aftermath of Munich Putsch

  Hitler's putsch failed to overthrow weimar but surprisingly helped his future rise.

  Trail turned into a showcase got him as the judge allowed him to make long speeches criticising the Weimar Republic and setting out his ideas as the judge had a strong nationalistic views and disliked Weimar Republic

  Hitler sentence was reduce from 5 years to 9 months.

  While being in the prison, he wrote mein kampf (my stuggle) which spread his ideas beyond the prison walls.
• How Hitler rebuilt the Nazi party

  1. Concluded Nazis would not be able to seize power by force, had to achieve power within democratic system

  2. After release from prison, began rebuilding the Nazi Party and planned to take power by democratic means

  3. Re-established control of the party and created a new force (SS/Blackshirts) as personal bodyguard loyal to him

  4. SS led by Heinrich Himmler, who expanded the force as a Hitler loyalist

  5. Secured position as supreme leader of the party and set out to increase their support from the Germans
• How did Hitler win support for the Nazi Party

  Hitler is a power and persuasive speaker

  master at gauging mood of audiences.

  Gave many speeches in beer balls where he address people's concerns that appeared sincere to them.

  He managed to win many businesses owners and industrialist who agreeed with his anti-communist and anti-trade union views
• What are the effects of Hitler have good oratorical skills

  He appeared as a 'man of people' who genuienly understood people

  Appealed to many who desired a return to Germany's glorious past under Kaiser's authoritarianism compared to Weimar's weak coalition governments
• How did the nazis use propaganda to influenece the germans

  Joseph Goebbels is in charge of propaganda

  used flims, radio and posters to spread Nazi's ideas
• What are the effects of the use of propaganda

  Many germans believed Hitler was strong, decisive leader who could solve country's economic problems

  Many germans believed that Nazis was a strong, united party unlike weak Weimar

  any Germans blamed Weimar politicians, jews and communist as culprits for all German's problems
• How Hitler became the chancellor

  1. Big increase of votes for Nazi Party

  2. Increase in number of Nazi representatives in Reichstag

  3. President Hindenburg remained an obstacle to Hitler's ambitions as he disliked him

  4. Hindenburg appointed Franz Von Papen as Chancellor

  5. Reichstag elections held with Nazis winning largest percentage of seats (38%) but Hindenburg still refused to make Hitler the new Chancellor

  6. Another Reichstag elections held but Nazis still won the largest percentage of seats (33%)

  7. Hindenburg appointed Von Schleicher as the new chancellor

  8. Schleicher tried to convince Nazis to support him but he failed and was forced to resign

  9. Hindenburg was desperate to get the government working again

  10. Hindenburg offered Hitler position of Chancellor with Von Papen as the Vice-Chancellor as a counter to Hitler

  11. Thought that they could use Hitler's support in the Reichstag to pass laws while still controlling Hitler
• Consolidation of Nazi rule in Germany

  1. Hitler becoming Chancellor

  2. Hitler facing challenges from various people and parties

  3. Hitler taking steps to remove obstacles between 1933 and 1934
• Hitler was determined to get two-thirds majority in Reichstag so that he can change Weimar constitution to give himself total power
• Hitler's actions to gain advantage in the 1933 Reichstag election

  1. Calling for another Reichstag election in March 1933

  2. Using control of radio and newspapers

  3. Using SA, SS and the police to disrupt meetings of political opponents (SPD and KPD)
• What happen during the Reichstag fire

  Feb 1933 The Reichstag building was brunt down and many Germans suspected Nazis started the fire. But seems work of van der Lubbe, a lone mentally unstable communist. Hitler immediately declared that the fire was the beginning of a communist uprising. Issued emergency decree to 'protect' people. This gave Hitler sweeping emergency powers to arrest 4000 communist and ban all opposition party meetings. Damaged the chance of opposition parties for March elections