1) Germany in the 1920s – The Good Political

In 1923 Gustav Stresemann was appointed Chancellor. He put together a coalition of moderate left-wing Socialists (SPD) and moderate right-wing parties including the Catholic Centre Party, the German Democratic Party (DDP) and the German People’s Party (DVP). His coalition narrowly won the 1924 election, but the parties worked well together and in the 1928 election his coalition won 136 more seats in the Reichstag that than radical parties. Stresemann wanted to reverse the terms of the Treaty of Versailles but he understood that he needed to work with the Allies rather than against them if Germany was to recover from its crisis and become strong again. The German people were pleased with the Weimar Republics decisions. They supported Weimar in elections and extreme groups like the Nazis lost seats in the Reichstag. In the 1928 elections, the most extreme party, the Nazis, achieved less than 3% of the vote.

Economic In 1924 Stresemann negotiated the Dawes Plan with America. America loaned Germany 800 million marks to help rebuild the economy. Germany’s payments were reduced. The Allies had realised Germany could only pay if it wasn’t treated so harshly. German farming and industry bloomed in the 1920s. The Dawes Plan encouraged other countries to invest in German business; 25.5 billion marks were invested. New factories were built; old factories were modernised, industrial production increased. Stresemann agreed to the Young Plan in 1929. This cut the amount Germany had to pay in reparations by ¼ and lengthened the amount of time Germany had to pay. This made payments easier for Germany to make.

Cultural New homes, shops, and cinemas were built. Art galleries and new restaurants were opened, there was freedom of speech and going to nightclubs was common. Unemployment fell and living standards improved for many people. Writers and poets flourished, especially in Berlin. People flocked to see the work of artists like George Grosz and Otto Dix. The famous Bauhaus style of design and architecture developed. The first Bauhaus exhibition displayed designs for building from houses and shops to art galleries and factories and attracted 15,000 visitors. The 1920s were a golden age for German cinema, producing one of its greatest international stars, Marlene Dietrich, and one of its most celebrated directors, Fritz Lang. Berlin became known for its daring and liberated nightlife. People enjoyed going to clubs and in 1927 there were 900 dance bands in Berlin alone. Cabaret artists performed songs criticising political leaders that would have been banned in the Kaiser’s days.

International Relations In 1925 Germany improved relations with France and Belgium by publically signing the Locarno Treaties where they promised not to attack one another in future and accept the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. In 1926 Germany was welcomed into the League of Nations. They promise to protect Germany if it is attacked in the future. In 1928, Germany signed the Kellogg-Briand Pact promising not to settle arguments by going to war in future. 65 countries including Germany signed this agreement.

2) Germany in the 1920s – The Bad Political

Between 1924 and 1929 there were four difference Chancellors. Stresemann was only Chancellor between August and November 1923. Most people only tolerated Weimar because there was no real alternative government to vote for. Nationalists, the army, civil service, judges and universities all preferred the old imperial government of the Kaiser. Field Marshall Hindenburg was elected as President in 1925 and he was a firm believer in the ‘stab in the back’ theory. He was not a supporter of the Weimar Republic. Political parties such as the Communists wanted to destroy the Republic. Support for the Communists did increase in the 1920 from the lower working class who did not prosper from the Golden era. The Nazis were using this time to reorganise and rebuild their party, waiting for their opportunity to seize power. During this period, around 30% of the vote regularly went to extremist parties that stood against the Republic.

Economic After the war many peasants experienced a lack of demand for the food they produced. Many small business owners saw their business threatened by large department stores. Germany was bankrupt from WW1. This was made worse by the reparations payments of the Versailles treaty. When it refused to pay in 1923 French soldiers invaded the Ruhr, Germany’s main industrial region. The government responded to the French occupation of the Ruhr by ordering the workers to go on strike, and printing more money. This resulted in economic collapse and the German currency became worthless. Millions of Germans lost their savings. Stresemann was able to solve the hyperinflation crisis by introducing a new currency, the Rentenmark, and getting a loan from the USA in the form of the Dawes Plan. He was able to re-start reparations payments, and so the French left the Ruhr in 1924. The Weimar’s recovery depended on high-interest American loans which could be recalled at any time. This was a dangerous situation to be in. There were still 1.3 million unemployed in Germany, small businesses often struggled. Higher wages made things more difficult for low earning businesses and many went bankrupt. The main economic winners were not the ordinary people, but big business, such as the steel and chemical industries, that controlled about half of Germany’s industrial production.

International Relations German communists attacked the Locarno treaties, claiming they were part of a plot against the Communist government in the USSR. German nationalists attacked Stresemann for joining the League of Nations and for signing the Locarno Treaties because doing so suggested that Germany accepted the Treaty of Versailles. Most Germans still felt very bitter about the treaty, felling it was a humiliating betrayal.

Cultural Some people saw the culture changes as too radical and morally offensive. They wanted a return to traditional values. People living in villages and country towns felt that the culture of the cities represented a moral decline. The Bauhaus design college was situated in Dessau after being forced out of Weimar by hostile town officials. The Wander Vogel movement was a reaction to Weimar’s culture. They called for a return to simple country values and wanted to see more help for those in the countryside and less decadence in the towns.

“The economic position is only flourishing on the surface. Germany is in fact dancing on a volcano. If the short-term loans are called in by America, a large section of our economy would collapse.” Gustav Stresemann speaking shortly before his death in 1929

3) Constitution of Weimar Germany

Ebert (SPD) – Pres. 1919-25

Presidents Chancellors (there were others, but these are the ones you need to know)

Ebert (SPD) 1919-1925 Stresemann 1923 (only Chancellor. for a few months, but most important politician in Germany 23-29)

Bruning (Centre Party – ZP) 1930-1932

Hindenburg (Independent) 1925-1934

Von Papen (Indpendent) 1932

Von Schleicher (Independent) 1932- Jan 33

The Weimar Constitution The Social Democrats won the January 1919 elections. They held the first meeting of their new government in a town called Weimar – and got the nickname “The Weimar Government”. Their first job was to write a new constitution (set of rules) for Germany. Their new rules included: everyone over the age of 20 could vote, people voted for MPs who would sit in the Reichstag (the German Parliament). The Reichstag would suggest and vote on new laws, the Chancellor would be head of the Reichstag and would be voted for every 4 years, there would be a President who would choose the Chancellor and keep control of the army and he would be voted for every 7 years. In an emergency the president could suspend the constitution and create laws by decree using an emergency power called Article 48. The government was elected using a system of proportional representation. This meant that each party received a proportion of the seats in the Reichstag directly in line with the proportion of vites they received. For example, 1 % of the votes meant 1% of the seats.

Strengths of the Weimar Constitution

Very fair, particularly the voting

Allowed lots of people to have their say

State governments would ensure local issues were addressed

Wouldn’t allow one person to take over – the Chancellor and President balanced each other

A poor Chancellor or President would only be around for a limited time.

Weaknesses of the Weimar Constitution

Proportional Representation meant that there were loads of different parties in the Reichstag – it was difficult to get them to agree on anything

Article 48 could be abused so that the President stopped listening to the Reichstag

State governments could pass laws that went against what the Reichstag wanted.

4) The Nazis in the wilderness years, 1924-29 WHY DID HITLER ATTEMPT THE MUNICH PUTSCH in 1923? 1 – With Hyperinflation occurring the time was right for a revolution which might gain the support of the people of Munich. 2 – The SA (brownshirts) were starting to doubt Hitler as a man of words not action. Hitler needed a gesture to prove them wrong. 3 – Hitler was confident that he would receive the support of Kahr and Ludendorff as they were both right wing. 4 – Hitler wanted to destroy the Weimar Republic. WHAT HAPPENED? September 1923 – Hitler marches into the Munich Beerhall to announce a new German revolution. The S.A. wait outside with guns. Gustav von Kahr and General Ludendorff (the celebrated army General) are persuaded to join the revolution. The next day Hitler and Ludendorff lead the Nazis in street fighting with the government. 16 Nazis are killed and Hitler/Ludendorff are arrested. Hitler serves 9 months of a 5 years sentence in Landsberg prison. WHY WAS THE FAILURE OF THE MUNICH PUTSCH A “BLESSING IN DISGUISE” FOR THE NAZI PARTY? 1 – Hitler received national media coverage. 2 – In Landsberg he wrote Mein Kampf which was the blueprint for the future of the Nazi party. The book made him wealthy. 3 – He realised that he would only take power with politics rather than violence. 4 – Hitler thought that had the Nazis taken power in 1923 they would have been defeated quickly.

What did the Nazis believe? The 25 Point Programme • To unite all German-speaking

people in one country • To abolish the Treaty of

Versailles • To expand ’s borders to give

its people lebensraum (more living space)

• To deny Jews the right to be German citizens

• To oppose democracy and destroy the government

• To destroy communism • To create a strong central

government • To establish government

control of all important industries like coal and steel production

How did Hitler change the Nazi Party? Hitler saw the Communists building up their strength with local branches and youth organisations, so he did the same by creating a large network of local party branches and the Hitler Youth. He also enlarged the SA, drawing about 55% of the storm troopers from the unemployed. Hitler also formed a new group, the Schutzstaffel (SS), who were fanatically loyal to Hitler and would ensure his personal protection. Hitler appointed Joseph Goebbels as his minister for propaganda responsible for spreading the Nazis message. His approach appealed to Germans feelings, not using rational argument. Goebbels produced posters, leaflets, films and radio broadcasts. He organised rallies and staged photo opportunities.

YES: Peasant farmers and middle-class shopkeepers and small businesses did increase their support as they did not feel the recovery of Stresemann’s policies. 35% of Germans still lived in rural areas and were unaffected by his policies. The Nazis highlighted the importance of the peasants if they came to power, and promised to help agriculture. They praised the peasants as being racially pure Germans, and compared them to the corrupt and crime-ridden cities. The Nazis also hated Weimar culture, and so gained some support from conservative people in towns who saw the cultural achievements of Weimar as immoral. Membership of the Nazi Party rose to over 100,000 by 1928. It was funded partly by members’ subscriptions and partly by wealthy individuals or businesses like Thiessen, Bosch or Krupp.

NO: In the 1928 elections, the Nazis only gained 12 seats in the Reichstag and only a quarter of the votes that the Communists won. They failed to win over the majority of workers, who supported the government or the Communists. This was because of the flourishing industry and recovery provided by Stresemann’s government. The Nazis were still only a minority party with less than 3% of the vote in the 1928 elections. They were the smallest party in the Reichstag, with fewer seats than the Communist Party. The economic prosperity of the Stresemann years alongside his successful foreign policies meant that most Germans were not interested in extreme politics.

Did Nazis support grow between 1924-29?

5) HOW DID HITLER BECOME CHANCELLOR (1929-1933)

In October 1929 the WALL STREET CRASH (stock exchange collapse) leads to a US and Worldwide depression. Germany hit hardest of all the countries as loans need to be repaid. The Communist Party increases membership significantly. This alarms the middle classes and farmers as well as big businesses, who all believe the Nazis can offer protection against them.

1930 – Chancellor Bruning runs Germany badly by decree. He raises taxes and fails to solve Germany’s problems in the depression. As a result bread prices rise at the worst time. The Social Democrats win the election with the Nazis close behind.

July 1932 – Bruning is sacked by President Hindenburg. Von Papen becomes Chancellor, but he receives a vote of no confidence in the Reichstag. Von Papen tries to rule by decree until General Schleicher complains. Hindenburg sacks his friend, “Little Franz” Von Papen. The Nazis comfortably win the election although Hindenburg refuses to acknowledge it.

NAZI POWER – What made the Nazis more electable? 1 – Hitler the Superman image. 2 – Goebbels’ propaganda machine exposing the enemies and promoting Nazi policies. Famous election poster – “Our Last Hope – Hitler” 3 – The use of technology to convey the message such as radio. 4 – The use of aircraft to campaign in more far flung areas than any other candidate. 5 – Strong business connections which helped fund the Nazis through all of these elections. 6 – Simple promises to the people – Work and Bread. 7 – Hitler the orator. His ability to captivate audiences with his words. 8 – Flexibility – the Nazis would ditch an unpopular policy and replace it with an idea that would be universally supportive.

THE GREAT DEPRESSION – the main reason the Nazis got into power? The Great Depression improved the fortunes of all of the extremist parties. The German people were desperate for change and were fed up of the usual Social Democrat/Centre party coalition. The Great Depression caused:- 1) Unemployment of 6 million. 2) Food shortages leading to the formation of government soup kitchens. 3) Homelessness leading to the growth of tent cities. 4) 15% of the country receiving no help from the government. 5) Autobahn’s filled with lines of people moving to find work elsewhere. 6) The weakening of the major parties in the Reichstag.

January 1933 – Hitler is invited to be Chancellor by Hindenburg. This is after Von Papen tells Hindenburg that he will work with Hitler to control him. Von Papen will be Vice-Chancellor with the number of Nazis in the cabinet limited to two. Von Papen and Hindenburg boast that they have hired Hitler.

November 1932 and General Schleicher becomes Chancellor. He tries to rule by decree, but Von Papen is suspicious and tells Hindenburg to accept Schleicher’s resignation. The Nazis win the election, but their support drops slightly. Hitler thinks that he has blown his chance of becoming Chancellor.

6) HOW DID HITLER CONSOLIDATE HIS POWER? (1933-1934) January 30th 1933 Hitler becomes Chancellor. The Nazis celebrate with a torchlight parade. Hitler immediately calls an election for March 4th 1933.

February 27th 1933 The Reichstag fire occurs. Marinus Van der Lubbe, a Dutch Communist, is arrested outside of the building with fire lighting equipment. The latest evidence suggests that it was the work of Goering and the Nazi party. Hitler persuades Hindenburg, the German President, that the fire is the start of a Communist revolution. Hindenburg panics and gives the Nazis THE LAW FOR THE PROTECTION OF PEOPLE AND STATE. The Nazis can now arrest any person without reason.

March 4th 1933 The Nazis win the election with 44.6% of the vote. They do not have enough for total control of the Reichstag so they form a coalition with the Nationalists. The Nazis use the LAW FOR THE PROTECTION OF PEOPLE AND STATE and propaganda t to destroy the Communist election campaign. Hitler now asks the Reichstag for emergency powers to rule by decree for 4 years. He calls this THE ENABLING LAW. Over 2/3 of the Reichstag agree and Hitler is granted the ENABLING LAW. This allows him to suspend the Reichstag. Democracy in Germany is now at an end.

May 1933 Hitler brings Germany into line. Trade Unions are banned and their funds are taken. Hitler creates a new Nazi workers trade union called the RAD. All other political parties are banned and the leaders are arrested. Many are placed in the first concentration camp, DACHAU. State Parliaments are Nazified and then closed down. Hitler wanted a strong central government controlling all of the people.

June 30th 1934 Hitler launches the NIGHT OF THE LONG KNIVES against the leaders of the SA (Brownshirts) WHY DID HITLER LAUNCH THE NIGHT OF THE LONG KNIVES? 1 – Rohm had boasted of a second revolution which could only mean overthrowing Hitler in a coup. Hitler saw Rohm as a threat. 2 – The SA had served their purpose in getting Hitler into power. There actions of bullying the German people were in danger of turning people against Nazism. 3 – Hitler needed the army on side. The removal of the leaders of the SA would help him to achieve an oath of allegiance from the army. 4 – There were 2 million members of the SA. This number was dangerously large. Hitler wanted to give more power to his personal bodyguards – Himmler’s SS HOW? Rohm and the other leaders were sent to the Hotel Hanselbauer in Bad Wissee for well earned break. Himmler and Hitler planned the coup with Hitler personally arresting Rohm first. 300 SA leaders were rounded up and executed. The purge also included leading Weimar politicians. The Nazis explained the purge to the people as preventing a revolution. AUGUST 1934 – Hindenburg dies. Hitler now declared himself the FUHRER (leader) and the army swear an oath of allegiance to the Nazis. Hitler consolidates his power and becomes a DICTATOR.

WHY WAS HITLER RELIEVED TO BE OFFERED THE CHANCELLOR POST IN 1933? The Nazis were running out of money after fighting 4 expensive elections in 3 years. Most of this money had been spent on Propaganda. The election results in November 1933 showed that the Nazis were losing support. Hitler thought that they had missed their chance and the depression was ending. Hitler is reported to have thought about suicide then!

HOW DID HITLER GET THE ENABLING LAW PASSED? 1 – Many Communists were arrested and were not able to vote. 2 – Protesters were stationed outside the Kroll Opera House (the temporary Reichstag) demanding the law. 3 – Hitler gave an impressive speech about the threat of Communism. 4 – SA troops lined the opera house with machine guns as a threat to the members of the Reichstag who were voting.

7) Hitler’s vision for Germany Greater Germany Lebensraum (living space): there would be a giant empire in Eastern Europe where pure Aryan Germans would live. Germany would win back the land lost by the Treaty of Versailles

National Community All Germans would put the needs of the state (the National Community) above everything else – even the needs of their family and friends.

Loyalty Hitler (the Führer) would be the key figure in Germany. The armed forces, government, all organisations and all Germans would be loyal to him. Propaganda would win Germans over to Nazi ways of thinking. Terror would deal with anyone who opposed the Nazi regime.

Economic Strength In the short term, the Nazis would get the unemployed back to work and help Germany recover from the Depression. In the long term, Hitler would build up Germany’s industries ready for war.

Military Strength The armed forces would be built up War would make Germany strong. The German people would be mentally prepared for war. The Nazis would destroy the USSR and all those who believed in Communism.

Racial Purity Aryan people would get the best jobs and be encouraged to have lots of children. All non-Aryan people (such as Jews) would have no place in Germany. They would be sent away or killed. All non-Aryan people (such as Jews) would have no place in Germany. They would be sent away or killed.

8) HOW DID THE NAZIS CONTROL ALL GERMAN PEOPLE?

ADOLF HITLER – THE FUHRER

HEINRICH HIMMLER HEAD OF THE SS

REINHARDT HEYDRICH HEAD OF THE GESTAPO

Suspicious evidence from the Gauleiter might lead to an SS search of a house. The SS ran the concentration camps. The SS officers at the camps were called DEATH HEADS. SS were known as the Blackshirts. They dealt with people not conforming to Nazi ideals.

The Gestapo investigated political threats to Hitler or the Nazis. The Germans believed cities were crawling with them, but there were only 4 in Berlin. They were ruthless, used torture to obtain confessions and were feared by most German people.

EVIDENCE OR

SUSPICION

THE ORPO were the regular police. During the Nazi rule they had little to do. Ordinary crime was reduced and people even kept their house doors unlocked.

THE GERMAN PEOPLE – the most important factor in the Nazi control system. They were expected to denounce suspicious characters.

THE GAULEITER – The friendly face of the Nazis monitoring the people at street level. One Gauleiter would monitor a few houses. Files were kept on each household. Encouraged the German people to denounce family, friends and neighbours.

PROPAGANDA Josef Goebbels was Head of the Ministry of Propaganda and Enlightenment. Posters promoting Nazi policies and denouncing the enemy. Films such as the Triumph of the Will or the Eternal Jew. The Press – All newspapers Nazi controlled. Editors told what to print. Radio – Radios (the Peoples Receiver) sold cheaply. Mass broadcasts in the streets, workplaces and cafes. Rallies – Nuremberg rally each year. Up to 100,000 present to hear Hitler. Spectacular parades. One pot Sunday campaign – All leftovers from the week cooked in a pot on Sunday. Misinformation – The Nazis spread rumours and re-wrote text books to suit their ideas. Censorship – Book burnings of Jewish authors in 1933, American music banned as well as certain films. Law Against Malicious Gossip – Illegal to tell Anti-Nazi jokes.

9) HOW DID THE NAZIS ACHIEVE EMPLOYMENT IN GERMANY?

The depression was already ending. Unemployment was dropping before the Nazis came to power.

DR LEY – RAD leader

Jews, unmarried mothers, part-time and sacked women taken off register.

RAD – THE GERMAN LABOUR FRONT REPLACES T. UNIONS ORGANISES WORK JOB CREATION SCHEMES ROADS LAND BRIDGES

1935 - Reich Service Labour Law – all 18-25 yr. olds do 6 months work.

Kdf – Strength Through Joy movement. Posters are created to promote the “beauty of work.” The Kdf is the propaganda wing of employment. Holidays given to workers that reached challenging targets.

Industrial output increased in coal, steel and iron ore.

1935 Rearmament and Conscription

WAGES DROP

VW Swindle for

cash

All workers had to be members of the Nazi party.

Did the Nazis achieve employment fairly? Yes – They created public works job creation schemes. The RAD organised work and work camps ensured that the most reluctant had to work. The government did use propaganda to show the “beauty of work” and this was followed by all remaining unemployed men being conscripted. No – The Nazis borrowed their job creation schemes from the Social Democrats. They took Jews, part-time workers and women off the register. Many women stopped working in 1933 and took Marriage Loans.

10) HOW DID THE NAZIS RESPOND TO OPPOSITION TO THEIR RULE? OPPOSITION PARTIES March 1933 – The Law for the Protection of People and State is used to smash the Communist election campaign. Propaganda was a major method Communist arrests allow Hitler to win the March 1933 election easily as well as the secure the passing of the Enabling Law. May 1933 – The first concentration camp is formed at Dachau. Initially this is filled with members of opposition politicians such as Communists and Social Democrats. The Nazis ban Trade Unions and opposition parties from existing.

THE SA June 1934 – The Night of the Long Knives. The SA leaders are purged. Hitler believes Rohm is planning a second revolution and wishes to join the army to the Nazi regime. The SA number 2 million and are a threat to his power. Hitler and Himmler plan to send the SA leaders to the Hotel Hanselbauer, Bad Wiessee, for a holiday. Hitler personally arrests Rohm and then other SS members round up and execute 300-400 members of the SA and opposition parties. The Nazis issue a statement through the Nazi controlled press that they had to protect Germany.

THE JEWS The Jews did not suit Hitler’s plans for a pure Aryan Germany and, therefore, became natural opponents to his rule. May 1933 – Burning of Jewish books are initiated by the SA alongside one day boycotts of Jewish shops. 1934 – Germans were banned from public places such as swimming pools, parks and cinemas. September 1935 – THE NUREMBERG LAWS are announced at the Nuremberg rally – the annual Nazi party conference. Jews could not marry Germans or have relations with Germans. They could not show the German flag or employ Germans in their businesses. If these laws were ignored they were punishable by hard labour, imprisonment or a fine. 1938 – Jews were forced to wear the Star of David, carry papers at all times and could not attend German schools. In Paris a Nazi diplomat, Von Rath, is murdered by a Jew called Herschel Grynszpan. The Jew was protesting about the treatment of his family. Himmler responds by launching the KRISTALLNACHT (Night of the Broken Glass) in November 1938. Synagogues are burnt down, Jews are arrested and killed and they are forced to pay a hefty fine for causing the damage. 1940 – Jews are placed in various ghettos in Europe. 1942 – The Final Solution is agreed by Nazi leaders which include Heydrich, Himmler and Goebbels. Concentration camps in the East of Europe, such as Auschwitz and Belsen become Death Camps. It is agreed to liquidate the ghettos and have trains carry the Jews East. There they will undertake forced labour and be exterminated with gas.

THE YOUTH During WW2 anti-Hitler Youth feelings grew amongst the young against the backdrop of the rise of American culture. All of this happened from 1943 onwards. The Jazzers (Swing Movement) were punished by head shavings and public ridicule. They were forced to shift mounds of earth up hills in wheelbarrows. The Edelweiss Pirates enjoyed fighting the Hitler Youth and smoking in public. After the Pirates in Cologne murdered the Head of the Gestapo they were hanged in public. The White Rose Group, led by Sophie Scholl, Christophe Probst and Hans Scholl distributed leaflets at Munich University complaining about the treatment of Jews and the war in the East. They were arrested, given a show trial with the dreaded judge, Roland Freisler, and were beheaded.

THE ARMY The Kreisau Circle, a group of SS army generals, were disillusioned with the war against Russia and wanted to kill Hitler and sign peace terms with the Allies. In July 1944 they infiltrated the Wolf’s Lair, where Hitler was running the war, with Count Von Stauffenberg. The British made a bomb for the group which was to be detonated using acid and fuse wire. The bomb was detonated and Von Stauffenberg escaped. In Berlin the Kreisau Circle refused to believe that Hitler might be dead and they delayed their plans to take over Berlin. This allowed Goebbels to take command of the city. General Fromm, who knew about the plot, denounced the members of the Kreisau Circle in a bid to save himself. Four members of the plot, including Von Stauffenberg, were executed by firing squad.

11) WHAT WERE NAZI ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE YOUNG? 1933 – Hitler wants to turn the young into Nazis and soldiers of the future. Girls to be trained as the wives and mothers of political soldiers. Boys – Start in the German Young People and progress to the Hitler Youth (HJ). Girls start in the Young Girls and progress to the League of German maidens (BDM). By 1936 3 million boys are in the Hitler Youth with 2.5 million girls in the BDM. Interest in the BDM is slower than the HJ. Goebbels issues many Propaganda posters promoting girls’ involvement in 1935 and 1936 to spark interest.

Why join the Hitler Youth? 1 – Many poor families could send their children on holiday in the summer camp. 2 – The Gauleiter would be less suspicious if your child was a Hitler Youth member. 3 – The Hitler Youth was “cool” at first and appealed to the natural rebelliousness of Youth. 4 – The activities were exciting for the young – camps, marching and fighting.

Activities – At the start of their membership all HJ members have to prove their loyalty and take a series of physical and bravery tests. Hitler Youth activities centre around preparation for war. They build aeroplanes, camp, march, sing military songs, study the Treaty of Versailles and learn to fire weapons. The highlight of the year is the Hitler Youth Summer Camp. Girls activities include fitness, domestic work, athletics and raising money for the Nazi party. All Hitler Youth members received a uniform and jewelled dagger. They got right of way if marching on the street or pavement. All members of the Youth movement were expected to denounce anti-Nazi family members.

1935 – Nuremberg Rally As the Propaganda film, The Triumph of the Will, shows the Hitler Youth played an important role. They crammed the front rows and provided military music. They were treated to a speech by the Hitler Youth leader, Baldur Von Schirach. Hitler spoke to the Youth and gave a stirring speech about dying for Germany and righting the inequalities of the past. He said that the blood of the Youth was the blood of Germany and that in them lay the future of the country. All Hitler Youth members swore an oath of allegiance to Hitler.

1936 – Berlin Olympics The Youth played a part in displaying Nazi power and unity by being present at the Berlin Olympics. Hitler and Goebbels wanted to use the event to show German might. A brand new Olympic stadium had been created and German Aryans were expected to win key events. German women did take medals in the javelin. However, Hitler’s party was spoiled in the Mens 100 metres. A black man, Jesse Owens, easily defeated the German Aryan athletes in the final. This was too much for Hitler and he never returned to the Olympic stadium for any further events.

1939 – As World War Two broke out the older Hitler Youth members went straight into the army. The Nazis were concerned that the growth in Hitler Youth membership was stilted. Only 82% of German children belonged to the Youth groups. By 1941 it was made compulsory for all German children to enter the Hitler Youth. This led to Pope Benedict, then a German child, being forced to join the group against his father’s wishes. As the war progressed it was unfashionable to be a Hitler Youth member and they were ridiculed by other children influenced by American culture. This led to the formation of anti-Hitler Youth groups such as the Edelweiss Pirates and Jazzers.

12) WHAT WERE NAZI ATTITUDES TOWARDS WOMEN? 1933 – The Nazis believed that men and women had different roles in life. A woman’s role was to be the homemaker, good wife and mother. The Nazis were concerned with the falling birth rate and needed more children to be born for the army. The Nazis created the MARRIAGE LOANS system whereby a woman could obtain 1000RM if she married and gave up her job. If she had 4 children in the first 4 years of marriage she would not have to repay the loan at all. The loan was reduced by 250RM per child.

WHO WAS GERTRUDE SCHOLTZ-KLINK? She was a German mother of 6 children. She had classic Aryan looks and followed Nazi ideals on dress and behaviour. She became the Head of the Women’s Bureau – a kind of figurehead for women. The Nazis gave her no real power. Women were not meant to be in government.

Marriage loans were successful with 800,000 women taking them up. The Nazis now launched a huge Propaganda campaign to get women to adopt Nazi ideals. The Honour Cross of the German Woman was created for mothers. Gold medals were awarded to women with 8 children, silver for 6 children and bronze for 4 children. Newly married women were expected to take classes in mothercraft and homecraft by the Gauleiter.

Women were given very strict instructions about their behaviour and conduct by the Nazis. Women were meant to:- Not work. Be blonde, athletic wearing a full skirt with flat heels and no make-up. Cook all the leftovers in a stew on Sunday – “One Pot Sunday” Not smoke in public. Raise their children to be loyal Nazis, encouraging them to worship the Fuhrer and join the Hitler Youth. Women were to follow the 3 K’s – Kinder, Kuche, Kirche Children, Kitchen and Church

1937 – The role of women changes. We need women workers again! After re-armament and conscription in 1935 it was clear that the Nazis would need women to work again. This greatly troubled Hitler, but he was forced to agree to a change in policy. Marriage loans were abolished and a DUTY YEAR was created for all women. Women had to work on a farm or in a family home for board and no pay. The number of women working increased, but still never reached Weimar levels of female employment.

1938 – But we still need more children… The number of live births in Germany began to decrease again at the end of the 30’s. The Nazis needed to increase the number of births with a long war approaching. In 1938 – a new DIVORCE LAW was introduced whereby a man or woman could obtain a quick divorce if no children had been born into the relationship. In 1938 the LEBENSBORN programme was set-up to “donate a baby to the Fuhrer.” Unmarried women could become pregnant by SS men. Many women doing this would scream out Hitler’s name whilst in labour! During WW2 the Lebensborn programme was extended into Scandanavian countries that had many Aryans.

HOW SUCCESSFUL WERE NAZI POLICIES TOWARDS WOMEN? AIM: To produce more births in Germany and to ensure women follow the Nazi ideals. VERY SUCCESSFUL – Over half a million more babies were being born per year under Nazi rule than Weimar rule. That adds up to about 3 million extra children. Women were generally Hitler’s most loyal followers. Most gave up working without a fuss and were committed to the 3 K’s and raising their children with Nazi ideals. Women liked Nazi organisation and most families were better off than in the Great Depression and attributed that to Hitler. The Lebensborn policy was accepted by the most fanatical of Hitlers’ female supporters as being necessary for Germany. UNSUCCESSFUL to a small extent – Due to conscription and the war the Nazis did not achieve their aim of stopping women working altogether. After 1937 women were needed to play a key role in the war effort, but do remember that less women were working under the Nazis than in the Weimar Republic. A few women were very bitter about having to give up their careers in 1933. Overall, Nazi policies towards women achieved their aims and were largely successful.

13) HOW DID THE NAZIS IMPROVE THE ECONOMY? Part 1 PHASE 1 – The work of Dr Schacht 1933-1936 AIMS: To reduce unemployment. To re-arm. To make Germany self-sufficient from imports. HOW? THE NEW PLAN Imports were limited and controlled. Trade deals were made with other countries i.e. Hungary provided butter and vegetable oil. Government spending in the arms industry increased. Unemployment reduced (see separate timeline)

Who was Dr Schacht? Dr Schacht was the Nazi economic minister. He was a brilliant financial expert. In 1936 he criticised the speed in which Hitler was planning for war. This led to him resigning in 1937 when he lost his power.

How successful was Schacht’s New Plan? The New Plan solved the economic crisis in Germany which had resulted from the Great Depression. The New Plan was helped by the fact that the World was sliding out of depression. The New Plan was designed to prepare for war slower than Hitler would have liked. This cost Schacht is job as Finance Minister.

PHASE 2 – The work of Hermann Goering 1937- 1939 AIMS: To prepare Germany for war. To make Germany self sufficient. This was called AUTARKY. HOW? THE 4 YEAR PLAN Production in coal, iron and steel was increased. Big businesses were persuaded to manufacture rubber, fuel and textiles. Imports reduced again. Controls placed on wages and prices. Forced labour introduced through the camp system.

How successful was Goering’s Four Year Plan? The government poured billions of Reichsmarks into the economy under Goering. They were still not prepared for war. Autarky had not been achieved. This meant that Germany could only be ready for war economically by conquering countries quickly.

Who was Hermann Goering? Hermann Goering was an ex-WW1 fighter pilot. He was leader of the Luftwaffe (German air force). He knew very little about finance and business. He became Finance Minister because he made promises to Hitler that he could have Germany ready for war quicker than Schacht.

DID YOU KNOW? Goering claimed responsibility for setting up the Reichstag fire in 1933. It was certainly helpful that his HQ was connected to the Reichstag by underground tunnels. Goering was responsible for the Nuremberg laws against Jews and charged the Jews a 1 billion mark fine after the Kristallnacht. At the end of the war Goering was put on trial for committing war crimes. He pleaded not guilty and insisted that he was not anti-semitic. He was found guilty and due to be executed in 1946. The night before his execution he took his own life by taking poisonous pills.

14) HOW DID THE NAZIS IMPROVE THE ECONOMY? Part 2 Economic recovery and Rearmament

Schacht organised Germany’s finances to fund huge programmes of work creation. The National Labour Service (RAD) sent men on public works projects, in particular to build a network of motorways (autobahnen). Railways were extended or built from scratch. There was major house-building programmes and grand new building projects like the Reich Chancellery in Berlin. In 1935 Hitler reintroduced conscription for the army. In 1936 he announced a Four-Year Plan, under Goering’s control, to get the German economy ready for war. Conscription reduced unemployment. The need for weapons, equipment and unioforms created jobs in the coal mines, steel and textile mills.Engineers and designers were given new opportunities such as building up the German air force (Luftwaffe). As well as boosting economic recovery, these measures also boosted national pride. People felt that Germany was finally recovering from the humiliation of the First World War and Versailles.

The Workers Hitler promised lower unemployment, and therefore ensured popularity among industrial workers. He needed them to help make Germany great. He did this through a variety of initiatives: • Propaganda which praised the workers

and tried to associate them with Hitler. • Strength through Joy (KdF) gave workers

cheap theatre theatre and cinema tickets, organised courses, trips and sports events, and even cruises. By 1939 over 2 million Germans had been on one of KdF’s holidays.

• Workers were encouraged to save five marks a week in the scheme to buy a Volkswagen Beetle, the ‘people’s car’. But the scheme was halted by the war in 1939.

• The Beauty of Labour movement improved working conditions in factories and introduced features like washing facilities and low cost canteens.

• But Workers lost any representation. They lost their political party (the SDP) and trade unions were banned. They were forced to join the DAF (German Labour Front), run by Dr Robert Ley which controlled the workers. They could not strike. Wages remained low, but prices were also strictly controlled.

Farming Communities In September 1933 Hitler introduced the Reich Food Estate under Richard Darre. This set up central boards to buy produce from the farmers and distribute it across Germany. It gave the peasant farmers a guaranteed market for their goods at guaranteed prices. The Nazis also introduced the Reich Entailed Farm Law which gave peasants state protection for their farms: Banks could not seize their land if people could not pay back their loans or mortgages. A second aim of this was based on the Nazi philosophy of ‘Blood and Soil’ the belief tat the peasant farmers were the basis of Germany’s master race. These measures were greatly appreciated. However, not all peasants were satisfied. The Reich Food Estate meant that efficient farmers were held back by having to work through the same processes as less efficient farmers. Because of the Reich Entailed Farm Law, banks were unwilling to lend money to farmers. It also meant that only the eldest child inherited the farm. As a result, many children of farmers left the land to work for better pay in Germany’s industries. Rural depopulation was about 3% per year in the 1930s, the opposite of the Nazi’s aims.

Big Business and the middle classes Many middle-class business people were grateful to the Nazis for eliminating the Communist threat to their businesses and properties. Some small businnes would benefit from the Nazi’s economic policies for war, such as engineering, as rearmament increased. However, businesses that produced non-essential or luxury goods, or small shops, might struggle. Despite Hitler’s promises, the large department stores that were taking business away from local shops were not closed. Big business really benefitted from Nazi rule. They no longer had to worry about trade unions or strikes, as these were now illegal. Companies such as the chemical giant IG Farben gained huge government contracts to make explosives, fertilisers and even artificial oil from coal. Mercedes and Volkswagen also prospered from Nazi policies. As the companies flourished, their managers also did. Their income rose much faster than that of ordinary workers. There were few working class recruits into management. Over 80% of top management were university-educated middle class men. Most were perfectly content with the Nazi regime.

15) WHY DID THE NAZIS PERSECUTE MANY GROUPS IN GERMANY? ANTI-SEMITISM Hitler set out his racial views in Mein Kampf. The Jews were an inferior race that were setting out to destroy Germany. Many agreed with Hitler’s viewpoint that the Jews had lost Germany World War One. This argument defied logic since many Jews fought for Germany and achieved iron crosses. Discrimination in power 1933 – Boycott of Jewish shops 1935 – Nuremberg Laws – Jews had to observe curfews at night, lost German citizenship and could not have relations with Germans. 1938 – Kristallnacht – A Jewish student murdered a German diplomat, Von Rath, in Paris. The Nazis launched the Night of the Broken Glass which led to the destruction of 8,000 homes and shops. Synagogues were burned to the ground. Goebbels made the Jews pay a 1 billion mark fine. 1940 – Jews started to be placed in ghettos. 1942 – The Final Solution (extermination) of Jews is agreed at the Wannsee Conference in Berlin. This leads to the formation of death camps and the murder of 6 million Jews. The main death camps were Auschwitz and Treblinka.

NAZI BELIEFS – The Nazis had strong beliefs which were intolerant of others that did not fit their way of life:- Aryans were the master race. They were a Germanic racial group that were superior. Those that did not fit the Nazi ideal were not meant to be Germanic and, therefore, did not have a place in Nazi Germany. They believed that Jews, Eastern Europeans and black people were inferior to Aryans.

DID YOU KNOW? The Nazis were fascinated by trying to prove a biological reason for Aryan supremacy over other races. Josef Mengele, the SS camp doctor at Auschwitz, did experiments on prisoners to find a link. He had a fascination with twins and would conduct experiments on them together. These experiments were cruel and were often completed without pain relief or anaesthetic. After the war Mengele escaped and lived in South America until 1979. Mengele’s horrific methods led to him being nicknamed, “The Angel of Death.”

PERSECUTION OF OTHER GROUPS Homosexuals were persecuted because they did not fit the ideal of Nazi masculinity and need to produce children. Many were castrated and sent to camps. Gypsies were sterilised initially and then faced the same treatment as Jews in the death camps. In 1939 the Nazis introduced a euthanasia programme for mentally and physically disabled Germans. 70,000 adults and 5,000 children were killed by lethal injection, gassing or starvation. Half a million tramps and beggars were dealt with severely by being rounded up and placed in labour camps.

16) WHAT WAS LIFE LIKE ON THE GERMAN HOME FRONT IN WW2? 1939 – 1941 – THE WAR GOES WELL FOR GERMANY. The Nazis swept into control of Western Europe with Belgium, Denmark, Norway and France all falling to them quickly. At home there was much optimism:- The Nazis introduced the rationing of meat, bread, fats, sugar and coffee. As a result 2 out of 5 Germans ate more healthily than before. The diet, however, became monotonous and boring quickly. Extra rations went to factory workers and pregnant mothers. Clothes rationing was introduced in 1939. Hot water was permitted for two days of the week. There was no toilet paper and stewed pine needles were used as soap.

1941 – 1943 – THE TIDE TURNS AGAINST GERMANY. The turning point on the German Home Front came after Hitler decided to invade the USSR in December 1941. Life suddenly got much harder and they began to lose the war. Goebbels launched various propaganda campaigns to keep the morale of the German people up. 1.5 million furs and 67 million woollen garments were handed out in the harsh winter. Extra ration were given to the German people at Christmas.

1943 – 1944 – TOTAL WAR. With the war going against Germany the government prepared for TOTAL WAR. This meant that all work and business went towards the war effort and nothing else. In 1943 the Germans ended professional sport. Magazines and non-essential businesses were closed. In 1943 clothes rationing was ended and people were forced to exchange clothes in centres. Goebbels spent 8.5 million marks on a film called Kolberg. It showed German heroism in action. 100 railway trucks brought salt to act as snow in the scenes. The morale of the Germans was being battered each night by Allied air raids. Most doctors were in the army and, therefore, injured and sick civilians received no treatment. An air raid on Hamburg led to a fire storm which destroyed most of the city. 30,000 people were killed.

1944 – 1945 – FAILURE and DEFEAT In 1944 the Russian forces were advancing from the East with the Allied advance starting at the D-Day landings in Normandy. Goebbels tried to mobilise the people into one big effort to win the war by:- All non-Germans had to work in armaments factories. No postal services were permitted to save fuel. All places of entertainment were closed. Women had to work if they were 50 years old or younger. A HOME GUARD was formed to protect Berlin. It consisted of children, the disabled and the elderly. Someone called it, “ The last round up of the old and the lame, the children and the idiots.” In 1945 extreme air raids were battering the country each night. 70% of the city of Dresden was destroyed in one raid. Rationing was no longer being honoured and an illegal black market was the only way of purchasing essentials to survive.

MAY 1945 – THE END The Allies met at Yalta to discuss what they were to do with Germany since victory was certain. With the Russians fast approaching, Hitler and his wife, Eva Braun, committed suicide together. The following day Goebbels, his wife and their children did the same. Two days later the Russians reached Berlin and placed their flag above the Reichstag. It symbolised the end of the Nazis and led to the start of the Cold War.

17) WERE MOST PEOPLE BETTER OFF UNDER THE NAZIS? YES The Nazis inherited a country in economic ruins in 1933. Hitler promised to end all unemployment in 4 years. Hitler created 750,000 jobs by introducing Conscription in 1935. Re-armament created more jobs in factories. They created jobs using Public Works schemes such as building autobahns. Many poorer families were delighted with Nazi rule at first. Hitler had created an improved standard of living for these people than in the Weimar days. Some also liked the “classless” Hitler Youth system since it gave their children summer holidays. The Kdf, Strength Through Joy, movement gave extra food and even holidays to the hardest working workers. However, these offers soon were withdrawn when Goebbels’ 4 Year Plan was introduced in 1936. By 1936 Hitler had achieved his promise of creating jobs for 6 million people.

NO By 1936 wages had fallen for most German people. By 1938 German people were working on average a further 5 hours per week for less pay. Conditions for workers also declined under the Nazis. They lost their own trade unions and were forced to join the RAD. As war approached the German people saw a reduction of consumer goods in shops as Goering’s 4 year plan geared everything towards the war. By 1939 German people had less civil rights than ever before. They had a Nazi controlled media, lost the chance to vote in elections (the Enabling Law) and could not speak freely in public for fear of arrest. During the war almost every German suffered one way or another. For Jews, homosexuals, gypsies and black people this meant persecution and eventually imprisonment in a camp. Over 6 million lost their lives. For German citizens the war brought many hardships. At first this was rationing and increasing casualty numbers. Later in the war there were horrific bombing raids and the shortage of essentials. Germans had to barter or buy on the black market to survive. As the Russians invaded from the East in 1945, the suffering for Germans increased further with the Russian armies taking their revenge for Germany’s invasion out on German civilians. By 1945 the Russians reached Berlin and all food was being given to soldiers. Hitler was reported as saying that he was happy to let the German people starve since he felt betrayed by them. By the end of the war no German people benefitted from Hitler’s regime.

18) Occupation and Denazification Impact of defeat

Demilitarisation was not a problem. Germany was shattered and was in no state to fight on and it’s people had no will to do so. People got on with forgetting and rebuilding as soon as they could. Women known as ‘Trümmerfrauen (‘rubble women’) worked individually or in groups to clear the remains of bombed buildings ready for rebuilding to start. As time went on the work became more organised and they were given equipment to use. Germany faced an extreme refugee crisis as Germans in East Europe fled or were forced from their homes. The official Allied policy was that all German speakers in eastern Europe would move to Germany to avoid revenge attacks. However, such attacks still took place. An estimated 12-14 million German speakers became refugees. They were forced to walk hundreds of kilometres across Eastern Europe to Germany, carrying as many possessions as they could. They were not welcome in Germany, they were seen as just adding to the problems of post-war Germany.

Denazification in the Soviet sector The Soviets had suffered terribly in the war, with at least 20 million dead. The USSR was determined to stamp out Nazism as effectively as they could. The first step was tearing down evidence of the Nazis in the streets and buildings. All Nazi symbols, flags, banners etc. were destroyed and it became illegal to display them. Higher ranking Nazis were imprisoned in Soviet-run camps. Thousands of government officials, military commanders and others were also sent to the camps. The Soviets removed around one-third of Germany’s teachers, those believed to be Nazi sympathisers, and they scrapped the Nazi school curriculum and textbooks. They also sacked large numbers of civil servants. The Soviet military administration also set up local commissions across the Soviet sector, which investigated the thousands of individuals who had been members of the Nazi Party. However, there were not enough Soviet officials to handle such a huge job so they appointed German officials to carry out the job. The Soviet administration pressured these commissions to deal quickly with known or suspected Nazis. However, the TRIBUNALS took a long time and were usually sympathetic to the Germans who had been Nazi Party members, because they understood the pressures people had been under. Overall around 300,000 Germans were convicted of low-level involvement with the regime. Some were imprisoned, others banned from positions of authority. By 1948 the USSR had reinstated elected government in East Germany run by the Communist Walter Ulbricht. He grew tired of the slow process of the commissions and abandoned the whole process, preferring to ‘look forwards rather than backwards’.

Denazification in the Western zones Allied army intelligence units began gathering information on Nazis as early as 1944 fearing that they would try to hide after the war. After Germany surrendered, various measures were taken to remove any remaining Nazi influence. Leading Nazis were quickly arrested. All Germans over the age of 18 had to complete a questionnaire about their past political activities and beliefs, and the jobs they held. Allied intelligence offices investigated all senior public officials and around 50,000 of them were dismissed. They also investigated teachers and members of the medical professions, then spread out into wider business and industrial organisations. In September 1945 they created German Review Boards, run by Germans appointed by the Allied military and answerable to it. By 1948 these boards had investigated around 3.5 million cases. There were about 5,000 trials with around 4,000 people found guilt. Just under 500 of these were executed. Around 200,000 individuals were held prisoner but were later released as there was not enough evidence to put them on trial. The Western Allies also introduced a programme of re-education. They wanted to expose Germans to the full horror of what the Nazis had done. German citizens were forced to view pamphlets, photographs and newsreels of Nazi atrocities. We cannot measure what impact this had. By 1948 the western powers wound down the denazification programme and began focussing on rebuilding Germany.

19) Democratisation and rebuilding in the Western Zone Part 1 Formation

1949: the US, French and British zones formed to become the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), with a new capital on Bonn. It was led by Konrad Adenauer. He led the Christian Democratic Union Party (CDU). The CDU attracted about 30% of the vote in Germany and Adenauer was able to form coalitions with other parties. Adenauer was Chancellor from 1949-1963. The new Constitution was based upon The Basic Law. This was similar to the constitution of Weimar Germany. But there were built in safeguards to protect democracy. The president was much less powerful. No party could send any representatives to the new parliament unless it gained 5% of the vote. This was to stop aggressive minority parties, like the Nazis or Communists had done in 1932.

Betriebsunfall Betriebsunfall means ‘accident in the works’. Many Germans struggled to come to terms with what had happened in the war. One response to this was that the Nazi years were an aberration, an accident in the works. Betriebsunfall probably helped some people feel loyal to the new state. It allowed many German institutions and businesses to convince themselves there was no need to change. In some ways this brought stability. Betriebsunfall also meant that the best opportunities in education and jobs went to the wealthy middle and upper classes. Adenauer was concerned that this would lead some sections of society to feel that the new republic did not offer them much (a key reason why the Weimar Republic had failed). In the election of 1949, only 22% of Germans bothered to vote, which suggested that Adenauer was right.

The West German ‘economic miracle’ Between 1948 and 1954 the German economy grew by 8% every year. By the early 1950s, Germany was again exporting high-quality manufactured goods all over the world. Unemployment fell from 8% to 4% by 1955. Adenauer pursued a cautious policy, promising no radical changes. The German people felt this was sensible – they had seen enough upheaval. More importantly, West Germans began to associate democracy with economic success and prosperity. Adenauer’s share of the vote rose steadily and in 1957 the CDU gained an outright majority – over 50%. The West German economic miracle was helped by Marshall Aid from the USA, but there were other important factors too. Many East German immigrants had valuable technical skills and so boosted the economy.

20) Democratisation and rebuilding in the Western Zone Part 2 The West German ‘economic miracle’

Policy to business and workers The government introduced a compensation scheme for Germans who had lost property or savings in the war. Many of these were middle-class business owners who used their compensation to set up new businesses, which helped the economy grow. Under the Co-Determination Law of May 1951, large businesses had to allow trade union officials to sit on their board of directors to represent their workers. In 1952, firms were obliged to set up Works Councils. These made it compulsory to companies to keep workers informed about management plans. Both the unions and the managers disliked being forced into the Works Councils but the arrangement seemed to work. Unions became less suspicious of managers and far fewer strikes took place in West Germany than during the Weimar years. This undermined support for Communism. Better industrial relations also encouraged big industries to accept democracy. The country was still divided. Wealth was not distributed equally. The big industries that had helped the Nazi regime seemed to be thriving again.

Foreign policy In 1950, Germany and France formed the European Coal and Steel Community, essentially making coal and steel a joint industry between the two countries. It tied one of Germany’s key war industries to France, making it harder to fight another war. By 1954, West Germany was seen to be stable, democratic and trustworthy enough to be allowed its own armed forces again, and to join NATO. From 1955 to 1989, West Germany remained a stronghold of democracy in Europe. It continued to be so after East and West Germany were reunited in 1990. In 1950, Germany and France formed the European Coal and Steel Community, essentially making coal and steel a joint industry between the two countries. It tied one of Germany’s key war industries to France, making it harder to fight another war. By 1954, West Germany was seen to be stable, democratic and trustworthy enough to be allowed its own armed forces again, and to join NATO. From 1955 to 1989, West Germany remained a stronghold of democracy in Europe. It continued to be so after East and West Germany were reunited in 1990.

Summary Successes

Betriebsunfall brought stability and allowed opportunites for economy to continue to grow. The economy improved rapidly – grew by 8% every year from 1948-54. Unemployment fell from 8%-4% by 1955. The CDU became popular, gained over 50% of the vote in 1957 elections as a result of their economic success. Co-Determination Law and Works Councils meant that workers and business owners worked better together. There was less strikes and more co-operation. Germany and France formed the European Coal and Steel Community –improved international relations. In 1954 admitted into NATO.

Summary Failures

Managers and unions did not like being forced to set up Works Councils (even though they did encourage better industrial relations). Wealth was still divided, there was still no fundamental restructuing of Germany society, which allowed a huge wastage of talent. Those who refused to co-operate with the Third Reich still struggled to achieve successful careers. In the 1940s the CDU was not that popular (30% of the vote). In the 1949 elections only 22% of Germans bothered to vote, which suggested apathy to the new regime. Betriebsunafall meant businesses who had supported the Nazis continued to operate in the FRG. Whilst this allowed economic progress, it was open to criticism over it’s denazification policy.

21) Democratisation and rebuilding in the Eastern zone Part 1 Formation

The Soviets allowed elected assemblies in Eastern Germany quite early on. Upon creation of the FRG, the Soviet Zone became the German Democratic Republic (GDR), or East Germany. In theory this was a multi-party democracy, but in reality it was run by the East German Communist Party (the SED). It was led by the leader of the SED, Walter Ulbricht, a deeply committed Communist who had been trained in the USSR and was installed by the Soviets.

Impact of Occupation In the years 1945-47, the Soviet leader Josef Stalin was determined that Germany should pay for its wartime actions in the USSR. Food, industrial equipment (including 1,400 entire factories) and countless other resources were gathered up and shipped out of East Germany to the USSR. Looting and rape increased.

Rebuilding Germany In 1952, Ulbricht announced a new programme for East Germany – the Building of Socialism. People hoped this might bring economic improvements, but they were disappointed. There was no ‘economic miracle’ in East Germany. Ulbricht took his orders from Stalin, and Stalin wanted East Germany to produce goods that would help the recovery of the USSR. This meant engineering and similar industrial items rather than the consumer goods that West Germany’s economic boom. In addition, Ulbricht decided to build up the military in East Germany. This was an unpopular move: many Germans were forced into military service and the programme took up around 10% of the country’s wealth.

22) Democratisation and rebuilding in the Eastern zone Part 2 Communist policies

Ulbricht effectively scrapped East Germany’s democratic constitution in 1950. He reorganised the SED along the same lines as the USSR, creating a Central Committee and a Politburo, with himself as head of state. A purge of political opponents began. The state took control of the media and the education system. Teachers were watched closely to ensure they were teaching approved ideas. The newly formed Stasi (secret police force) kept a close eye on potential enemies of the new state. Ulbricht also brought in compulsory state control of agriculture. In doing so, he hoped to grow enough food to feed the population with a surplus that could be shipped to the USSR, but the programme did not have much success.

Protest For East German’s the results of Ulbricht’s policies were shortages and repression. Basic foods like butter and sugar had to be rationed. Consumer goods were scarce and very expensive. Any attempts to protest or challenge Ulbricht were dealt with harshly by the Stasi. In June 1953, workers in East Berlin went on strike and began protesting in the streets. Within days, an estimated 1 million people in towns and cities across East Germany followed suit. Ulbricht responded quickly and ruthlessly. East German police, alongside Soviet tanks and troops, moved in and crushed the rebellion. Estimates put the death toll at around 500. Around 5,000 people were arrested and more than 1,200 of these served long prison sentences. There was outrage in the West at Ulbricht’s actions, but little could be done.

Item Percentage of households owning item

Car 0.2

Motorbike 11

Radio 77

TV 1

Fridge 0.4

Washing machine 0.5

A table showing the percentage of East German households owning consumer goods in 1955