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Germany 1 - Mocks - Coggle Diagram
Germany 1 - Mocks
Rebellion and Unrest
Before the Weimar Government was established, Germany was a dictatorship; the Kaiser had control over the Reichstag and was responsible for appointing the Chancellor. The system was corrupt.
As a result of WW1, Germany was facing great food shortages, political turmoil, a paucity of raw materials (lost 48% of iron outputs) and had stopped trading with the US.
The Weimar Government's proportional representation strategy was ineffective in electing member of the Reichstag.
January 1919 - The Spartacist Uprising, led by Luxemburg and Liebknecht was an attempt to replace the Weimar government with a new, far-left wing government. Friedrich Ebert responded to this by 2000 Freikorps (Ebert's paramilitary group) soldiers. Many Spartacists were killed (including Luxemburg and Liebknecht).
March 1920 - The Kapp Putsch, Wolfgang Kapp (right wing) and the Freikorps advance on Berlin. The army refuse to fire on the Freikorps so Ebert and officials fled Berlin. The Putsch was subdued through the means of a general strike, after only four days; the Putsch was vanquished. The group was against the Treaty of Versailles.
November 1923 - The Munich Putsch, the Nazi party (led by Adolf Hitler and with the support of General Ludendorff) take a Munich Beer Hall. With the help of the SS, Hitler holds the Bavarian Triumvirate at gunpoint with Lossow and Kahr eventually agreeing to support the rebellion. They are allowed to leave but inform authorities; Hitler flees but is later arrested. In prison Hitler would work on producing his book "Mein Kampf".
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Increase in industry (as a result of Weltpolitik) led to an increase in Trade Unions, this forced new laws and higher wages to be integrated -> Rise of Social Democrats and, by extension, power of the working class.
Actions of Stresemann
Stresemann introduced the Rentenmarke (later the Reichmarke) to Germany; stabilising the German economy.
August 1924 - The Dawes Plan is agreed to; the US loan Germany 800 million gold Marks. This strengthens relations between the two companies.
Using the funds provided by the Dawes plan, Germany is able to pay off the second set of reparations. This forced France to leave the Ruhr and offered a chance for infrastructural changes/development.
December 1925 - The Locarno Pact is agreed to; European nations agreed on their borders and the Rhineland is demilitarised.
August 1928 - The Kellogg-Briand Pact is implemented, over 60 nations agree to the pact; agreeing that they will not declare war as a medium of solving international disputes. This showed that Germany was a reformed nations and henceforth they gained respect from many European powers.
September 1926 - Germany joins the League of Nations, proving that relations between Germany and other European powers had improved.
January 1930 - The Young Plan is agreed to; Germany is given 59 years to pay off the reparations demanded by the Treaty of Versailles. The expense of the reparations is decreased also, to 112 Billion Gold Marks.
October 1929 - The Wall Street Crash takes place; Germany had become dependent on German loans and now their income had been majorly marred.
Hitler's Rise to Power
January 1933 - Hindenburg concedes and appoints Hitler as chancellor. This occurs due to secret talks with Hitler and Von Papen, Hitler promises Von Papen a position as vice chancellor; Papen convinces Hindenburg as a result.
Issues Faced by Hitler as Chancellor:
- Hindenburg possessed a greater amount of power than Hitler, he had a greater authority over governmental affairs.
- The German army was in favour of Hindenburg due to his military background.
- Communism was still a major threat to Nazi rule, the Enabling Act would eventually dissipate this threat.
- In the 1933 election, the Nazi party failed to gain a 2/3 majority; the Enabling Act would undermine this.
February 1933 - The Reichstag fire takes place; this acts as a scapegoat for Hitler to deem Germany "in a state of emergency", allowing Article 48 to be invoked. The Nazis also holds the Communists culpable for the incident; convincing many that a Communist revolution was being plotted.
March 1933 - The Enabling Act is invoked, this statute essentially gave the Nazi party unconditional control over Germany. It allowed Hitler to pass laws without the Reichstag. 83% of voters said yes to the act. This essentially dissolved the Reichstag, they only met 12 times in the next 11 years.
30th June 1934 - Hitler believed that the SA was a threat to his tenure; they had 3 million members at the time and their leader, Ernst Rohm was also seen as a major threat. The Night of the Long Knives ensued, seeing the SS arrest and murder key members/leaders of the SA. It is suspected that ~400 were murdered during the NOTLK.
How Hitler Used the Enabling Act:
- Banned trade unions - The German Labour Front replaced them.
- Strikes are made illegal.
- The Communist Party was banned from taking seats in the Reichstag.
- By March 1933, the Nazi Party was the only legal party in Germany.
- Germany's 18 Landers (local parliament) we now run by Nazi representatives.
2nd August 1934 - Hindenburg dies, this allows Hitler to merge the role of Chancellor and President into one; the Fuhrer. This event saw the army swear an oath of loyalty to Hitler.
Propaganda
6000 loudspeakers were erected across Germany at this time. This allowed propaganda to be broadcasted to the public while they were not in their homes.
The Nazis had complete control over German radio. The Volksempfanger began to be produced, this radio was affordable and by 1939, 70% of Germans had a radio.
Rallies became popular under Nazi rule: the week-long Nuremberg rallies would see thousands of attendants. National holidays such as German Culture Day were also introduced.
May 1933 - German students are encouraged to burn any books that were seemed anti-Nazi or anti-German.
1936 - The Berlin Olympic Games take place; the German team consists of a single Jew as a compromise.
Goebbels altered German newspapers in such a manner that they would threaten readers into maintaining their membership.
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Opposition
Dietrich Bonhoeffer publicly scolded Nazi policies (the Nuremberg Laws specifically) during his sermons; he was banned from preaching in 1937. He would go on to join an illicit movement helping Germany escape to Switzerland; he was caught, sent to a CC and hung in 1943.
1944 - Operation Valkyrie was carried out; a group of generals planned to assassinate Hitler through the use of a bomb. The ring leaders were captured and Hitler went on to kill 5000 more people that he believed opposed Nazism.
The Swing Youth opposed Nazism by endorsing American culture; the group consisted of (mostly) middle class youths that mocked Hitler through the "Heil Benny" salute. This group allowed Jews to join and in 1942, a member was sent to a concentration camp.
The White Rose Group consisted of Munich students, these students openly and actively opposed the war effort, Nazi segregation of Jews. Their leaders; Hans and Sophie Scholl were executed in 1943.
The Edelweiss Pirates consisted of working class youths; they would frequently go hiking and camping in hopes of antagonising Hitler Youth members. The group would also offer refuge to military deserters and commonly commit petty crimes. One portion of this group killed a Gestapo member in 1944 and were subsequently arrested and executed for this.
The Great Depression
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As a result of the Great Depression, the German public searched for a quick solution and so the popularity of extremist parties increased.
Cut wages, increased taxes and reduced unemployment benefits.
The Nazi's Rise to Power
1933 - Hitler releases Mein Kampf, the Hitler Youth and Nazi Student League is established; several Nazi officers were established throughout Germany.
1928 - Nazi policies are altered to better support rural communities; 35% of Germany's population was in this category and Hitler wished to "win them over". This was done through the insurance of protection against competition for farmers.
1929 - The Nazis would often subdue their communist opponents through physical mediums with the SA. The SPD was a majorly revered party in Germany up till 1932, with their withdrawal from government emphasising the need for reform.
The Nazis made use of negative cohesion to win favour with the German populace; many did not agree with Nazi policies but shared similar disdains to them.
The Church
Martin Niemoller formed the Confessing Church in response to Hitler's Third Reich Church, other protestant pastors joined too. Between 1937-1945, 800 clergy members were sent to CCs.
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Despite the standing Reichkonkordat, many members of the Catholic church opposed Nazi ideals. In 1937, the Pope deemed Hitler "a mad prophet with repulsive arrogance".
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Youth Groups
By 1939, 90% of boys over 14 were in the Hitler Youth.
German Youths Would Join These Groups Because:
- It was compulsory to join by 1939.
- Peer pressure.
- The activities were enticing and exciting.
- For some, it was an opportunity to challenge their parents' values.
- A membership would grant them academic opportunities.
Eventually, Jewish children were prohibited from attending public schools.
Social Changes
Golden Era
The Weimar Republic's golden era was heavily funded by / dependant on US loans. This era would see a popularisation of cabaret and nightlife, jazz music and 'new objectivity' art. This type of art deviated from the idealist view of Germany exhibited by past artists.
Film-star Marlene Dietrich was renowned for being mysterious and provocative, these characteristics were shunned in a traditional pre-Weimar society.
Women in Nazi Germany
Women in Nazi Germany were encouraged to leave their jobs and adopt a housewife lifestyle they were encouraged to cook leftovers or "Eintopf".
Loans were offered to married couples, the more children they had, the more of the loan would be paid off in quarters. These women would have to leave their job to receive this loan, however.
The honour cross of German Mothers was awarded to mothers that had more than 4 children, receiving a cross was admired greatly and provided the recipient with certain benefits.
1938 marriage laws allowed German women to divorce their wives if they had more than 4 children together.