MR SPENCE HISTORY
Germany 1918-1945
Key ideas to be covered
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Was Weimar Germany doomed from the start?
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Why was Hitler able to dominate Germany by 1934?
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How effectively did the Nazi's control Germany, 1933-1945?
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What was it like to live in Nazi Germany?
The idea that the Weimar Republic was 'doomed from the start' is a flawed contention. We know that it failed spectacularly in 1933, bringing about history's most horrific dictatorship. Therefore, every mistake made during the Weimar years is scrutinised far more than in other burgeoning democracies. Still, it had a flawed constitution, and you will be expected to explain why this led to unstable governments. Even the most robust governmental systems would have struggled to contain the forces produced by the defeat in the First World War and the Treaty of Versailles. You will need to evaluate how far the Republic was threatened by rebellions from both the left and right, along with its economic policies, which culminated with the disastrous hyperinflation of 1923.
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The years from 1923 to 1928 are often referred to as the Golden Years. This will be the focus of your coursework on the Dawes Plan. The IGCSE requires you to evaluate whether this was, in fact, a period of recovery. You should find that meaningful reforms were not taken. Economic recovery was illusory and unequal, and political extremists were dormant but still present. Tangible rewards for Germany's more measured foreign policy were few. The most outstanding achievements were cultural. You should be able to explain how Weimar revolutionised cinema, art and design.
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Weimar Germany
You have already studied the chaos that absorbed Germany between 1919 and 1923. The Nazis were a product of the social forces unleashed by the trauma of defeat, but they also embraced a plethora of ideologies, from secret societies, ultra-nationalists, anti-Semites and socialist economics. You will need to explain how they organised under the leadership of Adolf Hitler, to the point where they felt able to challenge the Weimar government in the abortive Munich Putsch of 1923. Although the Putsch failed, it proved to be a propaganda boon, turning Hitler into a national figure. From 1925 to 1929 the party was reorganised as Hitler pushed for credibility. Crucial to their growing strength was the organisational and propaganda work of Joseph Goebbels.
While the Nazis were satisfied with their performance in the 1928 elections, their overall share of the vote remained low. The Great Depression changed everything. You will need to explain how the Brunning Government mishandled the crisis and how the Nazis were able to build momentum by exacerbating the sense of chaos and offering themselves as Germany's solutions. You will also need to examine the political machinations of 1932 and 1933, particularly by Julius von Schliecher, who badly misjudged the threat that the Nazis posed. You will finally need to explain how Hitler dismantled democratic institutions after he was appointed Chancellor in January 1933, then how he turned on his perceived enemies within the Party.
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Rise of the Nazis
