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Democracy and Nazism Revision

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Democracy and Nazism Revision

Use the source and your own historical knowledge to complete the questions. For longer answers, support your judgement with precise evidence and explain why it matters.

Weimar democracy and the Nazi rise

Read this concise historical briefing before answering Questions 1–5.

Germany’s Weimar Republic was established after the First World War. The Treaty of Versailles, political violence and economic instability weakened confidence in the new democracy. In 1923, hyperinflation devastated savings, although economic recovery followed from 1924. The Wall Street Crash of 1929 helped trigger a severe depression in Germany. Unemployment and hardship increased support for extremist parties, including the Nazis. The Nazis never won a majority in a free national election. On 30 January 1933, President Hindenburg appointed Hitler chancellor. After the Reichstag Fire, emergency powers were used to restrict civil liberties. The Enabling Act, passed in March 1933, allowed Hitler’s government to make laws without the Reichstag. Nazi rule then destroyed political opposition and persecuted people the regime defined as enemies or racially undesirable.

1.Which statement about the Nazis’ rise to power is accurate?

The Nazis won a majority of the vote in a free national election.
Hitler was appointed chancellor by President Hindenburg in January 1933.
The Enabling Act was passed before the Reichstag Fire.
The Wall Street Crash took place after Hitler became chancellor.

2.Use the timeline to decide which event happened earliest: the Wall Street Crash, Hitler’s appointment as chancellor, or the Enabling Act.

3.Explain one way the Great Depression helped the Nazis gain support between 1929 and 1932.

4.Complete the sentence: The March 1933 law that enabled Hitler’s government to make laws without the Reichstag was the .

5.The Nazis came to power through a single election victory in which they won more than half of the vote.

TrueFalse

Nazi rule, persecution and war

Use accurate examples and make clear distinctions between policies, events and consequences.

6.Match each Nazi measure to its main purpose.

Nuremberg Laws (1935)
Strength Through Joy
Compulsory sterilisation law (1933)

Organised workers’ leisure as part of the German Labour Front’s control of working life.
Targeted people the regime labelled as having hereditary illnesses.
Excluded Jewish people from citizenship and prohibited marriage between Jews and people classified as German or related blood.

7.Explain how Nazi control of education or youth organisations could influence young people. Use one specific example.

8.What did the November 1938 pogrom known as Kristallnacht reveal about the nature of Nazi persecution?

9.To what extent was Nazi foreign policy responsible for the outbreak of the Second World War in Europe in 1939? Give a reasoned judgement using at least two pieces of evidence.

10.Plan an answer to: “Economic factors were the most important reason for Nazi electoral success between 1929 and 1932.” Note one argument supporting the claim, one alternative factor, and a judgement.