I Weimar, the ThirdReich and Post-War Germany

second edition

DAVID EVANS & JANE JENKINS

i, HODDEREDUCATION

AN HACHETTE UK COMPANY

t::;:::::=yContents

List ofTables Vlll

List of Maps xList of Diagrams xList of Illustrations xiList of Profiles xuAcknowledgements Xli

Prefaee: How to use this book XIV

1. Using Sourees XIV

2. Answering Souree Based Questions xv3. Answering Essay Questions xvu4. Synoptie Questions XIX

5. Coursework Assignments xx6. Making Notes xx

THE BIRTH OF THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC 1Introduetion 1

1. Early Progress 12. A Failed Peaee Initiative and the First Signs ofUnrest 23. The Events of 1918and the End of the War 54. The Start of the 'German Revolution' 65. The Origin of Dolchstoßtheorie (the 'Stab-in-the-Baek'

T~or0 86. Germany Under Threat 97. The Eleetion of the First Constituent Assembly 138. The Constitution ofthe Weimar Republie 159. The Treaty ofVersailles 20

10. Bibliography 2611. Topies for Diseussion and Two- Part Essay Questions 2612. Making Notes 27

2 THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC - THE EARLY YEARS 1920-3 29Introduetion 29

1. An Ominous Beginning 292. The Kapp Putsch, Mareh 1920 303. Mob Violenee and Politieal Slayings 334. Years of Ongoing Crises, 1920-4 365. The Oecupation of the Ruhr 386. German Eeonomie Collapse - the Tragedy of

Hyperinflation 417. Foreign Poliey 438. The Chaneellorship of Gustav Stresemann 459. Bibliography 48

10. Discussion Topies and Two-Part Essay Questions 48

iv YEARS OF WEIMAR, THE THIRD REICH AND POST- WAR GERMANY

11. Single Source Exercise on the Impact ofHyperinflationon Germany 49

3 THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC-

YEARS OF CHALLENGE 1924-8 50Introduction 50

1. The National Socialist Movement 502. AdolfHitler 553. The Munich Putsch, November 1923 584. Aftermath ofMunich - Charges ofHigh Treason 605. Mein Kampf 626. The Nazi Party during Hitler's Imprisonment 667. Weimar Politics, 1923-8 678. Towards Economic Recovery 729. Stresemann and German Foreign Policy 72

10. Hitler and the Nazi Party - 'the Wilderness Years' 7511. Weimar Society and Culture - Years ofIllusion 7812. Bibliography 8013. Discussion Topics and Essay Questions 8014. Multi-Source Documentary Exercise on the Munich

Putsch ofNovember 1923 81

4 THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC - YEARS OF CRISIS 1928-33 831. An Electoral Blow for the Nazis 832. Müller's Grand Coalition, 1928-30 843. The Young Plan, 1929 854. Growing Economic Problems and the Fall ofMüller's

Coalition 875. The Death of Gustav Stresemann, October 1929 886. The Coming of the Great Depression 887. The Brüning Years, March 1930- May 1932 908. Hindenburg versus Hitler - the Presidential Election of

1932 939. The Fall of Brüning 94

10. The Reichswehr and the Republic 9511. Disaster Looms - the Governments ofVon Papen and

Von Schleicher 9812. Von Papen's Revenge - Hitler Offered the Chancellorship 10313. An Issue Considered: How was it Possible for the Nazis

to Come to Power in Germany in 1933? 10414. Bibliography 10715. Discussion Topics and Interpretative Essay Questions 10816. Two Source Documentary Exercise on the Intrigue

Surrounding the Events of]anuary 1933 109

5 THE NAZIS COME TO POWER 111Introduction 111

1. Prelude to Power 1122. The Reichstag Fire 113

Contents v

3. 5 March Election 1164. Electoral Support for the NSDAP 1175. Hit1er's Attraction to the German People 1206. Who Were the Nazis? 1257. Hit1er, Chancellor ofGermany 1288. Bibliography 1309. Discussion Questions 130

10. Essay Questions 13111. An Interpretation ofthe Collapse ofWeimar Democracy 13112. Making Notes 13513. Documentary Exercise on the Reichstag Fire 136

6 THE NAZI CONSOLIOATION OF POWER 138Introduction 138

1. The Day of Potsdam 1382. The Enabling Law 1403. Gleichschaltung 1424. Reign ofTerror 1445. 'The Night ofthe Long Knives' - the Blood Purge ofJune

1934 1466. Death ofHindenburg 1497. Hit1er Secures his Dictatorship 1934-8 1518. Bibliography 1539. Discussion Questions 154

10. Essay Questions 15411. Making Notes 15512. Planning a Two- Part Question 156

7 AOOLF HITLER 1581. Hit1er's Personality 1582. The Nature ofHit1er's Leadership 1603. Hit1er - Master of the Third Reich or Weak Dictator? 1694. Reconciliation of Different Interpretations 1745. Hit1er's Role in Policy-making 1756. Hit1er's Aims 1797. Hit1er - Revolutionary or Counter-revolutionary? 1818. Impact ofthe War on the Character ofHit1er and the

Nature ofhis Regime 1839. Bibliography 186

10. Discussion Questions 18711. Essay Questions 18712. Making N otes 18813. Multi Source Documentary Exercise on Hit1er and his

Regime 1943-5 188

8 THE NAZI STATE 1911. Historians' Assessments of the Government of the

Third Reich 1912. Political Realities in 1933 193

vi YEARS OF WEIMAR, THE THIRD REICH AND POST-WAR GERMANY

3. Developments in the Civil Service and Legal System1933-45 195

4. Developments in State-Party Relations 1933-45 1975. The Relationship between the Regime and the Army

1933-45 2036. The SS Empire - a 'State Within aState' 1933-45 2137. The Relationship between the Regime and the Churches

1933-45 2258. Bibliography 2369. Discussion Questions 237

10. Essay Questions 23711. Making Notes 23812. Planning an Essay 240

9 NATIONAL SOCIALIST PHILOSOPHY AND IDEOLOGY 242Introduction 242

1. Main Themes in Hitler's Ideology 2442. Conc1usion 2573. Bibliography 2584. Discussion Questions 2595. Essay Questions 2596. Making Notes 2607. Multi Source Documentary Exercise on Nazi Ideology

and Philosophy 260

10 HITLER'S VOLKSGEMEINSCHAFT 2631. The Nature of German Society in 1933 2652. The Role of'the National Community' in Ideology and

Propaganda 2683. Success of the Regime in Creating a 'Pure'

Volksgemeinschaft 2714. Success in Creating a 'United' Volksgemeinschaft based

on Social Conformity 2855. Success in Creating a Peasant-based Volksgemeinschaft 2946. Success in Creating a Classless Volksgemeinschaft 2977. Bibliography 3028. Discussion Questions 3029. Essay Questions 303

10. Making Notes 303

11 OPPOSITION TO THE NAZIS 305Introduction 3051., Widerstand - Resistance 3052. The Nature ofResistance to the Nazi Regime 3063. Resistance Organisations 3104. Attempts on Hitler's Life 3125. Operation Valkyrie - the July Plot 3136. The Significance of the July Plot 3177. An Evaluation ofGerman Resistance to the Nazi Regime 3188. Bibliography 3209. Discussion Topics and Two-Part Essay Questions 321

10. Making Notes 32111. Single-Source Documentary Exercise on the Nature of

German Resistance to the Nazi Regime 322

12 EDUCATION AND CULTURE IN NAZI GERMANY 3231. 'Nazi Control ofEducation 3232. The Hitler Youth 3273. An Assessment ofNazi Education and Youth Policies 3294. Nazi Culture 3305. The Media 3316. Art and Architecture 3337. Literature, Music and the Theatre 3348. On Matters of Morals 3369. Bibliography 338

10. Discussion Topics and Essay Questions 33811. Single Source Documentary Exercise on the Hitler Youth 339

13 THE GERMAN ECONOMY UNDER THE THIRD REICH 340Introduction 340

1. Germany's Economic Condition in 1933 3402. Hitler's Response to the Economic Catastrophe 3423. The Role ofSchacht in Germany's Economic Recovery

1933-7 3444. The Role ofGöring in Germany's Economic Recovery

1936-9 3465. Policies to Achieve Economic Recovery 1933-9 3486. Relationship between the Regime and Big Business 3607. Limitations to the Regime's Achievements 3658. Bibliography 3689. Discussion Questions 369

10. Essay Questions 36911. Making Notes 36912. Multi Source Documentary Exercise on the Regime's

Economic Recovery to 1939 370

14 NAZI FOREIGN POLICY 373Introduction 373

1. Hitler's Foreign Policy 3752. A Cautious Start 3773. July 1934, First Moves towards Anschluss 3794. Versailles Challenged 3815. Germany and Italy: A Realignment in the Balance of

Power in Europe 3846. From Caution to Naked Aggression 3877. The Czech Crisis, 1938 3918. 1939 - the Prelude to War 3969. Bibliography 399

10. Discussion Topics and an Interpretative Essay Question 40011. Documentary Exercise on German Foreign Policy

during the 1930s 401

Contents vii

viii YEARS OF WEIMAR, THE THIRD REICH AND POST- WAR GERMANY

15 HITLER'S WAR 403Introduction 403

1. The War in Outline 4032. Hitler as a Military Commander 4163. Inside Nazi Germany - the War Years 4174. Impact ofHitler's War Plans on the German Economy 4205. The Role of Albert Speer as Minister of Armaments

1942-5 4236. Impact ofWar on the Supply ofLabour 4267. Impact ofWar on the People 4308. Europe under the Nazis 4319. The Resistance 434

10. The Climax of the Holocaust - the Final Solution 43611. The Final Collapse of the Third Reich 44312. Bibliography 44513. Discussion Topics and Essay Questions 44514. Single Source Documentary Exercise on the Battle

of Stalingrad 44615. Synoptic Questions 447

16 POST-WAR GERMANY 4481. The Yalta and Potsdam Conferences, 1945 4482. The Condition ofPost-war Germany 4503. The Processes of Denazification and Democratisation 4524. The Nuremberg Trials 4525. Germany and the Start of the Cold War 4576. Structured and Essay Questions 4607. Documentary Exercise on the Nuremberg Trials, 1946 461

17. THE Two GERMANIES AND THE EVENTS LEADING TO

REUNIFICATION 4631. The German Federal Republic 4632. The German Democratic Republic 4703. West Germany After Adenauer 4744. Bibliography 4815. Structured and Essay Questions 4826. Making Notes 4837. Documentary Exercise on the Berlin Wall 483

Glossary Summary 485Index 487

~ LIST OF TABLES ~Table 1Table 2Table 3Table 4Table 5Table 6

Date chart of the origins of the Weimar Republic, 1918-23The Reichstag election of]anuary 1919Date chart ofthe domestic history of the Weimar Republic, 1920-3Governments ofthe Weimar Republic, February 1919- June 1920The Reichstag election of June 1920Governments of the Weimar Republic, June 1920- August 1923

41530353636

List of tables ix

Table 7Table 8Table 9Table 10Table 11Table 12Table 13Table 14Table 15Table 16Table 17Table 18Table 19Table 20Table 21Table 22Table 23Table 24Table25Table26Table 27Table 28Table 29Table 30Table 31Table 32Table 33Table 34Table 35Table 36Table 37Table 38Table 39Table 40Table 41Table 42Table 43Table 44Table45Table46Table47Table48

Table49Table 50Table 51Table 52Table 53Table 54

The decline in value of the German markThe price of a loaf ofbread in GermanyDate chart: Hitler and the Nazi Party - the early yearsGovernments of the Weimar Republic, November 1923 - June 1928The Reichstag election of May 1924The Reichstag election of December 1924The Presidential election of March/April 1925The economics of the Weimar Republic, 1919-28The Reichstag election of May 1928Governments ofthe Weimar Republic, rune 1928 - January 1933Date chart of the domestic history of the Weimar Republic, 1929-33The decline in exports and production, 1929-33The Reichstag election of September 1930The Presidential election of 1932The Reichstag election ofJuly 1932The Reichstag election ofNovember 1932Date chart of chief events in Hitler's accession to powerThe Reichstag election of 5 March 1933Growth in Nazi Party membership, 1924-45Social structure ofNazi Party membership, January 1933Age structure ofNazi Party members, January 1935Date chart of chief events in Hitler's consolidation of powerGrowth in number ofSS recruits, 1929-44Primary SS enterprises, Spring 1944Date chart of chief events in Hitler's People's CommunityDistribution of the population by economic activity, June 1933Numbers of marriages and live births in Germany, 1932-7Welfare policies and their aimsDate chart: opposition to the NazisDate chart: education and culture in Nazi GermanyMembership ofNazi youth organisations, 1932-8Date chart of chief events in the economy, 1933-9Contributions to the NSDAP and net profits ofLG. Farben, 1933-9Government expenditure, 1932-8Public expenditure by category, 1928-38Relative growth of producer and consumer goods in Germany, 1929-38Economic recovery and its impact on unemployment, 1928-38Revenue and costs of agriculture, 1928-39German production increases in the sphere of the Second Four Year PlanKlein's estimates of armament expenditure, 1933-9Comparison of German and British military expenditure, 1933-9Percentage of German industriallabour forces working on orders for the armedforces by 1939Select statistics comparing German and British war effort by 1939Profits in German firms, 1933-7Real wages and private consumption in Germany, 1932-8 compared with 1928Date chart: Nazi foreign policyThe bombing of Germany: raids of strategic importanceSelect statistics on the German and British war effort, 1939-44

4142556869707173838485909294

101101113117126126127140219221263267287290306324328341347349350350351352355357358

359359364366374411421

X YEARS OF WEIMAR, THE THIRD REICH AND POST- WAR GERMANY

Table 55Table 56

Table 57Table 58Table 59Table 60Table 61Table62Table 63Table 64Table 65

5elect statistics on the German labour force, May 1939 - May 1943Percentage of German industriallabour forces working on orders for the armedforces,1939-43The employment of foreign labour in the economy as a whole, 1939-44Major Nazi atrocities against civiliansDeath toll of the campsThe fate of lews in Germany and German-occupied EuropeThe verdicts on the leading Nazis tried at NurembergWest Germany's major political partiesWest German election of August 1949 - resultChancellors of the German Federal RepublicDDR heads of state (1960-90)

bA LIST OF MAPS bA

426

427429435440440455464464465472

Map1Map2Map3Map4Map5

Map6Map7Map8Map9MaplOMap 11Map 12Map 13Map 14

Map 15Map 16

Germany in revolution - the mutinies and riots of October 1918 - ]anuary 1919 7The Länder, and Prussia and its provinces under Weimar 17Germany and the Treaty ofVersailles, 1919 22Hitler and the Nazi Party - the early years 67Analysis of the strength of support for the Nazi Party by electoral district inReichstag elections, 1924-32 123Religious divide of Germany 226Germany's territorial ambitions and acquisitions 251Economic activity in Germany by electoral district in the 1920s 269The German occupation of Czechoslovakia 393Germany's expansion, 1933-9 395Hitler's War: early successes and the conquest ofEurope 407The turning ofthe tide: retreat and collapse ofthe Third Reich 415Greater Germany and territories occupied by the Nazis 432Distribution ofNazi concentration camps and 55 enterprises based on slave labourfrom the camps 439The post-war division of Germany and the revised frontiers ofPoland 449The map gives some idea of the intricate measures used by the Allies to ensureregular flights along the air-corridors into West Berlin 459

bA LIST OF DIAGRAMS bA

Diagram 1Diagram2Diagram 3Diagram 4DiagramSDiagram 6Diagram 7

Diagram 8Diagram 9Diagram 10Diagram 11

The political outlook of the partiesThe N5DAP share of the vote in Reichstag elections, 1924-33The structure of the Nazi PartyThe 55 organisationAnalysis ofNazi Party membership by social grouping, 1930-2The organisation of the Second Four Year PlanA graph showing real wages and private consumption in Germany, 1932-8compared with 1928Military expenditure in Germany, 1932-8Size ofthe German army, 1933-8German aircraft production 1933-9A comparison of the percentage of German and British women in employment1939-45

14111199218268348

367380380380

430

Picture 1Picture 2Picture 3Picture 4

Picture 5Picture 6Picture 7Pictures

8-10Picture 11Picture 12Picture 13Picture 14

Picture 15

Picture 16Pictures

17-18Picture 19Picture 20Pictures

21-24Picture 25

Picture 26Picture 27Picture 28Picture 29Picture 30Picture 31Picture 32Picture 33

Picture 34Pictures

35-36Picture 37Picture 38Picture 39Picture 40Picture 41Picture 42Picture 43Picture 44Picture 45

List of illustrations xi

.- LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS .-

The Kaiser with Field Marshals Hindenburg and Ludendorff in 1917 3A satirical cartoon by George Grosz shows the savagery of the Freikorps 11The German delegation at Versailles 24A Punch cartoon of 1920 ridicules the German re action to the Allied demand forreparations 39A German cartoon of 1923 with the caption 'Hands off the Ruhr' 40German banknotes and stamps of the period ofhyperinflation 41Gustav Stresemann 46AdolfHitler as a baby, Hitler's parents, Alois and Klara Hitler 56

A cartoon of 1924 shows Ludendorff and Hitler ranting from Munich beer-mugs 61The Author's Preface to Mein Kampf 63A painting by OUo Dix illustrates the high life and corruption ofWeimar Germany 79A German cartoon of the 1920s portrays young girls challenging long-establishedconventions 80A cartoon from the German satirical magazine Simplicissimus showing Hitler ridinginto Berlin 82Nazi supporters campaigning for Hitler during the Presidential election of 1932 99Electioneering posters of the Social Democrat and Nationalist parties 100

Hitler takes command: the Nazi Party leadership poses for a victory photograph 112The Reichstag building in flames on the night of27 February 1933 115Aseries ofNazi election propaganda posters 121

A cartoon from the Evening Standard, 3 July 1934, showing Hitler, Gäring andGoebbels turning on the SA 149Herman Gäring 164Heinrich Himmler 165Joseph Goebbels 166RudolfHess 166Reinhard Heydrich 167Martin Bormann 168Albert Speer 168Hitler and Himmler review the Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler at the Nazi Party Rallyof1935 215Examples of'ideal Aryan features' by Oskar Just and Wolf gang Willrich 247Propaganda images ofHitler's Volksgemeinschaft 270

Girls of the Bund Deutscher Mädel exercising on the Baltic coast 290Hitler and Goebbels at table eating the Eintopfgericht or one-pot meal 291Brother and sister Hans and Sophie Scholl, student members of the Weiße Rose 312Claus von Stauffenberg 315The interior of the execution chamber at Plotzensee 317Education, Nazi style - Jewish boys are ridiculed during a lesson on race 326Hitler and Leni Riefenstahl 333Joachim von Ribbentrop, the German Foreign Minister 383Cartoon from the Washington Star of9 October 1939, 'Wonder How Long theHoneymoon Will Last?' 398

xii YEARS OF WEIMAR, THE THIRD REICH AND POST-WAR GERMANY

Picture 46Picture 47

Picture 48Picture 49Picture 50Picture 51

Picture 52

Picture 53Picture 54Picture 55Picture 56Picture 57Picture 58

Picture 59

'What next?' A cartoon in the St Louis Post- Dispatch of 25 September 1938 401A Punch cartoon of 1944 shows Hitler suffering sleepless nights as he anticipates theAllied invasion 410Auschwitz death camp as it is today 441Hitler with his mistress, Eva Braun 444German families being expelled from their hornes in Poland 450Cologne cathedral stands amongst the ruins of the city following the first thousandbomber raid carried out by the RAF in May 1942 451Cartoon from the St Louis Post-Dispatch, of April 1945, 'Witnesses forthe Prosecution' 453Unter den Linden - the legacy ofNazi Germany 457The Berlin Wall, looking towards the Brandenburg Gate 469East German youths throwing stones at a Russian tank in 1953 472The emblem of the Rote Armee Fraktion 474Willy Brandt paying homage to the victims of the Warsaw Ghetto 478East Germans take to the streets to demonstrate against the DDR's communistgovernment in 1989 480East and West Germans meet on top ofthe Berlin Wall 480

.- LIST OF PROFILES .-

The Kaiser's Warlords: Hindenburg (1847-1934) and Ludendorff (1865-1937)Wolfgang Kapp (1858-1922)Gustav Stresemann (1878-1929)Alfred Rosenberg (1893-1946)Heinrich Brüning (1885-1970)Franz von Papen (1879-1969)The Strass er Brothers - Gregor (1892-1934) and Qtto (1897-1974)Herman Göring (1893-1946)Heinrich Himmler (1900-1945)Joseph Goebbels (1898-1945)RudolfHess (1894-1987)Reinhard Heydrich (1904-1942)Martin Borman (1900-?1945)Albert Speer (1905-1983)Werner von Fritsch (1880-1939)Constantin von Neurath (1873-1956)Walter von Reichenau (1884-1942)Ludwig Müller (1883-1945)Martin Niemöller (1892-1964)Claus von Stauffenberg (1907-1944)Bernhard Rust (1883-1945)Hjalmar Schacht (1877-1970)Joachim von Ribbentrop (1893-1946)Konrad Adenauer (1876-1967)Walter Ulbricht (1893-1973) and Erich Honecker (1912-1994)

23146669198

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