F7 From Second Reich to Third Reich - The Student Room

Access to History Online Edexcel Unit 1 – F7 From Second Reich to Third Reich:Germany, 1918–45Edexcel – AS GCEUnit 1: HistoricalThemes in BreadthOption FF7 From Second Reich to ThirdReich: Germany, 1918–45General advicefor Unit 1General Advice for Unit 1Approaching Unit 1Unit 1 answers require you to produce a reasoned, analytical essay that comes to ajudgement as to extent, significance, importance etc. To reach a Level 5 answer of25–30 marks you need to write an evaluative or integrated essay that answers theessay question set, showing direct understanding and backed up by detailed,accurate supporting evidence spread across the time period specified. You will almostcertainly need to achieve at least one high Level 4 and a Level 5 answer to gain an Agrade.Most candidates produce an essay which provides some of the above qualities butnot all, achieving at least Level 3 (starting at 13 marks). You will almost certainlyneed to produce two Level 3 answers to gain an E grade.The key to gaining a good grade is to try to produce an essay with all the requiredqualities. However, before you can write your essay it is essential that you knowyour topic. In the specification (exam guidelines) each topic is divided into four bulletpoints across a specified period of time. You need to revise all the information foryour topic because the questions asked can be about the whole topic, a theme fromone or more of the bullet points or from only one of the bullet points. It is also veryimportant that you know the key dates for your topic (see the Chronology) so thatyou can understand why questions begin and end with certain dates or how they canbe used as supporting evidence in your essays. All answers from Level 3 upwardsrequire some accuracy of factual knowledge and a high Level 4 or Level 5 requiresthat the supporting evidence you use is securely accurate – so you must learn whathappened and when.Only then will you be able to explain why historical events happened or thesignificance of those events in a reasoned, analytical essay.What should I try to do to produce a higher-level answer?1. Answer the question asked. Make sure that you read the question carefullyand that you know exactly what you are being asked to do. Highlight the fourmain parts of the essay: the instruction, the given factor, the focus, thetime period.How far do you agree that the Great Depression was the main reasonfor the increased support for the Nazi Party in the years 1929-1933?Use this to help you plan your answer.© Hodder Education 2010. This material may be downloaded and copied free ofcharge, but only for distribution within the subscribing institution.

Access to History Online Edexcel Unit 1 – F7 From Second Reich to Third Reich:Germany, 1918–452. Write a brief introduction. You only have about 35 minutes to write youressay once you have planned it, so your introduction needs to show that youunderstand the question and outline what your answer is going to be.3. Discuss the given factor or named event/individual/idea directly. Ananswer which briefly mentions the given factor in a few sentences and thendiscusses several other important factors is attempting analysis and so canonly reach Level 3. For questions which require you to show extent, you needto show how the given factor contributed to the focus and compare it to otherfactors. Depending on how important you think the given factor is, you shouldwrite at least one detailed paragraph and usually two about the suggestedfactor. If you think it is the most important factor, then explain why it is moreimportant than other factors. If you think that it is one of many, then showhow different factors are connected to each other. If the question requiresyou to discuss significance, then explain the extent to which the individual orevent affected what happened.4. Begin each paragraph by making a point which helps to answer thequestion. Your opening sentences should not tell the story. You need tomake sure that each of your points stands up – you need to providesupporting and explanatory evidence. A good rule to follow is to provide up tothree factual examples with explanation to prove each point. You cannotinclude everything in an essay of about 35 minutes but make sure that yourparagraphs provide some alternative factors or counter-arguments and thatthe whole time period set in the question is covered.5. You must come to a judgement in your conclusion. To gain a high Level4 or Level 5 you need to evaluate your response and come to a judgement. Inyour conclusion you should answer the question asked, with reference to thepoints you have made in the paragraphs. All the questions require you to givesome weighting in your answer. You need to say exactly how important, howsignificant, how responsible etc. the given factor is, e.g. the Great Depressionwas undoubtedly a significant factor in persuading many ordinary Germans tosupport the Nazis through promises of jobs and an increase in livingstandards. However, it was the variety of different promises made to manydifferent sections of German society that won them such widespread support.It is important to remember that even though you may know how to answer thetypes of questions set in Unit 1 your supporting evidence must be detailed, wellreasoned and accurate. A generalised answer, or one which does not have whollyrelevant or secure supporting evidence, is a Level 3 answer.Edexcel – AS GCEUnit 1: HistoricalThemes in BreadthF7 From Second Reich to ThirdReich: Germany, 1918–45Essay Question© Hodder Education 2010. This material may be downloaded and copied free ofcharge, but only for distribution within the subscribing institution.

Access to History Online Edexcel Unit 1 – F7 From Second Reich to Third Reich:Germany, 1918–45Option FExaminer’s Specific AdviceSee General Advice for Unit 1 for more detail.The mark scheme for Unit 1 questions tests your ability to explain historicalexplanations and reach a judgment.To enable you to do this, you should ensure that you:decode the question – identify what it wants you to do, the key issue, thefocus and the chronological rangeplan your answer briefly – a high-level response has good organisationanswer directly the question askedwrite in well-constructed paragraphsuse effective supporting evidence – relevant and accurate with good (but notextensive) detailwrite a conclusion with a judgement answering the question.DecodeIn this case you are being asked to focus on the reasons for the rise in electoralsupport for the Nazis – time period 1928–32 – responsibility of the economic slump(agricultural slump before the Great Depression, growing economic difficulty before1929 plus the effects of the Wall Street Crash).Exemplar QuestionHow far was the economic slump in Germany responsible for the rise in electoralsupport for the Nazi Party in the years 1928–32?(30 marks)Planning your responseIf you are going to divide your time equally between each of the questions, the mosttime you can spend on each question is 40 minutes. You may think that this meansyou do not have enough time to plan your response. In reality it means you mustorganise your answer well (as you cannot write everything you know about the issue)and should spend up to 5 minutes considering how you are going to organise theexplanation and judgement you are going to give.1) Briefly answer the question in no more than 1–3 sentences. To do this,imagine that someone has asked you to answer the question without anysupporting detail. Make this the basis of your introduction.2) Make a list of 5–8 points/explanations that you want to make to create adiscussion. You could divide them into points for and points against.3) If you feel you have enough time, you could develop the links between pointsor jot down some evidence that you might use in support.© Hodder Education 2010. This material may be downloaded and copied free ofcharge, but only for distribution within the subscribing institution.

Access to History Online Edexcel Unit 1 – F7 From Second Reich to Third Reich:Germany, 1918–45PlanBrief answer: A very important underlying reason for electoral support but in fact itwas a combination of factors including disappointment with Weimar, weaknesses inthe Weimar constitution and the organisation and leadership of the Nazi Partymachine during this period.Economic slump very important – agricultural support from 1928, growingemployment problems led to political extremes, effects of Wall St Crash,unemploymentWeimar unable to deal with the problems – look to other partiesGrowing legitimate organisationManifesto appealAppeal of Hitler himselfConclusion – combination of factorsExaminer’s Exemplar Answer 1In the period 1928–1932 the Nazi Party increased itssupport tremendously. By 1932 it had the largestsupport in elections. The economic slump led tounemployment (1) and the Nazis promised to find jobs.There were other reasons why people supported theNazis as well (2).The Wall Street Crash in 1929 brought problems forGermany (3). The Germans had to pay back loans fromother countries and there was unemployment andhyperinflation (4). The government was unable to paypeople unemployment benefit. This meant that manyGermans were unhappy with the Weimar Republic. TheNazis promised to give people jobs. As unemploymentrose to 6 million by 1932 so the support for the Nazisgrew (5).Many different types of Germans were affected by theGreat Depression (6). Workers lost their jobs, farmerswere affected by prices and the middle-class standard ofliving went down. The Nazis promised to help theworkers by giving people jobs, help farmers byproducing more food in Germany and improvestandards of living. All of these things increased thepopularity of the Nazis over time. As the GreatDepression went on, they became more and morepopular (7).However, there were other factors which helped theNazis to gain support (8). The Weimar Republic wasweak from the start. There were many coalitiongovernments, which meant that politicians did not agree(1) Already there is anindication that the studentis potentially unsure of thefocus of the question –support or electoralsupport.(2) This suggests that theanswer will show someanalysis – the economicslump is acknowledged andother reasons are hinted atbut not specified.(3) Begins with economicissues – but assumes thatthe economic slump is theWall Street Crash.(4) This is a common errorfor a Level 3 answer –hyperinflation was not afeature of the economicslump from 1928.(5) Sufficiently securesupporting evidence forLevel 3 and connected toelectoral support.(6) An attempt to showthat different economicproblems brought support© Hodder Education 2010. This material may be downloaded and copied free ofcharge, but only for distribution within the subscribing institution.

Access to History Online Edexcel Unit 1 – F7 From Second Reich to Third Reich:Germany, 1918–45and could not make decisions. There was Article 48,which meant that the President could make laws withoutparliament. All these things meant that the WeimarRepublic could not deal with problems. They also couldnot deal with the violence between the Nazis and theCommunists (9).Another reason why the Nazis gained support wasbecause the Nazis were well organised (10). WhenHitler came out of jail they decided to stand in elections.In 1928 they gained 12 seats in the elections because ofproportional representation. They organised meetingsand Hitler travelled around the country by plane to meetas many people as possible. In 1930 Goebbels began apropaganda campaign which produced posters andinformation which gave different messages to differentpeople (11). The Nazis also used intimidation andviolence in the streets (12). By the end of 1930 theNazis had 107 seats (13).Hitler himself was increasingly popular (14). He wasable to put forward Nazi ideas when he was put on trialafter the Munich Putsch. Hitler’s public speaking skillswere very persuasive and many people supported theNazis after listening to him speak. Hitler’s speechesagainst the Versailles Treaty, promising to makeGermany great again and to ignore the agreements,won support from many people. Hitler became evenmore popular after he led a campaign against the YoungPlan, which reduced reparations in 1929. By 1932 Hitlerwas able to challenge Hindenburg in the presidentialelection (15).So the economic slump did persuade many people tovote for the Nazi Party especially those who wereunemployed. However, the Nazis were very organisedand Hitler was popular which also gained support (16).Examiner’s AssessmentThis is a typical mid to high Level 3 answer. It has someattributes of Level 2 with some simple statements butalso the multi-factored nature of the answer couldindicate a low Level 4. However, there is an attempt atanalysis, a range of factors and adequate supportingevidence, which puts the answer into Level 3. Inparticular, the response shows some understanding ofthe focus of the question but this is not well related. Thequestion refers to the economic slump rather than justthe effects of the Great Depression and the emphasis ison the rise in electoral support rather than popularity.This focus is a mixture of Nazi popularity and electoralfrom different types ofgroups.(7) Implies electoralsupport throughpopularity.(8) Reference to otherfactors.(9) Typical Level 3supporting evidence aboutthe Weimar Republic –generalised statementsabout problems but lackingdetail from the 1928–32period.(10) Introduces anotherfactor.(11) The supportingevidence here is morerelevant to the 1928–32time period.(12) A new aspect isintroduced.(13) The concludingstatement refers toelectoral gain.(14) Another factor isintroduced through astatement but emphasis ison popularity rather thanelectoral support.(15) Finishes withreference to elections.(16) The conclusion showsan understanding of thefocus of the question withreference to votes andidentifies other factors.© Hodder Education 2010. This material may be downloaded and copied free ofcharge, but only for distribution within the subscribing institution.

Access to History Online Edexcel Unit 1 – F7 From Second Reich to Third Reich:Germany, 1918–45the anti-Young Plan referendum. In 1931 ChancellorBruning began to pass economic legislation throughdecree, which undermined the Weimar democracy, andthe Nazis became part of the Harzburg coalition of rightwingpolitical parties and industrialists attempting toundermine Bruning’s government (25).The Nazis themselves organised increasingly effectivemodern election campaigns to attract voters (26). Inparticular, after Goebbels took control of propaganda in1930, the Nazi Party rallies, mass meetings and postersattempted to attract as many supporters as possible.The Nazis also organised locally including setting upyouth organisations. Hitler used cars and aeroplanes tovisit as much of Germany as possible. This was,however, combined with the threat of violence as theSA clashed with KPD supporters on the streets using‘propaganda by deed’. Some people undoubtedly votedNazi through fear.The Nazis also attracted a wide range of support. Theconsequences of the economic slump did persuademany to vote Nazi especially after 1929 with promisesto provide jobs for workers, land for peasants and helpfor small shopkeepers but they also attracted othergroups as well (27). They had strong nationalistsupport, appealed to the Protestant vote and attractedthose who were anti-socialist. The 25-point NSDAPprogramme seemed to appeal in some way to a largemajority of Germans.Finally, there was the appeal of Hitler himself. Even withHindenburg as President, the coalition Weimar leadersappeared weak and the economic slump only made thisworse (28). Hitler seemed to promise strong anddecisive leadership. He was a superb public speaker andseemed to have a charismatic appeal to many,particularly the young. Albert Speer claimed that it wasafter hearing Hitler speak that he was attracted to Naziideals.The economic slump provided the foundations for therise of the Nazi Party between 1928 and 1932. Theproblems which began in the agricultural depression andwere made worse by the events of 1929 allowed theNazis to promise a better future for Germany. So inmany ways it was responsible but the weakness of theWeimar Republic made it possible for the Nazis tolaunch their campaigns and the effective organisationallowed the Party to exploit the economic situation.Hitler was able to appear as a strong leader in a time ofindecision (29).(25) Detailed supportingevidence from the timeperiod.(26) Introduces a newfactor – Nazi electionorganisation.(27) Returns to the rangeof support from an earlierpoint – perhaps a littlerepetitive.(28) The appeal of Hitler islinked to the economicslump.(29) Judgement clearlyplaces the answer in Level5 – it is related to thediscussion in the body of© Hodder Education 2010. This material may be downloaded and copied free ofcharge, but only for distribution within the subscribing institution.

Access to History Online Edexcel Unit 1 – F7 From Second Reich to Third Reich:Germany, 1918–45Examiner’s Assessmentthe essay itself.This is a mid to high Level 5 response. It directlyaddresses the responsibility of the economic slump foran increase in electoral support. The answer suggeststhat the economic slump was responsible for theincrease but that this was combined with factors whichmade the increase remarkable. There is a cleardiscussion of the role of the economic slump, which isthen integrated into the other factors. The supportingevidence is particular to the time period of 1928–32 andhas some detail. The conclusion reaches a judgementwhich is supported in the main body of the essay.This answer may seem a little long but good Level 4 andLevel 5 answers are generally between 750 and 1000words – between three and five sides of writing inmedium-size handwriting. Level 3 answers are generallybetween 500 and 750 words.Edexcel – AS GCEUnit 1: HistoricalThemes in BreadthOption FF7 From Second Reich to ThirdReich: Germany, 1918–45Mark SchemeApplying the mark schemeWhen using summative marking, it is important to recognise that neither the Leveldescriptors nor the marks equate to an absolute grade. Candidates answer twoquestions and the combined marks are used to determine the grade. Gradeboundaries change slightly from year to year. However, candidates should be aimingto write at least two mid Level 3 essays to pass.When examiners are marking they do not know what the grade boundaries are goingto be and mark each essay according to the Level descriptors. The Level descriptorsdescribe the qualities of an essay required at each Level. Each Level, in Unit 1, isdivided into three bands – High, Mid and Low. The marker will decide what Leveldescriptor the essay best fits and then work from the mid-band mark up or downdepending on the quality of the reasoning, supporting evidence and writtencommunication.Remember that written communication is rewarded in Unit 1 and although you wouldnot be marked down a Level you can lose marks within a Level for poor writtencommunication. It is possible for this to result in a grade reduction overall.© Hodder Education 2010. This material may be downloaded and copied free ofcharge, but only for distribution within the subscribing institution.

Access to History Online Edexcel Unit 1 – F7 From Second Reich to Third Reich:Germany, 1918–45So it is very important that you know what Level your essay has achieved. This wayyou can try to improve your essays by improving your work either within a Level orby stepping up a Level.Level descriptors – bandsEach Level is worth 6 marks and is divided into three bands worth 2 marks each. Themarkers decide which Level descriptor the essay best fits. If the essay has clearweak or strong elements, then the examiner will give a mark below or above themid-band mark. The band levels for each Level are awarded in the same way:Low bandThe qualities of Level X are displayed; material is less convincing in its range anddepth.Mid bandAs the Level X descriptor.High bandThe qualities of Level X are securely displayed; material is convincing in range anddepth consistent with Level X.How far was the economic slump in Germany responsible for the rise in electoralsupport for the Nazi Party in the years 1928–32?(30 marks)Target: AO1a and AO1bLevel 1Candidates will produce mainly simple statements. These willbe supported by limited factual material which has someaccuracy and relevance, although not directed at the focus ofthe question. The material will be mostly generalised. Therewill be few, if any, links between the simple statements.The writing may have limited coherence and will be generallycomprehensible, but passages will lack both clarity andorganisation. The skills needed to produce effective writingwill not normally be present. Frequent syntactical and/orspelling errors are likely to be present.Low Level 1: 1–2 marksThe qualities of Level 1 are displayed, but material is lessconvincing in its range/depth and the quality of writtencommunication does not conform.Mid Level 1: 3–4 marksThe qualities of Level 1 are displayed, but material is lessconvincing in its range/depth or the quality of writtencommunication does not conform.High Level 1: 5–6 marksThe qualities of Level 1 are securely displayed.Specific to exemplar questionA few generalised sentences about the rise in support for the(1–6)© Hodder Education 2010. This material may be downloaded and copied free ofcharge, but only for distribution within the subscribing institution.

Access to History Online Edexcel Unit 1 – F7 From Second Reich to Third Reich:Germany, 1918–45Nazi Party or the economic slump, e.g. the Nazis becamepopular because they promised to end unemployment; Hitlergained votes through his personal popularity; the coalitiongovernments found it difficult to keep control.It is possible, however, for candidates to write whole essayswith paragraphs that have completely misunderstood thefocus, the topic or the key events mentioned, e.g. thereference to the economic slump in this question mightprompt some candidates to write about the early years of theWeimar Republic 1919-24. Many candidates in this topicconfuse the 1919-24 period with the 1924-29 period.Level 2Level 3Candidates will produce a series of simple statementssupported by a limited amount of accurate and relevantmaterial, though this will be generalised and not specific.Links to the question will be implicit.The writing may lack clarity and organisation, but will begenerally comprehensible. It is also likely to contain frequentgrammatical and spelling errors.Low Level 2: 7–8 marksThe qualities of Level 2 are displayed, but material is lessconvincing in its range/depth and the quality of writtencommunication does not conform.Mid Level 2: 9–10 marksThe qualities of Level 2 are displayed, but material is lessconvincing in its range/depth or the quality of writtencommunication does not conform.High Level 2: 11–12 marksThe qualities of Level 2 are securely displayed.Specific to exemplar questionA few relevant paragraphs about the question or narrativewithout explanation. For example, paragraphs describing orbriefly commenting on the economic problems of the GreatDepression or the organisation of the Nazi Party and thedifferent groups who supported the Nazis. Also someresponses may have relevant paragraphs but include muchsupporting evidence which lacks security or is inaccurate.This topic often has a number of answers which containsignificant inaccuracies, which result in Level 2 answers.Candidates’ answers will consist of a series of statementssupported by accurate and relevant material. They willattempt analysis, but this is likely to be predominantlydescriptive. Answers which only deal with the stated factor,or which do not deal with stated factor, cannot go beyondLevel 3.The writing will be largely coherent, but some passages maylack clarity and proper organisation. Grammatical and(7–12)(13–18)© Hodder Education 2010. This material may be downloaded and copied free ofcharge, but only for distribution within the subscribing institution.

Access to History Online Edexcel Unit 1 – F7 From Second Reich to Third Reich:Germany, 1918–45spelling errors are likely to be present.Low Level 3: 13–14 marksThe qualities of Level 3 are displayed, but material is lessconvincing in its range/depth and the quality of writtencommunication does not conform.Mid Level 3: 15–16 marksThe qualities of Level 3 are displayed, but material is lessconvincing in its range/depth or the quality of writtencommunication does not conform.High Level 3: 17–18 marksThe qualities of Level 3 are securely displayed.Specific to exemplar questionLevel 3 should be considered as soon as the responseattempts to analyse, i.e. the answer is organised intoexplanatory paragraphs or explanatory narrative withreasonable supporting evidence. An answer could be ageneral narrative of the key events in the rise of the NaziParty or the effects of the economic slump with acommentary as to significance, or it could be a series ofexplanatory statements about the rise in support for the NaziParty with thin or irrelevant supporting evidence. If there isno or very brief reference to the economic slump, the highestmark that can be gained is 18.Level 4Candidates offer an analytical response, comprising a seriesof statements which relate well to the focus of the question.The answer will show some understanding of the key issuesraised by the question, and will be supported by detailed,accurate and relevant factual material. The essay may lackbalance in places.The writing will be well organised and focused. However, thismay not be maintained throughout the whole answer. Thewriting is likely to include some grammatical and spellingerrors.Specific to exemplar questionIf a response has clearly understood the focus of the questionand most of the material is developed and relevant, then it isa Level 4 answer. The response will address the effect of theeconomic slump on the support for the Nazi Party with somedepth of reference, e.g. the effects of the Great Depressionon employment; the problems providing social benefits; theagricultural slump from 1928; whilst suggesting other factorsand/or reasons why the economic slump was not whollyresponsible. Those answers which clearly imply reference tothe responsibility for the rise in electoral support throughimportance or in a conclusion only will move down from themid-band and those which are more direct and attempt someevaluation will move up. Other factors might be Hitler’spersonal popularity; the weaknesses of Weimar; the fear of(19–24)© Hodder Education 2010. This material may be downloaded and copied free ofcharge, but only for distribution within the subscribing institution.

Access to History Online Edexcel Unit 1 – F7 From Second Reich to Third Reich:Germany, 1918–45the left and the organisation of the Nazi Party.Level 5Candidates offer an analytical and balanced response,comprising a series of statements which demonstrate anexplicit understanding of the key issues raised by thequestion. Supporting material will be accurate, relevant andappropriately selected, demonstrating range and depth ofknowledge.The writing will be well organised, logical and focused. Thewriting may include some grammatical and spelling errors.Low Level 5: 25–26 marksThe qualities of Level 5 are displayed, but material is lessconvincing in its range/depth and the quality of writtencommunication does not conform.Mid Level 5: 27–28 marksThe qualities of Level 5 are displayed, but material is lessconvincing in its range/depth or the quality of writtencommunication does not conform.High Level 5: 29–30 marksThe qualities of Level 5 are securely displayed.Specific to exemplar questionThe response should directly refer to all or most of the keyelements to the question – the economic slump;responsibility; the rise in electoral support and the timeperiod 1928-32. The answer should focus on the role of thekey issue with other factors being compared in importance orgiving an integrated answer clearly showing how economicslump fits into the rise in electoral support, e.g. explain howthe economic slump was the most important factor but couldnot have been exploited without Nazi organisation andcampaigning, or explaining that the rise in electoral supportwas more complex. The emphasis should be on the degree towhich the economic slump was responsible but there shouldbe balance. It is important at Level 5 to reach a judgement.(25–30)A note about written communicationHere is a list of things you should try to do to ensure that problems with writtencommunication do not affect the mark you are given within a Level (this couldjeopardise your overall grade).1) Write in well organised paragraphs. An essay is a series of organisedparagraphs, each consisting of a number of sentences which are linkedtogether. A good essay will usually have a visual look of 6–8 blocks of writing.Many candidates write in single sentences or a couple of sentences at a time.It is difficult to see where one developed point ends and another starts. Somecandidates also write their main point in a single sentence and then leave a© Hodder Education 2010. This material may be downloaded and copied free ofcharge, but only for distribution within the subscribing institution.

Access to History Online Edexcel Unit 1 – F7 From Second Reich to Third Reich:Germany, 1918–45line before carrying on with the development. Some paragraphs are too longand should be split up.2) Use capital letters correctly. Many candidates do not use capital lettersconsistently and some do not even use them to begin sentences. Capitalletters are especially important for writing history because historians have touse so many proper nouns. The names of places, people and major eventsshould begin with a capital letter.3) Write using appropriate language. An essay is a formal piece of writing thatrequires the formal use of language. Your English lessons will have taught youthat you need to use the appropriate style and language for the task you aregiven. Try not to use ‘slang’ phrases or phrases that your teacher may haveused to liven up a lesson – translate these into more formal language.Definitely do not use text language – ‘2’, ‘u’, ‘8’ etc – even though you maycommunicate informally this way all the time.4) Try to spell accurately. Not everyone is great at spelling but you should tryto spell as accurately as possible. You should try to make sure that you canspell the key words, phrases and names for each of your options. If you findthis difficult, then you should at least try to be consistent, i.e. spell the sameword in the same way throughout the essay.It is not always easy to read through what you have written in an essay. However,if you have the time and you are ‘brave’ enough, many of these writtencommunication problems can be solved by re-reading the essay and makingamendments.Edexcel – AS GCEUnit 1: HistoricalThemes in BreadthOption FF7 From Second Reich to ThirdReich: Germany, 1918–45ChronologyChronology: Key Events in Germany, 1918–45Timelines are an excellent tool for historians. They help to establish chronology,historical patterns and change over time. However, timelines are also fluid. They canbe added to, shortened and edited to suit the purpose of the user. When you areprovided with a timeline in a textbook or on a site such as this, don’t just accept it asit is – check it to make sure the information is correct, highlight the most importantdates for the purposes you are using it for, annotate it, add information that youthink should be there etc.Use this timeline to plan for an essay, to revise, or as a skeleton from which to buildon your knowledge.1. Germany 1918–29© Hodder Education 2010. This material may be downloaded and copied free ofcharge, but only for distribution within the subscribing institution.

Access to History Online Edexcel Unit 1 – F7 From Second Reich to Third Reich:Germany, 1918–45Year Month Event1918 September German generals concede defeat to KaiserOctober Prince Max becomes Chancellor2 November Grand Fleet mutinies Kiel8 November Bavaria proclaimed socialist republic9 November Kaiser abdicates and republic proclaimed11 November Armistice signed (not the Treaty of Versailles)1919 1 January German Communist Party founded5 January Spartacist Uprising in BerlinFebruary National Constituent Assembly at Weimar; Ebertbecomes PresidentMarchBavarian Soviet republic declared (continued sporadicleft-wing disturbances to 1923)28 June Treaty of Versailles signed – War Guilt; loss of territoryand military; reparationsJulyWeimar Constitution adopted1920 (Continued political disturbances)MarchKapp Putsch fails1921 (Continued political disturbances)May Reparations agreed with Germany and fixed at £6,600million1922 (Continued political disturbances)Rathenau murderedAprilTreaty of Rapallo with Russia1923 January Franco-Belgian occupation of Ruhr; passive resistanceJanuary– Inflation crisis becomes hyper-inflationNovemberAugustStresemann appointed ChancellorNovember NSDAP Munich Beer Hall Putsch led by Hitler fails;Rentenmark implemented as new currency;Stresemann government falls but Stresemann remainsForeign Minister until 19291924 April Dawes Plan reorganises reparationsMayElection with extreme parties making gainsSeptember Dawes Plan begins implementationDecember Election with moderate parties regaining support1925 February President Ebert diesMayHindenburg elected PresidentOctober- Locarno Conference – agreement on western bordersDecember1926 April Treaty of Berlin signed with RussiaSeptember Germany allowed entry to League of Nations1927 (Economic problems begin to re-emerge)JulyUnemployment insurance law1928 May Elections with moderate gains; Muller’s GrandCoalition; Hugenberg leader of DNVPAugustKellogg-Briand Pact negotiatedOctober- Ruhr lockout – industrial unrest© Hodder Education 2010. This material may be downloaded and copied free ofcharge, but only for distribution within the subscribing institution.

Access to History Online Edexcel Unit 1 – F7 From Second Reich to Third Reich:Germany, 1918–45December1929 February Kellogg-Briand Pact accepted by GermanyJuneYoung Plan restructures reparation payments3 October Stresemann dies29 October Wall Street CrashDecember Anti-Young Plan referendum – only 14% reject Plan2. The rise of National SocialismYearEvent1919 German Workers Party (DAP) is founded by AntonDrexler1920 DAP changes its name to the NSDAPHitler drafts the 25-point programme1921 Hitler becomes the party leaderMoney is received from right-wing Bavarians for anewspaper (Volkischer Beobachter – The People’sObserver), posters and flagsThe first party rally is heldThe Sturm Abteilung (SA) is established1923 Munich Putsch1924 Hitler tried and sentenced to five years imprisonment inLandsberg jailAppreciation for the position of Hitler and the Nazis isdemonstrated by their winning 32 seats in the Reichstag(6.5% of the vote) in the elections of MayMein Kampf is produced while in jail – this marks achange in direction with the adoption of the legal methodof seeking powerHitler is released after serving only nine months of his jailsentence in December. Electoral support for the party notmaintained in December - 14 seats (3% of the vote) inthe Reichstag were gained1925 Hitler sets about reorganising the party which has facedproblems during his time in jail1926 Bamberg Conference. Hitler establishes his control overthe party and makes it clear that there is no room fordisagreement with his viewsFollowing the conference, the party structure iscompletely overhauled. The country divides into Gaue(regions) with each Gaue being controlled by a GauleiterThe SA is brought directly under the authority of theParty’s leaders.The Schutzstaffel (SS) is set up to ensure Hitler’spersonal safetyThe Hitler Youth is founded to make an appeal directly tothe young1928 The Nazi Party gains 3% of the vote in the election,giving it 12 seats in the Reichstag – significant gains inrural areas1929 Local election gains madeWall Street Crash, followed by the Great Depression© Hodder Education 2010. This material may be downloaded and copied free ofcharge, but only for distribution within the subscribing institution.

Access to History Online Edexcel Unit 1 – F7 From Second Reich to Third Reich:Germany, 1918–45Anti-Young Plan referendum campaign – 14% only favourrejection1930 Muller government resigns; Bruning appointed ChancellorYoung Plan agreedNazis make their electoral breakthrough in theSeptember elections – gaining 107 seats and becomingthe second largest party; Rohm becomes leader of theSA after some discontent; Hitler begins to build up SSBruning introduces economic policies by presidentialdecree (Article 48)1931 Josef Goebbels is put in charge of propaganda. InFebruary, SA is purged of leaders such as StennesThe Harzburg Front is created with the aim of removingBruning from power and preventing a communisttakeover. This links Hitler to the DNVP and leadingindustrialists such as Fritz Thyssen1932 In January Hitler receives positive support fromindustrialistsHindenburg is re-elected President after two ballots withHitler achieving 13.4 million votes to Hindenburg’s 19.3million votes on the second ballotUnemployment reaches 6.1 millionThe Nazis make further advances in the State elections inAprilThe SA and the SS are banned by emergency decree inApril, with the ban being lifted in JuneBruning resigns in May; von Papen appointed ChancellorIn the July elections the Nazis become the largest partywith 37% of the vote and 230 seatsHindenburg refuses to make Hitler ChancellorNo confidence vote in government in SeptemberIn the November elections, the Nazi vote drops to 33%of the vote and their seats in the Reichstag go down to196. This leads to an internal crisis among Party leadersIn December von Papen resigns; Schleicher appointedChancellor1933 January political discussions concerning futuregovernment as government struggles to maintain power;Hindenburg persuaded to consider Hitler as ChancellorHitler is appointed Chancellor (30 January) with twoother Nazis in his Cabinet – Frick as Minister of theInterior and Goering as Minister without Portfolio;elections called for MarchThe Decree for the Protection of the German People ispassed. This gives Hitler the power to ban hostile politicalmeetings and newspapersMembers of the SA are appointed as auxiliary policemenso that they have the same powers as the policeReichstag Fire takes place. The Communists are blamedfor this and it gives the Nazis the opportunity to furthererode civil libertiesEmergency Decrees for the Protection of the German© Hodder Education 2010. This material may be downloaded and copied free ofcharge, but only for distribution within the subscribing institution.

Access to History Online Edexcel Unit 1 – F7 From Second Reich to Third Reich:Germany, 1918–45People and the State are passed using Article 48 on theday after the fire. These enable the Nazis to suspend allcivil libertiesIn the March elections, the Nazis gain 44% of the vote,amounting to 288 seats in the ReichstagDay of Potsdam – this ceremony to mark the opening ofthe Reichstag appears to legitimise Hitler’s positionthrough the attendance of Hindenburg, the Kaiser’s sonand many of the generalsThe Enabling Act is passed, meaning that Hitler can passlaws for the next four years3. Life in Hitler’s Germany(Note: this is not organised into chronological order within each year – see TeachingActivity 4.)Year Month Event1933 Law for the Restoration of the Civil Service – 10% ofuniversity lecturers are dismissed for many reasonsincluding racial and political reasonsAll other youth groups (other than the Catholic groups –protected by the Concordat) taken over by the HitlerYouthMarch Ministry for Public Enlightenment and PropagandaMarriage loans to the unemployedUnemployment stands at 6 millionHjalmar Schacht appointed as President of theReichsbankWomen in leading positions in civil service and medicinedismissed from jobsApril Law for the Restoration of the Civil Service removes Jewsfrom employment in the Civil Service – although thosewho fought for Germany in the First World War areallowed to be exempt after Hindenburg’s intervention1 April One-day boycott of Jewish shopsJuly Law for the Prevention of Hereditarily Diseased Offspring– compulsory sterilisationMay DAF, German Labour Front, set up and trades unionsbanned. Led by Robert Ley, it incorporates all workerspreviously involved in trades unionsJuly Catholic Church signs a Concordat with the Nazigovernment – agreeing to respect each other’s role andnot interfere with each other’s organisationsSeptember Entailed Farm Law prevents Jews from owning farmsReich Church created – bringing together all ProtestantChurches1934 Confessional Church breaks away from the Reich Churchas it opposes the involvement of Nazi government inreligious affairsAugust Hjalmar Schacht appointed as Economics MinisterNew Plan introduced to sort out the balance of tradedeficit; bilateral trade agreements made with foreign© Hodder Education 2010. This material may be downloaded and copied free ofcharge, but only for distribution within the subscribing institution.

Access to History Online Edexcel Unit 1 – F7 From Second Reich to Third Reich:Germany, 1918–45countriesProposals for mass emigration of JewsGovernment takes control of wages and prices in someareas1935 All textbooks in schools have to be approved by the NaziPartyEducation Minister Rust announces the formulation ofNational Institutes of Education (NAPOLAs) for boys aged10-18 who show promise to develop as leadersLaw for the Protection of German Blood and GermanHonour. This forbids mixed marriages and sexualrelationships between Aryans and JewsReich Citizenship Law. Jews are no longer recognised asGerman citizensMarriage Law requires certificate of ‘fitness to marry’RAD – Reichsarbeitsdienst – makes six-month labourservice compulsory for all men aged 19-25RAD six-month labour service extended to womenSeptember Nuremburg Laws in response to growing unofficialattacks on JewsLaw for the Protections of the Genetic Health of GermanPeople. This leads to the League for the Propagation ofRacial Knowledge setting up centres where people canreassure themselves that they are Aryan and be issuedwith a certificate to prove this prior to marriageConscription introduced for men aged 18–25 who haveto do a compulsory two years’ military serviceFarm prices kept above market levels1936 30% of teachers are member of the Nazi PartyTeachers are pressurised to join the National SocialistTeachers’ League (NSLB)NSLB encourages teachers not to teach religionPhysical Education greatly emphasised with at least twohours a day in the curriculumPope criticises racism within Nazi regime and theencouragement of Führer worship within GermanyJune Confessional pastors criticise Nazi ideology and policies.Many are sent to concentration camps, including MartinNiemöllerSeptember Göring put in charge of Office of the Four-Year Plan.Germany begins to prepare for war. Autarky isintroduced with the expansion of domestic productionand developing substitutes. Rearmament programme isexpanded. However, not all businesses are supportive ofthe idea of AutarkyAll other youth organisations are banned andmembership of Hitler Jugend becomes compulsoryWomen judges dismissed from jobsReich Central Office for Combating of Homosexuality andAbortionAnti-Jewish signs removed for Berlin Olympic GamesHimmler in charge of Jewish emigration© Hodder Education 2010. This material may be downloaded and copied free ofcharge, but only for distribution within the subscribing institution.

Access to History Online Edexcel Unit 1 – F7 From Second Reich to Third Reich:Germany, 1918–45Unemployment reduced to 1.6 million1937 By 1937, 97% of teachers have joined the NSLB –members are sent on month-long training programmesteaching Nazi ideology and physical educationSchirach and Ley set up Adolf Hitler schools to rivalNAPOLA’sMarriage loans extended to women in workSchacht resigns as Economics Minister and Göring isappointedReichswerke Hermann Göring is established to providelow grade steel for the regime’s needsNuremburg rallies – Hitler makes aggressive speechagainst JewsSchacht critical of anti-Jewish economic measuresNovember Hitler discusses concerns over mounting inflation andfood shortages1938 Anschluss with Austria – Eichmann forces 45,000Austrian Jews to emigrateApril Decree on the Registering of Jewish property. This allowsthe Nazis to take exact stock of what the Jews ownJune-October9-10NovemberAnti-Jewish laws mean Jewish medical professionals andlawyers are banned from having Aryan patients orclients, Jews must add Sarah or Israel to their namesand identity cards are stamped with a JKristallnacht. Anti-Jewish attacks on businesses andsynagogues, unofficially supported by Nazis. Jews madeto pay 1 billion Reichsmarks to repair damageDecree issued excluding Jews from German economiclife. Jews are also excluded from schools, universitiesand other public areasMarriage Law extends grounds for divorceAsocials defined as vagabonds, gypsies, beggars,prostitutes, alcoholics, eccentrics, the workshy, juveniledelinquentsHimmler issues Decree for the Struggle against theGypsy PlagueGovernment given powers to direct labour where it isneeded due to rising labour shortagesGrowing shortages of consumer goods – butter1939 All denominational schools have been abolishedJanuary Reich Central Office for Jewish emigration set upSeptember German Jews placed under curfewBy 1939 – economy is in danger of overheating due tolabour and some raw material shortages. Prices arerising.Mental illness – mercy killing – euthanasia programmebeginsHimmler made Reich Commissioner for StrengtheningGermanismGypsies sent to concentration camps before being sentto Poland; Jewish ghettos established in PolandVast number of state controls exist but private business© Hodder Education 2010. This material may be downloaded and copied free ofcharge, but only for distribution within the subscribing institution.

Access to History Online Edexcel Unit 1 – F7 From Second Reich to Third Reich:Germany, 1918–454. Germany at war after 1939still encouraged as long as it is compliant withgovernment requirementsDate Domestic Events of war1939(See 3. Life in Hitler’s Germany) September – Blitzkrieg invasion ofPoland; Britain and France declarewar; USSR invades Poland‘Phoney War’ – both sides build upresources1940German victories increase resourcesavailable to economy; taxes remainlowMarch – Fritz Todt made Minister forArmaments and MunitionsPlan for mass transportation of Jewsto MadagascarApril – invasion of Denmark andNorwayMay – invasion of Low Countries andFranceJune – French surrenderSummer – Battle of Britain failure;invasion of Britain postponed194119421943Military build-up for war with Russiabegins to effect economy; pricesbegin to rise; increased conscriptionof previously exempt occupationsDecember – Rationalisation Decree –restructure war economyRemoval of teachers considereddisloyalEuthanasia programme for mentallyill reaches 70,000 victimsBanned co-habiting couples sent toconcentration campsGerman Jews forced to wear Star ofDavid; decision for ‘Final Solution’;mass gassing of Jews at ChelmnobeginsSpeer put in charge of economy;longer shifts; shortages of consumergoods; women 17-45 required toregister for work but many areexemptMay – bombing of CologneGypsies transported to AuschwitzJanuary - Wannsee Conferencechaired by Heydrich finalises plansfor ‘Final Solution’; systematicround-up of Jews beginsWar economy introduced – shortageof raw materials; skilled workersexempt from conscription; ‘foreign’labour used increasingly. Speerspolicies increase war productionFebruary – Goebbels speechsupports ‘total war’ effortApril – invasion of Yugoslavia andGreeceJune – Operation Barbarossa beginsDecember – Japan attacks PearlHarbour; USA declares war onGermanyMay – German offensive atStalingrad; first major AlliedbombingJune – German invasion of NorthAfricaNovember – Soviet counter-attack;Allied landings in North AfricaJanuary – German surrender ofStalingradGerman surrender of North AfricaBattle of Atlantic turns againstGermanyJuly - Soviet advance after Battle ofKursk; Allied landings in Sicily; Allied© Hodder Education 2010. This material may be downloaded and copied free ofcharge, but only for distribution within the subscribing institution.

Access to History Online Edexcel Unit 1 – F7 From Second Reich to Third Reich:Germany, 1918–4519441945July – Hamburg firestormSpeer’s suggestion of conscriptionopposed by Hitler on grounds that itwould undermine ‘morale’Expansion of ‘extermination’ campsystemJuly – Bomb Plot to assassinateHitler failsAugust – peak munitions productionbut Allied bombing increasinglyeffective – housing and industrydestroyedNovember – Himmler orders the endof gassings and destruction ofAuschwitzFurther decline in ability to organisewar effort but in some areas of warproduction increased efficiencyFebruary – bombing of DresdenJanuary – Red Army reachesAuschwitzApril – Americans and British reachother extermination campslandings in Italy but stopped atRomeRed Army enters Poland, Romania,BulgariaJune – Allied troops land inNormandy on D-DayDecember – German offensive inArdennes but eventually failsSpring – concerted offensive fromAllies in East (Soviets) and West(Anglo-American)April – Hitler commits suicideMay – Berlin captured; unconditionalsurrenderTeaching ActivitiesUsing the ChronologyTo consolidate your understanding of this period, use the Chronology to complete thefollowing exercises:1. Fill in and complete the table below to show economic, political and diplomaticdevelopments during the period 1918-29. (This will help you to answerquestions on the Weimar Republic)Date Politics Economy Foreign policy1918 9 November –Kaiser abdicates1919 28 June – Treaty ofVersailles signed1920 March – KappPutsch1921 May – reparationsagreed £6,600million2. Use a table like the one started below to explain the stages by which Hitlerand the Nazi Party were able to gain power. Be selective in identifying keyevents and explain why you chose those events.© Hodder Education 2010. This material may be downloaded and copied free ofcharge, but only for distribution within the subscribing institution.

Access to History Online Edexcel Unit 1 – F7 From Second Reich to Third Reich:Germany, 1918–45Date Key event Explanation1924Munich Putsch trialAlthough Hitler imprisoned for leading acoup d’état against Weimar Republic usestrial to bring Nazi Party ideas to nationalattention1926Bamberg Conference19281929Reichstag Elections Decision to contest election leads to 12states with good support in rural areasaffected by agricultural depressionAnti-Young Plan Referendum3. Create a grid and identify reasons for the popularity of the Nazis. Identify a groupin society (for example, workers, peasants, the middle classes, industrialists) anddefine in what ways they benefited and in what ways they lost out in the Third Reich.SocialgroupWorkersPeasantsReason for supportbefore 1932Promises ofemployment; bringpride back toGermany; antireparationsPositive benefitsunder Nazi rule to1945Economic recoveryensured reduction inunemploymentNegative benefitsunder Nazi rule to1945Workers lost theright to strikeLong hours, wagefreezeIndustrialistsWomenYouthMiddleclasses4. Work your way through the Life in Hitler’s Germany section of the Chronology.a) The information within each year is not always in chronological order. Rearrangethe information into the order in which things happened. (If you cannot find a monthfor certain events, then put these at the beginning of the year.)b) Use three different colours to highlight the following aspects of life in NaziGermany:i. Events connected to social policy – women, youth, education, Churchii.iii.Events connected to economic policyEvents connected to Nazi policy towards Jews and minoritiesBy doing this you will be able to plot the way in which Nazi policies changed overtime. You might want to split the social policy information up into women, youth and© Hodder Education 2010. This material may be downloaded and copied free ofcharge, but only for distribution within the subscribing institution.

Access to History Online Edexcel Unit 1 – F7 From Second Reich to Third Reich:Germany, 1918–45education. You might also want to use section 4 of the Chronology (Germany at war)to add information up to 1945. Questions on these themes can be set with referenceto any dates between 1933 and 1945. The two most obvious end dates are theoutbreak of war in 1939 and the end of the Nazi state in 1945.ResourcesR.J. Evans, The Coming of the Third Reich: How the Nazis Destroyed Democracy andSeized Power in Germany (Penguin, 2004)S. Friedlander, Nazi Germany and the Jews 1933–1945 (HarperCollins, 2007)R. Grunberger, A Social History of the Third Reich (Phoenix, 2005)A. Tooze, The Wages of Destruction: The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy(Penguin, 2007)E.D. Weitz, Weimar Germany: Promise and Tragedy (Princeton University Press,2007, 2009)WebsitesIt is often difficult to find specific websites for History topics that are detailedenough, accurate, and which do not disappear from the web overnight! It is probablybest to search for a variety of keywords connected to the topic and to sieve throughthe results up to a least page 5. Remember that you need to be careful when usingwebsites to try to determine accuracy and any bias that might be found on the site.If possible try to find the ‘Home’ or ‘About us’ information to find out who isproducing the site. This is particularly important when trying to find informationabout controversial topics or ideas; websites covering Nazi Germany, Fascism andthe Holocaust should be investigated carefully before accepting the information isaccurate.Usually the first website that appears on a list is Wikipedia. Your teachers willprobably already have warned you to use Wikipedia with caution. Wikipedia can beuseful and will often give you links to other information. Treat it in the same waythat historians use other sources of information – check that the information isaccurate by cross-referencing with other sites or books. The editing history of aWikipedia entry can also be very helpful in understanding how the entry has beencreated.Here are a few general history websites designed to be used by students that mightlead you to information for your topic:The History Learning Site - www.historylearningsite.co.uk/SchoolHistory - www.schoolhistory.co.uk/Spartacus Educational - www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/Sempringham publishing - www.history-ontheweb.co.uk/BBC History - www.bbc.co.uk/history/© Hodder Education 2010. This material may be downloaded and copied free ofcharge, but only for distribution within the subscribing institution.