By the summer of '31, German banking system
was in a crisis, following the collapse of an
Austrian bank. Banks were temporarily closed
G had developed a strong
Loans from the US stopped, export trade in the golden
outstanding loans had to be paid years that had underpinned
Wall St Crash - back. Unable to pay reperations its economic recovery
The G economy had
Demands for sudden collapse of
become heavily Industrial
exports collapsed Farmer struggles the stock market in Due to depression, world trade
depended on level fell by 50,000
- world trade in 1920s - global New York, Oct 1929, It was collapsed & so export trade
American loans - around 58% businesses
slumped grain slump after a long period of MONOCAUSAL declined by 61%, which severely
investment had of its 1928 went bankrupt
1925-6 - struggling rising prosperity & (multiple damaged G industry and
dried up & they now level
even before all of overconfidence in reasons) economy in general
needed to be repaid The depression
this, would not be investors
able to cope in the Prices fell, companies created mass
Wave of bank Industry unemployment,
Why did Germany feel actual depression Trade made heavy losses
failures in the US, a steep rise in
the effect of the Wall leading to bankruptcies
nothing to save Finance poverty and
St Crash more than WW1 itself bought about a ' Why/how the Great Farming
them undermined
any other country? web of credit & debt' Depression started
the confidence
Economic & security of
Prices of agricultural products fell & exports
Decrease in productivity & rise in unemployment. the MC.
declined - many farmers lost their farms
world trade came to a halt - everyone affected Society
Depression placed enormous strain on
Nazis make a breakthrough, the political system. Faith in became more
becoming the 2nd largest party in the RW nationalists would turn this Unemployment
parliamentary democracy was lost.
situation around politically,
The impact of the Great Depression - 1928-33 polarised
Reichstag - won 107 seats Parties on both extremes gained at the
expense of the moderate parties. blaming those who made the Mass unemployment was a
Political violence increased Dawes & Young Plan highly corrosive effect.
KPD also did well - Overview - Social Diseases
Political
won 77 seats linked to
Reichstag elections of September 1930: poor Majority of
Elections are supposed to take place once every 4 Elections Poverty was rising and unemployed = under By 1932, there were 6
rise in extremism - 2/5 voters, voted for years. There were 5 between 1930-32 alone. Shows Shanty nutrition &
ANTI-DEMOCRATIC parties more people became poor living 25. Link to the appeal million people unemplyed
the extent of the instability in gov Street violence towns
Governments homeless. Shanty conditions fo Nazism
had increased links to
When there's a crisis - too many change towns grew up on the increased Those who were still in work had
DESPITE him edges of cities
conflicting ideas which leads to no The grand coalition was Caused the collapse of the in Although the WR had a large pay cuts. Real wages fell by
banning the SA.
solutions. Yes it was seen as one of the made up of 5 parties from grand coalition led by Muller in March 1930 political well developed system around 1/3 by 1932
Shows lack of Example town of
better coalitions (cos lasted nearly 2 the left to the right ideas of unemployment &
control over Brand-Erbisdorff;
years rather than a few months), but up Another collapse political/social welfare benefits in
Led to Brüning (head of the was centre of
until the depression, the gov weren't Due to the wall st crash, of gov - B's gov unrest on the place, costs of these
centre party) being appointed glass making Unemployed only entitled
really having to sort out any major unemployment soared and the cost collapsed in 1932 streets Shanty towns very quickly
chancellor by Hindenburg (whole town to state benefits for a fixed
problems of this unemployment benefit placed because: could lead to overwhelmed the
depended on this period - after had to apply
a severe strain on state finances. unrest and industry) and by budget and from 1930, to local authorities where it
LW - wanted to protect Collapsed because it could not B's coalition EXCLUDED the SPD, the LARGEST instability - rise there were moves
LEAD TO Hindenburg April 1939, nearly was far less generous.
the level of benefits agree on what to do. Gov became party in the reichstag - meaning he did not have of extreme party made to limit the
appointing PAPEN as 1/2 of pop was Women received less too
and raise taxes deadlocked & Muller resigned enough support in the Reichstag to pass laws interest amount being paid Reich Postal
Chancellor receiving welfare
(needed 2/3 majority) Service
payments In some ways did better in the
RW - wanted to reduce WOMEN dismissed about
The depression had depression than the men
unemployment benefit Hindenburg had been advised by Groener (defence minister) Had to therefore rely on 1000 married
and Schleicher (Groener's political advisor), and their deepened (unemployment Since most had been unemployed for women from its
ruling by presidential over 2 years, had to rely on LA rather
involvement in the appointment was an indication that the army exceeded 6 million) & B's YOUNG PEOPLE HOWEVER, the Female proportion of the labour force employment
decree (article 48). The than state = get less
began to play a role in politics. Both men were opposed to policy of reducing state 'new woman' of increased, as women were typically
Reichstag became
parliamentary democracy and saw the political crisis of March spending made this worse the Weimar cheaper to employ than men
increasingly irrelevant and
1930 as an opportunity to begin to impose a more authoritarian Juvenile crime did not increase during this time BUT accusations golden years
met less frequently from
style of gov. In President Hindenburg, they had a leader who Unemployment rate for those under 25 was rose dramatically. Because society was fragmented was largely
this time - Weimar RW parties got a law to be passed about married
also didn't like democracy (but respected the constitution) and in particularly high. With no jobs and little prospects - people were looking for someone to blame and targeting the destroyed by the
democracy was effectively women and work (campaign about 'double earners')
Brüning they had a Chancellor who had authoritarian leanings. gangs congregated in public spaces, fears were youth seemed like an easy option economic
'dead in the water' allowing married women civil servants to be dismissed
spread of increase in youth crime etc depression.
Some might say that the WR FAILED
Laws passed by Reichstag go from 98 in 1930 Political extremism - involvement of young men in political extremist the youths. Evident through the fact
to 5 in 1932 and laws passed by decree go So, democracy was dead However, could also say that in terms of
organisations increased during the depression. Paramilitary organisations of that more youths vote for nazis rather
from 5 in 1930 to 66 in 1932 even before Hitler came the world of work, the new woman already
the nationalist RW set out to recruit youths. Organisations such as Hitler Youth than WR in future elections, since they
to power & reflects the largely didn't exist because women were
and the SA offered employed boys and men food, shelter, uniform & excitement have been let down by the WR
inability of the coalition also facing limitations in that period too
govs during this period of fighting in street battles - relieving boredom of unemployment. Youth
eg. Demobilisation laws & the 1896 civil
membership of these parties though were not stable. Majority of young males
WR is essentially code remained in force where in marriage,
still had no contact with political extremes, and girls/women were NOT involved
allowing the youths a husband could decide whether the life
to find support in takes part in paid employment or not
Yes, there are policies in place but still
other parties
restrictions eg. Benefits were lower for young
people than they were adults
