A* student study notes on popular support in Germany and West Germany across all 3 main eras from 1918-89. Has all the key facts and figures you would need to remember, summarised, and condensed into a visual, note format/table,
Popular support Reasons for popular support Key examples
Weimar After defeat in WW1, USA would 1) 1929 Referendum, cause by
support a favourable peace if nationalists, gov presented
Germany embraced democracy. nationalists as liars and
Defeat was associated with the delusional and gov won the vote
Kaiser. 2) Workers supported the strike
Workers would receive more against Kapp Putsch
legal rights to negotiate with 3) 1919, 80.5% voted for a pro-
bosses. constitutional party.
Support for the template of a 4) High voter turnout, often 80% +,
democratic government, less for 1919 = 83%, 1930 = 82%
the actual government itself. 5) Golden years was consistent in
voting for more constitutional
parties, SDP was the face of
constitution and most popular.
SPD got 57% =1928, KPD 27%
1928
6) 1923, people in Saxony
welcomed the Reichsexekution
with cheers as if they were an
army of liberation (they
removed the communist
government)
Nazi Openly defied the Tov 1) Enthusiasm from people in
popular German view crowds doing Nazi symbol
Continuity from Hindenburg = 2) Medals for having babies. Nazi
continuity in government women group growing from
Economic achievements, 119,000 to 1.5 mil in 1934.
autobahns + public work project 1,000-mark loan on marriage
for unemployed reduced by 250 marks for each
Looked like army support the child, regular check ups and
defence against communism vitamins while pregnant.
Hitler was widely perceived to 3) Workers rewarded with free
have brought law and order to trips with KDF
Germany in contrast to the 4) Protestant 2/3 wanted to join
chaos of the Weimar Republic faith grow that promoted Nazis
and this sustained his popularity 5) Party membership grew to 5 mil
for much of the period 1940
Popular with mothers 6) Referendum showed 95% of
Popular with people who shared voters voted with 90% in favour
the prejudices. most times
People who benefitted from
their rule
‘Fuhrer myth’ kept support
going
Hitler was successfully
portrayed as representing the
national interest and was able to
mobilise enthusiastic support,
e.g. the overwhelming support
for Hitler in the 1934 plebiscite
FRG Desire to move on – ‘year zero’ 1) 1949 – 1987, 91% voter turnout
Overwhelming support for a in 1972, 89.1% voter turnout
democracy after a terror state 1983.
Offered stability, good working 2) Demonstrations against
conditions and a sense of emergency laws in19600s and
security. even after it was made law 1968
3) Protests against Ostpolitik if it
meant relations with USSR = a
repressive communist regime
4) Lack of support for extremist
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