A* standard notes for Cambridge A-Level History (9389/9489) Paper 4 European option, Depth Study 1: European history in the interwar years, 1919–41 covering Theme 3: Hitler's Germany (1929-41). Includes essay outlines, mind maps, and exam tips.
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A-LEVEL HISTORY: P4 (9489)- THEME 3: HITLER’S GERMANY, 1929-41
EUROPEAN OPTION, DEPTH STUDY 1: EUROPEAN HISTORY IN THE INTERWAR YEARS, 1919-41
3.0 Introduction: Issues before 1929
● Political
○ Weimar govt was Germany’s first democracy
■ Weimar Republic born out of military defeat & revolution post WW1
■ Undercurrent of anti-democratic feeling damaged the fabric of the republic
○ Pre-WW1, only men older than 25 could vote & elected representatives had very
little power
■ Weimar constitution: all men & women older than 20 could vote
● Women made up more than 52% of potential electorate
● Chancellor & the Cabinet needed to be approved by the Reichstag
(legislature)
○ Needed Reichstag’s continued support to stay in power
● Gave emergency powers to elected President & made him
Commander in Chief of armed forces
○ Post WW1
■ Shock of military defeat
■ Conviction that the nation was betrayed from within by corrupt & craven
politicians
● Created post war instability
■ Street fights between contending factions became common
○ 1924-29: The “Golden Age”
■ Govt started to become more stable
● Weimar chancellor formed legislative majorities based on coalitions
○ Mainly Social Democrats, Democratic party & the Cathoilic
Centre Party
■ People no longer supporting extreme parties
● Votes for Nazi’s & communists went down
■ 1925: Hidenburg elected President
● Openly anti-democracy & the Republic
■ No party could get a majority
● All govts still coalitions (mostly disagreed)
● Economic
○ WW1: crippling war debts debts + TOV
■ Treasury was empty
■ Currency losing value
○ Undernourished population, impoverished widows, orphan & disabled veterans
○ Hyperinflation
○ 1924-29: The “Golden Age”
■ Economy stabilised by American loans (Dawes Plan, 1924)
● Allowed German industry to recover almost to 1913 levels
● Germany became a leading exporter in the world for manufactured
goods
■ Strong support for moderate pro-Weimar political parties in 1928 elections
■ Economic recovery built on unstable foundations
● Created false idea of prosperity
● Loans could be recalled at any time
● Unemployment always serious issue
● Widening inequality gap
● Farming & agriculture did badly
■ German economy became ties up with powerful external forces which they
had no control over
Sonia A. Sanjay Notes
, ● Eg. disruption to world trade/finance markets
● Social
○ Class & Gender
■ Pre-WW1 society: rigid class separation & friction among the classes
● Aristocratic landowners looked down on middle & working class
Germans
○ Grudgingly associated with wealthy businessmen &
industrialists
● Middle class viewed themselves superior to factory workers
○ Battled to preserve their higher social status & monetary
advantages over the working class
■ Gender issues
● Women’s groups & left wing political parties attempted more gender
equality
● Ruth Fischer struggled to keep her German Communist Party
focused on the issues
○ Other women's groups, conservative & radical right-wing
political parties, & clergy resisted changes Fischer &
supporters advocated
● Constitution mandated considerable gender equality
○ Tradition & civil & criminal codes still strongly patriarchal
○ Contributed to perpetuating inequality
○ Culture
■ Forefront of arts, architecture, music & theatre
■ Unprecedented freedom & widespread latitude for varieties of cultural
expression = explosion of artistic production
○ Religion
■ Weimar Germany: 65% Protestant, 34% Cathoclic, 1% Jewish
■ German 1871 unification govt favoured Lutheran & Reformed (2 major
Protestant Churches)
● Govt harassed & restricted the Catholic Church
■ German Jews achieved legal equality in 1871
● Fought in record numbers during WW1
○ Antisemites refused to believe army’s own figures/records
■ Accused the Jews of undermining war effort
● New legal equality not equivalent to social equality
■ Under Weimar govt:
● Catholics entered the govt in leadership positions
● Portestant clergymen resented loss of their privileged status
● Intense conflicts over religion, education & gender policies
● Jews had unprecedented opportunities
○ Participated actively in Weimar cultural life
○ Accomplishments & increased visibility added resentment
to long-standing prejudices
■ Fueled a growing antisemitism
3.1 Why did Hitler gain power in 1933?
→ Problems facing Weimar politicians from 1929
● Political Issues
○ Weimar Constitution, August 1919
■ Lasted less than 15 years
■ Attempted to replicate a political system similar to US
■ Incorporated elements of democracy, federalism, checks & balances &
protection of individual rights
Sonia A. Sanjay Notes
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