| Key Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Weimar Republic | The democratic government of Germany established in 1919 after the Kaiser abdicated |
| Constitution | A set of rules that defines how a country is governed |
| Reichstag | The German parliament where laws were made and debated |
| Proportional representation | An electoral system where seats are awarded based on the percentage of votes received |
| Freikorps | Right-wing ex-soldiers used to crush communist uprisings after WWI |
| Spartacists | A communist group who attempted a revolution in 1919 |
| Uprising | A violent attempt to overthrow a government |
| Kapp Putsch | A failed right-wing coup attempt in 1920 against the Weimar Republic |
| Putsch | A sudden attempt to overthrow a government by force |
| General strike | When workers stop working across a country to achieve political aims |
| Ruhr Crisis | 1923 crisis when French troops occupied the Ruhr due to Germany’s failure to pay reparations |
| Passive resistance | Refusing to cooperate with occupying forces (used in the Ruhr) |
| Hyperinflation | A rapid and extreme rise in prices causing money to lose value |
| Rentenmark | New currency introduced in 1923 to stabilise the German economy |
| Dawes Plan | 1924 agreement providing loans to Germany and restructuring reparations payments |
| Young Plan | 1929 agreement reducing Germany’s reparations payments further |
| Reparations | Money Germany had to pay after WWI under the Treaty of Versailles |
| Gustav Stresemann | German leader who stabilised the economy and improved international relations (1923–1929) |
| Locarno Treaties | 1925 agreements improving relations between Germany, France and Belgium |
| League of Nations | International organisation Germany joined in 1926 to promote peace |
| Kellogg–Briand Pact | 1928 agreement in which countries agreed not to use war to solve disputes |
| Weimar Culture | The period of artistic and cultural innovation in Germany during the 1920s |
| Bauhaus | Modern art and architecture movement focused on simplicity and function |
| “New Woman” | Term describing more independent, modern women in 1920s Germany |
| Coalition government | A government made up of several political parties working together |
2.1.1 — Kaiser Wilhelm II and the Difficulties of Ruling Germany
Kaiser Wilhelm and the difficulties of ruling Germany: the growth of parliamentary government; the influence of Prussian militarism; industrialisation; social reform and the growth of socialism; the domestic importance of the Navy Laws.
0/15
2.1.2 — The Impact of the First World War on Germany
Impact of the First World War: war weariness, economic problems; defeat; the end of the monarchy; post-war problems including reparations, the occupation of the Ruhr and hyperinflation.
0/19
2.1.3 — Weimar Democracy (1919–1929)
Weimar democracy: political change and unrest, 1919–1923, including Spartacists, Kapp Putsch and the Munich Putsch; the extent of recovery during the Stresemann era (1924–1929): economic developments including the new currency, Dawes Plan and the Young Plan; the impact of international agreements on recovery; Weimar culture
0/18
2.2.1 — The Impact of the Great Depression (1928–1932)
The impact of the Depression: growth in support for the Nazis and other extremist parties (1928–1932), including the role of the SA; Hitler’s appeal.
0/9
2.2.2 — The Failure of Weimar Democracy (1930–1933)
The failure of Weimar democracy: election results; the role of Papen and Hindenburg and Hitler’s appointment as Chancellor.
0/8
2.2.3 — The Establishment of Hitler’s Dictatorship (1933–1934)
The establishment of Hitler’s dictatorship: the Reichstag Fire; the Enabling Act; elimination of political opposition; trade unions; Rohm and the Night of the Long Knives; Hitler becomes Führer.
0/9
2.3.1 — The experiences of Germans under the Nazis: Economy
Economic changes: benefits and drawbacks; employment; public works programmes; rearmament; self-sufficiency; the impact of war on the economy and the German people, including bombing, rationing, labour shortages, refugees.
0/7
2.3.2 — The experiences of Germans under the Nazis: Social
Social policy and practice: reasons for policies, practices and their impact on women, young people and youth groups; education; control of churches and religion; Aryan ideas, racial policy and persecution; the Final Solution.
0/9
2.3.3 — The experiences of Germans under the Nazis: Control
Control: Goebbels, the use of propaganda and censorship; Nazi culture; repression and the police state and the roles of Himmler, the SS and Gestapo; opposition and resistance, including White Rose group, Swing Youth, Edelweiss Pirates and July 1944 bomb plot.
0/8