Coursework pack

'Assess the significance of the Great Depression for Germany in the period 1929-1934.'

A guide to completing the coursework

 How to address the question

A suggested structure is to think about ‘significance’ in terms of:

⃝ Economic
⃝ Social e.g. psychological, changes to society
⃝ Cultural
⃝ Political (international – e.g. foreign policy)
⃝ Political (domestic e.g. politics within Germany)

Some useful questions for thinking about significance

Width of impact

 How many people, groups or institutions were affected?

 Which different types of people were affected (e.g. rich/poor)
 Were men/women affected to the same degree?
 Were different parts of the country affected in the same way?
 How wide, geographically, was the impact?

Depth of impact

 How deeply were people’s lives, beliefs and attitudes affected?

 How far were other aspects, e.g. institutions, power relationships, changed?
 For how long were people affected?
 How important was it to people?
 How powerful was the impact?
 What kind of reactions were caused?
 How far was it remarked on by people at the time?

Nature of impact

 How far was it beneficial?

 How typical or unique?
 How expected/unexpected?
 How reported/how received?
 How iconic/symbolic?

Significance over time (relationship to other events)

 How much of a change occurred between what went before and what came after, e.g. how far was it a turning point?
 How much continuity occurred between what went before and what came after e.g. how far was it part of a trend?
 How far did it affect things in the longer term, e.g. was it a false dawn, how long did the impact last?

Section 1 – The Task

This is what the exam board says: It is crucial that candidates consider the
different ways in which the topic in the question may have been significant.
Candidates should also consider the nature of ‘historical significance’. These
aims can be achieved through the use of criteria such as political, social,
economic, depth and breadth of impact, long and short-term
significance, and turning point. Other possible criteria include
remarkable, remembered, resonant and revealing. Candidates should
not work through all of these criteria in a mechanical way but should decide
for themselves which would be the most useful in assessing their particular
It is important that candidates assess
subject.
significance and do not just describe or explain it.

Coursework Question “Assess the significance of the Great Depression for

Germany in the period 1929-1934.'
Key details:
- 2000 words maximum
- Must be typed
- Can be completed in class and at home
Has to answer the question 'Assess the significance of the Great
Depression for Germany in the period 1929-1934.'
- Deadline: Wednesday 27 November 2024
Section 2:The Structure and connectives
Produce a plan - generate ideas and then begin to organise your ideas to
create a mind map. An outline of the overall shape of the answer should then
emerge.
First draft
Introduction – learners should briefly explain how they plan to answer the
question, and state what their overall argument/point of view is. There is no
need to describe the content background/context.
Main body of answer – every paragraph should directly address the
question and should take the argument further. There should be a logical
development from one paragraph to another. There should be an overall
clear structure and organisation.
Conclusion – this should grow out of and follow on from the argument and
analysis in the main part of the answer. A direct answer to the question
should be given and this needs to be substantiated and argued if this has not
been done earlier in the answer.

There are two ways in which you could structure your actual answer:
A) You could use political, economic, social etc.

- Economic significance (What economic significance did the Great

Depression have? Did it bring about a lot of economic change? Was it
deep and long-lasting? Was it only short-term economic change?)
- Domestic Political Significance (What was the impact on German
politics? How did it change/impact the Weimar Republic? Did it cause
new political parties to evolve or did it change voter patterns)
- Social Significance (What changes did it cause the German
Population? Were some groups impacted more than others? Did all
groups suffer or did some prosper? How long lasting were the impacts?
What social policies were brought in to help?)

B) You could use (some of) the 5Rs

 - Revealing: What does The Great Depression reveal about
Germany during the period?

What does it reveal about Germany during this period?

What does it reveal about German society during this period?
What does it reveal about the stability of German politics at this time?

- Resulting in change: What changes did the Great Depression

bring about?

How much change did the Great Depression bring to Germany? How widely
was the change felt? How deeply was the change felt? Were the changes
short-term or long-term or both?

- Remarkable: Did people remark on the Great Depression at the

time? Have they remarked on it since?

Did people remark on the Impact of the Great Depression at the time? Who
was remarking on it? The media? The public? Have people remarked on It
since? How many GCSE courses does it feature in? Are there any books
about it? Is it well known by the average person?

- Remembered: How well is it remembered? By many? By some?

By all?

Who has heard of it?

- Resonant

Does the Great Depression reverberate through history? Do politicians take

action today to avoid the same level of economic crises?

Useful words for talking about significance

 ■ It helped
■ It led to
■ It encouraged
■ It resulted in
■ It showed

Very deep impact Limited impact

Profound
Considerable Trivial
Substantial Inconsequential
Far reaching Irrelevant
Intense Minor
Noticeable Meagre
Important Negligible
Pointless
Very long last impact
Impact that was short lived
Enduring
Ongoing Fleeting
Irreversible Temporary
Irrevocable Reversible
Permanent Short-lived

Very wide impact Narrow impact

Widespread Narrow
Numerous [people/citizens/soldier Limited
etc.] were affected Small scale
Large scale Specific
Broad Limited to [e.g. a particular group]
General
Ample
Expansive

Section 3
Key Dates
June 1929 Young Plan and Goebbels made responsible for Nazi Propaganda

Oct 1929 Wall Street Crash

Sep 1930 Elections Nazis pole 18.2%

Feb 1932 6 million Germans unemployed

Jun 1932 Papen becomes Chancellor

Jul 1932 Nazis biggest party in the Reichstag 37.3%

Nov 1932 Nazis lose votes 33.1%

December 1932 Schleicher becomes Chancellor

Jan 1933 Secret Deal between Hitler and Papen sees Hitler become Chancellor

27 Feb 1933 Reichstag Fire and emergency decree allows suspension of civil liberties

March 1933 Elections - Nazis gain 43.9% of vote (but not majority), Enabling Act (Hitler
becomes legal dictator) and Goebbels made Head of Ministery of Nazi Propaganda

April 1933 Law for the restoration of Professional Civil Service- for dismissal based on
racial purity or political leanings

2nd May 1933 Trade Unions banned - replaced with DAF

Jun 1933 SPD banned other parties dissolve themselves

July 1933 Germany becomes a one-party state - Law against the formation of New
Parties also Concordat allows religious freedom but no political activity

Jan 1934 Law for the Reconstruction of the Reich - Landtage abolished

Jun 1934 Night of the Long Knives

2nd August 1934 Hindenburg dies. Hitler becomes Führer and army swears oath of
loyalty
 Section 4 – Sources and Referencing:

If you are using a quote, fact or idea from one of the sources below, you
need to footnote it. Place the cursor at the end of the sentence and click
‘Insert’ then ‘Footnote’. The first time you use a source, use the 1st footnote
as shown below. Thereafter, use the 2nd footnote.
Economics

1. Rudolf Morsey, “Gustav Stresemann,” Britannica.com,

accessed 22 October 2024,
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gustav-Stresemann.
2. Morsey, “Gustav Stresemann.”

Stresemann’s successes in dealing with the Allied powers during those

years can be marked out in stages. In 1924 the U.S.-proposed Dawes
Plan was signed, providing for reduction in payment of reparations and
stabilization of German finances. It was followed in 1925 by the Pact of
Locarno, which included acceptance of the new Franco-German border,
agreements to arbitrate disputes with other nations, and immunity from
new sanctions by the victors of World War I.

1. “The Great Depression,” Alphahistory.com, accessed 22

October 2024, http://alphahistory.com/nazigermany/the-
great-depression/.
2. “The Great Depression.”

“The Great Depression had profound effects on American society – but

the impact on Weimar Germany was even more dire. Germans were not
so much reliant on production or exports as they were on American
loans, which had propped up the Weimar economy since 1924. These
loans ceased in late 1929, while many American financiers began to ‘call
in’ outstanding foreign loans. The German economy was not resilient
enough to withstand significant withdrawals of cash and capital. Banks
struggled to provide money and credit, and consumers lost confidence in
them. In 1931 there were runs on German and Austrian financial
institutions and several major banks folded.”

“German industrialists had enjoyed prosperous times in the mid- to late-

1920s, thanks to foreign loans and investment. But by the early 1930s
there was little demand for their products, while capital and credit were
almost impossible to obtain. To compound the problem, the United
States – at that point the largest purchaser of German industrial exports
– put up tariff barriers to protect its own companies. German
manufacturers consequently endured a sharp downturn in export sales.
Many factories and industries either closed or downsized dramatically.
By 1932, German industrial production had fallen to just 58 per cent of
its 1928 levels. The effect of this decline was spiraling unemployment.
By the end of 1929 around 1.5 million Germans were without a job;
within a year this figure had more than doubled; and by early 1933 a
staggering 6 million (26 per cent) were out of work.”

1. Caroline Sharples, “Germany and the Great Depression”

20th Century Modern History Review, (February 2011), 2-5,
accessed 20 December 2017, https://my.dynamic-
learning.co.uk/ViewPage.aspx?tid=d2e10722-cf6c-4da8-
a313-50cffabb94b9&fn=dps0002-0003.swf&i=0dfa0945-
aee7-426f-ab26-
6117047bcb54&baseTitleID=1909&r=true&vle=true&minP
age=2&maxPage=7&searchText=germany%20great
%20powers&name=Germany+and+the+Great+Depression
2. Sharples, “Germany and the Great Depression,” 2.

2 - Stresemann in 1929: “The German economy is doing well only on the

surface. Germany is in fact dancing on a volcano. If the short-term loans
are called in by America, most of our economy will collapse.”

4 - “All sectors of German society were affected by the crisis and at its
peak 6 million were registered as unemployed (although the real
number likely higher than this)”

4 - Bruning tried to cope by raising taxes and cutting spending - this was
a very unpopular approach
1. Charles Hawley, ‘The
1. Charles story behind
Hawley, “TheHitler’s rise to behind
Story power,” DeHitler’s
Spiegel, 30 rise
Januaryto
2008, accessed De
power,” 22 October 2024,
https://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/jan-30-1933-the-story-behind-hitler-s-rise-to-power-a-
Spiegel, 30 January 2008, accessed 21 December 2017,
532032.html
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/jan-30-1933-the-
2. Hawley, “The Story behind Hitler”.
story-behind-hitler-s-rise-to-power-a-532032.html.
2. Hawley, “The Story behind Hitler.”

“From today's perspective, it is tempting to pin the blame for Hitler's

eventual rise to power on the great New York stock market crash of 1929, an
event which put millions of German workers out of a job. Others point to the
onerous conditions placed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles, which
required Germany to accept responsibility for starting World War I and forced
Berlin to pay 132 billion goldmarks in war reparations. Still others argue that
Germany's history somehow made the country predestined for the kind of
murderous dictatorship that Hitler's reign became.

Entire libraries have been filled with books attempting to explain how a once-
homeless failed artist could have launched a war machine that eventually
resulted in 60 million dead, and a death machine that killed 6 million in the
Holocaust's gas chambers. More are certainly to come. The rise of the Nazis
defies any simple narrative, coming as it did out of a myriad of interlacing
events, ideologies and historical accidents.

One thing, however, is clear. Nazi Germany, and the flood of destruction it
unleashed on Germany, Europe and the world, was far from inevitable…

There is no denying that Hitler was a gifted speaker. But without the fatal
weaknesses in Germany's political leadership, it is difficult to see how he
would have made it to the top. President von Hindenburg had never been
terribly convinced that democracy was the way to go. Indeed, the World War
I hero and his supporters had long yearned for a strong leader free from
parliamentary meddling -- and they were especially wary of the Social
Democrats, the one party that had thrown all of its support behind the
Weimar democracy from the beginning.

Von Hindenburg's skepticism of parliamentary democracy was shared by

many in German society, especially in heavy industry and among the
country's powerful farming sector. It came as no surprise when, the SPD
government of Chancellor Hermann Müller having collapsed, von Hindenburg
appointed nationalist Heinrich Brüning in his place in March 1930. The left
side of the political spectrum was in no shape to prevent it -- the communists
seemed just as eager to see the end of Weimar as the radical right was. The
dangers to German democracy were mounting.

Soon thereafter, it became dramatically clear that the Nazis had recovered.
When Brüning stepped in, he was handed far-reaching emergency powers --
and when parliament complained, von Hindenburg dismissed it and called for
new elections on Sept. 14, 1930. Hitler's NSDAP, until then a tiny splinter
party on the national political stage, raked in 18.3 percent of the vote.

Governmental stability, however, was still a long way off. The ensuing two
years saw prime ministers come and go, seemingly at the whim of the aging
president. Meanwhile, the numbers of Germans without a job continued to
rise -- to over 8 million -- and the government in Berlin did little about it.
Indeed, instead of trying to stimulate the moribund economy, von
Hindenburg continued on a path of strict savings, partially to demonstrate to
the Allies that Germany was simply too poor to pay World War I reparations.
When elections were finally held again in July 1932, the Nazis got a whopping
37.4 percent of the vote.

Another way to see the results, however, is that 63.6 percent of Germans
didn't cast their ballots for the NSDAP. Indeed, despite Hitler's party getting
support from across the country and from a variety of different segments of
society, his was still largely a protest vote -- and it would only last as long as
there was something to protest. But the Depression was showing signs of
bottoming out. General elections held in November that same year showed a
drop in support for the Nazis to 33.1 percent. Even worse for the NSDAP,
President von Hindenburg still seemed disinclined to hand over power to
Hitler, even though the NSDAP had received far more votes than any other
party. He said that naming Hitler chancellor was "neither compatible with his
conscience nor with his obligation to the Fatherland."

It was a potentially disastrous time for the Nazis. Support was waning and
being left out of government meant that, despite election success, the party
had no way to reward its most ardent followers. "We are all very depressed,
especially given the danger that the party might break up and our work will
have been in vain," noted Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi Party propaganda guru.

Help came from an unexpected quarter. Franz von Papen, who had already
had his turn on the chancellor merry-go-round in June, wanted a second
chance and beseeched von Hindenburg to give his backing to a coalition of
Hitler's Nazis, independent conservatives, and the arch-nationalists from the
DNVP. Other von Hindenburg advisors likewise pleaded for the solution,
arguing that, by hemming Hitler in among those who had long been in
Germany's political elite, they would be able to control the wannabe dictator.
In January 1933, von Hindenburg gave in.

Hitler had made it -- but he was still far from the dictator he would become.
Indeed, his first government only included two ministers from the NSDAP,
Hermann Göring as minister without portfolio and Wilhelm Frick as interior
minister. But he wanted more; priority number one for his new government
was the dissolution of the Reichstag and, yet again, new elections. His goal
was clear, and it was one shared by much of the country's political elite:
Once the Nazis and their allies had a majority, the Reichstag was to hand
over power to the chancellor. In short, Hitler wanted parliament to vote itself
out of existence.

Once again, luck seemed to be on Hitler's side. On February 27, less than a
week before the new elections, the Reichstag, Germany's parliament
building, was set ablaze. The blame was pinned on Dutch bricklayer Marinus
van der Lubbe, and indeed, after decades of research into the incident, no
convincing proof has been unearthed to show that he wasn't acting alone.
But Hitler, Göring and Goebbels knew a propaganda godsend when they saw
one. "If this fire, as I believe, is the work of the Communists, then we need to
crush this murderous plague with an iron fist," Hitler told his vice chancellor,
von Papen.

And crush they did. The day after the fire, the "decree for the protection of
people and the state" went into effect, allowing Hitler's Nazis to go after their
political enemies with gusto. It was the wave of arrests set off by the
Reichstag fire that ultimately made the rapid construction of prisons
necessary. Many of those prisons would later become concentration camps.

On election day in 1933 -- the last halfway free elections to take place in
unified Germany until 1990 -- the Nazis won 43.9 percent of the vote.

The result still wasn’t enough for the party to control its own destiny. But by
then, it was already too late to matter. When the fateful parliamentary
session was called to order on March 23, 1933 at just after 2 p.m., fully 107
representatives from the Social Democrats and the Communists were
missing. Many of them were behind bars, while others were too afraid to
show up or had already disappeared into exile. Just to be on the safe side,
the parliamentary president Hermann Göring elected not even to
acknowledge the 81 seats controlled by the Communists, significantly
reducing the number of parliamentary votes available to the opposition.
At 6:16 p.m., SPD leader Otto Wels stepped to the microphone. It was to be
the final public defense of democracy in Germany before the country started
down the path of genocide, war and ruin. Not long after Wels finished, and
following an enraged speech by Hitler, 444 representatives voted for
parliament to be stripped of power. There were just 94 votes against.
But the final important date in Hitler's rise to complete dictatorial power
came only in the summer of 1934. On August 2, President Paul von
Hindenburg passed away. In the days preceding the old man's death, Hitler
signed a decree abolishing the position of president. In its place, another was
created: "Führer and Chancellor." Finally, all power in Germany was united in
his hands.”

1. Benjamin Ziemann, “How Stable was the Weimar Republic

between 1924-29?” Historical Association, podcast audio, 16
August 2013, accessed October 22, 2024.
https://www.history.org.uk/podcasts/categories/438/podcast/85/
how-stable-was-the-weimar-republic-between-1924-29
2. Ziemann, “How Stable was the Weimar Republic?”

Ziemann argues that there was “relative economic and political stability” after
the early years of the Republic.

1. Richard Bazillion, “Podium: the rise of Hitler was not

inevitable,” Independent, 16 August 1999, accessed 17
December 2017, http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-
entertainment/podium-the-rise-of-hitler-was-not-inevitable-
1113206.html.
2. Bazillion, “Podium.”

“Why, then, did Hitler triumph in Germany? What circumstances brought him
to power? Might similar circumstances produce similar results elsewhere in
the future?

There is a philosophical perspective that may help us. That perspective is the
role of contingency in history. The point here is that there is nothing
inevitable about the way in which history unfolds. Accidents do happen; and
some of them have profound consequences.

For example, Nazi voting strength waxed and then suddenly waned between
July, 1930, and November, 1933. When Nazi representation in the Reichstag
declined from 230 to 196 in the last free election under Weimar, Hitler's
momentum clearly had disappeared. There was no compelling reason for
those who controlled the political system to appoint him chancellor. He
simply no longer had any claim on the office. Yet this is precisely what Kurt
von Schleicher and Franz von Papen decided to do, with unforeseen
consequences.

...

It is impossible to support the argument that monopoly capitalism brought

Hitler to power. He did take advantage of a particular economic crisis, which
drove Germans to make a choice between the Communist alternative and
what appeared to be a traditionalist political movement. The fact that Hitler's
support among voters and big business fell dramatically in the course of
1932 proves that public perceptions of what the Nazi movement was really
about were changing. Doubts grew about Nazi intentions, and Germans were
troubled by what they were seeing and hearing.

There was nothing inevitable about the events of January 1933. The Nazi
seizure of power, far from being the culmination of centuries of German
history, therefore, was a contingent event with vast implications for the
world.”

“The Great Depression in Germany.” Alphahis, 6 Nov. 2019,

alphahistory.com/weimarrepublic/great-depression/. Date Accessed 9 th
March 2020

The Great Depression was a global economic slump that erupted in late 1929
and lasted for several years. It began as an American crisis, specifically a
huge stock market crash, but had knock-on effects around the world. The
Great Depression was severely felt in Germany, where it caused widespread
unemployment, starvation and misery. These conditions were instrumental in
the rise to power of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialists (NSDAP).
The impact on Weimar Germany was particularly dire. Germans were not so
much reliant on exports as they were on American loans, which had been
propping up the Weimar economy since 1924. From late 1929, no further
loans were issued while American financiers began to call in existing loans.
Despite its rapid growth, the German economy could not endure this
retraction of cash and capital. Banks struggled to provide money and credit.
In 1931, there were runs on German and Austrian banks and several of them
folded.

In 1930, the United States, by then the largest purchaser of German

industrial exports, put up tariff barriers to protect its own companies.
German industrialists lost access to US markets and found credit almost
impossible to obtain.

Many industrial companies and factories either closed or shrank

dramatically. By 1932, German industrial production was at 58 per cent of its
1928 levels. The effect of this decline was spiralling unemployment.

Homelessness, starvation and misery

The effects on German society were devastating. By the end of 1929, around
1.5 million Germans were out of work. Within a year, this figure had more
than doubled. By early 1933, unemployment in Germany had reached six
million, more than one-third of its working population.

While there were few shortages of food, millions found themselves without
the means to obtain it. Children suffered worst, thousands dying from
malnutrition and hunger-related diseases. Millions of industrial workers – who
during the ‘Golden Age of Weimar‘ had become the best-paid blue-collar
workers in Europe – spent a year or more in idleness.
The Great Depression affected all classes in Germany, not just the factory
workers. Unemployment climbed markedly among white-collar workers and
professional classes. A Chicago news correspondent in Berlin reported that
“60 per cent of each new university graduating class was out of work”.

British novelist Christopher Isherwood, who lived in Berlin during the worst of
the depression, described scenes of unemployment and impoverishment in
the German capital:

“Morning after morning, all over the immense, damp, dreary town and the
packing-case colonies of huts in the suburb allotments, young men were
waking up to another workless empty day, to be spent as they could best
contrive: selling boot-laces, begging, playing draughts in the hall of the
Labour Exchange, hanging about urinals, opening the doors of cars, helping
with crates in the market, gossiping, lounging, stealing, overhearing racing
tips, sharing stumps of cigarette ends picked up in the gutter.”
Bruning’s disastrous response
 A cartoon showing Bruning propped up by the
Weimar constitution’s emergency powers
The Weimar government could muster no effective answer to the Great
Depression. The usual response to any recession is a sharp increase in
government spending to stimulate the economy – but Heinrich Bruning, who
became chancellor in March 1930, seemed to fear inflation and a budget
deficit more than unemployment.
Rather than ramping up spending, Bruning increased taxes to reduce the
budget deficit. He then implemented wage cuts and spending reductions, an
attempt to lower prices. Bruning’s policies were rejected by
the Reichstag but the chancellor was backed by President Paul von
Hindenburg, who in mid-1930 issued his policies as emergency decrees.
Bruning’s measures failed and only contributed to increased unemployment
and public suffering in 1931-32. They also revived government instability and
bickering between parties in the Reichstag.
The NSDAP gains support
The real beneficiaries of the Great Depression and Bruning’s disastrous
policy responses were Adolf Hitler and the National Socialists (NSDAP). At the
time of the Wall Street stock market crash, the NSDAP held just 12 seats in
the Reichstag while Hitler was a figure of curiosity rather than a legitimate
political candidate.
As conditions worsened, public discontent soared and membership of the
NSDAP grew. In September 1930 elections, the NSDAP increased its
representation in the Reichstag almost tenfold, winning 107 seats. Two years
later, they won 230 seats, the most won by any single party during the entire
Weimar period.
Hitler found the failures and misery of the Great Depression to his liking,
remarking: “Never in my life have I been so well disposed and inwardly
contented as in these days. For hard reality has opened the eyes of millions
of Germans.”
A historian’s view:
“Germany appeared to be on the brink of civil war. The young Weimar
Republic was wracked by armed street fighting waged mainly between
Communists and Nazis. Foreclosures, bankruptcies, suicides and
malnourishment all skyrocketed. Six million Germans, 40 per cent of the
working population, were unemployed; and thousands found themselves
without a place to live… As anxiety and fear gripped the masses of
unemployed men, blatant prejudices resurfaced against full-time female
workers. Women were urged to give up their jobs and return home to their
traditional roles as wives and mothers. Some of them gladly complied.
Others were despondent, either because of their financial need to work or
because they worried that the few advances made by women would be
permanently stifled.”
Irene Guenther

Effects of the Great Depression in Germany - Know Germany

‘Effects of the Great Depression in Germany’, Know Germany, 22 April 2023,
https://knowgermany.com/effects-of-the-great-depression-in-germany/,
accessed on 29 October 2024
Overview of the Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe economic downturn that occurred in the
1930s and affected countries around the world, including Germany. It was
caused by a combination of factors, such as the stock market crash, bank
failures, and a decline in international trade. The effects of the Great
Depression in Germany were particularly devastating and far-reaching, and
had lasting political, social, and economic consequences for the country.
During the Great Depression in Germany, the unemployment rate
skyrocketed, reaching over 30% by 1932. This led to widespread poverty and
social unrest, which in turn contributed to the rise of extremist political
movements, such as the Nazi Party. The economic effects of the Great
Depression also had long-term consequences for Germany, including the
destruction of the country’s industrial base and a significant reduction in its
global economic power.
Factors that Contributed to the Great Depression in Germany
Germany’s economy was hit hard by a combination of factors that
contributed to the Great Depression. One of the main reasons was the heavy
reparations Germany had to pay as part of the Treaty of Versailles after
World War I. The country also experienced a severe economic downturn due
to the global decline in trade and the collapse of the American stock market
in 1929.
Other factors included the excessive borrowing and spending by the
government, which led to hyperinflation in 1923 and weakened the value of
the German currency. Additionally, the agricultural sector suffered due to the
loss of land and resources during the war, which made it difficult to sustain
food production and caused food shortages and rising prices.
Impact of the Great Depression on the German Economy
The Great Depression had a devastating impact on the German economy,
plunging the country into an economic crisis that lasted for more than a
decade. The German economy had been heavily reliant on exports,
particularly to the United States, and when the global economy collapsed in
1929, Germany was hit hard.
One of the most significant consequences of the Great Depression was a
sharp decline in industrial production. Many businesses were forced to close
down, and unemployment rates soared. The German government was unable
to stimulate the economy, and by 1932, more than 6 million Germans were
out of work.
The depression also had a profound impact on the banking sector, with many
banks failing and others struggling to survive. This led to a shortage of
credit, making it difficult for businesses to access the funding they needed to
stay afloat.
The German government responded to the crisis by implementing austerity
measures, cutting spending, and reducing the budget deficit. However, these
measures only worsened the situation, as they further reduced demand and
caused the economy to contract even further.
The impact of the Great Depression on the German economy was also felt in
other areas, such as agriculture and trade. Many farmers were unable to sell
their crops, leading to a decline in agricultural production. Meanwhile,
international trade suffered as other countries, including the United States,
introduced protectionist policies, making it harder for German businesses to
export their goods.
The Great Depression in Germany ultimately had far-reaching political and
social consequences, including the rise of the Nazi party and the onset of
World War II. However, it was the impact on the economy that first brought
the country to its knees, and the effects of the depression continued to be
felt long after it had ended.
Unemployment and Poverty during the Great Depression
The Great Depression had a devastating impact on the German economy,
leading to widespread unemployment and poverty. As the global economic
crisis hit Germany in 1929, the country’s industrial output declined rapidly,
leading to mass layoffs and factory closures. By 1932, the unemployment
rate had skyrocketed to over 30 percent, leaving millions of Germans without
work and struggling to make ends meet.
As unemployment rose, so too did poverty. Many Germans were unable to
afford basic necessities such as food, housing, and healthcare. This led to the
rise of soup kitchens and other charitable organizations that provided
assistance to the most vulnerable members of society.
The German government attempted to address the crisis by implementing a
series of economic policies and public works programs. However, these
efforts were largely ineffective in alleviating the suffering of the unemployed
and the poor.
The situation was particularly dire in urban areas, where unemployment
rates were highest. Many Germans were forced to rely on family and
community networks for support, while others turned to crime or prostitution
in order to survive.
The Great Depression also had a significant impact on children and young
people, who were particularly vulnerable to the effects of poverty and
unemployment. Many children were forced to leave school in order to work
and contribute to their family’s income, while others were sent to live in
orphanages or juvenile detention centers.
Overall, the Great Depression had a profound and lasting impact on the
German economy and society. The experience of mass unemployment and
poverty helped to shape the country’s political and social landscape in the
years leading up to World War II, and continues to be studied and analyzed
by historians and economists today.
Political and Social Consequences of the Great Depression in
Germany
The Great Depression had significant political and social consequences in
Germany. The country was hit hard by the economic downturn, and the
resulting unemployment and poverty led to a rise in extremism and political
polarization.
The two major political parties in Germany at the time were the Social
Democratic Party (SPD) and the Communist Party (KPD). Both parties saw an
increase in support during the Great Depression, as many Germans became
disillusioned with the traditional political establishment. However, the Nazi
Party, led by Adolf Hitler, emerged as the most significant political force in
Germany during this period.
Hitler and the Nazi Party were able to capitalize on the economic and social
turmoil of the Great Depression by promising to restore Germany’s economic
strength and national pride. They scapegoated groups like Jews, communists,
and homosexuals, blaming them for Germany’s economic problems and
using them as a rallying point for their supporters.
As the Nazis gained power, they began to suppress civil liberties and restrict
freedom of speech, assembly, and the press. They also began to implement
discriminatory policies against Jews and other minority groups, leading to the
eventual genocide of millions of people during World War II.
The rise of the Nazi Party and the resulting political and social consequences
of the Great Depression in Germany serve as a stark reminder of the dangers
of economic instability and political polarization. It is important to remember
the lessons of this period in history and work to prevent similar events from
occurring in the future.
The Rise of Hitler and the Nazi Party during the Great Depression
During the Great Depression, Germany was facing widespread
unemployment, poverty, and political turmoil. It was during this time that
Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party rose to power. Hitler and his followers
capitalized on the German people’s frustrations and fears, promising to
restore Germany to greatness and create a better future for its citizens.
Hitler’s rise to power began with his appointment as Chancellor in 1933,
after which he quickly consolidated his control over the government and
began implementing his vision for Germany. He promoted nationalism and
racial purity, scapegoating Jews, homosexuals, and other marginalized
groups for Germany’s problems. He also repressed political opposition and
established a totalitarian regime.
The Nazi Party used propaganda, rallies, and violence to gain support and
suppress dissent. The most notorious example of this was the Kristallnacht,
or Night of Broken Glass, in 1938, during which the Nazis orchestrated a
wave of violence against Jewish businesses and synagogues, resulting in
widespread destruction and loss of life.
Hitler’s aggressive foreign policy and expansionist aims eventually led to
World War II and the Holocaust, during which millions of people were killed,
including six million Jews.
The rise of Hitler and the Nazi Party during the Great Depression is a
sobering reminder of the dangers of economic and political instability. It
serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of upholding democratic
values, protecting human rights, and promoting social and economic justice.
International Response to the Great Depression in Germany
During the Great Depression, Germany was not alone in facing economic
turmoil. Many countries around the world were also affected, and the
international response to the crisis had a significant impact on Germany’s
recovery efforts.
One of the most notable responses to the Great Depression was the
establishment of the Gold Standard. This was an international agreement
that fixed the value of currencies to gold, which was intended to stabilize
exchange rates and promote economic growth. However, the Gold Standard
also had the effect of limiting the ability of countries to take the necessary
steps to address their economic problems. In Germany, the government was
constrained by the Gold Standard and was unable to implement the
necessary monetary policies to stimulate the economy.
Today, the lessons learned from the Great Depression continue to inform
international efforts to address economic crises and promote global
cooperation.
Recovery and Rebuilding after the Great Depression in Germany
After the devastation of the Great Depression, Germany was left with a
struggling economy, widespread poverty and unemployment, and political
and social upheaval. However, through a combination of government
policies, international aid, and the hard work of its citizens, Germany was
eventually able to recover and rebuild.
One key factor in Germany’s recovery was the introduction of the New Plan
in 1934, which aimed to stabilize the economy through currency reform,
import controls, and government intervention in industry. This helped to
stimulate economic growth and reduce unemployment, and by the late
1930s, Germany had achieved a level of economic stability that had not
been seen since before the Great Depression.
In addition to these economic factors, the rebuilding of Germany’s
infrastructure and industry was also crucial to its recovery. The government
invested in public works projects, such as the construction of the Autobahn,
which not only provided jobs but also helped to modernize the country’s
transportation network. The government also encouraged the growth of
industries such as steel, chemicals, and machinery, which helped to make
Germany a leading industrial power once again.
Despite these efforts, however, Germany’s recovery was interrupted by the
outbreak of World War II. Many of the gains made during the recovery period
were lost, and the country was once again plunged into economic and social
turmoil.
In conclusion, while the Great Depression had a profound and lasting impact
on Germany, the country was ultimately able to recover and rebuild through
a combination of government policies, international aid, and hard work.
Although the recovery was cut short by the outbreak of World War II, the
lessons learned during this period would shape Germany’s post-war
reconstruction and its emergence as a leading economic power in Europe.
Lessons Learned from the Effects of the Great Depression in
Germany
The Great Depression had a profound and lasting impact on Germany, both
economically and socially. While the country eventually recovered and
rebuilt, the lessons learned from this dark period in history continue to shape
German society and politics today.
One of the most significant lessons learned from the Great Depression in
Germany is the importance of economic stability. The economic turmoil of
the 1920s and 1930s contributed to the rise of extremist political
movements like the Nazi Party, which promised to restore order and
prosperity to the country.
Another important lesson learned from the Great Depression in Germany is
the importance of social welfare programs and safety nets to protect
vulnerable populations during times of economic hardship. The widespread
poverty and unemployment of the Great Depression had devastating
consequences for many German families, and the government’s failure to
adequately address these issues contributed to social unrest and political
instability.
Finally, the Great Depression in Germany serves as a reminder of the
importance of international cooperation and solidarity during times of crisis.
The economic collapse of Germany had ripple effects throughout the global
economy, and the response of other nations was crucial in helping the
country recover and rebuild.
As we continue to face new economic challenges and crises, the lessons
learned from the Great Depression in Germany remain as relevant and
important as ever. By taking steps to promote economic stability, protect
vulnerable populations, and foster international cooperation, we can help
prevent another devastating period of economic and social upheaval.
Conclusion: How the Great Depression Changed Germany Forever
The Great Depression was a devastating economic and social crisis that had
a profound impact on Germany and its people. It brought about widespread
poverty, unemployment, and political unrest, ultimately leading to the rise of
Hitler and the Nazi Party.
However, the Great Depression also brought important lessons for the future.
Germany emerged from the crisis with a greater sense of national unity and
a determination to build a stronger, more stable economy. The country’s
recovery and rebuilding efforts after the Great Depression laid the
foundation for its post-World War II economic success.
Today, Germany is one of the world’s leading economies and a beacon of
stability and prosperity. The lessons learned from the Great Depression have
helped shape Germany’s economic and political systems, and its people
have shown resilience in the face of adversity.
It is important to remember the lessons of the past as we confront the
economic and social challenges of our own time. The Great Depression
changed Germany forever, but it also served as a reminder of the power of
resilience, determination, and a willingness to learn from past mistakes.