The rise of Hilter ans Nazism

 Very Short Answer Questions (VSAQs): 

 

1. Who was the propaganda minister of Hitler?
Joseph Goebbels.

 

2. Which court was set up at the end of the Second World War to prosecute Nazi war criminals?
An International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg

 

3. What do you mean by Genocidal war?
Genocidal war means killing on large scale leading to the destruction of large sections of people.

4. What do you mean by Reichstag?
Reichstag is the name of the German Parliament.

5. Which treaty was signed by Germany after its defeat In the First World war?
The Treaty of Versailles was signed by Germany after its defeat in the First World War.

6. Who was mockingly called 'November Criminals'?
Those who supported the Weimar Republic, mainly Socialists, Catholics and Democrats, were mockingly called the ‘November Criminals'.

7. How were the deputies of the Reichstag appointed?
The deputies of the Reichstag were elected on the basis of universal votes cast by all adults including women.

8. Which article of the Weimar Constitution gave the President the powers to impose emergency, suspend civil rights and rule by decree in Germany?
Article 48 of the Weimar Constitution gave the President the powers to impose emergency, suspend civil rights and rule by decree in Germany.

9. What do you mean by Free Corps?
The war veterans organisation through which the Weimar Republic crushed the uprising of the Spartacist League are called Free Corps.

 

10. Why did Nazis hold massive rallies and public meetings in Germany?
Nazis held massive rallies and public meetings in Germany to demonstrate their support for Hitler and instil(develop/create) a sense of unity among the people.

 

Short Answer Questions (SAQs):

1. Describe the events that happened during Great Economic Depression in the USA?
• The Wall Street Exchange crashed in 1929 and due to fear of a fall in prices, people made frantic efforts to sell their shares. 

• Over the next three years, between 1929 and 1932, the national income of the USA fell by half. 

• Factories shut down, exports fell, farmers were badly hit and speculators withdrew their money from the market.

 

 

2. Describe any three inherent defects in the Weimar Constitution that made it vulnerable to dictatorship.

OR

Mention three reasons responsible for the failure of the Weimar Republic.

OR

State any three factors which made the Weimer Republic politically fragile.

• The constitution provided that government must be based on proportional representation which made achieving a majority by any one party near impossible.

• The coalition governments were not stable and keeps changing.

• The constitution had Article 48, which gave the President the powers to impose emergency, suspend civil rights and rule by decree.

 

 

3. What promises did Hitler make to the Germans when he came to power? 

• He promised to build a strong nation and undo the justice of the Treaty of Versailles and restore the dignity of the German people. 

• He promised employment for those looking for work. 

• He promised to remove all foreign influences and resist all foreign conspiracies against Germany.

 

 

4. Explain any three effects of the Treaty of Versailles over Germany. 

• Germany lost its overseas colonies. 

• It was demilitarized. 

• The allied armies occupied resource-rich Rhineland. 

• It lost 75 percent of the iron and 26 percent of its coal to France, Poland, Denmark & Lithuania.

 

 

5. Describe the political impact of the defeat of Imperial Germany.

• The defeat of Imperial Germany and the abdication of the emperor gave an opportunity to recast German polity. 

• A National Assembly met at Weimar and established a democratic constitution with a federal structure. 

• Deputies were now elected to the German Parliament or Reichstag, on the basis of equal and universal votes cast by all adults including women.

 

 

6. Why did the Weimar Republic set up in Germany after the First World War become unpopular? Give three reasons. 

• The Weimar Republic was politically too fragile which created instability in Germany.

• The Weimar Republic was held responsible for signing the Treaty of Versailles and accepting its harsh terms.

• The Weimar Republic did not take any steps to improve the economic conditions of the people.

 

 

7. How did Nazis demonstrate support for Hitler?

• Nazis held massive rallies and public meetings to demonstrate their support for Hitler and instil a sense of unity among the people.

• The Red banners with the Swastika, the Nazi salute, and the ritualised rounds of applause after the speeches were all part of this spectacle of power.

• Nazi propaganda skilfully projected Hitler as a messiah, a saviour, as someone who had arrived to deliver people from their distress.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. What was the verdict of the Nuremberg Tribunal? Why did the Allies avoid harsh punishment on Germany?

• The Nuremberg Tribunal sentenced only eleven leading Nazis to death for the mass murder of selected groups of innocent civilians of Europe.

• Many others were imprisoned for life.

• The Allies did not want to be as harsh on defeated Germany as they had been after the First World War which led to the rise of Nazi Germany.

 

 

 

 

Long Answer Questions (LAQs):

1. Mention any five effects of the ‘Great Economic Depression’ on the economy of Germany?

• The industrial production was reduced to 40 percent of the 1929 level.

• workers lost their jobs or were paid reduced wages.

• Unemployed youth took to criminal activities and total despair became commonplace.

• The middle classes, especially salaried employees and pensioners, saw their savings diminish when the currency lost its value.

• Small businessmen, the self-employed and retailers suffered as their businesses got ruined.

 

 

2. Why was the 'Treaty of Versailles' treated as harsh and humiliating to the people of Germany? Explain.

• Germany lost its overseas colonies, a tenth of its population, 13 percent of its territories, 75 percent of its iron and 26 percent of its coal to France, Poland, Denmark and Lithuania. 

• The Allied Powers demilitarised Germany to weaken its power. 

• The War Guilt Clause held Germany responsible for the war and damages the Allied countries suffered. 

• Germany was forced to pay compensation amounting to £6 billion. 

• The Allied armies also occupied the resource-rich Rhineland for much of the 1920s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. The First World War left a deep imprint on European society and polity. Elaborate on the given statement. 

• Soldiers came to be placed above civilians. 

• Politicians and publicists laid great stress on the need for men to be aggressive, strong and masculine. 

• Media glorified trench life. 

• Aggressive war propaganda and national honour occupied centre stage. 

• Popular support grew for conservative dictatorships.