1. Weimar and Nazi Germany 1918-39 Edexcel Exam Skills (9-1 Spec)

2. Question 1: Making inferences
Question 1 on your exam paper will ask you to ‘infer from source A…’
There are 4 marks available for this question.
Making inferences is working something out that isn’t directly shown.
You must think about what is suggested or implied by the source and then try to show how the source helped you make that inference.
You must include supporting details (or a quote) from the source to back up the point you have made.
See page 31 of revision guide for an example.

3. Question 1: Making inferences
In this question the sentence starters are already provided for you:
What I can infer:
Details in the source that tell me this:

4. This source tells me that ….
1) What is the question asking you to make an inference about? That is the specific focus of the question.
Cut out ….. Source to infer from goes here
2) What clues does the label / details / provenance give about the source? ( look at title / author/ date)
Weimar and Nazi Germany Question no 1 : Inference 4 marker
This source tells me that ….
Details in the source such as … tells me that … shows that ….
3) Identify the first inference you can make about the focus. Then back it up with details from the source.
4) Identify the second inference you can make about the focus. Then back it up with details from the source.

5. 2 WAGOLLS – ONE FROM YOUR MOCK SET OVER SUMMER.

6. This source tells me that ….
1) What is the question asking you to make an inference about? That is the specific focus of the question.
SOURCE A: From a History of the Modern World, published in 2001.
Give two things you can infer from Source A about Nazi employment policies between
When Hitler came to power, there were millions out of work. The Nazis employed people to make weapons and recruited men into the army. Jobs were created by building houses, schools and autobahns. Unemployment dropped to less than 1 million by However, the working week rose from 45 hours in 1928 to 50 hours in 1939.
2) What clues does the label / details / provenance give about the source? ( look at title / author/ date)
Weimar and Nazi Germany Question no 1 : Inference 4 marker
This source tells me that ….
Details in the source such as … tells me that … shows that ….
3) Identify the first inference you can make about the focus. Then back it up with details from the source.
4) Identify the second inference you can make about the focus. Then back it up with details from the source.

7. What I can infer: That Hitler was successful in reducing unemployment in Germany after 1933.
Details in the source that tell me this: Unemployment went from 3 million to 1 million by 1938.
What I can infer: German people had to work hard in the Nazi period.
Details in the source that tell me this: The working week went from 45 hours in 1928 to 50 hours in 1939.

8. This source tells me that ….
1) What is the question asking you to make an inference about? That is the specific focus of the question.
Give two things you can infer from Source C about German reactions to the Treaty of Versailles.
From a German newspaper, Deutsche Zeitung, 28 June 1919
Vengeance! German nation! Today in the Hall of Mirrors (Versailles), the disgraceful treaty is being signed. Do not forget it. The German people will, with unceasing work, press forward to reconquer the place among nations to which it is entitled. Then will come vengeance for the shame of 1919.
2) What clues does the label / details / provenance give about the source? ( look at title / author/ date)
Weimar and Nazi Germany Question no 1 : Inference 4 marker
This source tells me that ….
Details in the source such as … tells me that … shows that ….
3) Identify the first inference you can make about the focus. Then back it up with details from the source.
4) Identify the second inference you can make about the focus. Then back it up with details from the source.

9. What I can infer: The German people hated the Treaty of Versailles.
Details in the source that tell me this: They called it ‘disgraceful’.
What I can infer: German people wanted to overturn the Treaty and to get revenge..
Details in the source that tell me this: The newspaper mentions ‘vengeance for the shame of 1919’.

10. NOW YOUR TURN!

11. Give two things you can infer about the Spartacists.
Source D – From an article in a government newspaper, 1919
The despicable actions of Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg soil the revolution and endanger all its achievements. The masses must not sit quiet or one minute longer while these brutal beasts and their followers paralyse the activities of the republican government and incite the people more and more to civil war.
i)What I can infer:_______________________________________________________________­
______________________________________________________________________________
Details in the source that tells me this:_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
­_______________________________________________________________________________
­ _______________________________________________________________________________

12. Give two things you can infer about the Weimar Constitution.
From a speech to the new Constituent Assembly by Hugo Preuss, head of the Commission that drew up the Weimar Constitution in He was talking about the new Constitution.
I have often listened to the debates with real concern. Glancing timidly to the gentlemen to the Right, fearful lest they say to me: ‘Do you hope to give a parliamentary system to a nation like this, one that resists it with every sinew in its body?’ One finds suspicion everywhere; Germans cannot shake off their old political timidity and their deference to the authoritarian state.
i)What I can infer:_______________________________________________________________­
______________________________________________________________________________
Details in the source that tells me this:_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
­_______________________________________________________________________________
­ _______________________________________________________________________________

13. Question 2: Explaining why…
Question 2 on your exam paper will ask you to ‘explain why…’
There are twelve marks available for this question.
Explaining involves looking at the key features of something and thinking about its causes.
Key features are accurate and relevant knowledge.
Causes are what led to a situation or change happening.
To explain causes, you must show how a number of causes led to that event or change.

14. Question 2: Explaining why…
One reason for X is …
This is … (provide relevant contextual knowledge here)
This is important because …
(Link back to question/ on to next point)
Another reason for X is …
A final reason for X is …
Overall I think the most important reason for X is ..
I think this because …

15. The first reason … A further reason… A final reason..
1) What is the question asking you to explain about? Explain and show off your history.
Cut out Explain question goes here
2) Use the two bullet points but always think of a third bullet point of your own.
Weimar and Nazi Germany Question no 2 : Explain why 12 marks
3) Write an introduction that explains the key theme of the question and what you are going to explain if you want but not essential.
4) Write a paragraph on each point fully explaining each. Each bullet point is a reason.
The first reason …
A further reason…
A final reason..
This was important because….
This is shown by……
Focused explanation
Historical Knowledge

16. 2 WAGOLLS – ONE FROM YOUR MOCK SET OVER SUMMER.

17. The first reason … A further reason… A final reason..
1) What is the question asking you to explain about? Explain and show off your history.
Explain why Nazi policies changed the lives of German women between (12 marks)
You may use the following in your answer:
The Mothers Cross
Law for encouragement of marriage
You must also use information of your own.
2) Use the two bullet points but always think of a third bullet point of your own.
Weimar and Nazi Germany Question no 2 : Explain why 12 marks
3) Write an introduction that explains the key theme of the question and what you are going to explain if you want but not essential.
4) Write a paragraph on each point fully explaining each. Each bullet point is a reason.
The first reason …
A further reason…
A final reason..
This was important because….
This is shown by……
Focused explanation
Historical Knowledge

18. Explain why Nazi policies changed the lives of German women between 1933-1939.
One reason why life changed for German women in the Nazi era was that Hitler intended for women to flourish in the private and not the public sphere and he summarised their lives in his ‘kinder, kirche, kuche’ statement. The Nazis believed that women were important in offering support to their husband and in bearing as many children for the Third Reich as possible. Indeed, if Hitler wished to secure a ‘Thousand Year Reich’, it was incredibly important that women do their duty in having as many Aryan children as possible. After introducing the Law for the Encouragement of Marriage in 1933 which incentivised marriage and children, women were persuaded by Goebbels's propaganda to procreate. They were awards for having 4, 6 and 8 children. This could earn you a Mother’s Cross Award. The lives of women changed as Hitler wanted to reverse the declining birth rate, have soldiers for the future and to secure Nazi rule for years to come.
Another reason why the lives of German women changed is that Hitler felt that they were incredibly important in preserving the quality of the Aryan bloodline. The Nuremburg Laws of 1935 forbade marriage between Aryans and non-Aryans and this law worked in parallel with Hitler’s belief in ‘untermenschen’ and ‘undesirables’. Women were responsible for ensuring the strength of the Aryan people and this meant that they lost the freedom to chose who they were to marry.
A final reason why the lives of women changed can be attributed to Hitler’s desire to reduce the unemployment figure. When Hitler came to power in 1933, there were 6 million people unemployed and Hitler had to deliver on his election promises of ‘Arbeit und Brot’. A quick way to do this was to ensure that women were no longer found in the workplace and many women who had been teachers, lawyers, doctors and politicians in the Weimar years returned to their life in the domestic sphere. This linked with Hitler’s desire to increase the Aryan race too.
Overall, lives for women in Nazi Germany changed as they were confined to the home, encouraged to marry and to have children, told who to marry and their education was restricted to ensure the Nazi goals of a large Aryan population and good employment rates.

19. The first reason … A further reason… A final reason..
1) What is the question asking you to explain about? Explain and show off your history.
Explain why there were challenges to the Weimar Republic in the years
You may use the following in your answer:
The Treaty of Versailles
The Kapp Putsch
You must also use information of your own.
2) Use the two bullet points but always think of a third bullet point of your own.
Weimar and Nazi Germany Question no 2 : Explain why 12 marks
3) Write an introduction that explains the key theme of the question and what you are going to explain if you want but not essential.
4) Write a paragraph on each point fully explaining each. Each bullet point is a reason.
The first reason …
A further reason…
A final reason..
This was important because….
This is shown by……
Focused explanation
Historical Knowledge

20. Explain why there were challenges to the Weimar Republic in the years 1919-23.
In 1919 there was much opposition in Germany when the Treaty of Versailles was signed. This took 13% of the land away, the Rhineland was turned into a demilitarized zone, Germany also had all colonies taken from them and any raw materials left in the taken land was claimed by other countries. Having a demilitarized zone right next to France meant that Germany was very vulnerable and unsafe. In addition, the Treaty made Germany accept War Guilt (Art 231), they lost arms and they could only have an army of 100,00 men and Germany was forced to pay £6.6 billion in reparations to the Allies for war damage. Since the Kaiser had abdicated, one of the first tasks of Friedrich Ebert was to sign the Armistice in November 1918 and consequently the Treaty of Versailles in This led to much opposition.
Opposition occurred throughout this period as many political groups were unhappy about the limited nature of the German Revolution which had happened in One of these groups was called the Spartacists who were ked by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht. This left wing group wanted Germany to adopt the Russian model of Communism but despite their uprising in Berlin in January 1919, they were easily put down by Ebert’s reliance on right wing groups who hated the very though of Marxist equality.
Further challenge came in 1923 when the French occupied the Ruhr after German failure to pay reparations. This occupation by the French led to civil unrest and later hyperinflation when the Weimar Government started printing money that they did not have to pay off the French and the striking German workers. Further economic discontent fuelled the anger of the middle classes who once again suffered. The rising opposition to the Weimar government led Hitler to believe that the time was right for a Putsch and he staged it in Munich on November 8th 1923.
Overall, all challenges link to the discontentment caused by the limited German Revolution and the decision to sign the Armistice and latterly the Treaty of Versailles.

21. The first reason … A further reason… A final reason..
1) What is the question asking you to explain about? Explain and show off your history.
Explain why the Weimar Republic recovered in the years
You may use the following in your answer:
The Dawes Plan
Achievements abroad
You must also use information of your own.
2) Use the two bullet points but always think of a third bullet point of your own.
Weimar and Nazi Germany Question no 2 : Explain why 12 marks
3) Write an introduction that explains the key theme of the question and what you are going to explain if you want but not essential.
4) Write a paragraph on each point fully explaining each. Each bullet point is a reason.
The first reason …
A further reason…
A final reason..
This was important because….
This is shown by……
Focused explanation
Historical Knowledge

22. The first reason … A further reason… A final reason..
1) What is the question asking you to explain about? Explain and show off your history.
Explain why was a golden age in the Weimar Republic.
You may use the following in your answer:
Women
Culture
You must also use information of your own.
2) Use the two bullet points but always think of a third bullet point of your own.
Weimar and Nazi Germany Question no 2 : Explain why 12 marks
3) Write an introduction that explains the key theme of the question and what you are going to explain if you want but not essential.
4) Write a paragraph on each point fully explaining each. Each bullet point is a reason.
The first reason …
A further reason…
A final reason..
This was important because….
This is shown by……
Focused explanation
Historical Knowledge

23. Key Topic 1 – The Weimar Republic 1918-29
Terms (LAMB)
Effects
Weaknesses
Strengths
The Treaty of Versailles
Sparticist Uprising, ‘19
The Weimar Constitution
Kapp Putsch, ‘20
Key Features
1. Impact of WWI
2. Political Threats
Armistice
The Munich Putsch, ‘23
Key Topic 1 – The Weimar Republic
New Currency
3. Hyperinflation
Invasion of the Ruhr
4. Gustav Stresemann
Economic
Dawes Plan, ‘24
What changed?
Causes
Political
Young Plan, ‘29
League of Nations
Effects
Kellogg-Briand Pact, ‘28
Locarno Pact, ‘25
5. Changes in Society
Effects