1. Germany: Exam Practice, Interpretation
Good learning: Understand the format of the Interpretation questions
Great learning: Explain how to approach each of the questions
Even better: Confidently and effectively answer all 3 Qs
Key Words:
Interpretation

2. The Interpretation Questions
0 1
Read Interpretations A and B in the Interpretations Booklet.
How does Interpretation B differ from Interpretation A about ……………..?
Explain your answer using Interpretations A and B.
[4 marks] 02
Why might the authors of Interpretations A and B have a different interpretation
about ………………..?
Explain your answer using Interpretations A and B and your contextual knowledge.
0 3
Which interpretation do you find more convincing about ………………….?
[8 marks]
Good learning: Understand the format of the Interpretation questions
Great learning: Explain how to approach each of the questions
Even better: Confidently and effectively answer all 3 Qs

3. Interpretation A: Albert Speer, writing in his book, ‘Inside the Third Reich’ written in 1960.
He remembers hearing Adolf Hitler speak in January 1931 at Berlin University. Albert Speer went on to become the Nazi Minister for weapons. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison after the war and released in 1966.
Everything about him was reasonable and ordinary looking; he was no shrieking fanatic in a uniform. He spoke passionately; it was hypnotic and persuasive. We were carried on a wave of enthusiasm. It swept away our doubts. Here, it seemed was hope, new ideals, a new understanding. The peril of communism could be stopped.
Identify what the different Colours Mean
Add comments about Author
Add relevant knowledge linked to content

4. Interpretation B Victor Schiff, in an article written in where he explains Hitler's rise to power.
Schiff was a German journalist and socialist who worked as the Paris correspondent for the American ‘Daily Herald’ newspaper in the 1930s.
If there is one point on which we all agree, it must be surely that Hitler owes his rise and ultimate victory to the World Economic Crisis. Hitler appealed to the despair of the unemployed workers; the young people who had no future; to the middle class businessman and craftsman heading for bankruptcy and to the farmers threatened with a fall in agricultural prices.
Identify what the different Colours Mean
Add comments about Author
Add relevant knowledge linked to content

5. Looking at the View (content)
Read Interpretations A and B from the Interpretations Booklet.
How does Interpretation B differ from Interpretation A about Hitler’s appeal to the people of Germany?
Explain your answer using Interpretations A and B.
[4 marks]

6. Analyse individual interpretations (AO4a) Analyse how interpretations of a key feature of a period differ (AO4b)
Level
Skills
Demonstrated
To Improve 2
Developed analysis of interpretations to explain differences based on their content 1
Simple analysis of interpretation(s) to identify differences based on their content

7. Developed inferences but unbalanced, and more developed is evident on Interpretation B. It is worth noting that knowledge is not credited in this question. Answer achieves bottom of a Level 2.
Interpretation B focuses on Hitler’s appeal to the world economic crisis and unemployed workers. This was after the Wall Street crash and depression in which 6 million people were affected for unemployment which may have been why people were looking for a solution. This is different from interpretation A as it is focused more on Hitler’s looks and how he appeals to the public through propaganda. It is based on the image he gives off and how people create an opinion of him from his propaganda such as radio, posters and newspapers. Also, the creation of the Swastika and the SS parades would give off Hitler’s image as appealing to the public making him seem more powerful.

8. This answer contains a developed analysis of both interpretations and reaches the top of a Level 2.
Interpretation A suggests that Hitler was an effective orator and offered an alternative to the communist threat. For example Speer says ‘it swept away our doubts… The Perils of communism could be stopped.’ Therefore this shows Hitler’s use of their fears to gain support. Whereas Interpretation B implies that Hitler’s rise to power is as a result of his exploitation of the Great Depression and the Wall Street Crash. For example Schliff states ‘Hitler owes his rise…to the World Economic Crisis’ suggesting that the economic difficulties made it possible for Hitler to have appeal with the masses.

9. Looking at the Attribution (Author)02
Why might the authors of Interpretations A and B have a different interpretation about Hitler’s appeal to the people of Germany? Explain your answer using Interpretations A and B and your contextual knowledge.
[4 marks]

10. Identified difference? Analysis: Simple or developed?
Identified difference?
Analysis: Simple or developed?
context of their time of writing
place
previous experience
knowledge
beliefs
circumstances
access to information
purpose and audience

11. A developed analysis of the provenance of both interpretations and therefore reaches the top of Level 2
Interpretation A is written by Albert Speer who went to Berlin University, because of this he supported Hitler and became the Nazi minister for weapons, however at the time Speer was in prison and trying to get the blame off of himself so he said Hitler was “hypnotic” to give the sense that he was controlling people to save himself.
Interpretation B is written by Victor Schiff who was left wing, you could argue that because he was the Paris correspondent that he would be against Hitler and could also add to the fact that it was In an American newspaper making the article negative and biased. However because he was a journalist and needed to get a widespread view it’s not all bad, although he takes more of a negative view when talking about the workers because of his left wing commitment.

12. 0 3
Which interpretation do you find more convincing about Hitler’s appeal to the people of Germany? ?
Explain your answer using Interpretations A and B and your contextual knowledge.
[8 marks]

13. Connected own knowledge
Interpretation
Understanding
Connected own knowledge
Comparison reaching a conclusion on which is more convincing
Complex Comparison reaching well supported conclusion A B
 For example, Interpretation B is more convincing because it talks about the growth in Nazi electoral support as Depression worsened and/or Hitler’s support from key groups such as the unemployed attracted by Nazi promises of ‘bread and work’.
 For example Interpretation B is more convincing, as B explains the economic and resulting social conditions which were needed before Hitler’s oratory could have had an impact; analysis of what Speer has written highlights the despair he and others felt and it was the Depression that was the root cause of this.

14. A developed application of knowledge to both interpretations, but the judgment is not explained, merely asserted. Answer reaches the top of a Level 3.
Firstly, interpretation A is quite convincing due to the way it talks of Hitler being “hypnotic and persuasive” as Hitler was a very good public speaker which was the reason he joined the Nazis in the first place. This convinces me as the reason Hitler became so popular was due to his public speeches, therefore it is easy to believe how he would appeal to the German public through his talent that brought him to fame. Also, the fact that it talks about stopping communism – “the peril of communism could be stopped”, shows how they wanted to remain capitalist and stop communism. This is convincing as Hitler was a strong right wing meaning he was against equality. For this reason I can believe that one of his appeals to the German public was to stop communism.
On the other hand, interpretation B is more convincing than interpretation A. He states that “Hitler owes his rise and ultimate victory to the World Economic Crisis” makes this interpretation convincing as people only listened/turned to Hitler at times of crisis such as the Wall Street Crash. This is convincing as 6 million people were unemployed, meaning many would turn to Hitler for support which convinces me that Hitler appealed to unemployed and young people as it would gain him more overall support. Overall, I find interpretation B more convincing as it states the changes in Hitler’s support and relates to events during his rise to power to support what it says abut Hitler’s appeal to the people of Germany.