Edexcel A2 History - Germany 1900-45 - Monday 8th June 2015 [Exam Discussion Thread]

Thank you Quick question... would you include the night of the long knives? x

The questions will usually ask you for 1933, so I'm not sure. Probably not, unless it fits with the question. So perhaps I'd mention that he still had some consolidating to do after 1933

Thank you thats great

So would terror and violence involve the night of long knives?? x

Oh god, support from the conservatives seems a little hard to explain too what points did you have?

We haven't actually studied the night of long knives :'( but I put how the SA and SS attacked the communists and kept them away from the public gallery where Hitler was trying to pass the Enabling Act so it was filled with people who would support him. The Catholics felt intimidated by the Nazi's and didn't want to suffer the same fate as the communists so they supported Hitler anyway. I've written a second essay on this question I could post it here but I haven't had it marked yet so not sure if it's any good
For the support of the conservatives I just put that it helped make their party more powerful and popular due to their support, By having the support of the industrialists it increased their chances of winning in the election. Also how Von Papen's underestimating Hitler's power and believing he could control him played into Hitler's hands and ultimately led to the death of the Weimar Constitution and an end to democracy.
Hope this helps! It seems that everyone here has so many facts whereas my points are very basic :'(

· ‘Hitler became Chancellor in January 1933because he was leader of the most popular party in Germany.’ How far do youagree with this opinion?

Is this question referring to Hitler's rise to power?? x

Yep. Factors for why he became chancellor

Thanks x

So the factors for this would be:

Elections

Conservative elites support

Nazi popularity

Hitler's personal appeal

I would personally write about:
1. Economic and political crisis
2. Propaganda to play on the disillusionment from the 1st factor (Volkspsrtei for example)
3. Hitler's talents and appeal
4. Political intrigue

Although I'd probably join the last two together

Oh no we have completely different factors

what is political intrigue? x

I don't think they're too different -- nazi popularity for example would be both the economic and political crisis that caused it, and the propaganda/willingness to shape their ideological beliefs to appeal to a range of people!

And political intrigue is basically how who did what ( your factor of elections basically). So for example Hindernburg bringing von Papen back who naïvely thought he could control Hitler; Hitler becoming a legitimate party leader after the presidential elections, Schlacher angering Hitler by suggesting a Nazi split. if that makes any sense

Is anyone else completely going to fail this exam

"The German revolution 1918-1919 brought about remarkably little change in Germany." How far do you agree?


What would your plans be for these two questions?


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Having looked at the spec, that could definitely be a question. I highly doubt the 'from above, or below' one, which is just not accessible to everyone or clear. But the above could definitely come up. Has anyone done an essay plan for it, or any pointers to give? We didn't study it in class!

Any ideas how to answer this: “Systematic extermination emerged as the Final Solution to the Jewish Question as a result of the chaotic nature of the Nazi state”. To what extent do you agree?

Hey! We did this essay as a timed essay last week. My teacher always says that this question is asking you whether the holocaust was planned or not
I went with it being unplanned because although the Nazis hated the Jews they had no idea what to do with them - Madagascar plan - this was to put them on an island - it shows how chaotic the nature of the Nazi state was because they didn't know what would happen next and how they would be exterminated.
I also put that the more radical persecutions/systematic extermination against the Jews were more to do with a reaction to an event rather than Hitler always wanting to kill the Jews for example in the Wansee conference (1942) they planned to build death camps however, it can be argued that they decided a more radical solution for the Jewish question because they knew they were losing the war. It could be argued that they had planned to exterminate the Jews for a while as they were becoming more radical but I stuck with unplanned. I guess it can be due to preference as well.
I also said how Hitler's hatred to the Jews was widely known and how this was seen in his policy in creating a 'pure' nationality. So when he became chancellor and then president in 1933 anti-Semitism grew - SA and SS attacking them in the streets, losing jobs and eventually their German citizenship. He also blamed them for losing WW1 and with many Germans still angered by the Treaty of Versailles, many of them followed. However, it can be argued that this was a reaction to an event - losing ww1 and his intentions were unclear - he said h wanted to exterminate them and expressed his hatred but there was no plan as to how he would annihilate them.
The war with Russia can show that they planned to exterminate the Jews as they killed 700,000 of them but it also shows that it wasn't as they didn't attack Russia to gain Jews but it was due to the decline in relations - end of Nazi-Soviet Pac. Also they were lucky to gain the millions of Jews but again it shows the chaotic nature because they had no idea what to do and just rounded them up.
There are loads more points like deportations etc. but I ran out of time I managed to get a B even though I had hardly revised! So not too bad but not fantastic. Anyway I hope this does help! Sorry for my poorly constructed sentences!

Nazi Consolidation and German Revolution for me

Although Holocaust is very likely too.


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Really confused as to what the German revolution is? is that unit 1?! Ahhh I'm gonna fail :'(