Hitler's Economic Policy

1. Hitler's Economic Policy Did Hitler Transform the German Economy?

2. LO: • At the end of this lesson you should be able to: • Understand Hitler’s priorities on coming to power • Know about the Schacht period of economic management 1933-5 • Know about Goering and the 4 year Plan 1936-40 • Evaluate the success or otherwise of Nazi economic policy

3. Unemployment • During the election campaigns Hitler had promised to solve unemployment. By 1933 6 million Germans were out of work

4. Hitler also wanted • 1. Drag Germany out of the world recession • 2. Make Germany an “autarky” – self sufficient • 3. Get rid of Jewish industrialists and give their businesses to “Aryans” • 4 Transform the economy to focus on rearmament and war

5. Hjalmar Schacht • President of the Reichsbank - directed German economic policy • Believed in steady growth and a stable currency • Against spending out too much on rearmament before the German economy was strong enough • His New Plan of 1934 aimed to reduce imports into Germany and to strengthen the currency – it did not work! • Imports went up. Agriculture suffered due to a shortage of workers and machinery. Germany continued to import a lot of goods such as butter, oil and vegetables. • Goering replaced Schacht in 1936 in terms of economic policy. Schacht had no respect for him and his lack of economic expertise. Realised his influence was on the wane, and resigned in 1937.

6. Hitler’s Ideas • German economy can be converted into a war machine – he believed Germany had lost World War One because it relied too much on foreign imported goods • Germany must rearm quickly, conquer countries and takeover their economies and move on • By exploiting conquered countries, living standards could be maintained at home despite all the money being spent on war • In 1936 Goering was appointed to introduce a 4 year plan to put Hitler’s ideas into action

7. Autarky - Problems • Hitler considered autarky to be a crucial element in Germany's return to economic, political and military glory and for a country geared towards war. Such a nation would be able to limit the impact and damage inflicted by economic blockade. Total autarky is almost impossible. Thus, stimulation through state deficit financing and the terms of Goring's 4-Year Plan was designed to alleviate Germany's dependency on other: • * Increase internal production of key commodities - iron, steel, food.* Develop ersatz - synthetic substitutes - for example Buna (artificial rubber), textiles, using coal to produce oil, etc. • Problems: • * It took 6 tons of coal to produce 1 ton of oil.* By 1939 Germany still depended on 33% of it's sufficiency on imports - especially iron ore, oil and rubber.* Not all the basic mineral resources were in the plentiful supply Germany required. Weimar and Nazi Germany

8. Goering’s 4 Year Plan • Speed up rearmament and make Germany ready for war • Regulate imports/exports • Increase agricultural porduction • German Military spending • Make Germany self sufficient in raw materials “autarchy” by developing home grown substitutes*.

9. What were the results of this? • The size of the German army grew massively • Hitler became more confident and started to openly break the Treaty of Versailles. • Imports had to increase!

10. Was the 4 year Plan a success? • Unemployment dropped quickly 4.8 million in 1933 to 0.5 million in 1938 • Wages rose slightly but were still lower in 1938 than they had been in 1928 • Working hours went up to 49 hours per week in 1939 – 52 hours in 1943 to over 60 hours per week by 1945 • There were fewer consumer goods - personal and household goods • Trade unions were replaced by “Beauty of Labour” and “Strength Through Joy” who organised better conditions and leisure activities

11. Task: • In addition to these measures, Hitler and Schacht developed the National Labour Service – create a small spider diagram to show what the NLS were responsible for. Pg. 81 Then, copy and complete the table on pg 201 with using the words in bold on the same page. To what extent do you think that Hitler’s economic policies in the 1930s were able to solve Germany’s problems? Weimar and Nazi Germany

12. Were people better off under the Nazis? • Unemployment fell everywhere not just in Germany • Some people were forced to work on public works • There were disadvantages – workers had no representation • Workers put more into the economy than they got out • If you were “Aryan” and of no strong political beliefs life was relatively good

13. Starter • Write a definition of Autarky • Name the 2 main characters involved with managing the Nazi economy • Explain how working conditions were tougher • Why were there shortages of goods in Germany?

14. Hitler's Economic Policy: The Workers Did Hitler Transform the German Economy?

15. Nazi Economic Policy – the workers • Everybody had a job, and a wage. To people who had been unemployed and starving, 'work and bread' was a wonderful blessing worth every civil liberty they lost. • The Nazis set up KdF (Strength through Joy), which gave workers rewards for their work - evening classes, theatre trips, picnics, and even free holidays. • The Nazis devised a scheme to allow workers to buy a Volkswagen Beetle car for a small weekly payment. Weimar and Nazi Germany

16. How Hitler increased employment • How Hitler increased employment • Hitler introduced many policies to fulfil his goal of full employment: • He stopped paying reparations and invested the money in German companies. • He began a huge programme of public works including planting forests, and building hospitals and schools. He also built public buildings such as the 1936 Olympic Stadium. The construction of the autobahns created work for 80,000 men. • Rearmament created jobs in the armaments industry. • The introduction of national service meant all young men spent six months in the RAD [RAD: The labour service in which young men in Germany had to do a six-month compulsory stint. ] and then they were conscripted into the army. By 1939, 1.4 million men were in the army, so they were not counted as unemployed. • Many Jews were sacked and their jobs given to non-Jews. • Many women were sacked and their jobs given to men. Weimar and Nazi Germany

17. The Nazis and the Workers • Read pg.207-208. • Add to chart of key words. • Copy unemployment/expenditure graph. Weimar and Nazi Germany

18. Did most people benefit from Nazi rule in Germany? Find examples to support these claims: ‘The Nazis looked after their workers very well.’ ‘The Nazis are on the side of the farmers, and have rescued them from disaster.’ ‘Germany was economically secure.’ Now discuss whether or not you agree with the claims, giving evidence to support your ideas.

19. The Nazis and the Church Why did the Church not oppose Hitler?

20. Questions • What evidence is there for Nazi and Church co-operation? • What was the Reich Church an attempt to do? • Why did Hitler need to create a Reich Church? • What did Bishop Galen do to oppose the Nazis? • Was he effective? • Which other ministers opposed the Nazis and what did they do? • Why do you think that the church did not do more to oppose Hitler and the Nazis during the 1930s? Weimar and Nazi Germany

21. Nazi Church • Nazi sympathiser church leader Ludwig Muller (Reich Bishop) wanted to sack all members of church who had Jewish ancestry. • Why did the Church not provide more opposition to the Nazis and their policies?

22. Church Opposition • Bishop Galen: Critic throughout 1930s. 1941 led protest against Nazis policies killing mentally ill etc. Forced temporary cessation. Strong support – too risky to silence him. • Neomoller: High profile critic in 1930s – formed alternative Protestant Church to oppose official Reich church. • Concentration camp 1938-45 for resisting Nazis. • Bonhoeffer: Preached against the Nazis until stopped by Gestapo in 1937. Involved with intelligence services opposed to Hitler. Helped Jews to escape Germany.

23. Think. . . . • There were many groups in Germany that either cooperated with the Nazis or passively acquiesced to their policies. • Industrialists, army commanders, judges/lawyers. • Is it fair to criticise the Church more than these groups for failing to stand up to the Nazis? Weimar and Nazi Germany

24. Volksgemeinschaft – ‘National Community’ LO: To develop an understanding of Hitler’s Volksgemeinschaft

25. Weimar and Nazi Germany

26. What was the theory? • Society not split into sections – Hitler wanted all Germans to think of themselves as part of a national community. • Farmers etc– no longer primarily workers/farmers. German identity takes precedence. • Loyalty to Fuhrer & Germany. • Belong to proud nation – racial and cultural superiority. • Hitler’s policies towards each group aimed to win this kind of loyalty to Nazi state.

27. Tasks: • Make a list of all the policies towards German women (eg. Financial incentives to have children) • Explain why Hitler and the Nazis pursued these policies. • Why did Nazi policy change in the later 1930s? • Find evidence to support the following statements: • Nazi policy on women was confused. • Nazi policy on women was a failure.

28. How did women’s role in society reflect Volksgemeinschaft? Homework – Question Supplement this with: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/germany/womenrev1.shtml Weimar and Nazi Germany

29. Starter • Read through your feedback, and look to see where you gained and dropped marks. • Write a short reflection in the ‘student action’ section, considering the following: • How you feel about your grade • What areas you think you did well • What areas you need to work on • How much preparation you did for this assessment and how you think that impacted on your performance. Weimar and Nazi Germany

30. Exam Skills: Improving your marks LO: To develop an understanding of how to improve your work and structure exam answers. Weimar and Nazi Germany

31. Common mistakes • 12 markers – • Only talking about the factor in the question. • Not using a coherent structure • Not focusing on the question • Not enough detail!!!!! Weimar and Nazi Germany

32. Common mistakes • 10 markers – • Accepting the content of the source at face value • Not using a coherent structure • Not focusing on the question – not actually saying HOW USEFUL the source is. • Not enough detail!!!!! Weimar and Nazi Germany

33. Task: • Read through the exemplar answer to the question you are improving (Dan M and Joe – sit together!) Try to work out where marks have been awarded – highlight key parts of the answer that meet the Assessment Criteria. Weimar and Nazi Germany

34. Task • Use feedback to help plan an answer to the question you are working on. • Write the answer up – timed. 12 marks (18 minutes) 10 marks (15 minutes) Weimar and Nazi Germany

35. Weimar and Nazi Germany

36. Persecution of Mionrities LO: To develop an understanding of the persecution of minorities. Weimar and Nazi Germany

37. Read & Answer Page 212-3 • What groups of people did the Nazis persecute? • Why were these groups a threat to Nazi ideals? • Outline some of the methods of persecution the Nazis used for the disabled, gypsies and those with hereditary illnesses. • Why did pressure on the Jews relax during 1936? Weimar and Nazi Germany

38. What can you learn about opposition to the Nazis from this source? Weimar and Nazi Germany

39. Why did more people not oppose the Nazis? • Nazi successes • Economic fears • Propaganda Create a research diagram (mind map) to show how each of the factors above contributed to the passive acquiescence of many Germans. Weimar and Nazi Germany

40. Germany & WWII To develop an understanding of Germany during WWII Weimar and Nazi Germany

41. Task: Create a timeline using the information given, showing how the war affected Germany. Consider: • The impact on the civilian population (bombing, rationing, propaganda) • Culture & Sport • The economy Colour-code your timeline Weimar and Nazi Germany

42. Homework • Source investigation – complete the sheet. Stick sheet into your books. Weimar and Nazi Germany