The Rise and Fall of Weimar and Nazi Germany
(1918-1939)
Introduction:
Our next unit will explore the failure of the a new democracy that emerged following World War andthesingle party state that replaced it. We will examine in detail the rise and fall of the Weimar Republic and the right wing fascist regime of Adolf Hitler (the Nazi party) that replaced it. One of the most influential governments (and individual) of the 20th Century, the Hitler and his Nazis has become synonymous with evil and hate. But such a black and white characterization is too simplistic. In order to deeply explore this moment in history, and to prepare to respond to topics 2 and 3 of paper 2, we are going to focus around the below questions:
Key Questions for the Weimar Republic
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To what extent was the Weimar Republic doomed from its inception?
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What were some of the key challenges to the Weimar Republic from 1918-1923 and how did its leaders avoid early collapse?
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How did the recovery led by Gustav Stresemann (1924-1929) strengthen the republic and weaken its challengers on the left and right?
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What were the weaknesses of and challenges to the Weimar government after 1929 that facilitated the emergence and development of the Nazi Party?
Key Questions for Nazi Germany
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How did the Nazi’s become popular and how did Hitler position himself to take power as the “leader” in 1933?
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How did the Nazi leadership consolidate power in Germany between 1933-1934 over it rivals (within and outside the party) and Germany as a whole?
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What were the domestic policies of Hitler and how did they embody the ideology of the Nazi’s?
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What were the driving forces of the Nazi economy and to what extent was Hitler successful in achieving his goals?
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What was the society that the Nazi party attempted to create in Germany and how did they use propaganda and other government organs to achieve? To what extent were they successful in transforming the German people into their vision?
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What opposition emerged during the Nazi regime and to what extent were they successful in subverting the goals of the government?
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What were the foreign policy objectives of Hitler and how did they reflect his domestic objectives and vice versa?
Resources:
The text you will need to check out from the Library for this unit is Todd, Bottaro and Waller. The Interwar Years: Conflict and Cooperation 1919-1939
In addition to the above, we will draw extensively from Hite and Hinton's Weimar and Nazi Germany as well as a number of additional primary and secondary sources.
Assessments
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Formative
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Class Discussions
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Short Answer Questions
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Essay Plans
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Source Analysis
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Homework Past Paper 2 Essays
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Summative
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Past Paper 2 Questions (Topics 2 and 3)-In Class
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Unit Calendar
The Calendar outlines the plan for our day to day in class activities and the homework that will be assigned. The expectation is that students complete all homework assignments for the next lesson unless otherwise indicated on the calendar. While we would like this to be set in stone, unforeseen events and intriguing tangents might change the plan so if you are ever in doubt on what is due and when, please ask!

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How did the new government of Germany address the political and constitutional problems it faced in 1918-1919?
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To what extent was the Weimar Republic doomed from its inception?
Introduction to Unit Plan and Calendar
Germany in 1918-1919
(Waller 17-26)
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To what extent did the events of 1918-1919 represent a German Revolution?

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To what extent was Germany damaged by the Treaty of Versailles and in what ways did the economic and financial issues cause problems for the new state?
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What were the political consequences of the economic situation?
Revisit TOV and Impact on Weimar Economy
Challenges from the Left and Right (Kapp, Assainations, and Munich)
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Challenges to the Weimar Republic
(Expert Groups and Jigsaw)
Why did the Weimar Republic Survive 1919-1923
Pgs. 29-41 in Waller = Additional Resource
Class Discussion
What were the challenge faced by the Weimar Republic from 1919-1923 and how did they respond to them?
Short Answer: To what extent was the Weimar Republic doomed from the beginning?
(Thesis and 3 Paragraphs)

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How did the recovery led by Gustav Stresemann (1924-1929) strengthen the republic and weaken its challengers on the left and right?
Weimar 1924-1929: Stresemann and Stability
Waller 45-61
Evaluating the Stability of the Weimar Republic in 1929
Compare and Contrast Historiography
Review of Stresemann's Achievements
Individual Essay Planning

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What was the immediate impact of the Great Depression on Germany and how did the governments respond to the economic and political crisis?
Weimar Leadership from 1929-1932
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Impact of Great Depression
Waller pgs. 113-115
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Read selection from Kershaw
(Chapter 1)

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What were the weaknesses of and challenges to the Weimar government after 1929 that facilitated the emergence and development of the Nazi Party?
Mein Kampf and the
Nazi Propaganda
Would you support Hitler?
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Would You Support Hitler and the Nazi Party
How Hitler Pioneered "Fake News"
Interesting Connection: Einstein's Response to the Rise of Nazism

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How did the Nazi’s become popular and how did Hitler position himself to take power as the “leader” in 1933?
Hitler’s Rise toPower
(1930-1933)
Did Hitler Seize Power or was it Given to Him?
Introduce Mock Trial- Who Killed the Weimar Republic?
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Hitler's Appointment to Chancellor (Dramatized)
Roles for Who Killed the Weimar Republic Mock Trial
Required Reading for All Participants
Decline of Parlimentary Government from 1930-1933
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Complete Mock Trial Preparations


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How did the Nazi leadership consolidate power in Germany between 1933-1934 over it rivals (within and outside the party) and Germany as a whole?
Timeline of Hitler’s Ascent to Power
The Burning of the Reichstag
Enabling Act, Gleichschaltung, and the Fuhrer
The Night of the Long Knives and the Birth of the SS
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From Chancellor to Fuhrer- Timeline of Hitler’s Consolidation of Power
Hitler's Consolidation of Power (with Timeline)
Night of the Long Knives Documentary
Kershaw on Hitler's Consolidation of Power
HW: Complete essay plan for Task 3 Question 3
Modern Connection: Could we have an American Reichstag Fire?

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What were the driving forces of the Nazi economy and to what extent was Hitler successful in achieving his goals?
Nazi Economy
Recovery
Autarky and the 4 Year Plan
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Nazi Economic Policies 1933-1939
Aims, Key Individuals, Key Measures and Successes/Failures
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Complete Nazi Economic Precis

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What were the driving forces of the Nazi economy and to what extent was Hitler successful in achieving his goals?
Review Analysis of German Economy
Play
Germonopoly
Who really benefitted from the German Economy?
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Play Germonopoly
Comparing and Contrasting Mussolini and Hitler Economic Policies
Analysis Questions for Comparison of Mussolini and Hitler Economic Policies
Mark Scheme of the Essay Question:
Evaluate the extent to which the economic policies of Hitler achieved his aims?
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Read pgs. 167-171 in Waller

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What was the society that the Nazi party attempted to create in Germany and how did they use propaganda and other government organs to achieve?
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To what extent were they successful in transforming the German people into their vision?
The Hitler Myth and
Nazi Propaganda and Hitler’s desire to create Volksgemeinschaft
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Analysis of the Triumph of the Will
Select and Analyze and example of Nazi Propaganda
(Message and Method)
Pair and Share

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What was the society that the Nazi party attempted to create in Germany and how did they use propaganda and other government organs to achieve?
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To what extent were they successful in transforming the German people into their vision?
Nazi Society Map
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History File: Nazi Youth
(If Time)
History File: Opposition
(If Time)

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What opposition emerged during the Nazi regime and to what extent were they successful in subverting the goals of the government?
Jigsaw Nazi Society Map
Setup Discussion for To what extent did Hitler achieve total control over German Society?
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Prepare for In-Class Discussion

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To what extent did the Hitler achieve total control over Nazi Society
Socratic Discussion on Key Question
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Socratic Discussion:
To what extent did Hitler achieve total control over German Society?
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Read Kissinger

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What were the foreign policy objectives of Hitler and how did they reflect his domestic objectives and vice versa?
Hitler’s Foreign Policy Objectives and Actions (1933-1939)
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Structuralist vs Intentionalist Debate on Hitler's Foreign Policy
Template for Notes on Hitler Foreign Policy Discussion
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Complete Debate Prep

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What were the foreign policy objectives of Hitler and how did they reflect his domestic objectives and vice versa?
Foreign Response to Hitler’s Policies
Intentionalist vs. Structuralist debate
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Introduction to Paper 1- Italian and German Foreign Policy Case Study
(1933-1940)

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To what extent was Nazi Germany a totalitarian state by 1939?
Review for In-Class on Demand Essay on Hitler's Germany
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