Ch-Nazism and the rise of Hitler

1.When did Germany surrender to the Allies ? 

Ans: In May 1945, Germany surrendered to the Allies. 

  

2. How did Hitler and his progpaganda minister and his entire family die ? 

Ans: Anticipating what was coming, Hitler, his propaganda minister Goebbels and his entire 

family committed suicide collectively. 

 3. Where did Hitler die ? 

Ans: In his Berlin bunker in April 1945. 

 4. Write a note on the Tribunal which was set up to prosecute Nazi war criminals against peace ?  

Ans: At the end of the war, an International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg was set up to prosecute Nazi war criminals for Crimes against Peace, for War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity. 

 5. What are Allied Powers ? 

 The Allied Powers were initially led by the UK and France.In 1941 they were joined by the USSR and USA. They fought against the Axis Powers, namely Germany, Italy and Japan. 

 6. What are Axis Powers ? 

 The Axis Powers were Germany,Japan and Italy they came together with a common purpose to expand their territories all over against the Allies. 

 7. Who waged the genocidal war ? 

 Ans: Under the shadow of the Second World War, Germany had waged a genocidal war. 

 8. What was genocidal war ? 

 This was resulted in the mass murder of selected groups of innocent civilians of Europe. 

 The number of people killed included 6 million Jews, 200,000 Gypsies, 1 million Polish civilians,70,000 Germans who were considered mentally and physically 

disabled, besides innumerable political opponents. 

 9. What do you mean by Auschwitz ? 

 Nazis devised an unprecedented means of killing people, that is, by gassing them in various killing centres like Auschwitz. The Nuremberg Tribunal sentenced only eleven leading Nazis to death. Many others were imprisoned for life. The retribution did come, yet the punishment of the Nazis was far short of the brutality and extent of their crimes. 

 10. What was the name of Germany and its alliances during I world war ? 

 Ans: Central Powers. 

 11. Give a note on Germany and first world war. 

 Ans: 1.Germany, a powerful empire in the early years of the twentieth century, fought the First World War (1914-1918) alongside the Austrian empire and against the Allies (England, France and Russia.) 

 2.All joined the war enthusiastically hoping to gain from a quick victory. Little did they realise that the war would stretch on, eventually draining Europe of all its resources. 

 3.Germany made initial gains by occupying France and Belgium. However the Allies, strengthened by the US entry in 1917, won , defeating Germany and the Central Powers in November 1918. 

 12. What is the name of German Parliament ?

 Ans: Reichstag 

13. Trace out the initial developments in Germany after its defeat in first world war in 1918 ? 

 Ans: The defeat of Imperial Germany and the abdication of the emperor gave an opportunity to parliamentary parties to recast German polity. 

A National Assembly met at Weimar and established a democratic constitution with a federal structure. Deputies were now elected to the German Parliament or Reichstag, on the basis of equal and universal votes cast by all adults including women. 

This republic, however, was not received well by its own people largely because of the terms it was forced to accept after Germany.s defeat at the end of the First World War. 

 14. What were the results of the Treaty of Versailees within the Germany ? 

 Ans.The Peace Treaty at Versailles with the Allies was a harsh and humiliating peace. Germany lost its overseas colonies, a tenth of its population, 13 per cent of its territories,75 per cent of its iron and 26 per cent of its coal to France, Poland,Denmark and Lithuania. The Allied Powers demilitarised Germany to weaken its power. The War Guilt Clause held Germany responsible for the war and damages the Allied countries suffered. Germany was forced to pay compensation amounting to £6 billion. The Allied armies also occupied the resource-rich Rhineland for much of the 1920s. Many Germans held the new Weimar Republic responsible for not only the defeat in the war but the disgrace at Versailles. 

15.why did Nazi hate jews?

Ans.Traditionaly the jews were considered the killer of jesus christ.It was traditional hostility  and the fact that were basically moneylenders charging excessive interest the made the Nazis hate the jews.

What brought about the Great Economic Depression?

Solution:

There was some financial stability between 1924 and 1928. Short term loans from the USA helped industrial recovery in Germany. In 1929, when the Wall Street Exchange crushed, the US withdrew all the loans. People rushed in to sell their shares as they thought that the prices would go down drastically. It was said that on the 24 October alone about 13 million shares were sold. This brought about the Great Economic Depression.

The national income of the US fell by nearly 50% between 1929 and 1932. The factories were shut down, exports fell, farmers were affected badly and the speculators withdrew their money from the market. All these affected not only the US but the entire world.

16How did the Great Economic Depression affect Germany?

Ans.As in the USA and the rest of the world, the Great Economic Depression had adverse effect on Germany and its people. The industrial production came down to less than 40% compared to 1929.

Workers either lost their jobs or were paid less.

About 6 million people were left without any employment.

As jobs disappeared the youth took to criminal activities.

Total despair, a deep anxiety and fear became common place in people.

The saving of salaried people and the pensioners began to diminish when the value of money went down.

Small businessmen, self employed and the retailers were ruined.

Big business was not possible.

The sharp fall in agricultural prices affected the peasants to a great extent.

Women were in deep despair as they could not feed their children properly.

17.What were Hitler’s Foreign Policies?

AnsHitler’s Foreign Policies were a great success. He pulled out of the League of Nations in 1933. He reoccupied the Rhineland , which was confiscated by the French ,in 1936. In 1938 Hitler integrated Austria and Germany under the slogan, One people, One empire, and One leader.

He then captured the German-speaking Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia, and soon gobbled up the entire country.

In all of his foreign activities Hitler had the unspoken support of England, which had considered the Versailles verdict too harsh. These quick successes Hitler had at home and abroad reversed the destiny of the country.

18.What was the historic blunder Hitler committed in 1941?

Ans.In June 1941, Hitler attacked the Soviet Union. The German western front was exposed to British aerial bombing and the eastern front was crushed by the powerful Soviet Red Army at Stalingrad. Thus the Soviet established its leadership over entire Eastern Europe for the next 50 years. This was the historical blunder committed by Hitler.

19.What was the reaction of the common people to Nazism?

Solution:

The common people reacted positively to Nazism. They saw the world through Nazi eyes and spoke their mind in the Nazi language. The common man felt anger and hatred when he saw the Jews. They marked the houses of the Jews and reported about suspicious neighbours.

They believed that Nazism would bring prosperity and general well-being.

A large majority of Germans were passive onlookers and were scared to differ or protest.

20.What were the terms given by the Nazis when they wanted to convey the words ’kill’ or ‘murder in their official communications ?

Ans.The Nazis used the words ‘special treatment or final Solution’ to convey mass killing of the Jews. The words , ‘selection or disinfection’ was used for the elimination of the disabled and to deport people to the Gas Chambers the Nazis used the word ‘evacuation’.

Gas Chambers were called ‘disinfection areas’. These chambers looked like a bath rooms with fake showerheads.

21.How were women treated in Nazi Germany?

Ans.Women in the Nazi Germany were treated as important citizens. Motherhood was glorified, but not all mothers were not treated equally. The women who bore desirable children were awarded. They were given favoured treatment in hospitals and concessions in theatres and shops. Those who bore undesirable children were condemned and punished severely.

Honour Crosses were given to women who produced more children. Women with 4 children were given a Bronze cross, women with 5 were given a Silver cross , while women who bore 8 children and more were given a Gold cross.

Aryan women who deviated from the given code of conduct were severely punished.

22.What was expected of the youth in Nazi Germany?

Ans.All the young men above the age of 18 years were expected to serve in the armed forces and enter one of the Nazi organisations.

At the tender age of 10 they had to join ‘Jungvolk’ – Nazi youth groups for children below 14 years of age. At 14 years of age they enrolled in the Nazi Youth Organisation called ‘Hitler Youth’.

The German youth were educated in the spirit of National Socialism by these youth organisations. They were taught to worship war, glorify aggression and violence , condemn democracy , hate Jews, communists, gypsies and all those who were called ‘undesirable’.

23.Why did the German Mark collapse?

Ans.

Germany had to pay war reparation after its defeat in the First World War. But Germany refused to pay the reparation and France occupied Ruhr to claim Germany’s coal. In retaliation Germany printed paper currency recklessly. As a result, the value of German mark collapsed and prices of goods soared.

In December 1923, 1 US dollar was equal to 98,860,000 marks. People had to carry a cart load of currency to buy a loaf of bread. This crisis is known as hyperinflation.