Class 9 History Chapter: 3 Nazism & The Rise of Hitler Extra Questions
Q1 Discuss the youth organizations established under Hitler.
A 1 Youth organisations were made responsible for educating German youth in 'the spirit of National Socialism'.
10 year old had to enter Jungvolk
At 14 all boys had to join the Nazi youth organisations-Hitler Youth-where they learnt to worship war, glorify aggression and violence, condemn democracy and hate Jews, communists, Gypsies and undesirables.
After a period of rigorous ideological and physical training, they joined Labour Service at 18. Then they had to serve in the armed forces and enter one of the Nazi organisations.
Q2 Describe the impact of World War I on the European Society.
A2 Soldier came to be placed above civilians. Politicians and publicists laid great stress on the need for men to be aggressive, strong and masculine.
The media glorified trench life where soldiers lived miserable lives, trapped with rats feeding corpses.
Popular support grew for coservative dictatorships that had recently come into being. Democracy was indeed a young and fragile idea which could not survive the instabilities of Europe.
Q3 Why did Hitler say ' In my state mother is the most important citizen'?
A3 In Nazi Germany, while boys were taught to be aggressive, masculine and steel hearted, girls were taught to become good mothers and rear pure blooded Aryans.
Girls had to maintain the purity of the race, distance themselves from Jews, look after the home and teach their children Nazi values.
They had to be bearer of the Aryan race.
Thus Hitler said this.
Q4 Explain why Nazi propaganda was effective in creating hatred for Jews.
A4 The Nazi regime used language and media with care and often to great effect.
Nazi's never used words like 'killing' or 'murder' in their official communications. Mass killings were termed 'special treatment', 'final solution' (foe Jews), 'euthanasia' (for disabled), selection and 'disinfection'. 'Evacuation' meant deporting to gas chambers.
Nazi ideas were spread through visual images, films, radio, posters, catchy slogans and leaflets. In posters, groups identified as the 'enemies' of Germans were stereotyped, mocked, abused and described as evils.
Propaganda films like The Eternal Jew were made to promote hatred for Jews.Orthodox Jews were stereotyped and marked. They were shown with flowing beards wearing kaftans, which was not the reality.
Q5 Describe the effect of Great Economic depression on Germany?
A5 The German economy was the worst hit by the Great Economic depression.
By 1932, industrial production was reduced to 40% of the 1929 level. Workers lost their jobs or were paid reduced wages.
The number of unemployed touched an unprecedented 6 million
Men could be seen on streets with placards saying' Willing to do any work'.
As jobs disappeared, youth took to criminal activities, and total despair became commonplace.
The middle classes, especially salaried employees and pensioners saw their savings diminish when the currency lost its value. Small businessmen, the self employed and retailers suffered as their business got ruined.
The sections of society were filled with the fear of proletarianisation.
Big business was in crisis. The large mass of peasantry was affected by a sharp fall in agricultural prices.
Germany was also politically unstable because of the defective Weimar Republic.
People lost confidence in the democratic parliamentary system, which seemed to offer no solutions.
Q6. Write a note on Hitler's rise to power.
A6. i) Born in 1889 in Austria, Hitler spent his youth in poverty.
ii) During the 1st World War, he worked in the army as a messenger in the front, became a corporal and earned medals for bravery.
iii) In 1919, he joined a small group called the German Worker's Party. He subsequently took over the organization and renamed it as National Socialist German Worker's Party which came to be known as the Nazi Party.
iv) In 1923, he planned to seize control of Bavaria, march to Berlin and capture power. He failed, was arrested, tried for treason and later released.
v) In 1928, the Nazi Party got only 2.6% votes in the Reichstag. By 1932, it became the party in Germany with 37% votes.
vi) Hitler was a powerful speaker. His passion and his words moved people. He promised to build a strong nation, undo the justice of the Versailles Treaty and restore the dignity of Germans. He promised employment and a secure future for the youth. He promised to weed out all foreign influences and resist all foreign 'conspiracies' against Germany.
vii) Nazis held massive rallies and public meeting to demonstrate support for Hitler and instill unity among the people. The Red banners with the Swastika, the Nazi salute and the ritualised rounds of applause after speeches were all part of this spectacle of power.
Q7. Explain the factors leading to dictatorship in Germany.
A7. i) On 30 January, 1933, President Hindenburg offered the Chancellorship to Hitler.
ii) Hitler set out to dismantle the structures of democratic rule.
iii) A mysterious fire in the German Parliament building in February facilitated this move.
The Fire decree of 28 February, 1933, suspended civic rights guaranteed by the Weimar Constitution like freedom of speech, press and assembly.
iv) Communists were packed of to newly established concentration camps.
v) On 3 March 1933, the Enabling Act was passed which established dictatorship in Germany. It gave Hitler all the powers to sideline parliament and rule by decree. All political parties and trade unions were banned except the Nazi Party and its affiliates. The state established complete control over the economy, media and judiciary.
vi) Special surveillance forces(eg. SA, Gestapo etc.) were createdto control and order society in the ways Nazis wanted. These forces had extra constitutional powers. People could be detained in Gestapo torure chambers and sent to concentration camps without any legal procedures.
A 1 Youth organisations were made responsible for educating German youth in 'the spirit of National Socialism'.
10 year old had to enter Jungvolk
At 14 all boys had to join the Nazi youth organisations-Hitler Youth-where they learnt to worship war, glorify aggression and violence, condemn democracy and hate Jews, communists, Gypsies and undesirables.
After a period of rigorous ideological and physical training, they joined Labour Service at 18. Then they had to serve in the armed forces and enter one of the Nazi organisations.
Q2 Describe the impact of World War I on the European Society.
A2 Soldier came to be placed above civilians. Politicians and publicists laid great stress on the need for men to be aggressive, strong and masculine.
The media glorified trench life where soldiers lived miserable lives, trapped with rats feeding corpses.
Popular support grew for coservative dictatorships that had recently come into being. Democracy was indeed a young and fragile idea which could not survive the instabilities of Europe.
Q3 Why did Hitler say ' In my state mother is the most important citizen'?
A3 In Nazi Germany, while boys were taught to be aggressive, masculine and steel hearted, girls were taught to become good mothers and rear pure blooded Aryans.
Girls had to maintain the purity of the race, distance themselves from Jews, look after the home and teach their children Nazi values.
They had to be bearer of the Aryan race.
Thus Hitler said this.
Q4 Explain why Nazi propaganda was effective in creating hatred for Jews.
A4 The Nazi regime used language and media with care and often to great effect.
Nazi's never used words like 'killing' or 'murder' in their official communications. Mass killings were termed 'special treatment', 'final solution' (foe Jews), 'euthanasia' (for disabled), selection and 'disinfection'. 'Evacuation' meant deporting to gas chambers.
Nazi ideas were spread through visual images, films, radio, posters, catchy slogans and leaflets. In posters, groups identified as the 'enemies' of Germans were stereotyped, mocked, abused and described as evils.
Propaganda films like The Eternal Jew were made to promote hatred for Jews.Orthodox Jews were stereotyped and marked. They were shown with flowing beards wearing kaftans, which was not the reality.
Q5 Describe the effect of Great Economic depression on Germany?
A5 The German economy was the worst hit by the Great Economic depression.
By 1932, industrial production was reduced to 40% of the 1929 level. Workers lost their jobs or were paid reduced wages.
The number of unemployed touched an unprecedented 6 million
Men could be seen on streets with placards saying' Willing to do any work'.
As jobs disappeared, youth took to criminal activities, and total despair became commonplace.
The middle classes, especially salaried employees and pensioners saw their savings diminish when the currency lost its value. Small businessmen, the self employed and retailers suffered as their business got ruined.
The sections of society were filled with the fear of proletarianisation.
Big business was in crisis. The large mass of peasantry was affected by a sharp fall in agricultural prices.
Germany was also politically unstable because of the defective Weimar Republic.
People lost confidence in the democratic parliamentary system, which seemed to offer no solutions.
Q6. Write a note on Hitler's rise to power.
A6. i) Born in 1889 in Austria, Hitler spent his youth in poverty.
ii) During the 1st World War, he worked in the army as a messenger in the front, became a corporal and earned medals for bravery.
iii) In 1919, he joined a small group called the German Worker's Party. He subsequently took over the organization and renamed it as National Socialist German Worker's Party which came to be known as the Nazi Party.
iv) In 1923, he planned to seize control of Bavaria, march to Berlin and capture power. He failed, was arrested, tried for treason and later released.
v) In 1928, the Nazi Party got only 2.6% votes in the Reichstag. By 1932, it became the party in Germany with 37% votes.
vi) Hitler was a powerful speaker. His passion and his words moved people. He promised to build a strong nation, undo the justice of the Versailles Treaty and restore the dignity of Germans. He promised employment and a secure future for the youth. He promised to weed out all foreign influences and resist all foreign 'conspiracies' against Germany.
vii) Nazis held massive rallies and public meeting to demonstrate support for Hitler and instill unity among the people. The Red banners with the Swastika, the Nazi salute and the ritualised rounds of applause after speeches were all part of this spectacle of power.
Q7. Explain the factors leading to dictatorship in Germany.
A7. i) On 30 January, 1933, President Hindenburg offered the Chancellorship to Hitler.
ii) Hitler set out to dismantle the structures of democratic rule.
iii) A mysterious fire in the German Parliament building in February facilitated this move.
The Fire decree of 28 February, 1933, suspended civic rights guaranteed by the Weimar Constitution like freedom of speech, press and assembly.
iv) Communists were packed of to newly established concentration camps.
v) On 3 March 1933, the Enabling Act was passed which established dictatorship in Germany. It gave Hitler all the powers to sideline parliament and rule by decree. All political parties and trade unions were banned except the Nazi Party and its affiliates. The state established complete control over the economy, media and judiciary.
vi) Special surveillance forces(eg. SA, Gestapo etc.) were createdto control and order society in the ways Nazis wanted. These forces had extra constitutional powers. People could be detained in Gestapo torure chambers and sent to concentration camps without any legal procedures.