the process of bringing separate states together into a single, united country

the belief that people who share the same language, culture, history or ethnicity should unite in one country; many believe this would create greater unity, strength and harmony within the nation

the head of government in Germany, appointed by the Kaiser; similar to a Prime Minister but not elected

the belief that a strong military and military values should dominate society and government

the national parliament of Germany where elected politicians debated laws, but had limited power to control government decisions

Germany before the First World War

History

Industrialisation, social reform and the growth of socialism

Germany’s naval ambitions before the First World War

The First World War and the German Revolution

The Weimar Republic

Early unrest and the Treaty of Versailles

The putsches of 1919-23

1923, the Ruhr and hyperinflation

Economic recovery under Stresemann

Stresemann's international achievements

Weimar culture 1924-29

The growth of unemployment and rise in support for the Communist Party

The growth in support for the Nazi Party

How Hitler became Chancellor of Germany

The Reichstag Fire and the Enabling Act

Hitler's creation of a dictatorship

The Nazi police state

The Nazi Party and religion

Goebbels and propaganda in Nazi Germany

Opposition and resistance to Hitler and the Nazi Party

Women in Nazi Germany

Young people in Nazi Germany

Employment in Nazi Germany

Work and life in Nazi Germany

The Nazi economy and WW2

Nazi racial ideology and the treatment of minorities

The persecution of Jews

The Final Solution

In this unit pupils undergo a period study that provides an unfolding narrative which tells a story about a period that shaped the world we live in today. They look at the key events, developments, people and stories that defined the chosen period.

Period Studies

the large-scale growth of manufacturing factories, technology and infrastructure

an organisation that represents workers, protects their rights and discusses their pay and working conditions with employers

political beliefs that state that all people are equal and should share equally in a country's money

overseas territories controlled by a more powerful country

meaning 'world policy'; Germany’s plan to expand overseas and achieve global power status

a country’s military force at sea, including warships and related personnel

a system of government in which the monarch's power is shared with politicians in their parliament

a country without a monarch, usually governed by elected representatives and a president

a political system in which parties are represented in parliament according to the number of people who voted for them

a set of laws on how a country is run / governed

the joining together of different political parties in order to achieve a majority and form a government

a person whose opinions are not extreme and are therefore acceptable to a large number of people

the theory that the German army had been ‘stabbed in the back’ and betrayed by Weimar politicians

a written agreement between two or more countries, formally approved and signed by their leaders

an order that must be obeyed, or the act of giving such an order

payments made by a defeated nation after a war to pay for damages or expenses it caused to another nation

devotion and loyalty or showing strong support to one's own country or nation

demanding total obedience to those in positions of authority

meaning 'free corps'; a private army formed by ex-soldiers from the First World War

a group which is organised like an army, but is not official

things for sale, or the things that you own

the act of showing in a peaceful way that you oppose something, rather than using violence

where the price of everything in a national economy goes out of control and increases very quickly

money that is borrowed and has to be paid back, usually with an extra fee

a temporary currency issued in 1923 to stop hyperinflation

an agreement between Germany and the Allies: it restructured reparations, provided US loans to Germany, and led to French troops leaving the Ruhr

an agreement between Germany and the Allies: it reduced Germany’s reparations by 20%, though it faced criticism for prolonging debt

the basic systems and services, such as transport and power supplies, that a country uses in order to work effectively

a person or country who is not accepted by society, especially because they are not liked, respected, or trusted

the management of relationships between countries or the skill in dealing with people without offending or upsetting them

relating to a person's own country or home

disagreements about cultural and social beliefs between groups, especially between people supporting social change and those against the change

describes a style or movement, particularly in the arts, that rejects traditional forms in favour of new ways of expression that reflect modern life and ideas

having lost the physical, mental or moral qualities considered normal and desirable; showing evidence of decline

a performance of music, singing, dancing or political satire, often held in a bar or nightclub, known for its provocative acts, defiance of social and political norms and embrace of sexual freedom

in this context, a period of economic hardship in which there is very little business activity and not many jobs

information or ideas that are spread with the intention of influencing people's opinions; media that is designed to promote a particular political agenda

a state of moral or cultural decline, often associated with excessive indulgence, luxury, or a lack of discipline

in politics, a deadlock happens when no party or group has a clear majority, so nothing can get passed or decided

authoritarian governments give most power to one leader or a small group, this can bring stability and quick decisions, but offers few rights or choices for ordinary people

someone who values tradition, social order, and gradual change; in 1930s Germany, conservatives wanted to protect the old institutions and were often opposed to democracy or radical movements

a wealthy aristocrat and former army officer; he had little popular support but moved easily in elite political and military circles

a senior army officer and political schemer who worked behind the scenes to influence government decisions and shape power from the shadows

a type of government where absolute power is concentrated in the hands of a single ruler or small group

a Nazi term meaning 'coordination'; the process of bringing all aspects of German life under Nazi control - this meant synchronising all state and social institutions with Nazi ideology

also known as Stormtroopers or Brownshirts; the Nazi Party’s paramilitary wing who protected meetings and used violence to intimidate opponents

a person who believes the government should own key industries to ensure wealth and resources are shared more equally among all people

a highly trained elite paramilitary unit, originally formed as Hitler’s bodyguards, later central to Nazi terror and repression

the forceful removal of people seen as unwanted or threatening, often involving violence against political opponents

meaning ‘leader’; a key Nazi idea promoting total authority under one ruler to end chaos, Hitler later adopted it to assert himself as Germany’s supreme ruler

a country where the government uses the police and security forces to control every part of people’s lives through fear, surveillance and arrest

a place where large numbers of people are kept as prisoners in extremely bad conditions, especially for political reasons

information collected by a government or security organisation to identify threats and control opposition, often using spying or surveillance

a police force that works in secret to spy on, arrest, and punish people who are seen as enemies of the government, often using illegal methods

public accusations made by ordinary citizens to Nazi authorities, reporting others for disloyalty to the regime; these reports, often driven by personal motives, fuelled widespread fear and paranoia

meaning empire; under the Nazis, it referred to the Third Reich, their name for Hitler’s regime, which they saw as the third great German empire after the Holy Roman Empire and the German Empire

the centre of the Roman Catholic Church, based in Vatican City, an independent state in Rome; it is led by the Pope and acts as the Church’s spiritual and diplomatic authority

a formal agreement between the Vatican and a government, usually about the rights of the Church within that country

the process of bringing institutions and daily life under Nazi control, influencing schools, churches, and local organisations; part of a wider Nazi policy known as Gleichschaltung (coordination)

the act of banning ideas, books, or media from reaching the public, because they are seen as offensive, harmful, or politically dangerous, or because someone wants to keep certain information secret

a structured story or a particular way of explaining or understanding events

meaning empire, under the Nazis, it referred to the Third Reich, their name for Hitler’s regime, which they saw as the third great German empire after the Holy Roman Empire and the German Empire

when people obey rules or authority, even if they don't fully agree, to avoid trouble or punishment

to behave according to the usual standards of behaviour that are expected by a group or society

belonging to an ancient Indo-European people; used by the Nazis to mean a racially ‘pure’ German

a Nazi belief in keeping the Aryan race ‘pure’ by preventing Germans from mixing with other racial groups

a mutual trust and friendship among people who spend a lot of time or share an experience together

the process of repeating an idea or belief to someone until they accept it without criticism or question

belonging or relating to the home, house or family

a theory that claimed the human population could be improved by encouraging people with certain traits to have children; the Nazis used this idea to justify racial discrimination

economic independence, not needing to trade with other countries

a compulsory work programme for young men involving manual labour and military-style discipline

the process of supplying yourself with new weapons, especially in order to become a strong military power again

the act or process of forcing people by law to join the armed services

work, especially physical or manual work done in return for wages

organisations that represent workers, protect their rights, and negotiate pay and working conditions with employers

the Nazi replacement for trade unions; it controlled workers with rewards and limited rights

a part of the Labour Front that aimed to improve workers’ free time through cheap holidays, events, and activities

a part of the Labour Front that promoted better workplace conditions, such as cleanliness and facilities

the belief that human populations could be 'improved' through selective breeding by encouraging reproduction among those deemed 'fit' and preventing it among the 'unfit'

an ancient group of Indo-European peoples; the Nazis wrongly redefined ‘Aryan’ to mean a racially pure, northern European person who were biologically superior and destined to rule over other races

the process of having a medical operation to make it impossible to have children

relating to traits or conditions passed from parents to children through genes, such as eye colour or certain genetic diseases

the act of killing someone who is very ill or very old so that they do not suffer any more; the Nazis used this term to justify murdering those they deemed 'unworthy of life'

a secret plan by a group to do something unlawful or harmful

a situation in which people refuse to buy, use or do something because they do not approve of it

hate directed at Jewish people, or cruel or unfair treatment of people because they are Jewish

the status of being a legal member of a country and having rights and responsibilities because of it

an act of organised cruel behaviour or killing that is done to a large group of people because of their race or religion

Period Studies

Germany 1890–1945, Democracy and dictatorship

Choose a lesson (26)

These lessons will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.