Maximizing Learning in A-Level History: Germany 1918-45 Study Guide

Democracy Democracy and Nazism: Germany and Nazism: Germany 1918 1918- -45. 45. Private Study and Deeper Learning Private Study and Deeper Learning Guide. Guide. Unit 2 Depth Study for AQA A-Level History

The following guide provides a number of ways for you to maximise and deepen your learning in your A-level History Unit on Germany 1918-45. Many of these tasks should be completed in Private Study (PS) in addition to any homework tasks you have been set. You can use the core textbook and other key books available in the school library, as well as the following websites, to support you. http://spartacus-educational.com/GERweimar.htm - Useful summaries and overviews on Weimar Germany. Some good sources too. http://spartacus-educational.com/Germany.htm - Wider summaries and overviews on Nazi Germany http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/nazi-germany/ Good basic overviews. http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/history/as-and-a-level/history-7041-7042/teaching-resources AQA Exam Board link to materials such as course specification, past papers etc. WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO? As a student of History, you need to live your subject. Beyond all of the set work, we expect you to be using free periods to be completing tasks from this booklet and the resources we provide and that are out there on the internet and in the library. A few key general things that you should focus on doing regularly are: As you complete each topic make sure your notes are organised and up to date in your folder under the headings to the left. As you complete each topic produce a summary diagram for each one covering the key ideas, events and details from that topic/period. Useful Revision Extension . You should also create sets of revision cards and timelines covering the key events and case studies from each Topic.

Going Deeper Going Deeper PS Tasks to extend and deepen your Knowledge PS Tasks to extend and deepen your Knowledge Whilst studying each unit try to complete as many of the PS tasks set below as possible. You may also like to dip into the recommended reading to gain a sense of the historian s opinion on the topic and some extra depth/detail to your understanding. Section 1- The establishment and early years of the Weimar Republic, 1918-24 Task 1) Create a short revision card on the October Reforms and write a short reflection on why this moment has been seen as a revolution from above . Task 2) Create a timeline of the key events of the November revolution. You might want to consider who was involved, when it took place, why it took place, where they took place. If you want to stretch yourself, see Peukert The Weimar Republic pp.22-23 and summarise the 3 types of revolution that were evident in Germany. Task 3) Read and take some notes from Richard J Evans, The Coming of the Third Reich (pg60-top of page 62) for an overview of the events following the end of WW1 and the abdication of the Kaiser Task 4) Was the German constitution a compromise? Read Detlev Peukert, The Weimar Republic - Old Legacies and a New Start, 1918-19 (pp.35-42) Task 5) What were the aims of those creating the Treaty of Versailles? Consider why how this would have been perceived by Germans. - Robert Wolfson, Years of Change , pp. 183-186 - Evans, The Coming of the Third Reich , pp. 66-76 Task 6) Research the following characters. Create a short biography/factfile on each, including info on their views, roles and life; -Freidrich Ebert - Rosa Luxemburg - Karl Leibnicht - Hugo Stinnes - Gustav Stresseman Task 7) Create a timeline of changes in government 1919-23. The core textbook will help you with this!

Going Deeper Going Deeper PS Tasks to extend and deepen your Knowledge PS Tasks to extend and deepen your Knowledge Whilst studying each unit try to complete as many of the PS tasks set below as possible. You may also like to dip into the recommended reading to gain a sense of the historian s opinion on the topic and some extra depth/detail to your understanding. Section 2- The Golden Age of the Weimar Republic, 1924-28 Task 1) Complete the activities 1-4 on page 53 of the core text book Task 2) Core textbook, pg 39- Practice source question Task 3) Core textbook- Practice essay question pg 39 Task 4)Create a foreign policy timeline. Include key detail about each of the events below: Treaty of Rapallo (pre-Stresemann) Locarno Pact Treaty of Berlin Young Plan Dawes Plan Entry into League of Nations Kellog-Briand Pact Task 5) Read Germany 1919-45, Collier and Pedley pp. 44-47. Gustav Stresemann-Success or failure Read through the pages and write a short assessment on which of the Foreign policy aims you feel he most successfully achieved. Explain your thinking Task 6) Focus on youth in Nazi Germany- The Coming of the Third Reich , Richard J Evans p.130-133 Task 7) Read through short paragraph in Collier/ Pedley- Germany 1919-45. P.51-52- make notes on positive/negative changes. Task 7) Watch the following videos- What would ordinary Germans think to these? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBlB8RAJEEc - Wilkommen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPOiaAU_vJg&feature=related - Two Ladies http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRTmvjXs1i0&feature=related - tiller girls https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29Mg6Gfh9Co - tomorrow belongs to me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEhHeILa3HE if you could see her through my eyes

Going Deeper Going Deeper PS Tasks to extend and deepen your Knowledge PS Tasks to extend and deepen your Knowledge Whilst studying each unit try to complete as many of the PS tasks set below as possible. You may also like to dip into the recommended reading to gain a sense of the historian s opinion on the topic and some extra depth/detail to your understanding. Section 3- The Collapse of Democracy, 1928-33 Task 1) Read and take notes from Peukert, The Weimar Republic pp 207-221. How stable was society and politics during the Golden Years of the Weimar Republic? Task 2) Read and take notes from Peukert, The Weimar Republic, pp 164-174- Mass Culture. How much did people buy into the new culture of Weimar Germany? Task 3) Read through the article, The Nazi Road to Power- This is a reprint of an article by Professor Gerhard Rempel. Task 4) Richard J Evans, The Coming of the Third Reich, Chapter- Terror Begins (pp. 310-327). What does Evan s suggest about the terror machine created by the Nazi s? Task 5) Core text book pg 70, practice source question Task 6) Create character profiles on; -Kurt von Schleicher -Henrich Bruning -Franz von Papen -Joseph Goebbels -Fritz Thyssen -Gregor Strasser Task 7) The depression had a number of political consequences; The end of parliamentary government and increasing use of Presidential decrees Growth in support for extremist, anti democratic parties Intensification of political violence Discuss relative importance of these in undermining Weimar democracy and rank in order of imporantce

Going Deeper Going Deeper PS Tasks to extend and deepen your Knowledge PS Tasks to extend and deepen your Knowledge Whilst studying each unit try to complete as many of the PS tasks set below as possible. You may also like to dip into the recommended reading to gain a sense of the historian s opinion on the topic and some extra depth/detail to your understanding. Section 4- The Nazi Dictatorship, 1933-45 Task 1) Make a timeline of events leading to Hitler becoming Fuhrer- which was most important, why? Core textbook pg 99 will help here Task 2) Read and take notes from, Ian Kershaw, The Hitler Myth, Volume: 35 Issue: 11 | History Today November 1985 | Page 23-29 | Words: 4829 Printable version Task 3) Read the Article, Matters of Faith by Richard J Evans- The Third Reich in History and Memory Task 4) Read the Article, People s Community by Richard J Evans- The Third Reich in History and Memory Task 5) Read and take notes from the article- Matthew Stibbe, Women and the Nazi state Volume: 43 Issue: 11 | November 1993 | Page 35-40 | Words: 3676 Task 6) Write a short revision card on the SS & SA. - Who was their leader - Numbers - Role Task 7) How far did the Gestapo succeed in keeping German society under surveillance? Evans, The Coming of the Third Reich may help here, pp375-90 Task 8) Produce key character revision cards for the following; - Martin Niemoller - Robert Ley - Ludwig Muller

Going Deeper Going Deeper PS Tasks to extend and deepen your Knowledge PS Tasks to extend and deepen your Knowledge Whilst studying each unit try to complete as many of the PS tasks set below as possible. You may also like to dip into the recommended reading to gain a sense of the historian s opinion on the topic and some extra depth/detail to your understanding. Section 5- The Racial State, 1933-41 Task 1) Read and make notes from, From Kaiser to Fuhrer: Germany 1900-45, pp 315-327 Task 2) Core textbook pg 142- Practice source question Task 3) Produce character profiles on; - Dr Philip Bouler - Dr Karl Brandt - Adolf Eichmann - Reinhard Heydrich Task 4) Create a timeline of Nazi anti-semitic literature and policies. The core textbook pgs 149 &155 will help here Task 5) Practice essay question, core textbook. Pg 162 Task 6) Practice essay question, core textbook. Pg 170 Task 7) Read through and make notes on, Richard J Evans, Race and Identity The Third Reich in History and Memory.

Going Deeper Going Deeper PS Tasks to extend and deepen your Knowledge PS Tasks to extend and deepen your Knowledge Whilst studying each unit try to complete as many of the PS tasks set below as possible. You may also like to dip into the recommended reading to gain a sense of the historian s opinion on the topic and some extra depth/detail to your understanding. Section 6- The Impact of War, 1939-45 Task 1) Practice source question, core text book pg177 Task 2) Practice exam essay pg 181 Task 3) What were the Volkstrum and why were they important? Task 4) Primary source activity, core text book pg 185 Task 5) Produce a timeline of key chronology for the Final Solution, 1942-45 Task 6) Using your knowledge from this section and the historical context, explain the importance of the Wansee Conference in the development of Nazi policy towards the Jews Task 7) Watch the film Schindler s List or read the novel, Schindler s Ark by Thomas Keneally to gain an insight into the real story of a Nazi Party member who saved many Jews from concentration camps. Task 8) Produce key character cards on the following; - Count Helmuy von Moltke - Claus von Stauffenberg - General Beck - Hans and Sophie Scholl - Martin Bormann - The Bielski family

Documentaries and Films Documentaries and Films The below are films you could watch to extend your understanding of the period. For each one you will need to consider what it says about the period it was filmed in i.e. what can we learn about Hollywood s and public attitudes from it? Secondly where it is based on real events how accurate is it what was the real story. --------- Nazi s: A warning from History Hitler: The Rise of Evil (good for chronology of rise of Nazi s) Valykyrie (cheesy Tom Cruise film about plot to assassinate Hitler) Schindler s List The Pianist Triumph of the Will (Nazi propaganda film) Downfall (about the intense last few days of Hitler) Weimar Cinema- - Nosferatu - The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari