Nazi Germany Revision Guide
Nazi Germany (1933-1945) is one of the most commonly examined topics at GCSE History. This guide covers the rise of Adolf Hitler, how the Nazis consolidated power, life in Nazi Germany, the persecution of minorities, and the key events you need to know for the exam.
The Rise of Hitler
Adolf Hitler joined the German Workers Party (DAP) in 1919 and quickly became its leader, renaming it the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP or Nazi Party). After a failed coup (the Munich Putsch, 1923), Hitler spent nine months in prison where he wrote Mein Kampf, outlining his ideology: racial purity, Lebensraum (living space), anti-Semitism, and the destruction of the Treaty of Versailles.
The Great Depression (1929) was the key factor in the Nazi rise to power. Unemployment soared to over 6 million. The Weimar government seemed incapable of solving the crisis. Hitler promised jobs, national pride, and strong leadership. Nazi propaganda, led by Joseph Goebbels, was brilliantly effective. The SA (Stormtroopers) intimidated opponents. By 1932, the Nazis were the largest party in the Reichstag.
Key Fact: How Hitler Became Chancellor
On 30 January 1933, President Hindenburg reluctantly appointed Hitler as Chancellor. The conservative elite believed they could control him. They were catastrophically wrong. Within 18 months, Hitler had dismantled democracy and made himself dictator.
Consolidation of Power (1933-1934)
The Reichstag Fire (February 1933)
The Reichstag (parliament building) was set on fire. Hitler blamed the communists and used it as an excuse to issue the Reichstag Fire Decree, which suspended civil liberties and allowed the Nazis to arrest political opponents.
The Enabling Act (March 1933)
This law gave Hitler the power to make laws without the Reichstag for four years. It effectively ended democracy in Germany. Trade unions were banned, opposition parties were dissolved, and Germany became a one-party state.
Night of the Long Knives (June 1934)
Hitler ordered the murder of Ernst Rohm and other SA leaders who he saw as a threat. This secured the loyalty of the army and eliminated potential rivals. The SS, led by Heinrich Himmler, became the dominant force.
Death of Hindenburg (August 1934)
When President Hindenburg died, Hitler merged the roles of Chancellor and President, becoming Fuhrer (leader). The army swore a personal oath of loyalty to Hitler. His dictatorship was complete.
Life in Nazi Germany
- Propaganda: Goebbels controlled newspapers, radio, cinema, and rallies (especially the Nuremberg rallies). The message was constant: Hitler was Germany's saviour, Jews were the enemy, and Germany was destined for greatness.
- Women: The Nazis believed women should focus on Kinder, Kuche, Kirche (children, kitchen, church). Women were discouraged from working and rewarded for having large families (the Mother's Cross). This reversed the freedoms women had gained during the Weimar Republic.
- Youth: Children were indoctrinated through the Hitler Youth (boys) and the League of German Maidens (girls). School curricula promoted Nazi ideology, racial science, and physical fitness. Education was used as a tool of control.
- Workers: Unemployment fell dramatically through rearmament, autobahns, and the Strength Through Joy programme (holidays, sports). However, workers lost the right to strike and wages were often low.
- Terror: The Gestapo (secret police), SS, and concentration camps created a climate of fear. People were encouraged to inform on neighbours. Opposition was crushed ruthlessly.
Persecution of Jews and Minorities
Anti-Semitism was central to Nazi ideology. Persecution escalated in stages:
- 1933: Boycott of Jewish businesses. Jews banned from civil service jobs.
- 1935: Nuremberg Laws stripped Jews of German citizenship and banned marriages between Jews and non-Jews.
- 1938: Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass). Nazi mobs attacked Jewish shops, synagogues, and homes. Thousands of Jews were arrested.
- 1939-1941: Jews were forced into ghettos in occupied territories.
- 1942-1945: The Holocaust. The Nazis implemented the "Final Solution," systematically murdering six million Jews in death camps including Auschwitz, Treblinka, and Sobibor. Roma, disabled people, homosexuals, and political opponents were also murdered.
Key Dates Timeline
- 1919: Hitler joins the DAP
- 1923: Munich Putsch fails
- 1929: Wall Street Crash triggers the Depression
- 1933: Hitler becomes Chancellor; Reichstag Fire; Enabling Act
- 1934: Night of the Long Knives; Hitler becomes Fuhrer
- 1935: Nuremberg Laws
- 1938: Kristallnacht; annexation of Austria
- 1939: Invasion of Poland; WW2 begins
- 1942: Wannsee Conference (Final Solution agreed)
- 1945: Hitler dies; Germany surrenders
Exam Tips
- Learn key dates and events in sequence. Many exam questions ask you to explain change over time.
- Use specific factual detail. Names, dates, and statistics score higher than vague generalisations.
- Understand causation: why did things happen? The Depression alone did not bring Hitler to power. You need to explain how multiple factors combined.
- For source questions, consider provenance (who wrote it, when, why) and cross-reference with your own knowledge.
- Practise "How far do you agree?" questions. These require a balanced argument with evidence on both sides before reaching a judgement.
Practice Questions
- Explain why the Nazi Party grew in popularity between 1929 and 1933.
- How did Hitler consolidate his power between January 1933 and August 1934?
- How far do you agree that propaganda was the most important method of Nazi control?
- Describe two ways in which the lives of Jews in Germany changed between 1933 and 1939.
- Explain the significance of the Night of the Long Knives.
Recommended Revision Guides
Top-rated guides for GCSE History Nazi Germany:
- CGP GCSE History: Germany 1890-1945 Revision Guide — Clear notes and exam practice.
- Hodder GCSE History: Weimar and Nazi Germany — Detailed topic coverage with source practice.
- Oxford AQA History: Nazi Germany Revision Guide — Exam-focused with model answers.