Modern German History Study Guide

Enabling Act 1933  amendment to the constitution passed by 2/3 majority (SPD refused to support it.) It suspended the Reichstag and allowed the government to rule by decree for the next four years. It was the final deathblow to the Weimar Democracy.

T-4 Program  directed at those who had “life unworthy of living”. 1939-1941 roughly 200,000 mentally and physically handicapped were taken from treatment centers. Most of the killing used sealed “shower rooms” or “gas vans” that pumped in carbon monoxide. This turned the body pink. It was a precursor to the final stage of the Holocaust. T-4 experts helped run the “Final Solution.”

Hitler’s Appointment as Chancellor  Papen and other businessmen wrote a letter to President Hindenburg urging him to appoint Hitler to Chancellor, and Hindenburg reluctantly did. When Hindenburg died Hitler consolidates the offices of Chancellor and President into the “Fuhrer”. The army then took an oath of loyalty directly to Hitler.

West German Constitution  called Basic Law because they hoped it would be temporary and East and West Germany would reunite. There were no “emergency powers.” The President’s powers were reduced. Reduced the number of political parties. Improved representative government. West Germany became a parliamentary democracy.

Berlin Airlift  During the Cold War the Soviet Union put a blockade in place in hopes that West Berlin would need to start relying on the Soviets for necessities, basically putting all the power into their hands. Allies organized Airlift to carry supplies to West Berlin. When the Soviets failed and lifted the blockade, East and West Germany were created.

Night of the Long Knives  a night when there was a series of political murders, Hitler turned against the SA and Rohm and has them all killed. As a result the SA is broken and continues only as a ceremonial group. SS becomes the new powerhouse of the Nazi state. Hitler wanted to purge the regime of anyone who criticized him presently or in his past.

Triumph Of The Will  propaganda film of the Nazi party from the Nuremburg rally. It has speeches from Hitler and other party members. The entire underlying theme is the return of Germany as a great power. The Nazis used mass meetings, referred to a “new order” placed emphasis on the young people. It also attempts to present Hitler and the Party as agents of peace, law, and order

“People’s Own Enterprises” (VEB)  legal form for state-owned industrial and service enterprises in East Germany. Trade unions now had the task of bringing wages into line with the performance of the workers. Stressed high production quotas for heavy industry and increased labor productivity. In actuality the product quality went down.

Nuremburg Laws  anti-Semitic laws announced at the annual Nuremburg Rally. Took on the task of defining who was Jewish. People with three or four Jewish grandparents as Jews. Four German grandparents made you German. One or two Jewish grandparents made one a crossbreed or “mixed blood.” These laws deprived Jews of German citizenship and prohibited marriage between Jews and other Germans. Also led to Nazi boycott of Jewish businesses.

Nuremburg Trials many people from Wannsee Conference used the defense “All I did was follow my orders.” It was the only combined Ally effort for trials of Nazi war criminals. Allied zones each developed their own forms of punishment. There were problems when it came to the definition of a war crime. The trials were for Germany going against foreign countries. America focused of “De-Nazification” and had people fill out forms, be interviewed and then classified.

Kristallnacht  “Crystal Night” or the “Night of Broken Glass” SS carried out against Jews. It included the destruction of thousands of Jewish businesses and synagogues. More than 100 Jews were killed, others were beat and wounded by plain-clothes SS and SA members. It was done to look like a massive uprising against the Jews

Annexation of Austria 1938 (Anschluss)  the Austrian people voted to move under German control. Hitler and troops marched in at Braunau and were welcomed enthusiastically.

War Against Poland and France  Hitler’s foreign policy worked to weaken ties between Poland and France. Invasion of Poland sparked the outbreak of the war. Germany and Poland divided and annexed the whole of Poland. Britain and France declared war on Germany two days after the invasion of Poland. Hitler wanted all German speaking areas under German rule. By gaining so much territory so fast, Germany becomes economically stronger. Hitler was over-confident and quickly moved from short to long term goals

Wannsee Conference  meeting of top-ranking Nazi officials on how the Jewish policy can be changed. The killing squads and current policy was insufficient and they needed to make a decision on the systematic elimination of 12 million European Jews. It allowed the authorized creation of extermination camps with the primary purpose of state murder, not long-term incarceration.

Defeat of Nazi Germany  Germany cant keep up with other countries high tech equipment. The two front war become a three front war (south Italy, east Russia, west France) Holocaust was the main priority. The rail cars were not used for supplies but rather to ship people to death camps. The war in Russia: Germans were dressed in summer clothes and not prepared for a winter war. Allies had strategic bombing of German cities.

Allied Occupation Zones  there was a power vacuum of empty space in central Europe. It was divided between Soviets and the 4 Allied Powers. Germany faced a new food problem because it was reduced to smaller borders ad lost 25% of their farmland. The German infrastructure was poor, there was no way for food to reach the cities because bombs destroyed the roads. Allies wanted a self-reliant Germany, but not a powerhouse, for fear of WWIII. Allies fear the entrance of Communism

West Germany’s “Economic Miracle”  rapid reconstruction of sustained economic growth. Reduced unemployment. There was a building boom pertaining to infrastructure. Living standards rose, people lived comfortably for the first time in the post-war years.

SED  East German Communist Party. Marxist-Leninist ideology. No free or fair elections. Soviet pressure was underlying. Essentially a communist party.

June 1953 Uprising  uprising in East Germany. EG was not in a good position to suppress the uprising so they called on the Soviets for help. Hard to bring uprisings under control. First group to strike was constructions workers from East Berlin who heard their pay would be cut if they did not meet the work quota.

Berlin Wall Construction  barrier constructed by East Germany that cut off West Berlin from East Germany and East Berlin. Known as the “Iron Curtain” meant to prevent emigration. Between 100-200 people killed over time for attempting to escape. 1989 wall comes down and paves way for German reunification

Erich Honecker  long time leader of East Germany. In charge of building the Berlin Wall. Improved living conditions, built new houses, and the availability of consumer goods. Advocate of socialism.

“Ostpolitik”  “Eastern Policy” tried to be like the U.S. but it was a sovereign state, not an actual nation. They recognized East Germany. Agreed to not interfere with West Berlin. Increased trade and treaties.

Process of German Reunification  two weeks after fall of Berlin Wall. 10-point program to expand their cooperation toward eventual reunification. Economic merger (Deutsche Mark became official money). Treaty was signed. Revised the “Basic Law.”

Christa-Maria Sieland  actress, girlfriend of Dreyman, pill popper, is basically being threatened and forced to have sex with Minister Hempf. Stops going to see Hempf, Hempf tells Grubitz that she is taking illegal medication, and says he never wants to see her on stage again. She is brought in for questioning and breaks down and is asked who writes the article in the paper, Wiesler interviews her and she spills where the typewriter is hidden. She becomes an informant. Runs in front of a bus and dies.

Gerd Wiesler  Stasi member, watches and listens to the bugs in Dreyman’s apartment. Tells Sieland that a lot of people love her. He does not turn in Dreyman sneaking a dude into the country. Removes the typewriter before the Stasi can go to the apartment to get it. Works in the mail room from now on

Georg Dreyman  “Lazlo” playwright. Has his apartment bugged. His friend JErska hangs himself. Dreyman knows Sieland is sleeping with someone and begs her not to go to him. Writes an article published in a magazine. Hides typewriter in a floorboard.

Miriam 

Charlie 

Julia 

Hagen Koch 

Klaus Renft 

Frau Sigrid Paul 

Essay:

Select eight major turning points in Modern German history (1871-present) that you feel were truly decisive in shaping the country’s history. Make sure that you choose from each major historical era that we have covered in this course. In what ways were these turning points related, and why do you feel they were so important. Make sure to discuss each point in detail and provide all relevant information about the event or issue and explain how it relates to other issues within its historical period. Finally, what do you feel is the most important historical lesson that we can draw from Germany’s tumultuous modern history. (70 points)