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Explain the economic trends in Germany from 1933 to the outbreak of the war in terms of unemployment and state intervention in the economy.
Explain the economic trends in Germany from 1933 to the outbreak of the war in terms of unemployment and state intervention in the economy.
The German economy showed a sharp decline in unemployment from 1929 to 1933, followed by a very sharp decline in unemployment right down to the outbreak of the war. In 1936, the Nazi party implemented a four-year plan with Hermann Goering in charge, moving towards much more overt state direction of the economy.
What was the impact of the economic crisis in 1936 on the Nazi leadership and the German economy?
What was the impact of the economic crisis in 1936 on the Nazi leadership and the German economy?
Faced with the crisis in 1936, the Nazi party and leadership became more radical and implemented a four-year plan with explicit war-oriented goals, leading to much more state direction of the economy.
How did the economic difficulties faced by Nazi Germany from 1936 onwards relate to its foreign policy and aggressive actions?
How did the economic difficulties faced by Nazi Germany from 1936 onwards relate to its foreign policy and aggressive actions?
The economic difficulties were related to a more reckless foreign policy and aggressive foreign actions, as Hitler was aware that time was running out economically and had to act quickly. The economic philosophy of the party and war were closely connected.
What was the connection between the economic philosophy of the Nazi party and the way the war was fought?
What was the connection between the economic philosophy of the Nazi party and the way the war was fought?
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What were the two new developments in the economic strategy of Nazi Germany during the war?
What were the two new developments in the economic strategy of Nazi Germany during the war?
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What was the role of Hermann Goering in the economic planning of Nazi Germany?
What was the role of Hermann Goering in the economic planning of Nazi Germany?
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Explain the relationship between the economic trends and Hitler's foreign policy.
Explain the relationship between the economic trends and Hitler's foreign policy.
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How did the economic philosophy of the Nazi party influence its aggressive foreign policy?
How did the economic philosophy of the Nazi party influence its aggressive foreign policy?
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What was the impact of the economic crisis in 1936 on the German firms and state direction of the economy?
What was the impact of the economic crisis in 1936 on the German firms and state direction of the economy?
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What was the reason behind the Nazi party's shift towards much more overt state direction of the economy in 1936?
What was the reason behind the Nazi party's shift towards much more overt state direction of the economy in 1936?
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How did the economic difficulties in Nazi Germany impact the war-oriented goals and foreign policy of the Nazi party?
How did the economic difficulties in Nazi Germany impact the war-oriented goals and foreign policy of the Nazi party?
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Describe the economic situation in Germany during the Great Depression.
Describe the economic situation in Germany during the Great Depression.
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Explain the economic policy and ideology of the Nazi Party.
Explain the economic policy and ideology of the Nazi Party.
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What was the Nazi Party's aim regarding autarky and how did they pursue it?
What was the Nazi Party's aim regarding autarky and how did they pursue it?
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How was the Nazi economic system interlinked with foreign and military policy?
How was the Nazi economic system interlinked with foreign and military policy?
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What were the key features of the Nazi economic system?
What were the key features of the Nazi economic system?
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What was the focus of the Nazis in terms of industry and how did they address competition?
What was the focus of the Nazis in terms of industry and how did they address competition?
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Explain the welfare system established by the Nazis.
Explain the welfare system established by the Nazis.
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What steps did the Nazis take in relation to trade unions and labor organization?
What steps did the Nazis take in relation to trade unions and labor organization?
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How did the Nazis emphasize agrarian self-sufficiency and what policies were associated with it?
How did the Nazis emphasize agrarian self-sufficiency and what policies were associated with it?
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What unorthodox monetary policy did the Nazis employ and what were its consequences?
What unorthodox monetary policy did the Nazis employ and what were its consequences?
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What challenges did the German monetary policy face by the end of the 1930s?
What challenges did the German monetary policy face by the end of the 1930s?
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Explain the impact of the state's trade policy on the consumer economy in Germany.
Explain the impact of the state's trade policy on the consumer economy in Germany.
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What were the economic outcomes that the Nazis wanted to achieve through their economic policies?
What were the economic outcomes that the Nazis wanted to achieve through their economic policies?
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Who did the Nazis appoint as President of the Reichsbank in 1933 to reassure the business community and create a sense of continuity?
Who did the Nazis appoint as President of the Reichsbank in 1933 to reassure the business community and create a sense of continuity?
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What were the first actions taken by the Nazis towards achieving economic stability after entering government in 1933?
What were the first actions taken by the Nazis towards achieving economic stability after entering government in 1933?
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How did the appointment of Hjalmar Schacht help to reassure the business community?
How did the appointment of Hjalmar Schacht help to reassure the business community?
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What moves greatly benefitted business interests and how?
What moves greatly benefitted business interests and how?
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What were the economic goals that the Nazis wanted to achieve through their initial economic policies?
What were the economic goals that the Nazis wanted to achieve through their initial economic policies?
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Who was appointed as the Minister for Economics in 1934?
Who was appointed as the Minister for Economics in 1934?
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How did the Nazis initially seek to achieve economic stability after entering government?
How did the Nazis initially seek to achieve economic stability after entering government?
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Why did the Nazis appoint Hjalmar Schacht as President of the Reichsbank?
Why did the Nazis appoint Hjalmar Schacht as President of the Reichsbank?
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What did the Nazis do to calm fears within the business community after entering government in 1933?
What did the Nazis do to calm fears within the business community after entering government in 1933?
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How did the Nazis reassure the business community that no radical changes were imminent?
How did the Nazis reassure the business community that no radical changes were imminent?
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Describe the Nazi economic policy of state investment and its goals.
Describe the Nazi economic policy of state investment and its goals.
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What were the work-creation schemes implemented by the Nazis and how did they contribute to the reduction of unemployment?
What were the work-creation schemes implemented by the Nazis and how did they contribute to the reduction of unemployment?
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What was the significance of the Nazi policy of achieving autarky and how did it aim to achieve economic stability?
What was the significance of the Nazi policy of achieving autarky and how did it aim to achieve economic stability?
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What was the purpose of Schacht's 'New Plan' and how did it promote economic stability?
What was the purpose of Schacht's 'New Plan' and how did it promote economic stability?
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How did the Nazi state control industry through state investment?
How did the Nazi state control industry through state investment?
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What were the key features of the Nazi economic policy of state investment?
What were the key features of the Nazi economic policy of state investment?
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How did the Nazi work-creation schemes aim to reduce unemployment?
How did the Nazi work-creation schemes aim to reduce unemployment?
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What was the impact of achieving autarky on Germany's economic stability?
What was the impact of achieving autarky on Germany's economic stability?
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How did Schacht's 'New Plan' contribute to the promotion of autarky and economic stability?
How did Schacht's 'New Plan' contribute to the promotion of autarky and economic stability?
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In what ways did the Nazi state slowly take control of industry through state investment?
In what ways did the Nazi state slowly take control of industry through state investment?
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What were the goals of the Nazi state's policy of state investment and industry control?
What were the goals of the Nazi state's policy of state investment and industry control?
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Study Notes
The Economy of Nazi Germany
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Germany suffered severely during the Great Depression, with high unemployment and insolvency of major firms.
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The Nazi Party had a clear economic policy and ideology, aiming to create a hyper-modern, authoritarian, and collectivist economy.
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The Nazis aimed for autarky, imposing high tariffs and quotas for imports and encouraging domestic substitutes.
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The economic system was intermeshed with the foreign policy and military policy, ultimately linked to the idea of planning and waging an aggressive war.
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The Nazi economic system involved privatizing some state-owned enterprises, while also setting up state-owned enterprises and directing investment and spending through contracts.
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There was a deliberate focus on large firms and heavy industry, with encouragement of cartels and mergers to prevent wasteful competition.
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The Nazis opposed universal welfare and established a welfare system based on racial or national grounds, controlled by the party.
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They eliminated existing trade unions and replaced them with a single monopoly labor organization, providing welfare benefits and focusing on fitness and public health.
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The emphasis on agrarian self-sufficiency was associated with an aggressive environmentalist policy and a focus on rural life.
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The Nazis used an unorthodox monetary policy, issuing Mefo bills, a form of highly liquid sovereign debt, to fund rearmament and capital investment.
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The Mefo bills were initially successful in mobilizing idle resources but led to severe problems, including inflation and difficulties in financing imports.
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The Nazi government faced severe problems by the end of the 1930s, including inflation and financing import payments due to declining export earnings.German Economic Policy in the 1930s
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By the end of the 1930s, German monetary policy, which allowed payment in various currencies, faced a crisis.
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The policy led to a rapid and sustained decrease in unemployment, largely due to the armament boom creating a significant amount of work in major heavy industrial sectors.
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However, the consumer economy in Germany did not recover as well, as consumers were constrained by taxes, higher prices, and the effects of the state's trade policy.
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Initially, the policy seemed successful, but by 1936, it encountered severe foreign exchange problems, unsustainable national debt, and an economy working at close to full capacity.
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The lack of available money prevented further investment in productive activity, despite the economy operating near capacity.
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Graphs show a dip in gross national income in 1932, reflecting the economic challenges faced during this time.
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Description
Test your knowledge of the economic policies and challenges faced by Nazi Germany in the 1930s. Explore the impact of the Great Depression, the Nazi Party's economic ideology, trade policies, monetary issues, and their effects on employment, industrial sectors, and the overall economy.