Living under Nazi rule, 1933-1945

    OCR
    GCSE

    This depth study analyses the transformation of German society under the Nazi dictatorship from the seizure of power in 1933 to the collapse in 1945. Candidates must evaluate the mechanisms of totalitarian control (terror versus consent), the restructuring of social institutions (Gleichschaltung), and the radicalisation of racial policy culminating in the Holocaust. Assessment focuses on the impact of ideology on specific demographics—youth, women, workers, and minorities—and the shifting nature of the regime during the transition from peacetime recovery to the exigencies of Total War.

    10
    Objectives
    8
    Exam Tips
    8
    Pitfalls
    8
    Key Terms
    8
    Mark Points

    Subtopics in this area

    Living under Nazi rule, 1933-1945
    Living under Nazi rule, 1933-1945

    Learning Objectives

    What you need to know and understand

    • The Enabling Act (March 1933) allowing Hitler to rule by decree.
    • The Night of the Long Knives (June 1934) removing internal opposition (Röhm).
    • The Nuremberg Laws (1935) stripping Jews of citizenship and forbidding mixed marriages.
    • Strength Through Joy (KdF) providing leisure activities to workers.
    • The White Rose Group (Hans and Sophie Scholl) distributing anti-war leaflets in 1943.
    • The Enabling Act (23 March 1933) and its legal consequences for the Weimar Constitution.
    • The Night of the Long Knives (30 June 1934) and the removal of Röhm/SA threat.
    • Nuremberg Laws (1935) specifically the Reich Citizenship Law and Law for the Protection of German Blood.
    • Kristallnacht (November 1938) as a turning point in state-sponsored violence.
    • The Wannsee Conference (January 1942) and the coordination of the Final Solution.

    Example Examiner Feedback

    Real feedback patterns examiners use when marking

    • "You have described what happened; now explain *why* this was a turning point for the regime."
    • "Do not just state the source is propaganda; explain how its specific purpose limits its utility for this specific enquiry."
    • "You listed the Edelweiss Pirates and the White Rose; now compare the *effectiveness* of their opposition methods."
    • "Your essay argues one side well; to access the top level, you must evaluate the counter-argument before concluding."
    • "You have described the source content accurately; now explain what the author intended the audience to think or do."
    • "Your knowledge of the Edelweiss Pirates is accurate, but you must explicitly contrast their activities with the Hitler Youth to answer the question."
    • "Avoid generalisations like 'the Nazis'; specify whether you mean the SS, the Gestapo, or the Party leadership."
    • "You have identified two causes; to reach the top level, explain which cause was the necessary precondition for the event."

    Marking Points

    Key points examiners look for in your answers

    • Award marks for precise selection of factual detail (e.g., distinguishing between the Nuremberg Laws 1935 and Kristallnacht 1938) rather than generalized assertions.
    • Credit responses that explain the purpose and audience of sources when assessing utility, rather than merely describing source content.
    • Candidates must demonstrate understanding of change over time, specifically contrasting the pre-war period (1933-1939) with the radicalisation during the war years (1939-1945).
    • High-level responses must analyse the relationship between terror (Gestapo/SS) and persuasion (propaganda/KdF) in maintaining control.
    • Award marks for precise selection of source detail (content and provenance) to support valid inferences.
    • Credit analysis of the purpose of sources by linking the author's intent to the specific historical context (e.g., 1936 Olympics vs. 1943 Total War).
    • Responses must distinguish between the 'intention' of Nazi policies (e.g., Volksgemeinschaft) and the 'reality' of their implementation.
    • High-level answers must evaluate historical interpretations by identifying the historian's focus and testing it against wide-ranging contextual knowledge.

    Examiner Tips

    Expert advice for maximising your marks

    • 💡In 'How useful' questions, you must evaluate the source's content (what it says) AND its provenance (who/when/why) against your own contextual knowledge.
    • 💡For interpretation questions, identify the historian's specific argument or focus, not just the facts they mention.
    • 💡When discussing opposition, categorize it by type: passive resistance (jokes, grumbling), non-conformity (Swing Youth), or active resistance (White Rose, July Bomb Plot).
    • 💡Allocate 20 minutes to the final essay question; it carries the highest tariff and requires a sustained, balanced argument.
    • 💡For 'Why was this source produced?', identify the specific audience and the intended reaction, not just the event depicted.
    • 💡In the interpretation question, explicitly state whether you agree with the historian's view before providing counter-evidence.
    • 💡Use specific German terminology (e.g., Gleichschaltung, Autarky, Untermenschen) to demonstrate precise conceptual understanding.
    • 💡Ensure the 18-mark essay contains a sustained line of reasoning; do not merely list factors, but weigh their relative significance.

    Common Mistakes

    Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

    • Conflating the SA (Brownshirts) with the SS (Blackshirts) or the Gestapo.
    • Asserting that all Germans were terrified into submission, ignoring the popularity of policies like reducing unemployment.
    • Treating the 'Nazi period' as static, failing to differentiate between the gradual persecution of the 1930s and the genocide of the 1940s.
    • Dismissing a source as 'biased' and therefore 'useless' without explaining how that bias reveals Nazi intentions or propaganda aims.
    • Conflating the SA (Brownshirts) with the SS (Blackshirts) or the Gestapo regarding their roles before and after 1934.
    • Asserting that all Germans were terrified into submission, ignoring the role of consent and the popularity of policies like the KdF.
    • Failing to distinguish between the persecution of Jews (gradual escalation) and the implementation of the 'Final Solution' (1942 onwards).
    • Describing the content of a source without addressing the specific question (e.g., 'What can you learn' vs. 'Why was it produced').

    Study Guide Available

    Comprehensive revision notes & examples

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    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    Likely Command Words

    How questions on this topic are typically asked

    Describe
    Explain why
    How useful
    What is the main difference
    Suggest one reason
    How far do you agree
    What can you learn
    Why was this source produced
    Which of the following

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