1. The defeat of Imperial Germany and the abdication of the emperor gave an opportunity to parliamentary parties to recast Germany polity.

2. A National Assembly met at Weimer and established a democratic constitution with a federal structure. 

3. Deputies were now elected to the German Parliament or Reichstag, on the basis of equal and universal votes cast by all adults including women. 

1. Germany fought the war largely on loans and had to pay war reparations in gold. This heightened the economic crises of 1923.  

2. The economic crises of 1923 created a situation when the prices of goods and services were very high.

3. Germany retaliated with passive resistance and printed paper currency recklessly. With too much printed money in circulation the value of the German Mark fell.

4. This crisis came to known as hyperinflation, a situation when prices rise phenomenally high. 

1. Wall Street Exchange crashed in 1929.

2. Fearing in a fall in prices, people made frantic efforts to sell their shares.

3. On single day, 24 October, 13 million shares were sold. This was the start of the great depression.

4. Over the next three years, between 1929 and 1932, the national income of the USA fell by half.

5. Factories shut down, exports fell, farmers were badly hit and speculators withdraw their money from the market.

6.    The effects of this recession in the US economy were felt worldwide. 

1.  The German economy was the worst hit by the economic crises. By 1932, industrial production was reduced to 40% of the 1929 level.

2. Workers lost their jobs or were paid reduced wages.

3. The number of unemployed touched an unprecedented 6 million.

4. On the streets of Germany we could see men with placards around their necks saying, ‘willing to do any work’.

5. The economic crises created deep anxieties and fear in People. The middle classes, especially salaried employees and pensioners, saw their savings diminish when the currency lost its value.

6.    Small businessmen, the self employed and retailers suffered as their businesses got ruined

It gave the President the powers to impose emergency, suspended civil rights and rule by decree. 

1. In September 1940, a Tripartite Pact was signed between Germany, Italy and Japan, strengthening Hitler’s claim to international power.

2. Puppet regimes, supportive of Nazi Germany were installed in a large part of Europe.

3. By the end of 1940, Hitler was at the pinnacle of his power. 

1. Schacht had advised Hitler against investing hugely in rearmament as the state still ran on deficit financing.

2. Cautious people however had no place in Nazi Germany.

3. Schacht had to leave. Hitler chose war as the way out of the approaching economic crises. 
 

1. Nazis used language and media were effectively.  

2. They used special words for mass killings-Special treatment, final solution, Jew euthanasia, selection and disinfection.

3. Media was used to win support for the regime and popularize its word view.

4. Propaganda films were made to defame the Jews, who were stereotyped and referred to as vermin, rats and pests.