SECTION 1 THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC 1919-1929
ONE WEIMAR GERMANY: THE EARLY YEARS 1918-1919
1.1 The defeat of Germany in World War I
1.2 The November Revolution of 1918-1919
1.3 The creation of the democratic Weimar Republic
1.4 Germany and the Treaty of Versailles
TWO THE YEARS OF CHALLENGE 1920-1923
2.1 The threat from the right
2.2 Militarism: the army and the Weirmar Republic
2.3 1923- a difficult year
THREE THE YEARS OF STABILITY 1924-1929
3.1 Economic and political stability, 1924-29
3.2 German Foreign Policy in the 1920s
3.3 Social and cultural life in the Weimar Republic to 1929
Higher School Certificate style questions
SECTION 2 GERMANY 1929-1933:THE RISE OF THE NAZI PARTY AND THE FAILURE OF GERMAN DEMOCRACY
FOUR ADOLF HITLER AND THE NAZIE PARTY
4.1 Adolf Hitler-his early life
4.2 The beginning of the Nazi Party
4.3 The Munich Beerhall Putsch, 1923
4.4 Rebuilding the Party, 1923-1929
FIVE THE FAILURE OF DEMOCRACY:THE NAZIS COME TO POWER
5.1 The Weimar Republic and the Great Depression
5.2 Hitler's path to power 1929-33
5.3 The failure of the democratic system
5.4 The failure of the Weimar Republic- Historical debate
5.5 Why did the Nazis
SIX ESTABLISHING THE TOTALITARIAN STATE: GERMANY 1933-34
6.1 The concept of totalitarianism
6.2 The path to dictatorship
6.3 Creating the totalitarian state
6.4 Restless Storm-troopers: the Night of the Long Knives
6.5 Nazism as totalitarianism
Higher School Certificate style questions
SECTION 3 NAZISM IN POWER
SEVEN LIFE IN NAZI GERMANY
7.1 Hitler's role in the Nazi state
7.2 Social life in the Third Reich
7.3 Cultural life in Nazi Germany
7.4 Economic life in Nazi Germany
EIGHT PERSUASION AND PRESSURE
8.1 The role of propaganda in the Third Reich
8.2 Terror and repression
8.3 The army and the Nazi state
8.4 Opposition to Hitler
NINE NAZI RACIAL POLICY:ANTI-SEMITISM, POLICY AND PRACTICE
9.1 Anti-Semitism
9.2 The pre-war treatment of the Jews
9.3 The Holocaust
9.4 The historiography
SECTION 4 PERSONALITIES
TEN LENI RIEFENSTAHL: 'THE MOST FAMOUS FEMALE FILM DIRECTOR IN THE WORLD'
10.1 Introduction
10.2 Background: Leni's early life and career
10.3 Rise to prominence: Leni at her artistic peak
10.4 The German film industry under the Nazis
10.5 The long twilight of Leni's career, 1945-2003
10.6 Judgment: Riefenstahl's technical ability
10.7 Judgement: Were Riefenstahl's major works Nazi propaganda?
10.8 Judgment: Was Riefenstahl a Nazi supporter?
10.9 Judgment: 'Hitler's favourite'
10.10 Judgment: Was Riefenstahl a feminist pioneer?
10.11 Judgement: Riefenstahl's use of prisoners
10.12 Conclusion: Has history been fair to Riefenstahl?
Higher School Certificate style questions
ELEVEN ALBERT SPEER:HITLER'S ARCHITECT
11.1 Introduction
11.2 Background: Speer's early life, 1905-30
11.3 Speer's architectural work, 1932-42
11.4 Herr Speer, the Armaments Minister, 1942-45
11.5 Evaluation of Speer's life and career
11.6 Conclusion: How have historians judged Albert Speer since 1945?
Higher School Certificate style questions
SECTION 5 NAZI FOREIGN POLICY
TWELVE THE PATH TO WAR
12.1 Nazi foreign policy: aims and the influence of ideology
12.2 German foreign policy: strategies in action, 1933–38
12.3 Appeasement in action
12.4 1939: waiting for war
12.5 The origins of World War II: historical debate
Higher School Certificate style questions
SECTION 6 AFTERMATH
THIRTEEN WAR AND DEFEAT
13.1 War and defeat
13.2 Aftermath
K.J. Mason taught in New South Wales and Queensland for 40 years and has written numerous history textbooks, most notably Experience of Nationhood and Republic to Reich. In 2006 James was awarded an OAM in the General Division for services to secondary education and in particular the teaching and writing of history.
Aligned to the NSW Stage 6 Modern History syllabus but also retains broad appeal for all states
In-depth attention to events and debates during the Weimar Republic period
In-depth personality profiles on Leni Riefenstahl and Albert Speer
Thematic overviews with changes and continuities across 1918–1939
HSC style exam and review questions