Impact Of Economic Policies 2

Degree of Recovery by 1939

The Nazis had delivered on many of their promises. However, whilst many benefitted, the undesirable (in the eyes of the Nazis) members of society lost out. Overall, Germany was not a fully fledged wehrwirschaft by 1939.

1939 key statistics

Unemployment was less than 0.2 million.
Real wages 7% higher than in 1936.
Industrial production up 25% on 1928.
Military expenditure was 38% of GNP.
In 1928 German imports were 14 billion reichsmarks. In 1938 German imports were 5.4 billion reichsmarks.
In 1928, prices in Germany were 40% higher than they had been in 1913. In 1938, prices in Germany were only 5.8% higher than they had been in 1913.
Government expenditure was up from 18.4 billion reichsmarks in 1933 to 37.1 billion reichsmarks in 1938.

Winners

People who benefitted from Nazi economic policies included:
- The unemployed.
- The armed forces.
- Families (marriage loans, payments for having two or more children).
- Large and heavy industry e.g. IG Farben, Daimler-Benz and armaments factories.
- Large, arable farms.
- Overall, people were more optimistic about the economy by 1939 than in 1933.

Losers

People who lost out from Nazi economic policies included:
- 300,000 small businesses had gone bankrupt.
- Working class families’ consumption of all foodstuffs except rye bread, cheese and potatoes had fallen.
- Livestock farmers faced shortages and economic hardship, unlike arable farmers.
- Small farmers could not get loans to improve their farms.
- Private steel companies were squeezed by RWHG.
- Women who lost jobs in professional services.

Historical Assessment of Recovery

It is evident that the Nazis did improve the German economy. However, this often came at the expense of the non-Aryan population.

Historical Assessment

Hite and Hinton (2000): ‘Hitler’s priorities meant that the mass of the German people failed to benefit greatly from economic growth.’
Overy (1982): ‘Even by 1937 the economy was only just above the level reached some years before. From 1936 onwards… growth began to slow down.’
Noakes (1984):‘The cracks in an economy that was operating beyond its capacity were beginning to show.’

Was Germany ready for war in 1939?

Germany was not prepared for the scale of war that broke out in 1939.
There were supply problems as early as December 1939.
Germany was unable to replace the aircrafts lost in the Battle of Britain in 1940.
German troops were not adequately supplied for the 1941 invasion of the USSR.
Germany’s economic organisation was wasteful and inefficient.
The initial Blitzkrieg in Europe went well, however. Germany then exploited its occupied territories – e.g. raw materials, slave labour.

1The Weimar Republic 1918-1933

1.1Establishment Of The Weimar Republic 1918-1924

1.1.1Post WW1

1.1.2Weimar Constitution

1.1.3Peace Settlement

1.1.4End of Topic Test - Germany Post WW1

1.1.5Economic Issues

1.1.6Economic Issues 2

1.1.7Social Issues

1.1.8End of Topic Test - Economic & Social Issues

1.1.9Extremist Threats

1.1.10Extremist Threats 2

1.1.11End of Topic Test - Extremist Threats

1.1.12Political Instability & The Invasion of the Ruhr

1.1.13Weimar Government by 1924

1.1.14End of Topic Test - Weimar Government by 1924

1.1.15A-A* (AO3/4) - Germany Post WW1

1.2The 'Golden Age' Of The Weimar Republic 1924-1928

1.2.1Economic Developments

1.2.2Industry & Agriculture

1.2.3End of Topic Test - Economic Developments

1.2.4Social Developments

1.2.5Social Developments 2

1.2.6End of Topic Test - Social Developments

1.2.7Political Parties

1.2.8Political Stability

1.2.9End of Topic Test - Weimar Politics

1.2.10Germany's International Position

1.2.11Germany's International Position 2

1.2.12End of Topic Test - International Position

1.2.13A-A* (AO3/4) - The Weimar 'Golden Age'

1.3The Collapse of Democracy 1928-1933

1.3.1The Impact Of The Depression

1.3.2Politics After The Depression

1.3.3The Appeal Of Extremism

1.3.4End of Topic Test - The Depression & Politics

1.3.5'Backstairs Intrigue'

1.3.6'Backstairs Intrigue' 2

1.3.7End of Topic Test - Backstairs Intrigue

1.3.8Political Developments

1.3.9The State by March 1933

1.3.10End of Topic Test - Political Developments

1.3.11A-A* (AO3/4) - The Collapse of Democracy

2Nazi Germany 1933-1945

2.1The Nazi Dictatorship 1933-1939

2.1.1Hitler's Consolidation Of Power

2.1.2The Terror State

2.1.3End of Topic Test - Consolidation of Power

2.1.4Opposition

2.1.5Propaganda

2.1.6A-A* (AO3/4) - Terror State & Propaganda

2.1.7End of Topic Test - Propaganda

2.1.8Economic Policies

2.1.9Economic Policies 2

2.1.10Impact Of Economic Policies

2.1.11Impact Of Economic Policies 2

2.1.12End of Topic Test - Economic Policies

2.1.13Social Policies

2.1.14Social Policies 2

2.1.15Volksgemeinschaft

2.1.16End of Topic Test - Social Policies

2.1.17A-A* (AO3/4) - Economic & Social Policies

2.2The Racial State 1933-1941

2.2.1The Radicalisation Of The State

2.2.2Anti-Semitism

2.2.3Development Of Anti-Semitic Policies

2.2.4Development Of Anti-Semitic Policies 2

2.2.5End of Topic Test - Anti-Semitism

2.2.6Treatment of the Jews in the Early Years of War

2.2.7Deportation & Anti-Semitism Evaluation

2.2.8End of Topic Test - Early Treatment of the Jews

2.2.9A-A* (AO3/4) - The Racial State

2.3The Impact Of War 1939-1945

2.3.1Home Front

2.3.2Impact On Society

2.3.3Impact On Society 2

2.3.4End of Topic Test - Impact of the War

2.3.5War Economy

2.3.6War Economy 2

2.3.7Policies Towards The Jews & Untermenschen

2.3.8A-A* (AO3/4) - Impact of the War

2.3.9End of Topic Test - War Economy

2.3.10Opposition

2.3.11Opposition 2

2.3.12Nazi State by 1945

2.3.13End of Topic Test - Opposition

2.3.14A-A* (AO3/4) - Opposition & The State in 1945

Jump to other topics