Modern European History Summative Assessment Task

Year 12 Modern European History Summative Assessment Task                 

Sources Analysis                                                                     5%

Refer to the separate sheet of sources when answering these questions.

Examine the sources carefully.

Answer ALL parts of the question.

1. What impression is given in the poster (Source 1) of the expected role of women in the new Germany? (1)

It gives us the impression that women are mothers before being women, they are made to take care of their children and should

in Germany should embrace maternity in both rural and urban areas. This is inferred when observing the mother herself, looking into her baby’s eyes as she nurtures it naturally. The background is also a key factor, as the left side shows a kind of agricultural work taking place, with a man, a machine, and a horse, whereas the right side shows a town of tall, pointy buildings. Displaying both of these environments behind the breastfeeding woman tells the reader that she’s welcome to be maternal anywhere in Germany.

1. In Source 2, what is revealed about the success of Hitler’s economic/employment  policies? (2)

Hitler’s economic and employment policies were evidently successful as unemployment plummeted by over five and a half million over the course of only six years. Though the success of this this is subjective, it appears to be a large drop in unemployment which by general consensus would be considered a positive development in any economy.

1. What conclusion can be drawn from Source 3 about the role of ordinary Germans in the Nazi persecution of Jewish people?

By 1938, the general German public had been indoctrinated into the hateful Nazi ideology. This meant that when Hitler wanted Jews to suffer the consequences of their rebellious actions, the public would not only support it, but actively engage in it. This is evident when observing the Night of Broken Glass, when around 10,000 Jewish shops were vandalised and looted, Jewish places of worship synagogues were burnt, and dozens were arrested or killed. It’s worth mentioning that this was only a prologue to the holocaust, but was a clear demonstration of German opinion on Jews during the peak of Hitler’s regime. Following the Night of Broken Glass, SS director Heinrich Himmler commanded a huge expansion of several concentration camps, meaning the worst was yet to come for the Jewish population.

1. To what extent does the photograph in Source 6 support the view expressed in Source 3? (4)

The photograph  shows two German officers standing in front of a Jewish fashion store, where a large sign has been plastered onto the window. It can be inferred by referencing Source 3 that the sign held a derogatory message towards Jews, as well as the sign including the word ‘Juden’, German for Jewish. Source 6 supports source 3 by providing a backstory into the type of political and ideological indoctrination that led to the German population openly oppressing jews. This meant when Hitler intended to finally enforce his anti-Semitism , he would be able to engage the German people in such atrocities as Night of Broken Glass as well as his soldiers whom were controlling the genocidal concentration camps.

1. Assess the usefulness of Sources 2 and 5 for historians studying the establishment of the Nazi regime. (5)

The usefulness of Source 5 is that it demonstrates the amount of support the Nazi party had just a single year after Hitler became chancellor, and source 2 demonstrates why. Within the one year timeframe, unemployment in Germany had nearly halved, which was a massive achievement considering the strenuous, seemingly infinite economic weakness. It was a breath of fresh air for millions of Germans to see their country become healthy again, and it was thanks to the Nazi party. When observing Source 5, it’s clear that the German people were thankful and supportive of the Nazi party, judging by the overwhelming numbers at the rally.

Source 2 is useful as it is a quantitative piece of information, meaning it’s objective in nature. This allows for analysis of a social change without too much debate or differing perspective. The numbers do most of the talking about the topic.

Source 5 is useful for historians because it’s a photograph, which means the historian does not need to interpret the source of information, but just observe it for what it is, provided the photo is real.

1. With reference to all sources, evaluate the proposition that propaganda was the key to Hitler’s creation of a totalitarian (centralized government that does not tolerate parties differing opinions and that exercises dictatorial control over many aspects of life)  regime in Germany. (6)

Although Propaganda was the key part of Hitler’s totalitarian state, it was not the only contributing factor. Source 6 shows how Hitler used propaganda early in his regime to begin to teach the German people what to think, as well as how Source 1 paints the German people a picture of what they consider to be an ideal value. However, Hitler could not reign on propaganda alone; his reignition of German values and spirits as well as economic success helped keep the vast majority of Germans on his side. For the Germans not on his side, his secret police and brown shirt organisation would step in. This creates a picture like Source 5, where supporters can openly demonstrate their admiration for the Reich,

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