Part B: in Considering the Process of Change in the Development of Germany over the Whole Period 1890- 1990, How Far Can the Impact of the Depression Be Seen as the Key Turning Point?

Part B: In considering the process of change in the development of Germany over the whole period 1890- 1990, how far can the impact of the Depression be seen as the key turning point?

100 years of German history from 1890 to 1990, saw a series chaotic and drastic changes; autocratic rule to democracy twice over. This would have a massive effect upon Germany and would change areas of society for ever. But throughout all this, there were three strands of continuity; these manifested themselves in the forms of the Political Elite, expansionism ideology & the political mobilisation of the masses.

The Political Elites as Kershaw describes them, ‘Where an influential group of conservatives, who took the form of leaders of industry, the army, the civil service and large landowners. The end of the First World War could be considered to be the first key influential turning point in relation to the Elites, as it kick-started Germany from autocratic rule to an elected democracy, Following the treaty of Versailles which led to the development of the Weimar constitution. The constitution that proposed democracy, threatened to undermine the power base of the elites which they so aggressively opposed, as Kershaw highlights the “political elite posed the greatest hindrance to Germany’s development towards a liberal-democratic society”#. This was certainly true before the creation of the Weimar, as the elite’s used tactics such as repression and propaganda to stop parties such as the Social Democrats from influencing German politics. The intention of the allies in 1918 was to change the status quo; this led to the creation of the Weimar Republic.

Germany had suddenly become a representative nation with a new political class. Versailles completely changed how Germany was governed; it took decisions out of the hands of the elites and into the hands of the masses. In theory, this should have completely removed the political elite’s ability to control events to their...