Page 75 - Understanding NCERT Histroy 09th

number coming next. Luckily I have survived to tell this story.
As a Political Opponent of the Nazi Regime: Since the Nazis have captured power, they
are making life hell for all people who do not follow their ideals. I do not understand
what they will gain by trying to conquer other nations. The bombing by the British on
Goyal Brothers Prakashan
our homes has killed many of my relatives and friends. Aggression on other countries
will definitely cause war with them and we will also lose life and property in war. The
way the Nazis are going about increasing their power, I feel, in the long run, we will
lose ourselves, and all other nations will go against us due to this war.
2. Imagine that you are Helmuth. You have had many Jewish friends in school and do not
believe that Jews are bad. Write a paragraph on what you would say to your father.
Ans. If I was Helmuth, I would tell my father that Jews were very good people. They don’t
discriminate people as the Nazis do. They are very courteous. They tolerated the cruel
torture of the Nazis but still they don’t raise their voice against them. They do their work
obediently. I’m very lucky that I have Jews friends.

TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS

1. Describe the problems faced by the Weimar Republic.
Ans. The following problems were faced by the Weimar Republic :
1. The Weimar constitution had Inherent drawbacks made the Weimar Republic fragile.
l One was proportional representation which made it difficult for any party to get a
majority leading to coalition governments.
l Secondly, Article 48, which gave the President the power to rule by decree, suspend
civil rights and to impose an emergency. People lost confidence in a democratic
parliamentary system.
2. The Weimar Republic was not received well by the people because of the terms it was
forced to accept at Versailles at the end of the First World War. It was a harsh and
humiliating treaty that Germany had to accept with the Allies. Many people held the
Weimar Republic responsible for the defeat in the war and for accepting the terms of
the Treaty of Versailles.
3. In 1923 Germany refused to pay war reparation and the French occupied its leading
industrial area, the Ruhr, to claim their coal. Germany offered passive resistance and
printed paper currency. With too much paper currency in circulation, the value of the
German mark fell, which led to hyperinflation.
4. The Weimar Republic had to face another economic crisis. The USA Withdrew her
support when Wall Street Exchange crashed in 1929. German economy was the worst
hit by the economic crisis. Workers lost their jobs or were paid reduced wages. The
number of unemployed reached 6 million. The economic crisis created deep anxieties
and fear among the people.

2. Discuss why Nazism became popular in Germany by 1930.
Ans. In 1919 Adolph Hitler took over the German Workers’ Party and renamed it the National
Socialist German Workers’ Party, later which came to be known as the Nazi Party, that gave
birth to Nazism in Germany.
During the Great Economic Depression Nazism became very popular. The Nazi Propaganda
which was very unique helped in making Nazism very popular. In his powerful speeches,
Hitler promised to build a strong nation, restore the dignity of the Germans and will provide
employment to all. Numerous public meetings were held by the Nazi Party to Hitler and in

History Class IX H-63