O Level History: Depth Study B, Germany 1918-45 — Practice Questions (Cambridge 2147)

These are original questions written for Marlbridge, for revision and practice on this content. They are not reproduced past-paper questions. The wording below is invented for practice purposes, but the structure follows the syllabus’s own: Depth Studies are examined only on Paper 1, Section B, which sets two questions on each Depth Study (candidates answer one), each a three-part structured essay split (a), (b), (c). Depth Studies are not set on Paper 2, so this page contains no source questions. Cambridge International holds copyright in its own papers; use these alongside the official past papers available through your school or Cambridge directly.

Related: Depth Study B revision notes | Depth Study B study guide

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In Cambridge O Level History 2147, Depth Study B is examined in Paper 1, Section B: two questions per Depth Study, answer one, each worth 20 marks – (a) 4, (b) 6, (c) 10. The three questions below cover all of key questions 1, 2 and 3.

Question 1: The Weimar Republic (key question 1)

(a) What were the terms of the Treaty of Versailles that affected Germany’s armed forces? [4]

(b) Explain why the occupation of the Ruhr in 1923 caused problems for the Weimar Republic. [6]

(c) “The Weimar Republic had achieved a great deal by 1929.” How far do you agree? Explain your answer. [10]

Worked answer

(a) The army was limited to 100,000 men; conscription was banned; no tanks; no air force; the navy was limited to six battleships and no submarines; the Rhineland was demilitarised.

(b) France and Belgium occupied the Ruhr in January 1923 because Germany fell behind with reparations. The government ordered passive resistance, so the Ruhr’s industry – the heart of German coal and steel production – stopped producing; the government printed money to pay striking workers, causing hyper-inflation that wiped out savings and pensions; middle-class Germans blamed the Republic; and the crisis encouraged extremists, including Hitler’s Munich Putsch in November.

(c) Agree: the Rentenmark ended hyper-inflation; the Dawes Plan (1924) eased reparations and brought loans that funded new housing, roads and factories; Stresemann won back international respect through Locarno (1925) and membership of the League (1926); the Young Plan (1929) cut reparations further; Weimar culture flourished. Disagree: recovery depended on short-term American loans; farmers were in difficulty before 1929; unemployment never fell very low; coalition governments remained unstable; extremist parties and the army were still hostile; Hindenburg, a monarchist, became President in 1925. Judgement: much had been achieved, but the foundations were fragile, as the Depression showed.

Question 2: Hitler’s rise to power (key question 2)

(a) Describe what happened during the Munich Putsch of 1923. [4]

(b) Explain why Hitler was appointed Chancellor in January 1933. [6]

(c) “The Enabling Act was the most important step in Hitler’s consolidation of power in 1933-34.” How far do you agree? Explain your answer. [10]

Worked answer

(a) On 8 November 1923 Hitler and the SA burst into a political meeting in a Munich beer hall; he announced a national revolution and forced Bavarian leaders to support him; they later withdrew their support; the next day Hitler and Ludendorff marched through Munich; police opened fire and sixteen Nazis were killed; Hitler was arrested, tried and sentenced to five years, serving about nine months.

(b) The Depression created mass unemployment and despair, and the Nazis gained votes by promising work and national revival; they became the largest party in July 1932, so it was hard to govern without them; Chancellors Papen and Schleicher could not form stable majorities; Papen persuaded Hindenburg that Hitler could be controlled in a cabinet with only a few Nazis; business leaders and conservatives feared communism more than Hitler.

(c) Enabling Act: passed in March 1933 with communist deputies excluded and the Centre Party’s support; it allowed Hitler to pass laws without the Reichstag, making all later steps legal. Other steps: the Reichstag Fire decree (February) suspended civil rights and allowed communists to be arrested; banning trade unions (May) and all other parties (July) created a one-party state; the Night of the Long Knives (June 1934) removed the SA threat and won the army’s loyalty; Hindenburg’s death (August 1934) let Hitler become Führer with the army’s oath. Judgement: the Enabling Act was the legal foundation, but the army’s support after June-August 1934 removed the last power that could stop him.

Question 3: Nazi Germany (key question 3)

(a) Describe Nazi policies towards women. [4]

(b) Explain why the Nazis persecuted many groups in German society. [6]

(c) “Most Germans benefited from Nazi rule before 1939.” How far do you agree? Explain your answer. [10]

Worked answer

(a) Women were encouraged to focus on “children, kitchen, church”; marriage loans were given and reduced with each child; the Mother’s Cross rewarded large families; women were discouraged from or removed from some professions such as law and medicine; the League of German Maidens prepared girls for motherhood; make-up and smoking were discouraged.

(b) Nazi racial ideology saw “Aryans” as superior and Jews as enemies of Germany, blamed for defeat in 1918 and economic problems; persecution provided scapegoats and united “true” Germans; the Nazis wanted a racially “pure” community, so they targeted Roma, disabled people (forced sterilisation from 1933) and homosexuals; political opponents and some religious groups, such as Jehovah’s Witnesses, refused loyalty to the state.

(c) Agree: unemployment fell from around six million in 1933 through public works, rearmament and conscription; Strength Through Joy offered holidays and leisure; many enjoyed renewed national pride and order. Disagree: workers lost their trade unions and the right to strike, and hours increased; consumer goods were limited as rearmament came first; women lost career opportunities; Jews, Roma and others suffered persecution, Kristallnacht and loss of rights; everyone lost freedom of speech. Judgement: many “Aryan” Germans felt they benefited materially, but the gains were limited and came at the cost of freedom and the suffering of excluded groups.

Where marks are usually lost

• Describing the Treaty of Versailles in full when asked only about armed forces.
• Saying Hitler won an election to become Chancellor.
• In (c), writing about only one side or one group of Germans.

Frequently asked questions

How precise should dates be? Month and year for the key events of 1923 and 1933-34 is ideal.

Can I use statistics? Yes. Seats won in 1928 (12) and July 1932 (230), and unemployment figures, make arguments stronger.

Official syllabus

Cambridge O Level History (2147) syllabus for examination in 2024, 2025 and 2026 – cambridgeinternational.org (Depth study B; Details of the assessment, Paper 1).