The document discusses how Germany was affected by the Wall Street crash of 1929 and the ensuing Great Depression. It notes that Germany's economy was already weak before the crash due to short term loans. When the crash occurred, American bankers recalled loans to Germany, eliminating a key source of funds. This exacerbated Germany's economic woes, causing unemployment to rise sharply as businesses closed and exports declined drastically. The social and political impacts within Germany intensified as unemployment spread to workers across many industries. Economic hardship grew and discontent with the Weimar government increased.

1. The Great Depression
Learning Objectives:
• To understand how Germany was affected by the Wall
Street Crash of 1929
• Examine how did the Wall Street Crash benefit the Nazi Party

2. The Great Depression
LO: To
understand how
Germany was
affected by the
Wall Street Crash
of 1929
Why do you think the Golden
Years officially came to an end
in 1929?
Shortly before Gustav Stresemann died in
1929 he stated:
“The economic position is only flourishing
on the surface. Germany is in fact
dancing on a volcano. If the short-term
credits are called in, a large section of
our economy would collapse.”
What can you learn from the source
about the German economy in 1929?

3. The Great Depression
LO: To
understand how
Germany was
affected by the
Wall Street Crash
of 1929
Write as many words/phrases as you can to describe the event
these pictures are illustrating

4. The Great Depression
LO: To
understand how
Germany was
affected by the
Wall Street Crash
of 1929
Using your text books and the
internet read pages 46-49.
In pairs develop a role play
conversation that you might have
with one of the people you have
read about in the sources.
Your conversation may focus on:
• What life is like?
• How they have been effected?
• Who do they hold responsible
for their woes and why?
You will role play your conversation
at the beginning of next lesson.

5. The Great Depression
LO: To
understand how
Germany was
affected by the
Wall Street Crash
of 1929
• In October 1929, share prices
began to fall on the Wall Street
Stock exchange
• Falling shares meant people’s
investments fell in value
• Worried about losing money,
people rushed to sell their shares
before their value fell any further
• On ‘Black Tuesday’, 24 October
1929, 13 million shares were sold
• This panic selling made things
worse, and sent prices even lower
• Shares worth $20,000 in the
morning were worth $1000 by the
end of the day’s trading
• Within a week, investors had lost
over $4000million

6. The Great Depression:
Its affects on Germany
LO: To
understand how
Germany was
affected by the
Wall Street Crash
of 1929
• Bankers and Financiers in the USA recalled the
loans made to Germany under the Dawes Plan
in 1924 which left Germany with no money.
• International trade decreased rapidly, which
meant Germany could not get any funds from
exports.
• As a result, Germany did not need to produce
so much, so factories closed and employers
sacked workers.
• This also affected German farmers, who were
not in a good position to start with.

7. The Great Depression
In pairs, label yourselves A and B
Student A
• You have one
minute to explain to
your partner…
• What was the Wall
Street Crash?
• How did it happen?
• How did it affect
America?
Student B
• You have one
minute to explain to
your partner…
• How did the
American
depression affect
Germany?
• Explain carefully
how it spread to
Germany.
LO: To
understand how
Germany was
affected by the
Wall Street Crash
of 1929

8. The Great Depression
Social
Economic
Political
For each category,
give evidence of how
Germany was
affected by the Wall
Street Crash
LO: To
understand how
Germany was
affected by the
Wall Street Crash
of 1929

9. The Great Depression
LO: To
understand how
Germany was
affected by the
Wall Street Crash
of 1929
Using the sources below and what you have learnt so far explain the impact
of the great depression on Germany?
Source B
Source C
Four private armies, with knives, revolvers and knuckle-dusters rampaged through the
towns- the SA of the Nazis, the Red Front of the KPD, the Sozi of the SPD and the
Stalhelmer. The Reichswehr (the army) were nowhere.
Kurt Ludecke, an eyewitness, reporting in 1930
Source A
September 1928 650,000 unemployed
September 1929 1,320,000 unemployed
September 1930 3,000,000 unemployed
September 1931 4,350,000 unemployed
September 1932 5,102,000 unemployed
January 1933 6,100,000 unemployed

10. The Great Depression
Many people within Germany were said to be ‘doubly bitter’ with
the Weimar Government. This was the second time that the
government had thrown Germany into large scale economic
depression, the first time being during the period of hyperinflation in
1923
How far do you think that the German
Government can be blamed for the
economic depression that hit Germany
after the Wall Street Crash?
LO: To
understand how
Germany was
affected by the
Wall Street Crash
of 1929

11. Group How were they
affected?
Why were they
affected?
Who will they
blame?
Businessmen
Factory workers
Farm workers
Young people
Middle class
The Great Depression:
Effects on different people
LO: To
understand how
Germany was
affected by the
Wall Street Crash
of 1929

12. Businessmen saw their businesses close. People had less money to
spend on goods so demand fell, leading to profits also falling.
Businesses had to either sack people or shut down.
As businesses closed, unemployment rose. 40% of all Factory Workers
were unemployed by 1932. At the same time the government cut
unemployment benefit to save money. For the unemployed this was
a time of extreme poverty.
Farmers had not done well in the 1920s. Agriculture in Germany had
been suffering for a number of years. Prices had been falling since
1925. In the 1930s farmers slipped further into debt. Farmers sold their
land or struggled in poverty.
Young People could not find work. In 1933 over half of all Germans
between the ages of 16 and 30 were unemployed. Sixty per cent of
new university graduates could not get a job.
Middle classes lost their businesses, savings and investments. Many
lost money as the banks collapsed whilst others had to shut down
their businesses as their loans were recalled. They also suffered when
Bruning put up taxes.

13. The Great Depression
Social
Economic
Link…
Think about how the
depression affected
Germany. Can you link
together the problems?
Political
LO: Examine
how did the
Wall Street
Crash benefit
the Nazi Party

14. The Great Depression
LO: Examine
how did the
Wall Street
Crash benefit
the Nazi Party
Homework:
Review pages 50-51 in your text books.
Create a poster on ‘What factors enabled
the Nazi Party to come to Power’
Your poster can only include 10 words, the
rest must be visuals, graphics, cartoons,
drawings, etc