CBSE and NCERT Solution

Explain the meaning of Holocaust. How was it practised in Germany? Ans. The atrocities and sufferings that the Jews had endured during the Nazi killing operations is known as the Tiolocaust’ or ‘destruction or slaughter on a mass scale’. It was practised in Gemany by the Nazis, using the following methods : (i) Physically eliminating all those who were seen as “undesirable’ (Jews, Gypsies, Blacks and other ‘racially impure’ people) by killing them in gas chambers by the use of poisonous gas. (ii) People from Poland and Russia making the remaining people worked as slave labour. (iii) Jews were segregated (including Jewish children in school) and pauperised, forcing many of them to leave the country. (iv) Jews were victimised through the media by circulating pictures, films, slogans and leaflets. They were stereotyped, mocked, abused and described as evil. (v) They were referred to as vermin, rats and pests. Their movements were compared to those of rodents.

How did the common people react to Nazism? Ans. The common people reacted to Nazism in the following ways : (i) Many people saw the world through Nazi eyes. (ii) They spoke their mind in Nazi language. (iii) They felt hatred and anger when they saw someone looked like a Jew. (iv) They marked the houses of Jews and reported about their suspicious neighbours. (v) Common men really believed that Nazism would bring happiness and prosperity for them. (vi) The large majority of Germans were passive onlookers, as they were scared to act or protest against Nazism. (vii) However many Germans organised active resistance to Nazism, braving police repression and death.

Nazis used chilling and deceptive words as an art of propaganda. Justify? Ans. (i) The Nazi regime never used the world ‘kill’ or ‘murder’ in their official communications. (ii) The term ‘special treatment’ was used for mass killing, final solution’ (for the Jews), ‘euthanasia’ (for the disabled), ‘selection’ and ‘disinfections’ were used. (iii) Evacuation meant deporting people to gas chambers. (iii) Gas chambers were labelled as ‘disinfection areas’. (iv) Nazi ideas were spread through visual images, films, radio, posters, catchy slogans and leaflets. (v) Media played an important role to popularise Nazi ideas.

Explain why Nazi propaganda was effective in creating a hatred for Jews. Ans. (i) The Nazi hatred of Jews were mainly because of two reasons. The Jews were stereotyped as killers of Christ and userers. Jews were barred from owning land. (ii) Hitler’s hatred of Jews was based on pseudo-scientific theories of race which held that the Jewish problem could be solved only through their total elimination. (iii) The Nazi regime used language and media with care, and often to great effect. The racial theoiy put forward by the Nazi’s that the Jews belonged to a lower race and as such were undesirable. (iv) The Nazi’s infused hatred against the Jews even in the minds of the children from the very beginning during the schooling days. The teachers who were Jews dismissed and Jewish children were expelled. Such methods and new ideological training went a long way in making the Nazi’s propaganda quite effective in creating hatred for the Jews. (v) Propaganda films were made to create hatred for Jews...

In what ways did the Nazi state seek to establish total control over its people? Ans. Nazi state took the following steps to establish total control over its people: (i) Conditioning of male youth : (a) Right from child birth Nazi state took control of the minds of the babies. They were ideologically trained towards Nazism as they grew up. (b) Specialized textbooks were introduced in schools. (c) Sports like boxing were promoted to inculcate aggressiveness and violence among boys. (d) They were trained to be loyal, submissive, hate Jews and worship Hitler. (ii) Conditioning of Girl Child and women : (a) Girls were trained to be good mothers. (b) Women were expected to rear only pure blooded Aryans. (c) Women who gave birth to pure Aryan children were given special rewards and concessions. (d) Women who did not conform to the set norms were punished, separated from their husbands and children. (iii) Economic favours for Aryans : (a) Aryan race was given plenty of economic opportunities....

Explain the new education policy introduced by Hitler in Germany. Ans. Hitler belived that Nazi society could be established only by teaching children Nazi ideology. Thus, he introduced a new education policy in Germany. (i) Jewish teachers were dismissed from the schools. (ii) Children were segregated - Germans and Jews could not sit together or play together. (iii) Undesirable children viz, Jews, the physically handicapped and Gypsies were thrown out of school. (iv) School textbooks were rewritten. (v) Racial science was introduced to justify Nazi ideas of race. (vi) Stereotypes about Jews were popularised even through maths classes. (vii) Children were taught to be loyal and submissive, hate Jews and worship Hitler. (viii) Sports like boxing, which could make children iron-hearted, strong and masculine were introduced in schools.

Explain the Nazi idea of a racial state.  OR  Mentions five steps adopted by the Nazis to establish a racial state. Ans. The five steps adopted by the Nazis to establish a racial state were : (i) Nazi ideology stated that the Nordic German Aryans were at the top and the Jews were located at the lowest rung of society. (ii) The Jews, Gypsies and Blacks were regarded as racially impure and undersirable and they were widely persecuted. (iii) Under the Euthanasia programme, many Germans who were considered mentally or physically unfit were sentenced to death. (iv) Russians and Poles were considered as subhuman and captured civilians from Russia and Poland were forced to work as slave labour. (v) From 1933 to 1938, the Nazis terrorised, pauperised and segregated the Jews, compelling them to leave Germany. From 1939 to 1945, a large number of them were killed in gas chambers in Poland.

From whom did Hitler borrow his racist ideology ? Explain. Ans. (i) Hitler borrowed his racist ideology from thinkers like Charles Darwin and Herbert Spencer. (ii) Darwin was a natural scientist who tried to explain the creation of plants and animals through the concept of evolution and natural selection. (iii) Herbert Spencer later on added the idea of survival of the fittest. According to this idea, only those species survived on earth that could adapt themselves to changing climatic conditions. (iv) Darwin never advocated human intervention in which he thought was a purely natural process of selection. (v) However, his ideas were used by racist thinkers and politicians to justify imperial rule over conquered people.

Briefly describe the economic policy and reforms under Hitler’s Germany. Hitler’s policy of economic reconstruction was two pronged: Ans. (i) It aimed at full production and full employment through state funded workcreation programmes. (ii) Resources were to be accumulated by undertaking an aggressive foreign policy and expansion of territory. Economic reforms aimed at employment by - (i) Expansion of bureaucracy. (ii) Setting up of heavy armament factories. (iii) Manufacture of aeroplanes and naval ships. (iv) Undertaking of public works like roads, offices, government buildings, art galleries, stadiums and houses. (v) Compulsory military service.      All these created new job opportunities for the youth and the unemployed. Workers were kept content by giving them better facilities and by keeping prices of essential commodities in check. However, they were denied the right to strike and protest.

What steps were taken by Adolf Hitler for the destruction of Democracy? Ans. The Fire Decree and Suspension of Civil Rights : A mysterious fire that broke out in the German Parliament building in February, 1933 facilitated, his move. It is said that the fire was work of the Hitler’s supporters, while Hitler blamed his political enemies for it. The fire decree of 28 February, 1933 indefinitely suspended civil rights such as freedom of expression, speech, press and assembly those that had been guaranteed by the Weimar Constitution. (i) After that Hitler turned on his arch-enemies the Communists of Germany. Most of the Communists were quickly packed off to the newly established concentration camps. (ii) The repression of the Communists was severe. Their membership was in thousands. They were however, only one among the 52 types of victims persecuted by the Nazis across the country. (iii) On 3rd March, 1933, the famous Enabling Act was passed. This Act established dictatorship in Germany. ...

Why was Nazism considered to be a negation of both democracy and socialism? Ans. (i) After assuming power on 30th January 1933, Hitler set out to dismantle the structure of democratic rule. (ii) The Fire decree of 28th February 1933 indefinitely suspended civic rights like freedom of speech, press and assembly that had been guaranteed by the Weimar construction. (iii) The repression of the Jews and communists was severe. On 3rd March 1933, the famous Enabling Act was passed. This Act established dictatorship in Germany. (a) This Act gave Adolf Hitler all political and administrative power to side line the German Parliament. (b) All political parties of Germany and trade unions were banned except for the Nazi party and its affiliates. The state established complete control over the economy, media, army and judiciary. (c) Special surveillance and security forces besides the exiting regular police force, the Gestapo, the SD plus the extra-constitutional power of these newly construed forc...

What factors enabled Hitler’s rise to power? Ans. The factors which enabled Hitler’s rise to power and rise of Nazi party are inter-linked. (i) The Weimar Republic from the very beginning was unable to provide a stable government. It failed to inspire confidence of the people in the democratic parliamentary system and made the republic vulnerable to dictatorship. (ii) Hitler capitalized on the sense of humiliation which many Germans felt at their defeat in the war and the unjust provisions of the Treaty of Versailles. Hitler promised not only to build a strong nation but to undo the injustice of the Treaty of Versailles and restore the dignity of the German people. (iii) The economic consequences of World War I, crippling efTect of redemption dues imposed by the Allies, failure of the Republic’s economic reforms which led to high inflation coupled with the effects of the Great Economic Depression created an economic disaster of the worst order in Germany. Germany witnessed high unemplo...

Discuss why Nazism became popular in Germany by 1930. Ans. Nazism became popular in Germany by 1930 because: (i) Nazis capitalized on the feeling of national humiliation which many Germans felt at their defeat in war and the unjust provisions of the Treaty of Versailles. (ii) Even though Germany became a republic, the republic was not well received by the people. It failed to provide a stable government and inspire faith in democratic principles of parliamentary government. The government was unable to destroy the power of authoritarian and anti-democratic forces represented by industrialists, big landowners and officers of the army. Nazis glorified war and denounced democratic forces. (iii) Nazis exploited the misery of the people due to the prevailing economic crises. Nazi propaganda stirred hopes of a better future. (iv) Threat of communism was a contributing factor in the rise of popularity of Nazism. Though the Spartacist uprising was crushed, Nazis played the card of rising menan...

Describe the problems faced by the Weimar Republic. Ans. From its very inception the Weimar Republic was faced with many problems: (i) Many Germans held the new republic responsible not only for the defeat of Germany in World War I but also for the national humiliation at Versailles. (ii) Form the onset the republic was financially crippled by the war compensation imposed on Germany. (iii) The republic was subjected to aggressive war propaganda and national honour occupied centre stage in public sphere. (iv) Authoritarian groups and revolutionary parties began to emerge which denounced democracy and popular support grew for conservative dictatorship. One such party was the Nazi Party. (v) Problem of political radicalization was heightened by the economic crisis. It was during this period that Nazi party which was no more than a conspiratorial group became a mass movement. (vi) Economic problems were aggravated by provisions of the treaty of Versailles and attitude of some European powe...

The First War left a deep imprint on the European society and polity’. Explain. OR “The First World War had a devastating impact on the entire European continent both psychologically and financially”. Explain. Ans. (i) From a continent of creditors, Europe turned into one of debtors. (ii) Soldiers came to be placed above civilians. (iii) Politicians and publicists laid great stress on the need for men to be aggressive, strong and masculine. (iv) The media glorified trench life. Aggressive war propaganda and national honour occupied the centre stage in the public sphere, while popular support grew for conservative dictatorships that had recently come into being. (v) Democracy got a setback.

Explain what role women had in Nazi society. Return to Chapter 1 on the French Revolution. Write a paragraph comparing and contrasting the role of women in the two periods. Ans. (i) The Nazi society followed the rules of a largely patriarchal or male dominated society. Hitler stated that women as mother was the most important citizen but in reality it was true for only Aiyan women who bred pure-blood desirable Aryans, (ii) Motherhood was the only goal they were taught to reach for, apart from the household chores and being good wives. This was in stark contrast to the role of women in the French Revolution, where women led movements for rights to education, vote and equal wages. They were allowed to form political clubs and schooling.

 ‘In my state the mother is the most important citizen’. Discuss the statement made by Hitler. Ans. (i) Though Hitler said that in my state the mother is the most important citizen, it was not true. (ii) All mothers were not treated equally. Women who bore racially desirable children were awarded, while those who bore racially undesirable children were punished. (iii) Women who bore ‘desirable’ children were entitle to privileges and rewards. They were given special treatment in hospitals and concessions in shops and on theatre tickets and railway fares.

Why is Nazism considered a calamity not only for Germany but for the entire Europe ? Ans. Nazi ideology specified that there was racial hierarchy and no equality between people. (i) The blond, blue-eyed Nordic German Aryans were at the top, while the Jews were located somewhere on the lowest rung of the ladder. (ii) The number of people killed by Nazi Germany was 6 million Jews, 200,000 Gypsies, 1 million Polish civilians, 70,000 Germans. (iii) Nazism glorified the use of force and brutality. It ridiculed internationalism, peace and democracy. (iv) Nazi Germany became the most dreaded criminal state. Hitler chose war as the way. (v) Germany invaded Poland. This started a war with France and England in September 1940.

Explain the following terms : (i) A Racial State (ii) Propaganda (iii) Jungvolk Ans. (i) A Racial State : Once in power, the Nazis quickly began to implement their dream of creating an exclusive racial community of pure Germans by physically eliminating all those who were seen as ‘undesirable’ in the extended empire. Nazis only wanted a society of ‘pure and healthy Nordic Aryans’. They alone were considered ‘desirable’. (ii) Propaganda : The Nazi regime used language and media with care, and often to great effect. They used films, pictures radio, posters, etc. to spread hatred for the Jews. Propaganda is a specific type of message directly aimed at influencing the opinion of people through the use of posters, film, speeches etc. (iii) Jungvolk : These were Nazi youth groups for children below 14 years of age. Youth organisations were made responsible for educating German youth in The Spirit of National Socialism’. Ten-year-olds had to enter Jungvolk. At 14, all boys had to join the N...

What effects did Nazism have on the school system? Give four points. Ans. (i) All schools were ‘cleansed’ and purified by which the Jews teachers and the politically unreliable ones were dismissed. (ii) Children were first segregated. German and Jews could not sit together or play together. (iii) Eventually all undesirable children such as Jews and Gypsies were thrown out of schools. (iv) Good German children were subjected to prolonged period of Nazi schooling.