Pearson Edexcel International GCSE History · specification 4HI1 · Paper 1 · Free · no account needed
Germany 3 — The rise of Hitler and the Nazis to January 1933 (4HI1 specification)
How a party that won 2.6% of the vote in 1928 was in government five years later — by election, and then by invitation.
Learn it on Incandio
The 6 Incandio pages that teach this — each explained in full, then proved in marked questions, taught back to an AI pupil and defended in a debate. Completely free.
- The German Workers' Party and the changes of 1920–22 — Why would a programme that promised opposite things to opposite people be an advantage?
- The Munich Putsch: causes, events and results — Did the Munich Putsch fail?
- Reorganisation of the party, 1924–28 — What did the Nazis build in the years when almost nobody voted for them?
- The impact of the Great Depression — Who ended parliamentary government in Germany, and in which year?
- Nazi methods of winning support and the role of the SA — Why did street violence increase the Nazi vote instead of destroying it?
- 1932 to January 1933: Papen, Schleicher and Hindenburg — How did a party whose vote had just fallen by two million supply the Chancellor?
The teaching route this belongs to: The rise of Hitler and the Nazis to January 1933 — Germany — the lessons in order, with every gate.
Specification coverage
Paper 1 — Germany: development of dictatorship, 1918–45, key topic 3
Assessment objectives: AO1, AO2, AO4. Suggested learning time: 110 minutes.
Required knowledge
- Hitler and the German Workers' Party
- Changes to the party (1920–22)
- Causes, events and results of Munich Putsch, (1923)
- Reorganisation of the Party (1924–28)
- Impact of the Great Depression
- Nazi methods to win support
- The role of the SA
- Events of 1932 to January 1933, including the role of von Papen, von Schleicher and von Hindenburg
Required skills
- Explain and analyse using second-order concepts: causation, consequence, change, continuity, similarity, difference and significance
- Analyse and evaluate a written interpretation of this period (AO4)
- Reach a supported judgement rather than describing events
How it is examined
- (a) 6 marks — “What impression does the author give about…?” (AO4)
- (b) 8 marks — “Explain two effects of…” (AO1 4, AO2 4)
- (c) 16 marks — a statement, “How far do you agree?”, choice of two (AO1 7, AO2 9)
Common mistakes
- Saying Hitler was elected Chancellor. He was appointed by Hindenburg in January 1933 after backroom negotiation — the distinction is examinable and frequently examined.
- Treating the Depression as the whole explanation. It created the opportunity; Nazi organisation and conservative elites converted it.
- Forgetting that the Nazi vote actually fell between July and November 1932.
This page maps the specification. The pages above teach it, and the History lessons hold the whole course — completely free.