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The first three questions are focused on two written historical interpretations. You should look on questions 1, 2, and 3 as making one big question worth 16 marks in total.

Interpretation A

Albert Speer went on to become the Nazi Minister for weapons. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison after the war and released in 1966. He considers the impact of the Depression on support for the Nazi party.

In a time when nothing in the democratic process seemed to work, Hitler's words sounded a loud call to many young men who by 1931 were convinced of the necessity for bold, new remedies for Germany’s deep troubles. The succession of patched-up coalition governments that governed neither long nor well and could find no answers at all to Germany's economic depression.

Albert Speer, writing in his book, Inside the Third Reich written in 1960.

Interpretation B

William Shirer was an American journalist who reported from Berlin between 1933-1940. He considers the impact of the First World War on support for the Nazis.

Adolf Hitler could not bear the disaster which befell his beloved Fatherland in November 1918. To him, as to almost all Germans, it was “monstrous” and undeserved. The German Army had not been defeated in the field. It had been stabbed in the back by the traitors at home. Thus emerged for Hitler, as for so many Germans, a fanatical belief in the legend of the “stab in the back” which, more than anything else, was to undermine the Weimar Republic and pave the way for Hitler’s ultimate triumph.

William L. Shirer, writing in his book, The Rise and fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany written in 1960.

How do they differ about... (4 marks)

Example:

How does Interpretation B differ from Interpretation A about why the Nazis were able to replace the Weimar Republic? Explain your answer using Interpretations A and B.

Tips:

This type of question assesses your comparison and analysis of two interpretations based on their content, their nature, origin and purpose, and on your contextual knowledge of the topic.

The first four-mark question is asking you to describe the differences in the content of the two interpretations. What do they say that is different about the historical situation that they are covering?

Make sure that you don’t discuss why they differ, because that comes in the next question.