Utility Practice

(d) Study Source E How useful is this source as evidence about the mistreatment of the Jews under the Nazi government? Explain your answer [6] To what extent did Hitler’s rule bring more harm than benefits to the people in Germany? BACKGROUND INFORMATION Read this carefully. It may help you to answer some of the questions. Hitler rose to power in post -WWI with promises of restoring Germany to greatness. As Hitler gained more power and control over Germany, he implemented political, economic and social policies to strengthen his rule and rebuild Germany. As a result, under hi s leadership, unemployment fell steadily, reaching a low figure of 100 000 in 1939. While unemployment was greatly reduced, people’s lives hardly improved, as they were actually subjected to very harsh labour policies. Those who opposed him and seen as dan gerous were sent to concentration camps. Ghettoes were set up all over Europe to house the minority group such as the Jews. Study the following sources to analyse how far his rule brought more harm than good for the German population.

Source A: A Russian cartoon, titled ‘Stuffing For The Brain’. Its caption reads, “I want our youth to be like the young of wild animals –Hitler”.

Source B: A Nazi poster which projects the image of a "happy healthy" family, 1933. Source C: An extract of an account by a survivor of the Lodz ghetto in Poland, 1960. Living conditions in the Lodz ghetto were extremely harsh. Very few people had access to running water, and there was no sewage system. The German authorities controlled the supply of food. Anyone found trying to supplement their rations by smuggling was in danger of death. However, in order to st ay alive, the inmates of the ghetto would often try to obtain extra food to support themselves and their family at any cost. Throughout the life of the ghetto more than 20 per cent of the population died due to hard labour, overcrowding, starvation and disease.

Source D: Extract from an account of the treatment towards homosexuals in the concentration camp by a concentration camp survivor, 1950s. We had been here for almost two months, but it seemed like endless years to us. When we were 'transferred' here, we had numbered around three hundred men. Whips were used more frequently each morning, when we were forced down into the clay pits under the w ailing of the camp sirens. 'Only fifty are still alive,' whispered the man next to me. 'Stay in the middle -then you won't get hit so much.’ ...(The escapees) had been brought back. 'Homo' was scrawled scornfully across their clothing for their last walk through the camp. To increase their thirst, they were forced to eat oversalted food, and then they were placed on the block and whipped. After wards, drums were hung around their necks, which they had to beat while shouting, 'Hurrah, we're back!' The three men were hanged. Source E: A photograph of Jewish women as forced labou