Germany: past paper questions
Real questions on germany
The newest 20 of 43 written questions. Open one to see it on the real paper.
- 9489/21 · May/June 2026 · Q3a[10]
Explain why the Zollverein was important to the development of nationalism in Germany.
See it on the paper → - 9489/21 · May/June 2026 · Q3b[20]
‘Prussia was able to defeat Austria because Bismarck ensured Austria had few allies.’ How far do you agree? Section B: American option The history of the USA, 1820–1941
See it on the paper → - 9489/22 · May/June 2026 · Q3a[10]
Explain why Prussia’s economy developed rapidly after 1849.
See it on the paper → - 9489/22 · May/June 2026 · Q3b[20]
‘Military leadership was more important than Bismarck’s diplomacy in bringing about German unification.’ How far do you agree? Section B: American option The history of the USA, 1820–1941
See it on the paper → - 9489/22 · May/June 2026 · Q7b[20]
‘The scramble for Africa was the result of European nations wanting to increase trade.’ How far do you agree?
See it on the paper → - 9489/22 · May/June 2026 · Q8a[10]
Explain why Bulgarians disliked the Treaty of Neuilly.
See it on the paper → - 9489/22 · May/June 2026 · Q8b[20]
‘International conferences in the 1920s failed to improve international relations.’ How far do you agree?
See it on the paper → - 9489/22 · May/June 2026 · Q9a[10]
Explain why Hitler’s attempted Anschluss with Austria in 1934 failed.
See it on the paper → - 9489/22 · May/June 2026 · Q9b[20]
To what extent was the League’s reaction to the invasion of Manchuria responsible for its eventual failure?
See it on the paper → - 9489/23 · May/June 2026 · Q8b[20]
How successful were attempts during the 1920s to deal with the problems caused by reparations?
See it on the paper → - 9489/41 · May/June 2026 · Q3[30]
‘Hitler was appointed as Chancellor in Germany in 1933 because of the unpopularity of the Weimar government.’ Assess this view.
See it on the paper → - 9489/11 · October/November 2025 · Q1b[25]
Read all of the sources. ‘The most important impact of the Zollverein was to strengthen the economies of the German states.’ How far do the sources support this view? Section B: American option The origins of the Civil War, 1820–61
See it on the paper → - 9489/31 · October/November 2025 · Q1[40]
Read the extract and then answer the question. Matters grew more serious on 25 July, when the Austro‑Hungarian emperor authorised his army to invade Serbia. Content removed due to copyright restrictions. Use the extract and your knowledge of the origins of the First World War to explain your answer. Section B: Topic 2...
See it on the paper → - 9489/32 · October/November 2025 · Q1[40]
Read the extract and then answer the question. While there were certainly dangerous forces at work inside Germany in 1914, the Kaiser and Bethmann Hollweg were not ruthless militarists eager to assert Germany’s claim to world power. Content removed due to copyright restrictions. The urgent need of both France and Germa...
See it on the paper → - 9489/32 · October/November 2025 · Q2[40]
Read the extract and then answer the question. Once the Nazis were in power, the rest followed from the logic of their ideology and their victories in the east. There is no need to look for a specific time of decision for the Holocaust, nor to write as if it depended on Hitler. Until 1938 the officially stated policy o...
See it on the paper → - 9489/32 · October/November 2025 · Q3[40]
Read the extract and then answer the question. The failure of the 1945 London Foreign Ministers’ Conference proved that US possession of the atom bomb would not make the Soviets more manageable. Molotov was as difficult as ever. At the first opportunity the Soviet Union proposed draft treaties on Finland and the Balkan...
See it on the paper → - 9489/12 · May/June 2025 · Q3b[25]
Read all of the sources. ‘Germany and Italy developed a strong bond after 1936.’ How far do the sources support this view?
See it on the paper → - 9489/43 · May/June 2025 · Q3[30]
‘The Nazi regime was popular mainly due to its economic success.’ Evaluate this view.
See it on the paper → - 9489/43 · May/June 2025 · Q5[30]
Analyse the reasons why fear of communism was so widespread in the US in the late 1940s and 1950s.
See it on the paper → - 9489/43 · May/June 2025 · Q6[30]
‘Rising prices were the biggest challenge to the US economy in the 1960s and 1970s.’ Discuss this view.
See it on the paper →
What examiners said
Assess the extent to which Nazi economic policies had achieved their objectives by 1941. A common characteristic of successful approaches to this question was the identification of objectives from the outset, with some thoughtful consideration of the differences between long and short-term aims, before going on to explain how they were tackled and with what degree of success. Attention was often...
— Examiner report, October/November 2023, 9489/43 Q3 (Cambridge)
Explain why the creation of the German Confederation discouraged the development of German nationalism. Responses which were successful identified and explained several reasons as to why the German Confederation discouraged German nationalism’s development, with Metternich’s role being well understood. Answers which were less successful described actions taken by the Confederation to hinder natio...
— Examiner report, May/June 2023, 9489/21 Q2(a) (Cambridge)
To what extent was the Frankfurt Parliament’s failure caused by disagreements amongst its Members? Impressive responses were characterised by the development of fully focused and balanced arguments, supported by appropriate and accurate factual evidence. The divisions within the parliament (e. g. Gross Deutschland v. Klein Deutschland) were examined against the influence of actions taken by Frede...
— Examiner report, May/June 2023, 9489/21 Q2(b) (Cambridge)
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