(Source) How useful is this source for... (5 marks)
Example:
Study Source A. Explain how this source is useful to a historian studying the Reichstag Fire.
Source A
Hermann Goering provided evidence on the Reichstag Fire at the Nuremberg War Crimes Trial in 1946. These trials were to determine responsibility for Nazi atrocities. I had nothing to do with it. I deny this absolutely. I can tell you in all honesty, that the Reichstag fire proved very inconvenient to us. After the fire I had to use the Kroll Opera House as the new Reichstag and the opera seemed to me much more important than the Reichstag. I must repeat that no pretext was needed for taking measures against the Communists. I already had a number of perfectly good reasons in the forms of murders, etc.
Tips:
On a question about source usefulness, you need to look at who the evidence is from, when it was produced and why it has been produced. Then use some of your contextual knowledge to support and/or question the evidence in the source.
Some points to consider:
Is Goering in a good position to know about the events of the fire?
What do you know about the causes and consequences of the fire?
You might consider some evidence to question its usefulness, such as;
The Emergency Decree that was passed after the fire.
There was an upcoming election. Did the fire help people turn against the communists?
The Enabling Act, which was justified by the Nazis after the fire.
However, you could argue it is useful, as;
Marinus van der Lubbe claimed he was working alone when interrogated.
The Nazis had already used the Sturmabteilung (SA) to beat up communists. Did they need justification for their actions?