Germany depth study- Weimar

Weimar Republic period

Germany’s democratic government from 1919 to 1933

Problems facing Germany after WWI

Political instability, food shortages, psychological trauma and economic weakness

Political instability after WWI

Extremist groups on left and right attempted to overthrow the government

Right-wing opposition after WWI

Wanted the Kaiser to return

Left-wing opposition after WWI

Wanted a communist (Bolshevik) revolution

Food shortages after WWI

Naval blockade caused famine; about 750,000 died from hunger and disease

Psychological impact of WWI

Germans were angry, bitter and looked for someone to blame

Defeat in WWI

Many Germans believed politicians betrayed the army by signing the Armistice

Treaty of Versailles perception

Seen as humiliating and unfair by most Germans

Economic problems after WWI

Huge war debts, poverty and high unemployment among returning soldiers

November Revolution 1918

Navy mutinies, strikes and protests forced political change

Role of Social Democrats 1918

Largest party; pressured Kaiser to abdicate

Creation of the Weimar Republic

Social Democrats declared a republic when Kaiser fled

Armistice 1918

New Weimar government signed ceasefire with the Allies

Treaty of Versailles reparations

Germany required to pay £6.6 billion

Economic impact of Versailles

Reparations weakened economy and contributed to crisis

Territorial losses under Versailles

Germany lost 13% of land, 10% of industry and 15% of agriculture

Political impact of Versailles

Weimar politicians blamed for defeat and humiliation

November Criminals

Term used to blame Social Democrats for signing the Armistice and Treaty

Stab in the back myth

Belief Germany was not defeated militarily but betrayed internally

War Guilt Clause

Germany forced to accept responsibility for starting the war

League of Nations exclusion

Germany initially banned, increasing resentment

Social impact of Versailles

Increased divisions between rich and poor and social bitterness

Demobilised soldiers

1.5 million returned home disillusioned

Military restrictions under Versailles

Army limited to 100,000 soldiers

Conscription ban

Compulsory military service forbidden

Weapons restrictions

Germany banned from tanks, submarines and aircraft

Navy restrictions

Germany allowed only 6 battleships under 33,000 tonnes

Rhineland demilitarisation

Rhineland became a demilitarised zone

Saarland control

Saar placed under League of Nations control for 15 years

Alsace-Lorraine

Returned to France

Polish Corridor

West Prussia and Posen given to Poland

Danzig

Became a free city under League of Nations control

Anschluss ban

Germany forbidden from uniting with Austria

Weimar Constitution

Established democratic government with civil liberties

Article 48

Gave President emergency powers to rule by decree

Strength of Article 48

Allowed fast decision-making in crises

Weakness of Article 48

Gave President too much power and allowed dictatorship

Voting rights

All adults had the vote and equal rights

Strength of voting system

Democratic and liberal

Weakness of voting system

Allowed open criticism which some saw as destabilising

Proportional representation

Electoral system allocating seats based on votes

Strength of PR

Fair representation

Weakness of PR

Many small parties led to coalition governments

Coalition governments

Often weak and unstable

President role

Head of state elected every 7 years

Chancellor role

Head of government appointed by the President

Spartacist Uprising 1919

Communist revolt in Berlin

Spartacist leaders

Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg

Spartacist actions

Seized newspaper offices and built barricades

Government response to Spartacists

Ebert ordered Freikorps to crush revolt

Outcome of Spartacist Uprising

Leaders captured and murdered

Freikorps

Right-wing paramilitary groups of former soldiers

Kapp Putsch 1920

Right-wing attempt to overthrow Weimar government

Leader of Kapp Putsch

Dr Wolfgang Kapp

Army response to Kapp Putsch

Refused to act against Freikorps

General strike 1920

Workers stopped working, causing putsch to fail

Outcome of Kapp Putsch

Kapp fled; Freikorps leaders largely unpunished

Occupation of the Ruhr 1923

France and Belgium occupied Ruhr after missed reparations

Passive resistance

Workers refused to cooperate with occupiers

Impact of passive resistance

Industrial production collapsed

Hyperinflation causes

Government printed money to pay reparations and support strikes

Hyperinflation effects

Currency became worthless

Impact of hyperinflation on middle class

Savings destroyed and faith in democracy lost

Stresemann era

Period of recovery after 1923

Political stability 1924–1929

Relative stability with fewer extremist threats

Dawes Plan 1924

US loan of 800 million marks to Germany

Impact of Dawes Plan

Reduced reparations and stabilised economy

Economic recovery 1924–1929

Hyperinflation ended and industrial production increased

Weakness of recovery

Dependent on American loans

Locarno Treaties 1925

Improved relations with France and Belgium

League of Nations 1926

Germany admitted, improving international standing

Young Plan 1929

Rescheduled reparations payments

Cultural achievements of Weimar

Germany became centre of modern art and culture

Bauhaus

Walter Gropius developed modern architecture

Otto Dix

Artist linked to New Objectivity

Metropolis

Fritz Lang’s influential film

Marlene Dietrich

Weimar actress who gained worldwide fame

Cultural opposition

Some viewed Weimar culture as immoral and corrupt

Was the Weimar Republic doomed?

Historical debate over whether collapse was inevitable

Argument: constitution doomed Weimar

PR and Article 48 weakened government

Argument: constitution not doomed

Gave democracy and civil liberties

Argument: political instability doomed Weimar

Extremist rebellions existed from start

Argument: political stability saved Weimar

1924–1929 showed democracy could work

Argument: economy doomed Weimar

Weak economy and hyperinflation damaged support

Argument: economy not doomed

Recovery occurred before Great Depression

Argument: Versailles doomed Weimar

Humiliation and reparations undermined support

Argument: Versailles not doomed Weimar

Dawes Plan and diplomacy improved conditions

Overall judgement on Weimar

Not doomed from start but vulnerable to crisis