Weimar Germany 1919-1929

Kaiser Wilhelm II

Emperor of Germany during World War I, resigned 9 Nov 1919 after giving more power to Reichstag

What French President George Clemenceau wanted from the treaty

Revenge, prevent Germany invading again, land like Alsace-Lorraine, reparations

what US President Woodrow Wilson wanted from the treaty

no more wars in Europe fought by US

what UK prime minister David Lloyd George wanted from the treaty

no more wars, german demilitarisation, reparations

Weimar Republic

Democratic Germany 1919-1933

Reichstag

German Parliament

President of Weimar Republic's role

Head of state

Chancellor of Weimar Republic's role

Head of government

Friedrich Ebert

Leader of Social Democrat Party and Weimar Republic who succeeded the German Empire

Proportional representation

Number of votes directly proportional to number of seats, very hard to gain majority

Article 48

allowed the president of Germany to rule by decree in an emergency

Treaty of Versailles 1919

Harsh treaty Germany had to sign following their loss in WWI

Diktat

'Dictated peace', weimar had no input on treaty and had to sign it

Clause 231

War guilt clause, allowed other clauses to be put in place

Reparations

$6.6 billion fine to be paid by Germany to allies for war damages, Germany in debt, had to take out loans

Territorial losses

Lost land such as Alsace-Lorraine and the Gdansk corridor

Demilitarisation of the Rhineland

the area on the border with France was demilitarised

Military reduction

Military was just enough to defend (100,000 soldiers, 15,000 sailors, 6 battleships, no planes, armour or conscription), many left without jobs

loss of overseas territories

All their overseas empire and colonies were lost, reducing resources

who benefited from hyperinflation

Farmers (food prices rose), Foreigners (exchange rate), those who had loans (debt fell)

Hyperinflation

inflation that is out of control, £1=M20 in 1914, =M1,680,600 trillion in 1923

Gustav Stresemann

Foreign minister who solved economic crisis and foreign relations

Stresemann's actions

called off passive resistance in Ruhr

introduced rentenmark

didn't print more money

cut government money and salaries

increased taxes

Stresemann's impact

solved hyperinflation

allowed germany to enter foreign relations to make it easier to pay reparations

allowed germany to join the league of nations

Rentenmark

interim currency introduced by Stresemann to solve hyperinflation by replacing Papiermark in 1923, was tied to price of mortgages not gold, replaced by Reichsmark in 1924

Ruhr Crisis 1923

French & Belgian occupation of industrial area in response to Germany stopping payment of reparations

Ruhr workers' response

they went on strike, no income from ruhr for Germany

How was the Ruhr Crisis solved?

In Aug 1924 US helped payments with Dawes plan and troops were removed Aug 1925

The Spartacist Uprising 1919

100,000 workers went on strike in support of the communist KDP. 100 were killed by the ex-army Freikorps. working class grew to hate social democrats and supported the russian revolution.

Karl Liebknecht & Rosa Luxemburg

Communists who led the KDP and Spartacist Uprising, killed by Friekorps

Kapp Putsch 1920

Nationalist Dr. Wolfgang Kapp and the Freikorps revolted when Ebert demobilised two brigades due to the Treaty of Versailles. Berlin was taken as regular army refused to fight Freikorps but workers went on strike in opposition which ended the coup. Rebels were given light sentences

Anton Drexler

Founded extremist German workers' party and recognised Hitler's talents in 1919, helped him with the 25 point plan in 1920. The same year, DAP became the Nazi party and Hitler became leader.

25 point plan 1920

Hitler and Drexler's agenda for the Nazi party

Hitler's political skill

He was a great public speaker

Main points in 25 point plan

ethnic purity, aryan race supremacy

support for middle class

destruction of the Treaty of Versailles

support for ethnic germans 'lebensraum' living space

strong central government and fuhrer

Why was the time and place of the Munich Putsch suitable

Bavaria and Munich was strongly anti-weimar

Mussolini had recently taken rome

hyperinflation at its highest

Munich Putsch 1923

unsuccessful coup of a munich beer hall by nazis

munich putsch events

Hitler, Goering & Rohm took the Munich beer hall with 600 SA brownshirts, putting Kahr and other Bavarian politicians in another room and persuading him to support the putsch. WWI general Ludendorff marched with reinforcements

why did the munich putsch fail?

Kahr was allowed to leave but notified the army. in the morning Ludendorff was restless so marched out but the disorganised amateurs were met by the army and 16 putschists died

Munich Putsch consequences

Hitler and other leaders were put on trial for treason but given light sentences. Media coverage brought country-wide support for Hitler

Treaty of Rapallo 1922

resolved relations with USSR, industrial and military collaboration allowed evading of versailles treaty

Dawes plan 1924

US helped with the payment of reparations

locarno pact 1925

Germany's western borders secured with France & Belgium, guaranteed by UK & Italy

Young plan 1929

20% of reparations written off, US gave loans, reparations to be paid until 1988

Germany's entry into the League of Nations 1926

reimposed as global power, reentered international talks, but could not fight any aggressors

Reichstag Principle

that nazis wouldn't be able to rebel against the government, it would have to be infiltrated and destroyed from the inside

Fuhrer Principle

Hitler thought that in order for nazis to succeed they would need one all powerful fuhrer