Stage 2 Modern History- Germany 1918-1948- The Liberal experiment

Germany from 1924-1929 is usually called

the ‘years of stability’ or the ‘golden years’

Former Chancellor’s speech to the people of Berlin

–“The old and the rotten- the monarchy- has broken down. Long live the new! Long live the German Republic!”

in the Weimar republic, Germans over the age of

20 could vote

The Weimar republic was a very democratic country, however

proportional representation meant that many small parties were elected, making it difficult for all of them to agree to pass bills.

The Weimar republic guaranteed Germans to the rights of

freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion and equality under the law.

The president of the Weimar republic had

a lot of power, due to article 48 allowing them to act as a dictator

Article 48

in the case of an emergency the president could make laws without consulting the Reichstag.

An ‘Elderly German Man’ believed"

 

 “We would rather pay any amount of indemnity than lose territory…the Allies are trying to Balkanise us…they want to destroy us completely…we believed in Wilson and he betrayed us.”

Julia Boyd’s quote about the german people

The German people had “…little to look forward to in the aftermath of the war, but grief, hunger and uncertainty.”

German Citizen in the Weimar republic

“Now we must drill hatred into our children from their earliest age, so that in 30 years, when the time is ripe…”

In 1923, Germany experienced

Hyperinflation

Stresemann 1928 Quote

We in Germany in recent years have lived on borrowed money. If a crisis ever hits us and the Americans withdraw their short term credits then we would be bankrupt… we are not only militarily disarmed, but we are also financially disarmed.”

When the Great Depression struck,

Germany was hit the fastest and strongest