problems of coalition gov + political extremism

Problems of coalition government

• before 1919 were wide array of political parties representing different religions, classes and interests. since political parties in reichstag had no say in choice of gov not major prob

• fragmentation of political parties matter of great importance since gov needed to command maj sup in reichstag, with electoral system based on proportional representation no one party ever in position to form government by itself thus coalitions.

• Fragmentation of political parties became more pronounced as G society more divided, many parties (big n small) dedicated to overthrow republic, placed greater burden of responsibility on moderate centre parties like SPD, Dnetre party and DDP to work tg n form stable co gov.

• altho party leaders understood need for compromise country faced problems called for tough decisions causing strains on co gov,

• june 1919 for eg, schnidemann cabinet resign bc cant agree on signing treaty, simmilarly, disagreements in Fehrenbach cabinet over accepting allies ultimatum on reparations, may 1921.

• Another reason X stable gov =. society polarised and sup moderate parties low, extreme left n right gain, these x join co gov.

• feb 1919-Nov 1923= 10 co gov, (wirth x2, stressmen x2) (spd, centre dvp)

Challenge from left

• 5 Jan 1919 spartacus league/sparcists led by Leibknetch and Luxemburg staged armed uprising in B erwin to overthrow Eberts gov and set up rev communist regime. Newspaper offices n some public buildings occupied.

• Revolt poorly supported, and poorly prepared. as sparcists hadn’t secured most of sup of wc in berlin (claim to be acting for), Ebert gov rely on army to put down revolt but General Groener few reliable military units, use freikorps.

• jan 13th crushed after brutal street fighting where many prisoners inc Liebknetch and Luxemburg were executed,

• defeat cleared way for gov to hold elections to constituent assembly later in jan but brutality with which revolt had been suppressed.

• defeat of sparcists not end left wing, workers who play key role in kaiser had been disillusioned by “revolution” were frustrated weimar compromised easy w right, economic conditions also worsened, although communist party KPD had minority support commited and radical w strong support in industrial centres in Ruhr and Saarland.

Left-wing uprisings

• March 1919= Another sparcists rising in Berlin, in Bavaria communist gov based on workers councils estab, both suppressed.

• April 1919= wave of strikes in G industrial heartlands of Halle and Ruhr valley, as well as asking for shorter hours, strikers demanded more control over own industries and a gov based on workers councils.

• 1920= after workers show powers in defeating right-wing kapp putsch, w general strike in Berlin communist formed “red army” of 50,000 workers and seized control of ruhr, virtual civil war followed as regular army and Freikorps struggled to crush risings, Troubles also broke out in Halle and Dresden and over 1000 workers and 250 soldiers and police were killed, more distribution in saxony and Thuringia where workers organised self-defence units also put down in april.

• March 1921= KPD tried to force rev beginning w rising in saxony, strike spread to hamburg and ruhr risings were crushed by police and 145 killed

• 1923= further bout of strike activity at time of G economic collapse, suppressed

Challenge from right

• major threat to republic, right hostile as didn’t believe in democracy and accused politicians who now led G of betrayed fatherland

• Many diff right wing groups, want diff= restore monarchy, dictatorship.

• In areas like Bavaria want separation from rest of G, others want united so become great power again,

• divisons weakened rights ability, ideas still strong and Freikorps, army large landowners, industrialists, civil servants, police and judges were also traditional conservative anti-republicans

Kapp putsch 1920

• gov obliged put into effect treaty terms in jan 1920, need to reduce size of army and disband some freikorps units,

• Feb 192- defence minister, Noske ordered two Freikorps units 12,000 men to disband, those units were stationed 12 miles from berlin,

• when general Luttwitz refused to disband one of them, gov order arrest, luttwitz decide march troops to berlin in protest and other sympathetic officers offer support,

• luttwitz also supported by right wing civil servants and politician Kapp who was intent on organising putsch.

• Seekt + Lunderdorff remained non-committal, sympathised but aware of dangers voicing support

• Ebert gov forced withdraw to dresden, ebert and chancellor Bauer call on reg army to crush rising, seekt told ebert “troops x fire on troops”,

• situation appear dangerous considerable tension between military and civilian elements of putsch and fail to gain a lot of support even from right wing, civil servants and bankers remained lukewarm/hostile, trade unions called general strike, berlin brought to standstill in 4 days, putsch collapse, kapp + luttwitz forced to flee

• taught= army x trusted, civil servants can be disloyal, workers as a group have power, w out army support weimar weak, leniency showed by judges in trial to right wing members contrasts w harsh treatment of left wing.

Political assassinations (examples)

• Erzberger - august 1921, former finance minister, assisinated bt two members of terrorise league organisation consul, led german delegation for signing armistice and signed treaty as well as G representative on rep committee

• Rathenue- 24 June 1922, forgein minister, 4 assassins (consul), crimes= jew, and leading minister in republic gov, participate sign armistice and negotiate w alllies for treaty, pop figure and following day 700,00 protesters lined streets of berlin.

• Haase- USPD member

Political assassinations (stats)

• between 1919 and 1923 = 376,

• 22= left, 354= right

• July 1922= law “protection of the republic” law x effective, judges right-wing sympathy

• Rathenue killers = 4 years average

• 326 right wing murders = unpunished