GERMANY, CHAP 1; weimar republic & it’s early problems

Key events of 1918

• 25th Oct. ; sailor mutiny at Kiel

• 9th Nov. ; Kaiser abdicates & flees to the Netherlands. Imperial Chancellor resigns & transfers his power to Ebert

• 10th Nov. ; Ebert sets up a socialist government, the CPR

• 11th Nov; Armistice is signed, ending World War I.

When did Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicate?

9th of November, 1918

When was the mutiny at Kiel & why? 

25th October 1918. They were ordered to fight British naval forces even though it was clear that they’d lose. 

Significance of Kiel Mutiny?

• sparked unrest & caused resistance over the next 2 weeks (from the 25/10 to 9/11)

Effects of WW1 on Germany

• Starvation & food shortages; Allies imposed a naval blockade

• Low morale; promised a quick and easy war, instead became 4 devastating years of fighting 

• By early November 1918, the troops had to retreat; risk of Allied military occupation 

What events lead to the Kaiser’s fall?

• The allies insisted peace would not come until Wilhelm II abdicated

• Kiel Mutiny & it’s following effects;

• Strikes & protests 

• More Germans blamed the Kaiser for the loss in WW1

• Many Germans set up worker’s councils and ignored the authority of Kaiser officials

Results of the 19th Jan. 1919 elections

• positive for supporters of the democracy

• 82% of electorate voted

• Moderate parties gained most of the seats

• Ebert’s SDP gained 40% of the seats

Members of the new government system & their features

• President ; elected every 7 years, appoints chancellor, has power to dissolve the Reichstag, could rule by decree

• Chancellor ; head of government elected by president, needed the support of the majority of the Reichstag

• Reichstag; main legislative body, proportional representation of political parties

• Länder; state governments. Each state had its own parliament, laws & police force

Points of the Weimar Constitution 

• Men & women over 20 could vote

• Every citizen had freedom of speech and religion & equality under the law

• Elected government (Reichstag) set up

• Article 48; president could bypass the Reichstag in times of emergency

What was Ebert’s approach?

He reached out to different groups of interest; civil servants to work with soldier & worker’s councils, industry leaders, promises to trade unions

Who opposed the new government?

• senior figures - especially army leaders

• Political extremists who wanted to destroy democracy

• Germans who resented the Treaty of versailles

Structural & Political weaknesses of the new republic

Proportional representation lead to a lot of small parties that had to make coalitions - these coalitions were weak & couldn’t make long-term decisions.

Germany had no experience with this sort of system. 

Lack of unity in the new republic 

Germany was politically divided and the politicians in charge of governing Germany didn’t share a strong commitment to making the new system work.

Many powerful groups didn’t support democracy - they preferred the old system.

Opposition to democracy in the new republic

• people who were against democracy could still vote - extremists could make it so parties that wanted fo destroy democracy could influence politics

• The party faced serious, organised opposition. Stabilising the country became harder 

Socioeconomic problems of the new republic

Germany was economically damaged after WW1, so it was harder to handle any crises. Many Germans also blamed the government for their hardship & humiliation

key events of 1919

• 5-12th Jan.; Spartacist uprising

• 28th June; Treaty of Versailles signed

• 31st June; new constitution approved

key events of 1920

• 13-18th Mar.; Kapp Putsch

• June; elections start to show less support for moderate parties

key events of 1923

• 11 Jan.; Ruhr invaded by Belgium & France

• November; Hyperinflation peaks

• 20th Nov.; rentenmark introduced

Strengths of the new republic 

• All citizens had equal rights

• Chancellor needs support of the Reichstag ; accountability, answering to the people rather than leading unchecked 

• A strong president can protect Germany in an emergency

• Proportional representation means the seats are allocated fairly 

Expectations for the Treaty of Versailles

• Germany hoped it wouldn’t be too harsh

• America didn’t want to be harsh; it would make the Germans bitter & want revenge

• France wanted to make Germany pay so they wouldn’t have to fear another attack 

• Britain also didn’t want to be harsh, but had reasons requiring them to be 

Treaty terms ; land

• 13% of European land lost & given to other countries

• All 11 colonies overseas lost

• Loss of almost 50% of iron & 15% of coal as a result

Treaty terms; non-territorial

• Article 231 / War Guilt clause; Germany has to accept the blame for WW1

• Reparations; 136 billion marks

Treaty terms; army

• Army reduced to 100,000 men

• Army to only be used internally

• Limited battleships

• No tanks, submarines or air force

German reaction to the Treaty of Versailles

• Shock; the government didn’t know the terms beforehand

• Humiliation; They were forced to accept blame for the war, but believed it should be shared

• Anger; the public felt that the Allies were trying to weaken them

• Stab in the back myth; Germans felt betrayed by their politicians for agreeing to the ToV

Politcal opposition to the Weimar republic

• Far-left wanted a communist revolution & for workers to be in control with no rich or ruling class

• Far-right wanted a strong & authoritarian leader

• Germans in general opposed the ToV

• Moderate parties were losing support & were attacked by radical coalitions

What was the Freikorps?

A paramilitary group made up of 250,000 ex-soldiers, notorious for their violence

Reactions to the Kapp Putsch

• Army didn’t stop them as they liked the Putsch’s aims 

• Ebert had to appeal to the people & encourage a general strike

Significance of the Kapp Putsch

Showed that;

• the government couldn’t control the military 

• the government wasn’t supported by the military 

• the government couldn’t control its capital 

Goal of the Kapp Putsch

Wanted to declare Dr. Woflgang Kapp, an extreme nationalist, as their new leader

why & when was the Ruhr invaded?

January 1923 - The Germans had missed multiple payments, so the Belgians & French decided to take industrial products instead of cash

Effects of the Ruhr invasion

• The government was temporarily popular as the German people were united against the invaders

• Germany lost income

• They had to print more money to pay the striking workers, causing hyperinflation 

Effects of hyperinflation 

Forced millions into poverty