Empire to Democracy 1914-1929

Burgfriede

Political parties being united by patriotism at the start of war

War Credits

Allowed the Kaiser to fund the war by selling ‘bonds’, guaranteed repayment with interest

Schifflen Plan

Germany’s plan for a quick victory - failed and forced them to fight on two fronts, turned into stalemate

Siegfriede

Land annexations allowing for German expansion as part of the war. Propaganda encouraging this spread by Pan-German league in 1915

1916

Anti-War movement expands, as Siegfriede means SPD & Others no longer see the war as defensive

August 1916

Appointment of Hindenburg as army chief of staff, Ludendorff as deputy. Essentially given supreme command, creating military dictatorship

1916

“Turnip Winter” extreme poor harvests cause starvation and poverty

1916

USPD splits from the SPD

1916

The communist “spartacist league” is created, partial influence from Russian Revolution

1917

Passage of “peace resolution” in Reichstag calling for an end to war without annexations: new chancellor (Michaelis) gets around it

1917

Establishment of “Fatherland Party” which grows to 1.2m members by 1918

1918

Final “Spring Offensive” Fails and Ludendorff abandons objection to parliamentary democracy, supporting armistice based on Wilsons “14 points”

October 1918

Prince Max von Baden becomes chancellor and formed the first government with ministers chosen from the Reichstag, which included SPD members.

Oct 1918

Baden asks Wilson for an armistice, but he rejects it saying Germany is a ‘dictatorship’ and said they would only accept a surrender

Oct 1918

Two naval vessels at Wilhelmshaven mutiny in response to an ordered suicide attack against a British Blockade

Nov 1918

Kiel high seas fleet mutiny, 8 Killed. Escalates until 40,000 rebel soldiers and sailors held the port

9 Nov 1918

Workers and councils call general strike and thousands of demonstrators enter Berlin. Baden announced abdication and power is transferred to Ebert (SPD leader)

Jan 1919

First elections for national assembly to establish new constitution: SPD, USPD and Zentrum get 80% of vote and favoured a democratic republic

New Constitution Terms

\-Elections for Lander and Reich use proportional representation

\-Prussia & Bavaria lose monarchies

\-Taxes and Military controlled by central gov, Lander control police, schools and judges

\-Guaranteed “Fundamental rights and duties of all German Citizens”

Referendums

Could be called by President, Reichsrat or “people’s request” if 1/10th electorate applied

Fundamental Rights & Duties of German Citizens

\-All are equal before the law

\-Personal liberty & Religious freedom

\-Freedom of press and association (incl. unions)

\-Economic freedom and state aid

\-Comprehensive social insurance

\-Co-operation between workers and employees in regulation of wages and conditions

President

\-Elected every 7 years by men and women over 20

\-Appointed and dismissed ministers, could dissolve Reichstag & call new elections

\-Supreme commander of armed forces

\-Article 48

Chancellor

\-Proposes new laws to the Reichstag to debate

\-Has to have at least 1/2 Reichstag support

Reichsrat

\-Second chamber of parliament, advised on laws but could be overriden by Reichstag

\-67 reps from 17 lander: each proportional to land size (except prussia with 40%)

Reichstag

\-Elected every 4 years by Germans over 20

\-Proportional representation

\-Chancellor/Ministers responsible to them

\-Voted on budget and came up with new laws: to pass they needed a majority approval

Ebert-Groener Pact

Nov 1918: President makes deal with (right wing) army lead by General Groener, that they would suppress uprising in exchange for keeping their military titles

11 Nov 1918

Signing of the armistice, withdrawal from occupied territories and surrender of assets

Stinnes-Leigen agreement

Signed 15 Nov 1918, accepted legality of unions, eight-hour day and ended unofficial strikes

System of industrial tribunals established for arbitration

Dec 1918

Cabinet break up due to USPD disagreements, splitting socialists and resulted in KPD

(due to USPD police chief refusing to stop sailors pay demonstration)

Jan 1919

Spartacist Uprising: Liebknect & Luxemburg encouraged uprising among workers, Ebert turns to defense minister and intense street fighting follows (100 deaths)

Freikorps

Paramilitary group mainly made up of ex-soldiers, on the right wing and often fought or suppressed left wing risings

March 1919

Communist government declared in Bavaria due to another spartacist uprising (re-established by May)

April-May 1919

Strikes in Halle & Ruhr, gov call in Freikorps

1200 killed in Berlin and 700 in Bavaria in demonstrations

March 1920

Kapp Putsch: right wing uprising is only defeated by fleeing govenrment calling a general strike in Berlin (army refused assistance)

March 1920

50,000 communists sieze control of the Ruhr

Dec 1920

USPD (400,000) and KPD (78,000) unite

22

Left-wing assassinations 1919-23

Feb 1920

As part of ToV some Freikorps units are ordered to be disbanded - defense minister orders disbanding of 2 with 12,000 men and General Luttwitz refuses

One

Defendants punished after the Kapp Putsch

Patriotic leagues

Violent paramilitaries formed by nationalists, often supported by army

June 1922

Assassination of foreign minster Walter Rathenau (Jewish)

354

Right wing assassinations 1919-23

326

Right wing muderers went unpunished

July 1922

Reichstag passes law placing greater penalties on conspiracy to murder and outlaws extremism, but the effectiveness is limited

6\.6 Billion

Germany’s set reparation fees, paid annually in 100m instalments

Jan 1923

French and Belgian troops invade the Ruhr to take resources as Germany are behind in reparations payments. Gov responds with “passive resistance” where workers refuse to cooperate, trying to pay them causes hyperinflation

150,000

Germans expelled from the Ruhr by the end of 1923: 132 killed

1/5

Decrease in output in the Ruhr by May 1923

Sep 1923

Chancellor Stresemann ends passive resistance - Right wing view it as surrender

Nov 1923

Munich Putsch: Hitler initiates coup to overthrow gov, marches to Munich and tries to involve state govenor and Bavarian army though they were unconvinced and called police

5 years

The amount of time Hitler was given in prison: though he ended up only serving 9 months

1920

Nazi Party becomes Nazis with establishment of “25 point programme” and in the following year Hitler becomes leader / establishes the SA

1920 elections

Showed a movement towards the extremes: moderates had 44.6%, extreme left had 17.9% and extreme right had 14.9%

SPD forced to coalition with DVP

1922

Treaty of Rapallo signed with Russia accepting co-operation and friendship

3/5

Zentrum chancellors 1920-24, despite the most popular parties being polarised (lack of progress)

1924

Dawes Plan agreed which scales down reparation payments (sum would be raised slightly over 5 years then would be performance based) and allows Germany to recieve American loans (800m)

Reparations recommence so France withdraw from Ruhr

1925

Locarno Treaty signed, Germany agree to keep western frontier borders and keep troops out of the Rhineland (though avoided commitment to keep out of the East)

1926

Stresseman gets the nobel prize and Germany are accepted to the League of Nations

1928

Kellogg-Briand Pact condemned war and was signed by Germany & 64 other states

1929

Young Plan signed, reduced reparations by 75% and lessened annual payments. Also agreed to withdraw troops from Rhineland within 5 years

Right wing force referendum on it but lose

1924

Economic improvement and creation of ‘Reichsbanner’ loyal republican defense force aiming to reduce extremism

May 1924 elections

Over 61% of vote for pro-republican parties, increases further in December

Nazis polled 6.5%, fell to 3%

Communists polled 12.6%, fell to 9%

SPD largest followed by DNVP & Z

1928 elections

SPD largest followed by Z & DNVP

1925

Ebert dies and Hindenburg becomes president in second round, respected for war leadership and brought esteem to the government: after this DNVP begin to work with Republic

6

Different coalition governments 1923-28

1928

Grand coalition lead by Muller

1928 election

Nazis polled only 2.6% (12 seats), Communists got 54 seats

72\.6% support for pro-republican parties makes gov feel secure, lifted ban on Hitler and barred Kaiser from ever returning

1929

Creation of the SS lead by Himmler

1925

Nazis reform despite Hitlers ban from politics being until 1927

Treasury Bills

Brought in during WWI, purchased by Provincial Banks from the central bank to fund the war

144,00 million marks

National debt 1919 (increased from 5000 million in 1913)

20%

Currency in 1919 was worth less than … of pre war levels as government had increased money in circulation and increased debt

90%

Amount of Germany’s merchant fleet surrendered to allies

1\.8%

Unemployment in 1921 (compared to 17% in Britain)

14x

Prices 1920 compared to 1913

2%

Reparations were only worth … of Germany’s national output

Allied commission estimated they had already recieved 2.6 billion in 1921 but Germany claimed to have paid 37 billion

50%

Monthly rate of inflation July 1922

4,420 billion

marks to 1 dollar in Nov 1923

Nov 1923

Introduction of the Rentenmark (1 = 1 trillion old marks)

6000

Bankrupt companies 1924

0

Inflation falls below … 1926 (but unemployment is at 20%)

Ersatz

Substitute materials created by scientists before the war to promote self sufficiency

1927

Industrial output reaches pre-war levels

4%

Economic growth 1913-29

3m

Unemployment by 1929

73%

Coal output reached … of pre 1913 levels by 1927

20%

Cultivated land belonging to 1% of landowners (1919)

1926

Balance of payment enters deficit

Conscription

Introduced in 1914 for all men over 18 (into army / war work)

1/3

Number of workforce that is female by 1918: 25% of these were union members

1m

Deaths caused by Spanish Flu

People hit hardest by hyperinflation

Reliant on investments, savings, pensions, and benefits (especially youth and elderly)

1920

War victims benefits added to system and war related pensions established for 25m (widows/orphans etc)

1922

Youth welfare act established youth service for health/fitness

1923

Unemployment relief consolidated into regular programme financed by employers & employees

National insurance system extended 1913 agreement between doctors & insurers to provide treatment

1925

New accident insurance programme allows diseases caused by certain work to become insurable risks

around 179,000

New dwellings built in 1925

Hyperinflation effect on Welfare

The benefits system already was putting pressure on the economy: the amount of people trying to claim unemployment benefit during hyperinflation caused it to almost collapse

1928

Ruhr industrialists reject arbitration award and locked out 250,000 workers in protest

111

Women elected to Reichstag in 1920