1919-1933: Weimar Republic

1919

• January: Spartacist Uprising -A failed communist revolt in Berlin led by Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg, crushed by the Freikorps, a paramilitary group of World War I veterans.

• June: Treaty of Versailles - Germany is forced to sign the treaty, which imposes heavy reparations, territorial losses (such as Alsace-Lorraine to France and the Saar Basin under League of Nations control), and military restrictions, significantly weakening Germany.

• August: Weimar Constitution - Establishes a democratic government in Germany with a president, chancellor, and Reichstag (parliament). It includes progressive elements such as proportional representation and extensive civil liberties, but also emergency powers for the president.

1920

• March: Kapp Putsch - A failed right-wing coup led by Wolfgang Kapp and supported by parts of the military. It is suppressed by a general strike organized by workers, highlighting the political instability of the Weimar Republic.

1921

• April: Reparations Set - Reparations fixed at 132 billion gold marks by the Allied Reparations Commission, leading to significant economic strain and resentment in Germany.

1923

• January: Occupation of the Ruhr - French and Belgian troops occupy the industrial Ruhr region due to Germany's failure to pay reparations. The German government responds with passive resistance, leading to hyperinflation as the government prints money to support striking workers.

• November: Beer Hall Putsch - Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party attempt a coup in Munich. The putsch fails, and Hitler is arrested and imprisoned, during which he writes Mein Kampf, outlining his ideology and future plans for Germany.

1924

• Dawes Plan: Introduced to restructure German reparations payments and stabilize the economy with loans from the USA. This helps to temporarily ease the economic crisis and leads to a period of relative stability known as the "Golden Twenties."

1925

• Locarno Treaties: Germany signs treaties with France, Belgium, and others, agreeing to settle disputes peacefully and respect borders, improving Germany's international standing and leading to its admission to the League of Nations in 1926.

• Hindenburg Elected President: Paul von Hindenburg, a former World War I general, becomes president of the Weimar Republic, providing a figure of stability and conservatism.

1926

• League of Nations: Germany joins the League of Nations, marking its return to the international community and a commitment to international cooperation.

1929

• Young Plan: Further reduction of reparations and extension of the payment period, easing some of Germany's economic burdens.

• October: Wall Street Crash - The global economic depression severely impacts Germany, leading to mass unemployment, widespread poverty, and political instability. This exacerbates existing economic troubles and contributes to the rise of extremist political movements.

1930

• Rise of the Nazi Party: Exploiting economic woes, nationalist sentiment, and fears of communism, the Nazis gain significant support, becoming the second-largest party in the Reichstag.

1932

• July: Reichstag Elections - The Nazi Party becomes the largest party in the Reichstag but fails to secure a majority, leading to a series of unstable coalition governments.

• November: Another round of elections sees continued Nazi gains, although they still lack a majority, further highlighting the fragmentation and volatility of German politics.

1933

• January: Hitler Appointed Chancellor - President Hindenburg appoints Adolf Hitler as Chancellor of Germany, hoping to control him within a conservative government.

• February: Reichstag Fire - The Reichstag building is set on fire; the Nazis use this as a pretext to pass the Reichstag Fire Decree, suspending civil liberties and enabling the arrest of political opponents.

• March: Enabling Act - Gives Hitler dictatorial powers, allowing him to pass laws without Reichstag consent, effectively dismantling the Weimar Republic.

• April: Boycott of Jewish Businesses - Marks the beginning of systematic persecution of Jews.

• May: Trade Unions Banned - Trade unions are abolished and replaced by the German Labor Front under Nazi control.

• July: Political Parties Banned - All political parties except the Nazi Party are banned, turning Germany into a one-party state.

1933-1939: Nazi Consolidation and Expansion

1934

• June: Night of the Long Knives - A purge of the SA (Sturmabteilung) leadership and other political opponents by the SS (Schutzstaffel), consolidating Hitler's control over the Nazi Party and the military.

• August: Death of Hindenburg - Hitler combines the roles of Chancellor and President, becoming Führer and solidifying his dictatorship.

1935

• Nuremberg Laws: Anti-Semitic laws are enacted, stripping Jews of citizenship and forbidding marriage or sexual relations between Jews and non-Jews.

• Rearmament: Hitler openly defies the Treaty of Versailles by announcing German rearmament, starting a major military buildup.

1936

• March: Remilitarization of the Rhineland - German troops enter the demilitarized Rhineland, violating the Treaty of Versailles and the Locarno Treaties, facing no military response from France or Britain.

• August: Berlin Olympics - Used by the Nazis as a propaganda tool to showcase the supposed superiority of the Aryan race and the success of the Nazi regime.

• October: Rome-Berlin Axis - Alliance formed between Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany, strengthening their mutual support.

1938

• March: Anschluss - Germany annexes Austria, incorporating it into the Third Reich, with little resistance from the international community.

• September: Munich Agreement - Britain and France appease Hitler by allowing the annexation of the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia, believing it would prevent further conflict.

• November: Kristallnacht - A coordinated attack on Jewish businesses, synagogues, and homes throughout Germany and Austria, resulting in widespread destruction and the death of dozens of Jews.

1939

• March: Occupation of Czechoslovakia - Germany occupies the remaining parts of Czechoslovakia, breaking the Munich Agreement and demonstrating Hitler's expansionist ambitions.

• August: Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact - Non-aggression pact signed between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, including a secret protocol dividing Eastern Europe into spheres of influence.

• September: Invasion of Poland - Germany invades Poland, triggering the start of World War II as Britain and France declare war on Germany.

Key Themes and Developments

Political Instability and the Rise of Extremism

• Weimar Republic: Marked by political fragmentation, economic hardships, and frequent changes in government, creating an environment ripe for extremist movements.

• Rise of the Nazi Party: The Nazis exploited economic woes, nationalist sentiment, and fears of communism to gain support, using propaganda and violent tactics to intimidate opponents and rally the population.

Economic Challenges

• Hyperinflation: Severe economic crisis in 1923 due to reparations and occupation of the Ruhr.

• Great Depression: Global economic downturn severely impacts Germany, leading to high unemployment and social unrest.

Nazi Consolidation of Power

• Legal Measures: Use of the Reichstag Fire Decree and Enabling Act to dismantle democratic institutions.

• Elimination of Opposition: Purges such as the Night of the Long Knives to remove internal threats.

• Propaganda and Control: Use of propaganda, censorship, and organizations like the Hitler Youth to control public opinion and indoctrinate society.

Aggressive Foreign Policy

• Treaty Violations: Remilitarization and rearmament in defiance of the Treaty of Versailles, challenging the post-World War I international order.

• Territorial Expansion: Annexations of Austria and the Sudetenland, occupation of Czechoslovakia, and the invasion of Poland, demonstrating Hitler's expansionist ambitions and leading to World War II.

Persecution and Genocide

• Anti-Semitic Policies: Nuremberg Laws and Kristallnacht mark the intensification of persecution against Jews.

• Totalitarian Control: Suppression of dissent and enforcement of Nazi ideology across all aspects of life.