Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
DS1: Was the Weimar Republic doomed from the start? (Why was the Dawes…
DS1: Was the Weimar Republic doomed
from the start?
What was the impact of the naval blockade of Germany?
Daily rations dropped to 1000 calories per person.
Many civilians died from
malnutrition.
The blockade cut off imports of fodder for animals
The blockade cut
off supplies of nitrates.
The lack of nitrates affected the production of fertilisers.
The lack of nitrates affected the production of explosives.
There was a shortage of
iron and steel.
The government had to slaughter one third of all pigs in 1915 as
there was no fodder for them.
The German people were less keen to support the
war effort.
What was the situation in Germany between September 1918 and the signing of the
Armistice in November 1918 (The German Revolution)?
by september
the British blockade of German ports had produced serious food
shortages.
A flu epidemic swept across
the country killing thousands.
October 1918, von Hipper and von Scheer planned a final attack on the Royal
Navy. It failed.
On the 4th of November, sailors in Kiel mutinied leading to the setting up of a
soldiers’ council.
On the 6th of November, Wilhelmshaven fell to the mutinous sailors.
On 7 November, Kurt Eisner declared Bavaria to be a socialist republic. Hanover,
Brunswick, Frankfurt and Munich had fallen to the revolution.
In Munich, a Workers’ and Soldiers’ Council forced the King of Bavaria to
abdicate.
On 9 November, Kaiser Wilhelm abdicated and went into exile in the Netherlands.
Friedrich Ebert, a leader of the SPD, announced that Germany was a republic
The new
government signed the Armistice on 11 November.
A Council of People’s Representatives was formed to establish the way forward
headed by Ebert.
What was the political situation in Germany at the end of the First World War?
Kaiser Wilhelm fled the country/abdicated.
Ebert, one of the leaders of the Social
Democratic Party, announced that Germany was now a republic.
The new republic
was to be democratic
There were attempted coups from the communists and
extreme right.
Elections were held for a National
Assembly which would draw up a new constitution.
As there was unrest in Berlin,
the National Assembly met at Weimar.
What impact did the First World War have on Germany?
Germany was depressed and humiliated.
The proud German army had been defeated.
There were severe food shortages
A flu epidemic was killing thousands of people.
The war had left 600,000 widows and 2 million children without fathers.
About one third of the state budget went on war pensions.
Industrial production had dropped to about two thirds of 1913 levels
The war had made German society more divided
Many people despised the new leaders of the Weimar Republic, believing that the
army had been betrayed by them.
How was the Weimar Republic born?
A naval mutiny at Kiel in North Germany triggered other revolts
Uprisings by workers and soldiers in other German ports were led by the Socialists.
An independent Socialist Republic was declared in Bavaria.
On 9 November 1918 the Kaiser abdicated and left Germany (for the Netherlands)
Friedrich Ebert, the leader of the Socialists, became the new leader of the Republic,
and he immediately signed an Armistice with the Allies
How did German people and politicians react to the new Republic?
Ebert was opposed by right wing politicians, many of whom hoped for a return of
the Kaiser.
Many of the Kaiser’s former advisers stayed in post in the army, judiciary and civil
service, and tried to restrict what the new government could do.
A myth developed that Ebert had stabbed Germany in the back by signing the
Armistice.
Ebert was also opposed on the left by Communists, who argued that Germany
needed a Communist Revolution like the one that had taken place in Russia
Nevertheless, free elections were held in January 1919 - the Socialists won a
majority and Ebert became the first President of the Weimar Republic.
What were the main features of the Weimar Constitution?
All Germans over the age of 20 were allowed to vote for members of the Reichstag -
this was the German Parliament, whose permission was needed to pass laws.
The voting system was Proportional Representation, i.e. number of votes won was
directly proportional to number of seats in the Reichstag.
The Chancellor, who was appointed by the President, was head of the government,
but he needed the support of half of the Reichstag.
The Head of State was the President - he generally stayed out of government, but in
times of crisis could rule directly with emergency powers that allowed him to issue
decrees without consulting the Reichstag; he was also in charge of the armed forces, and appointed judges.
The Chancellor appointed government ministers
There were also 17 local governments - for Prussia, Bavaria and the various other
German regions, though the Constitution limited their power as much as possible.
What were the weaknesses of the Weimar Constitution?
The Constitution was a parliamentary democracy.
The German people were not
used to this method of government.
The Constitution introduced proportional
representation which led to many elected parties.
This meant it was difficult for any
party to maintain a workable parliamentary majority.
It meant there were frequent
changes in the government / many elections.
A succession of coalition governments
was inevitable.
The President could dismiss the Chancellor.
The President, under
Article 48, could suspend civil liberties and even use force.
It was introduced in
difficult political, social and economic circumstances.
What were the main economic challenges facing the Weimar Republic when it was
established?
The country was close to bankruptcy because of the enormous expense of the war,
which had lasted much longer than most people expected.
Germany was heavily in
debt.
People were living a ‘hand to mouth’ existence.
The Saar Basin was removed
from German control for fifteen years. The Saar had been a major coalfield for
Germany.
Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France. Alsace-Lorraine was rich in iron
ore.
There were threats that Germany would have to pay huge sums for reparations.
Industries had to convert from war production to producing materials for new
infrastructure and consumer goods.
Although small compared to 1923, there were
signs of rising inflation and a question of how genuine was the existing mark.
Why did some political groups oppose the Weimar Republic?
They were not used to coalition government.
The Republic was associated with the
Treaty of Versailles.
The Right wanted a strong one party government.
The Left
wanted a communist style government.
The Nazis associated it with the ‘November
Criminals’.
It was associated with a weak economy and high inflation.
It allowed
invasion by France and Belgium.
Many still hoped for a return to rule by the Kaiser.
wanted a Germany ruled by workers’ councils or
soviets.
What threats did the Weimar Republic face from the left wing?
Sparticists 1919
a Communist party, led by Karl Liebknecht and Rosa
Luxemburg, similar to the Russian Bolsheviks.
They seized newspaper offices in Berlin.
n. A general strike was organised.
There were
barricades in the street and armed street fighting.
They wanted a Germany ruled by
workers’ councils or soviets.
They set up soviets in many towns.
Some leaders
attempted to persuade state military regiments in Berlin to their side.
Their armed
presence was supposed to instigate fighting.
This was unsuccessful because most
soldiers had either gone home or remained loyal to their regiment.
Ebert’s government had few troops as the army had been disbanded after the war.
The Spartacists were attacked by the Freikorps, a group of ex-soldiers opposed to
communism.
Both sides were heavily armed and casualties were high, but the
Freikorps still had weapons from the War, which gave them a formidable advantage
The Freikorps were victorious. On January 15th, Liebknecht and
Luxemburg were executed by the Freikorps.
Around 100 civilians died during the
fighting.
Bavarian Uprising 1919
still an independent socialist state, led by Ebert’s ally
Kurt Eisner.
When he was assassinated, the Bavarian Communists seized the
chance to declare a soviet Republic.
Again Ebert used the Freikorps to crush the
revolt in May 1919, with about 600 communists killed.
The Red Rising 1920
further Communist agitation, involving clashes
of Communists with police, army and Freikorps.
There were 2000 casualties.
Ebert’s suppression of these Communist threats gained him popularity from many
Germans, but created lasting bitterness between Socialists and Communists.
What effect did the Treaty of Versailles have on Germany?
Germany lost 10% of its land
all overseas colonies;
12.5% of population;
16% of
coal;
48% of iron and steel industry
and most of its armed forces.
Most Germans were horrified.
Supporters of the government felt betrayed by the Allies - they should not have
been punished so harshly now the Kaiser had gone.
Opponents of the government were furious with Ebert and the socialists.
They myth of the stab in the back was begun - the German army could have fought
on and won, but had been betrayed by the leaders of the Weimar Republic.
What threats did the Weimar Republic face from the right wing?
Some people had liked the Kaiser’s dictatorial style of government, and wanted a
strong army and an expansionist foreign policy.
1920 Kapp Putsch
– In March 1920, Dr.Kapp led an attempt to take power.
His
followers were a group of 5000 Freikorps(ex-soldiers/extremists).
They attempted to take power in Berlin
nThey were unhappy with
the Weimar and wanted strong leadership
The army refused
to fire on the Freikorps.
It looked as though Ebert’s government was doomed and
Kapp would take control.
The government was saved by the German people,
especially the industrial workers of Berlin.
They declared a general strike which
brought the capital to a halt.
After a few days, Kapp realised he could not succeed
and fled the country.
1922 the Foreign Minister Walther Rathenau was assassinated by right-wing
extremists.
1923 Hitler attempted a Putsch in Munich.
What were the Freikorps?
The Freikorps were made up of ex-soldiers.
They hated communists and helped to
put down communist risings.
They were used by the government to protect borders
against the Red Army.
They crushed the Spartacist League and murdered Liebnecht
and Luxemburg in January 1919.
In March 1919, they crushed strikes in the Ruhr,
Rhineland and Saxony.
In May 1919, they defeated the Bavarian (Munich) Soviet
Republic.
In March 1920, members of the Freikorps attempted to overthrow the
government in the Kapp Putsch, but failed.
In 1920, many of the Freikorps joined
Hitler and the NSDAP, including Ernst Rohm.
Why was the new Weimar government unstable up to 1923?
The success of the new government depended on the German people accepting an
almost instant change
There was a serious threat from the Communist Spartacists, who launched their bid
for power in 1919.
When the terms of the Treaty of Versailles were announced in May 1919, Ebert
and the Weimar Republic were blamed for its harsh terms.
The Republic faced a serious attack from the Right with Dr.Kapp’s Putsch.
The Republic faced huge economic problems and could not pay the reparations.
French and Belgian troops entered the Ruhr.
To pay for a general strike, the
Government printed money and caused hyperinflation.
Why did Germany find it difficult to recover economically in the years up to 1923?
The First World War had been very expensive.
The economic terms of the Treaty of
Versailles were harsh on Germany.
The government printed worthless money.
The
reparations imposed on Germany affected the economy.
There was nothing with
which to trade.
In 1919, Germany was close to bankruptcy because of the enormous expense of the
war, which had lasted much longer than most expected.
The Treaty forced Germany to pay reparations to the Allies.
The reparations bill
was announced in April 1921.
It was set at £6,600 million, to be paid in annual
instalments.
This was 2% of Germany’s output. The Germans protested that this
was an intolerable strain on the economy.
What events contributed to the crisis year of 1923?
French Occupation of Ruhr (1923-)
Large
quantities of goods were sent to Belgium and France.
As a result, there were not
enough goods in Germany and so prices rose making inflation worse.
France lost patience with Germany.
Reparations had been fixed at £6600 million in
1921, but in late 1922 Germany failed to make the required payment.
The French
felt that it was right to invade to take the value of the missing payments in goods.
They invaded the Ruhr, with the assistance of the Belgians, because this was an area
rich in coal and iron.
The French themselves were under pressure from the United
States to start repaying some of their war debts.
Germany defaulted on reparations repayments in 1922, and in January 1923
French and Belgian troops (legally) occupied the Ruhr in order to take reparations in raw materials and goods
the German government responded by ordering a
policy of passive resistance, i.e. strike.
Some strikers sabotaged the pumps in some
of the mines so that they flooded and could not be worked.
French troops killed
over 100 and expelled 100,000.
German industrial production ground to a halt,
and this caused a currency collapse.
Hyperinflation
With no goods to trade, the government printed more money in
order to pay debts.
With so much money in circulation prices and wages rocketed
out of control, until paper money became almost worthless.
Middle-class Germans
had their savings wiped out, and pensions became worthless.
The Munich Putsch
There was a traditional lack of respect for
democratic government and a great admiration for the army and the “officer class as the rightful leaders of germany
Hitler hijacked a local government meeting in
Munich and announced he was taking over the government of Bavaria
police rounded up the SA and broke up the rebellion with a brief
exchange of fire;
people did not rise up to support Hitler, who was arrested and
jailed -
however, he only served 9 months and gained great publicity.
How did the Weimar Republic survive 1918-1923?
Effective government action
Popular support - most German people supported the Republic;
Weakness of opponents
Who was Stresemann?
German Chancellor for a few months in 1923
A leading member of every German
government 1923-1929.
A right-wing politician, with wide support.
An extremely
skilful and shrewd politician
He slowly built up German prosperity, and presided
over a period of hope and optimism.
Instituted the policy of Fulfilment
Much of the credit for the transformation must go to Gustav Stresemann, who
became Chancellor in August 1923.
Why was the Dawes Plan needed by Germany in 1924?
In 1919 Germany was close to bankruptcy because of the enormous expense of the
war.
To get the economy going, it needed an injection of capital, such as the Dawes
Plan, to get the wheels of industry moving again.
Germany’s attempts to pay reparations instalments made matters worse.
Germany
had requested permission to suspend payments until its economy recovered.
The
French refused and in 1922 the Germans were unable to make the full annual payment
It needed a loan, such as the Dawes Plan, to help pay these early
instalments.
In January 1923 the French occupied the Ruhr to seize goods from the factories
and mines.
The German government ordered the workers to follow a policy of
passive resistance.
German industry was paralysed in the Ruhr and the effect on the
German economy was catastrophic.
By November 1923 the value of the mark was falling rapidly, causing
hyperinflation.
There was a need to stabilise the mark. A new currency and a
massive loan were the aims of Stresemann.
The Dawes Plan was needed to rebuild industry, to increase employment, to
increase international trade and increase profits.
It could also help pay back
reparation instalments.
What were Stresemann’s economic achievements?
He ended the hyperinflation by calling in the worthless marks and burning them,
and replacing them with a new currency, the Rentenmark.
He got industrial production moving again by calling off the passive resistance in
the Ruhr.
1924 the Dawes Plan scaled down German reparations and spread them over a
longer period, and provided for loans of 800 million marks from the USA.
Then in
1929 the Young Plan further reduced the German reparations bill.
By 1928 industrial production was back to pre-war levels, reparations were being
paid and exports were increasing.
BUT
the loans could be called in at short notice, so economic recovery was
precarious.
Also, owners of businesses and property in cities, and industrial workers, were
better off, but peasant farmers and small businesses did not fare so well.
The agricultural sector was already in serious trouble and growth in industry had
begun to slow in 1927.
What were the cultural achievements of the Stresemann Era?
Writers, poets and artists flourished, especially in Berlin.
The famous Bauhaus style of architecture developed - this rejected traditional styles
to create new and exciting buildings.
A golden age for German cinema, with stars like Marlene Dietrich and directors
like Fritz Lang.
Clubs and nightlife flourished, with 900 dancebands in Berlin in 1927.
Censorship was removed, e.g. cabaret artists performed songs criticising political
leaders that would have been banned in the Kaiser’s day; also songs about sex that
earlier generations would have found shocking.
many people in country towns and villages thought there was a moral decline
going on in the big cities, made worse by American immigrants and Jewish artists and musicians - the Nazis were later able to harness these feelings.
What was achieved in German foreign policy in the Stresemann era?
1925 Locarno Pact - Germany agrees to accept her frontiers with France and
Belgium.
1926 Germany is admitted to the League of Nations.
Steady work to reverse some of the harsh terms of the Treaty of Versailles.
1928 Kellogg-Briand Pact - Germany (and 64 other nations) agrees to ‘renounce war
as an instrument of policy’
1929 the Young Plan - further renegotiation of the reparations settlement and more
US loans.
1929 Allies withdraw from the Rhineland.
BUT Stresemann was attacked by some nationalists for accepting the terms of
Versailles by joining the League and signing the Locarno Pact;
How much political stability did Stresemann bring to the Weimar Republic?
Democracy seemed to be working and there were no more rebellions or uprisings.
Extremist parties like the Nazis were not very popular - in the 1928 election the
Nazis gained less than 3% of the vote.
BUT
there were 4 different Chancellors, and about 30% of the electorate voted for
parties opposed to the Republic.
And, in 1926 Hindenburg was elected President - he was opposed to democracy.
Also Nazis and Communists were gradually building up their party organisations.
How far did the Weimar Republic recover after 1923?
Stresemann ended hyperinflation and confidence returned with the introduction of
a new currency, the Rentenmark, and a reduction in government spending.
Stresemann was able to raise loans from the USA through the Dawes Plan to
finance industry.
Reparation payments were made and French and Belgian troops
left the Ruhr in 1925.
Germany’s international position was improved.
he Locarno Pact, Germany’s
borders were confirmed and Germany was admitted to the League in 1926.
Farming suffered from depression throughout the 1920s due to the fall in food
prices. Many farmers went into serious debt.
Germany’s recovery after 1923 was an illusion. The economic recovery depended
on loans from the USA which could be recalled at any time.
Some argued that the new ideas of culture and art were unpatriotic and they
wanted to celebrate traditional values.
They argued this new phase meant that
Germany was going into moral decline.