Establishment and Early Weimar Years
Impact of the War - Reasons for Crisis
'Turnip Winter' saw an extremely cold winter in Germany. Fuel shortages enhanced the problems and many died of hypothermia and starvation
Infant Mortality increased by over 50% during the War
Influenza Epidemic hit Europe, killing between 20-40 million people - a higher figure than the casualties of WWI
Workers were forced to work longer hours but wages fell below the inflation rate.
Shortages of food and supplies increased prices and people turned to the black market.
Lack of imports of raw materials caused clothing production to rapidly decline.
Crisis of 1918
Revolution from Above
Revolution from Below
October Reforms (declined by the Kaiser)
The Peace Note 1916 - request for an armistice
Abdication of the Kasier
Declaration of a German republic in Berlin
Prince Max resigned as Chancellor
Freidrichsafen Strike (industrial workers)
Naval mutiny
November Revolution 1918 - Germany was on the verge of a communist
Bavarian Government deposed
SDP called on workers to strike
Communism
The Weimar Constitution
Ebert-Groener Pact - alliance between the new democratic government and the old imperial military. The army would protect the government if it did not call to diminish the officer's corps authority.
Sparticists The Sparticists wanted the government to be controlled by the workers and soliders councils. They were founded in 1916 by a revolutionary minority group ad led by Karl Leibknecht and Rose Luxembourg.
Views
State owned businesses and land
Small selection of items on offer to buy
Equality of wealth across citizens
State owned property
Welfare benefits
Nationalisation
Disbanding of the army
Not Democratic ⚠
Democratic ⭐
Full democracy in both local and central government
The constitution clearly set out the rights of the individual
Germany had wider voting rights - they allowed women to vote
Referendums could be called for by the president or by the public's request
Proportional representation allowed smaller parties to win seats
For a chancellor to be elected at least half the Reichstag had to be in support.
Elections were on a regular basis - every four years for the Reichstag and every seven for the President
Because of PR, larger parties couldn't win a majority, which meant coalitions were often set up. They were normally weak and didn't last for very long
Article 48 gave the President the power to rule by decree in exceptional circumstances
President had the power to dissolve the Reichstag and call new elections
Small, anti-republican parties could gain seats, so they exploited the system
The Treaty of Versailles
Reactions to the Treaty
Limit Germany's Army reduced the risk of Germany starting another War, and makes them vulnerable against future attacks.
Reparations Make Germany pay for their damage which crippled the Germany economy
War Guilt Clause Germany had to accept all responsibility for starting the War. This caused the most resentment and low morale
- Other terms
- Various German captured land had to be returned, such as Alsace Lorraine to France.
- Germany could not have an airforce
- Navy could only have 6 battleships and no submarines
- Germany was not allowed to have an airforce
Anger over the incredibly high reparations. Germany was already bankrupt and struggling from the war.
Nationalists were outraged by the occupation of areas by foreign troops.
Humiliated by the War guilt clause
Upset over the loss of jobs following the cut down of the the army
November criminals - Felt betrayed by the generals who had signed the treaty
Stabbed in the Back Myth German citizens thought they had been 'stabbed in the back' by the politicians who signed the treaty. Many people began to blame socialists and minority groups
Post War Economy
Hyperinflation and Economic Crisis
Positives
Negatives
Germany was in deficit due to spending money on artillery, the army and reparations as well as the loss of trade partners and land which had offered many important resources.
Unemployment was low
Government refused to raise taxes
Rich people took out short term loans
A scheme was set up to pay reparations yearly
Borrowing money meant further debts over time
Printing more money meant it became worthless over time and led to extreme inflation
By 1920, the currency had devalued by 14 times compared to pre-war
Causes
Medium Term
Short Term
Long Term
The war effort had required huge levels of government spending
The government decided to not raise taxes, but print more money
Loss of tax revenue due to many business closures
Payments to civil servants continued and welfare benefits were extended
German industrialists were benefiting from taking short term loans
Injured soldiers were needing care
French occupation of the Ruhr led to passive resistance, so there was a decrease in resources
Levels of reparations were not set until 1921 - decided on £6.6 billion
Germany's currency was very unstable and they began to ask for loans
Impact
Tariffs on German products as other countries were reluctant to buy from them
Winners
Losers
Mortgage Holders could easily pay off what they owed with worthless money
Peasants coped fairly well as they were more self sufficient than others and food remained in demand
Those in Debt owed a fixed amount which became worthless so was easy to pay off
Pensioners savings became almost worthless so they were relying on state pensions to survive
Landlords who relied on fixed rents couldn't make their prices keep up with the inflation
Workers , particularly those who didn't belong to a trade union lost out. Wages rose, but not at a competitive rate
Those on Benefits the sick were hit badly as medical care costs rose and rapid rise in food prices led to widespread malnutrition. Fixed benefits didn't match inflation rates
KPD pushed for a workers revolution, to overthrow the state. They received around 10-15% of election votes. However, their main failures were due to lack of cooperation, poor leadership and repression from the authorities
Sparticist Uprising in Berlin January 1919 was the first of many left wing uprising/strikes
Red Threat people feared a revolution from the Communists and their plotting for the downfall of regional government