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Weimar Germany 1918 - 1923 - Coggle Diagram
Weimar Germany 1918 - 1923
Reperations
Germany had to pay £6.6 billion in reparations to France and Britain. This would have huge economic impact on Germany and directly contribute to the French Occupation of the Ruhr in 1922-23 and hyperinflation.
Loss of land / territories
The following land was taken away from Germany : Alsace-Lorraine (given to France) Eupen and Malmedy (given to Belgium) Northern Schleswig (given to Denmark) West Prussia, Posen and Upper Silesia (given to Poland) The Saar, Danzig and Memel were put under the control of the League of Nations and the people of these regions would be allowed to vote to stay in Germany or not in a future referendum. The League of Nations also took control of Germany's overseas colonies.
War Guilt
Article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles placed all blame for WW1 on Germany.
League of Nations
The League of Nations was established in order to maintain international peace and to avoid any future conflict. Germany and its allies do not join.
Armed forces
Following Versailles, Germany were allowed no more than 100,000 soldiers, no air force, no submarines and 6 battleships. They were not allowed troops in the Rhineland.
No Anchluss with Austria
Germany and Austria could not be unified.
Article 48
President had power to bypass the Reichstag and pass laws in 'times of emergency'. Lack of democracy.
Hyperinflation
Economic devastation due to government printing massive amounts of bank notes. Reichmark = worthless in 1923.
Political Parties
SPD
Social Democratic Party (left wing, supported by working class)
ZP
Catholic Centre Party (moderate)
DAP
Deutsche Arbeiterpartei - The German Workers’ Party
DDP
German Democratic Party (left wing, liberal, founded in 1918)
DNVP
Deutschnationale Volkspartei - The German National People’s Party (nationalist, right wing supported by business people and landowners)
KPD
Communist Party
Key Dates and Events
9 November 1918
A German republic is proclaimed, under the leadership of Frederich Ebert, after the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II.
10 November 1918
Kaiser Wilhelm II flees in exile to Holland.
11 November 1918
Warring nations sign an armistice to end the fighting of World War I. The armistice comes into effect at 11am.
10 January 1919
Communist revolutionaries attempt to seize control of Berlin (Spartacist revolt) but are defeated by the Freikorps.
28 June 1919
The Treaty of Versailles is signed. Germany call it a ‘diktat’ as they had no say in the terms.
August 1919
The Weimar Constitution is established. Autocracy replaced by democracy.
11 September 1919
Hitler is ordered to attend the German Workers’ Party meetings and report on their activities. Hitler joins the party.
February 1920
The DAP is renamed the NSDDAP
24 February 1920
Nazi Party publishes its manifesto, the 25 Point Programme.
17 March 1920
Kapp Putsch - an attempt by a right-wing group and ex soldiers to seize Berlin
28 October 1922
Italian Facist, Benito Mussolini, becomes Prime Minister of Italy after his successful ‘March on Rome’ which inspired Hitler.
27 December 1922
French and Belgian troops occupy the Ruhr region of Germany after Germany fail to pay several reparation payments.
October 1923
Hyperinflation grips Germany after the government orders massive print runs of banknotess. Prices rise hugely on a daily basis. Germans lose savings pensions and investments.
8 November 1923
Nazis launch Munich Putsch - an attempt to seize control of the Bavarian government and then take over control of the national government
9 November 1923
Police and army stop the Munich Putsch. Hitler, Ernst Rohm and others are arrested
Proportional Representation
Each party struggled to get a majority. Weimar Republic endured numerous coalition governments and a lack of political leadership/stability.
French occupation of the Ruhr 1922-24
Germany failed to pay reparations. France invaded the industrial Ruhr region to take payment in goods. Germany responded with passive resistance which made hyperinflation worse.
Extremism
Weimar was incredibly fragile. Many German citizens were angry at surrendering in signing the armistice and turned to communist and nationalist parties. Weimar suffered from the 1919 Spartacist Uprising, the Kapp Putsch and the Munich Putsch between 1919-23.
Spartacist Uprising
A left wing uprising in Jan 1919 led by Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg. The Spartacists formed the German Communist Party (KPD) in December 1918. The uprising was crushed by the Reichswehr and the Freikorps and was over within days. Liebknecht and Luxemburg were killed.
Kapp Putsch
A right wing uprising in March 1920 led by Ehrhardt (leader of the Berlin Freikorps) and politician Wolfgang Kapp. The Reichswehr in Berlin also supported the Putsch. Kapp seized Berlin and the Weimar government fled to Dresden then Stuttgart. Ebert and Scheidemann called on the Berlin people not to support Kapp, but to go on strike. The Putsch collapsed .
Red Rising in the Ruhr
A workers’ rising led by Communists took place in the Ruhr in the spring of 1920. There was fierce fighting between workers and army and Freikorps units before the revolt was suppressed at the beginning of April. When miners in the Mansfeld district of central Germany took up arms against the police in March 1921, the Communists unsuccessfully called for a general strike, and order was rapidly restored.
Munich Putsch
A right wing uprising in November 1923 led by Hitler and 600 Nazis. Politicians Kahr, Seisser and Lossow were held at gunpoint then let go once they declared their support for Hitler’s new planned regime. 16 Nazis and 4 police officers were killed. Hitler was arrested and put on trial Feb 1924, and sentenced to 5 years in prison, yet he only served 9 months and wrote ‘Mein Kampf’ whilst in prison.