6) Years of Unrest

The first 4 years of the Weimar Republic (1919-1923) were dominated by political, social and economic unrest. This unrest created hardship for the German people, and fuelled criticism of Eberts government.

Widespread Discontent in Germany

  • By 1919, thousands of Germans were poor and starving, and an influenza epidemic had killed thousands.
  • Many Germans denied they had lost the wat and blamed the 'November Criminals'who had agreed to the armistice and the Treaty of Versailles
  • Others who were blamed for losing the war included communists and Jews

Soon there were riots and rebellions

The government faced threats from left-wing and right-wing political groups.

The extreme lefts wanted a revolution

  • In January 1919, communists led by Karl Liebkecht and Rosa Luxembourg tried to take over Berlin. They took control of important buildings like newspaper headquarters, and 0000 workers went on strike in support of the left-wing revolution, this became know as the Sparticist Revolt
  • Ebert asked for help from the right-wing Freikops (ex-German soldiers) to stop the rebellion. over 100 workers were killed. the Freikorps' use of violence caused a split on the left between the Social Democratic party and the communists
  • The government was seen as weak and ineffective - the Treaty of Versailles made living conditions worse.

The right also rebelled against the Weimar government

  • in March 1920, some of the Freikorps themselves took part in the Kapp Putsch ( 'Putsch' means revolt ) - led by Wolfgang Kapp. They wanted to create anew right-wing government
  • The Freikorps marched into Berlin to overthrow the Weimar regime. but German workers opposed the putsch and staged a general strike. Berlin was paralysed and Kapp was forced to give up
  • Even after the putsch failed, threats to the government remained. in 1922, some former Freikorps members assassinated Walter Rathenau - He'd been Foreign Minster and was Jewish

1923- Germany couldn't pay its reparations

  • By 1923, Germany could no longer meet the reparations payments set out by the Treaty of Versailles
  • France and Belgium decided to take Germanys resources instead, so they occupied the Ruhr - the richest industrial part of Germany. this gave them access to Germanys iron and coal reserves. the occupation led to fury in Germany and caused a huge strike in the Ruhr
  • German industry was devastated again. Germany tried to solve her debt problem by printing more money, but this plunged the economy into hyperinflation
  • In 1918, an egg cost 1/4 of a mark. By November 1923, it cost 80 million marks

The Consequences of Hyperinflation

  • Germany's currency became worthless. nobody wanted to trade with Germany,so shortages of food and goods got worse
  • Bank savings also became worthless. the hardest hit were the middle classes

By 1923, Even basic necessities were hard to get hold of. The German people were undergoing immerse hardship, which they'd now come to associate with the rise of the Weimar republic