Transcript War and Revolution in Germany

Do Now
• Work on the Treaty of Versailles Scenario
Acitivty
What you should know by the end
of this lesson.
• 1. Understand the political divisions within German
society.
• 2. Understand the general atmosphere in Germany
towards losing the war, the army, and the new
democracy.
• For the first few years after the
war, Germany was in a state of
almost complete upheaval.
• The nation was being torn
apart by forces on the political
left and right fighting for
power.
• Although moderate forces
who supported democracy
won, their hold on the country
was shaky.
• By 1923 a severe case of
hyperinflation hit Germany
that was going to play right
into the hands of Adolf Hitler.
Things got so bad the army
had to be stationed out in the
streets!
What do people mean when
they say “left”, “moderate”,
and “right”?
What is Hyperinflation?
Where do you fit in?
Forces on the Left
• A very large Communist party
formed in Germany after the
war and they tried to take over
the country by force.
• In January 1919 the “Spartacus
League”, a radical group of
communists, tried to take over
Germany but failed.
• Communists also briefly
controlled Bavaria in early
1919 before being forced out.
What do Communists
believe in in regards to:
A. Property
B. Control of major
industries
What segments of society
would most likely support
the Communists?
• Leaders of the “Spartacus
League”, along with 5 of the 7
leaders of the Communists in
Bavaria, were Jewish.
• This made many people believe
that Judaism and Communism
were the same thing, and were
determined to take over
Germany.
• This stereotype would have
severe repercussions in the
future. The first people Hitler
would put into concentration
camps were communists.
Did you know?
The United States has its own
Communist Party! Its national
headquarters is located on 23rd
street in New York.
“The Eternal Jew”
What is the message of this cartoon?
Forces on the Right: The Nationalists
and The Friekorps
• The new German government had a
problem. How can they stop the
communists?
• With the German army disbanding
at the end of the war this became a
serious issue. Both the middle class
and especially the rich would lose
their property and investments if
the communists took over.
• To oppose communism nationalists,
the wealthy, monarchists, and antisemitic forces joined to form the
German Nationalist Party.
What is a monarchist?
• Using tax dollars and donations
from the wealthy, former army
soldiers would be recruited into
fighting groups to stop the
communists.
• These groups became known as
the Freikorps (Free Corp) and
many of these men would become
Nazis in the years to come.
Fact: Jews
represented only
2% of the German
population. How
might this actually
increase antiSemitism within
the country?
Two members of the Freikorp
that would later become major
Nazis were Ernst Rohm (Right)
and Heinrich Himmler (above).
Do you know what they did to
help Hitler?
The Moderates
• Although the forces of the Communists
and the Freikorps were powerful, only a
minority of Germans supported them.
• Most people wanted law and order and
wished not to support radical forces.
The moderates were led by the Social
Democratic Party of Germany along with
7 other major political parties.
• Unfortunately because they controlled
the German government they got the
blame for the numerous misfortunes
Germany suffered after the war.
• The moderates had to stop the
communists and the Freikorps, while at
the same time deal with a crippling
economic depression.
Philip
Scheidmann,
the first
Chancellor of a
democratic
Germany.
Did you know? The
Social Democratic
Party is still a major
force in Germany. It
is the only party in
Germany to survive
from the Second
Reich until today.
War and Revolution in Germany
Activity
• 1. Read the Article “War and Revolution in
Germany”.
• 2. Each group will be responsible to answer 1
question from the reading.
• 3. As each group presents their findings,
record your notes in the corresponding page.
T1: True or False: The German government
along with the army discussed ending the
war in secret.
– What significance does this decision have by
keeping the news of the approaching defeat from
the public?
2: What event sparked the “Kiel
Mutiny?” What did this lead to?
3. Who was Friedrich Ebert? What
was he asked to do by the
Germans?
• 4: What did the Allies say would happen if
Germany didn’t accept the terms of the
armistice?
Knowing the chaotic
situation in Germany what
do you think would have
happened if the war
continued?
• 5. True or False: Both civilian and army leaders
traveled to France to sign the armistice.
Critical Thinking:
Why didn’t the army go?
How will that have repercussion in
the future?
• 6. Many Germans were in a state of shock and asked
“How could they possibly have lost the war?”
– Who did they blame?
– What did they call them?
– How did the German army react to this? Why?
– Who WASN’T blamed???
• 7. What group tried to bring about a
revolution in Germany after the Kaiser and the
Empire collapsed?
• Who in Germany do you believe would be
against them? (In other words who would
have something to lose if the Communists
took power?)
• 1.
• 2.
• 3.
• 8. What was the new German Republic called?
Why?
• 9. How were the following elected in the new republic?
– The German President
– The German Parliament
Fredrick Ebert:
Germanys first
president
Do you remember the
name of the building on
the left?
• 10. What was the general weakness of this
new government?
• 11. What new freedoms did the German
people now have?
• How do you think this helped the Nazis?
• 12. What was Article 48?
• How might this help Hitler take control of
Germany?
13. How well did political parties favoring
democracy do in elections after the peace treaty
was signed?
• 13. Many army officers, bureaucrats, judges, and
teachers served the nation faithfully under the
Kaiser. How important was the decision by
President Ebert and other Social Democrats to
allow them to keep their jobs? Were they likely to
be as loyal to a republic?
• Ebert: Avoid Drastic Change and respect authority