Transcript Weimar Germany, 1919-33

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Weimar Germany, 1919-33:
Germany was defeated during World War 1 (1914-18). New Republic
Rising prices, unemployment, and shortage of food
Division =left (Communists) vs right (civil service, conservatives)
Many Germans saw surrender in WW1 as treason and men who
agreed to it, November Criminals
Millions had been killed or wounded during WW1
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The Weimar Constitution:
Federal Germany-every state had a certain amount of power
Parliament-Reichstag – elected by anyone over 20
Head of govt= Chancellor appointed by the President
President- elected every 7 years. General Paul Von Hindenburg in
1925. Article 48= Declare a State of Emergency, allow Chancellor to
rule by decree. Important in 1930’s
The Impact of the Treaty of Versailles:
• Shock to German people, everyone hated it. Called ‘Diktat’ (dictated)
• Ger. Lost territory, had to pay huge compensation and ‘War Guilt’
• Communist ‘Spartacus’ revolt- Berlin (1919). Right Wing ‘Kapp’ revolt
Berlin (1920). Spartacus stopped by army, Kapp by trade unions strike
The French Occupation of the Ruhr:
• Germ govt couldn’t afford the massive debts they owed Fr + Britain
• Defaulted on payments in 1922. Fr + Belgium occupied the ‘Ruhr’
• The Ruhr was the industrial, economic heartland of Germany
• Ger govt printed money to pay striking workers
Effects of the Occupation:
1. Unemployment from 2% to 23%
2. Govt printed way too much money-caused inflation
3. Hyper-inflation: 1923 prices 1 billion times their 1913 level
Effects on everyday life:
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Savings were now worthless
Those on fixed incomes suffered (Civil Servants- teachers, nurses….)
Businesses could not pay their workers
People could not afford many basic food provisions
People sold their possessions to get something to eat
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A New Chancellor + Economic Recovery:
Gustav Stresemann became Chancellor. Crucial in improving situation
Stopped financial support to the strike. New currency (Reichmark)
Paid Germany’s reparations , in return Americans under the Dawes
Plan reduced the payments every year and loaned Ger $800 million
1929= American Young Plan reduced payments + extended the loan
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The Wall Street Crash:
Ger economy was built on ‘quicksand’
Ger. state govts paid wages with loans
Many businesses relied on American loans
Bank used American loans for businesses
October 1929-Wall Street Crash (New York) led to World Econ. crisis
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Effects on Germany:
Ger production fell dramatically. America wanted loans back
Banks went out of business. Unemployment rose= 33%.
Govt revenue collapsed. Crime and suicide rates soared
Many people voted for extreme left (Communists) vs- right (Nazis)
The Rise of the Nazis:
• Led by Adolf Hitler. Called National Socialist German Workers Party
• Hitler was a gifted speaker. Attacked Versailles, Jews and Socialists
• 1921: SA= Brownshirts similar to Blackshirts led by Ernst Rohm
• 1925: SS=Hitler’s personal bodyguard led by Heinrich Himmler
Ideas of Nazism:
1. Make Germany great again, respected and feared
2. Unite all Germans in one country
3. Destroy Communism and Socialism
4. Set up dictatorship, replace weak democracy
5. Germans were the master race, Jews and Slaves (Russians) inferior
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The Beer Hall Putch:
Beer Hall Putsch: Hitler’s attempt at taking over power in Nov. 1923
Failed but Hitler in prison wrote his ‘Bible’= Mein Kampf=My Struggle
Hitler decided to gain power by democratic elections
Little support for the Nazis because of economic prosperity (1924-29)
Rise of the Nazis:
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Great Depression (1929): Many desperate voters turned to Nazis
Ger govt led by Bruning cut spending and raised tax, very unpopular
Brownshirts now 400,000 men
1932 election, Nazis used mass propaganda, meetings….(Goebbels)
Nazis won 37% and 230 seats- largest party in the Reichstag
Most Germans now voted for non-democratic parties
Who voted for the Nazis:
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Protestant middle classes-lost faith in democracy, scared of Commun
Conservative older voters- wanted traditional values- order, morality
Hitler’s nationalism appealed to many who hated Treaty of Versailles
Many young people – Nazis seen as dynamic, energetic. different
Hitler appointed Chancellor:
• Hitler became Chancellor in Jan. 1933 despite the fact the Nazis had
lost 2 million votes in the Nov 1932 election
• His right opponents, the army generals and Hindenburg disliked Hitler
crude ways and looked down on him but plotted against each other.
Why did the Weimar Republic Fail?
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Republic born out of defeat- army, big business, civil service hated it
Many unstable coalition governments
Economic problems- Hyper- inflation -1923+ Great Depression-1929
The idea of democracy was NOT well-developed in Germany
Hitler exploited its weaknesses with policies for EVERYONE