Page 42 - Year 10

History: Weimar and Nazi Germany: 1 of 4

Origins of the Republic
Near end of WWI G had lost 2m soldiers, 4m wounded,
massive debt and facing food shortages. Kaiser Wilhelm Early challenges (1919-23
(emperor) had lost control of country - strikes and riots.
9/11/18 Kaiser abdicates (stood down), country becomes a Weimar Republic always linked to surrender of WWI (this was unavoidable, but unpopular with German people)
republic. Ebert (leader of the SDP) appointed head of govt Forced to sign Treaty of Versailles (peace terms) in June 1919; imposed by GB, Fr and US. G had no say.
until a new constitution (rules for the country) written. War guilt: G had to accept blame for the war Reparations: G had to pay £6.6bn to allies
11/11/18 armistice, G surrenders. Lost overseas colonies and pieces of land including Alsace Lorraine and Saar coalfields (to Fr), and Posen (to Poland). G lost 13% of land and 10% of population G forced to
Ebert tries to bring stability: make G people confident in the reduce army to 100,000 troops, weakened navy, no air force.
Republic, get support of army, trade unions and business. Critics of the Treaty said that G had never actually lost the war – it was “stab in the back” of G by politicians who signed the Treaty. Reparations weakened G economy,
But extreme political parties not happy. and made politicians of seem weak.
January 1919 elections for National Assembly. Gather in city Spartacist Revolt
of Weimar to produce Constitution of the Weimar Republic. 1919 Spartacists (communists led by Rosa Luxembourg) called a general strike: +100,000 workers took to the streets, seized govt newspaper and telegraph offices.
Weakened army could not stop the revolt, so Ebert ordered the establishment of Freikorps (units of former soldiers, +250,000); Freikorps crushed Spartacists,
Luxembourg killed.
The Weimar Constitution Kapp Putsch
Strengths By 1920, Ebert struggling to control Freikorps. Led by Nationalist politician Wolfgang Kapp they took over Berlin. Govt fled to Weimar and encouraged people to go on
V democratic: over 21s and women allowed to vote strike, which stopped the uprising, but made the govt look weak
Proportional Representation – small parties (with +600,000 G struggled to pay reparations, as punishment Fr sent troops to Ruhr (industrial region of G). This massively weakened G economy as Ruhr contained 80% of G iron, coal
votes) get represented in parliament and steel. Resulted in more debt for G, higher unemployment, shortages of goods.
Power divided so no individual or group could have too much
power: voters elected President; President chose Chancellor;
Chancellor proposed laws, which had to be agreed by
Reichstag (Parliament) Recovery (1924-29)
Weaknesses Streseman appointed Chancellor (he soon resigned from this job) and Foreign Secretary. He bought stability to the Weimar Republic. By 1928 his policies
Proportional Representation meant lots of coalition govts meant that support for moderate parties increased, and extreme parties decreased.
(small parties agreeing to work together, but often Economic
arguments, so govt collapsed. 9 govts for 1919-23) Set up the Rentenmark (Nov 1923), a new currency, which meant that the economy could begin working again (factories back in business, people back
Article 48: in case of a crisis, Chancellor could pass any law in work)
without the agreement of Reichstag Dawes Plan (1924): deal to help G pay reparations: loan of £25bn from US to get G economy going, reparation bill temporarily reduced to £50m per year. As a
Several larger parties elected to Reichstag (nationalist and result Fr left the Ruhr; G industry returned to pre-WWI levels, increased employment, trade, tax paid to govt. But meant G was reliant on US loans, and
Communist) were opposed to democracy extreme parties angry that G agreed to continue paying reparations.
Young Plan (1929) reduced total reparations to £2bn, paid over 59 years. Made G people more confident in stability of Weimar, allowed govt to lower taxes
for working people.
Key words Foreign relations
Abdicate – when an emperor / Locarno Pact (1925) G agreed treaty with GB, Fr, Italy, Belgium (not imposed like Treaty of Versailles). Agreed peaceful border with Fr, Rhineland (region
king stands down from the role between G and Fr) demilitarised (no troops allowed there).
Chancellor – the leader of the German Parliament 1926 G finally allowed to join the League of Nations (had been excluded since 1919)
Constitution – set of rules for running a country Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928): G + 61 other countries signed agreement that they would not resort to war to settle disputes. Showed that G was now included
Kaiser – emperor of Germany until the end of WWI among the main world powers and Weimar Republic respected.
Putsch – political uprising Changes in society
Rentenmark – new German currency introduced 1923 Living standards decreased during economic crises of 1918-23, but improved after 1923. Unemployment fell, working hours reduced, wages increased; new
Reparations – money that G had to pay the allies for damage homes built, war veterans given support.
done in WWI Women given right to vote, more women in work, but with lower wages than men in lower status jobs. Young women more independent. Society
Republic – a country ruled by a divided, many thought these “new women” threatened traditional values and upset economy.
parliament, not a king/emperor
Ruhr – industrial area of Germany Big cultural changes in Weimar. New freedoms and economic recovery resulted in new styles of art, cinema and architecture.