Weimar + Nazi Germany

• Impact of WWI:

  • 2 million German troops lost.
  • Government debts increase from 50 to 150 billion marks.
  • More than 750,000 Germans died due to food shortages.
• Establishing the Republic:

  • Kaiser Wilhelm II resigned in November 1918.
  • Republic declared 9th November 1918.
  • Philip Scheidemann (SDP) declared the new Republic to the crowds.
• The Armistice:

  • Ratified 11th November 1918.
  • ToV Was very unpopular.
  • First big descision of Ebert’s government.
• Weimar constitution:

  • 31st July 1919 - in Weimar as Berlin was in unrest.
  • Strengths:

  Women could vote + lower voting age

  Proportional representation

  Power not concentrated on one group

  Reichsrat could regulate the Reichstag’s power

  • Weaknesses:

  Coalitions were unstable

  Article 48 enabled the president to suspend the Reichstag

  The people didn’t choose it so wasn‘t that popular
• Treaty of Versailles:

  • £6600 million in reparations.
  • Army limited to 100,000.
  • No airforce allowed.
  • Rhineland demilitarised.
  • 11 colonies lost.
  • 13% European territory lost.
• Spartacist revolt:

  • January 1919, take over of the government’s newspaper and telegraph bureau.
  • Revolt put down by Freikorps.
• Kapp Putsch:

  • In March 1920, Freikorps marched in Berlin.
  • Ebert tried to get head of army to resist but he refused.
  • Dr Wolfgang Kapp put in charge.
  • Government made trade unions go on strike and revolt put down.
• Political assassinations:

  • 376 took place in the early years of the Republic.
  • Many assasins were right-wing, conservative judges were sympathetic.
• Hyperinflation:

  • 1 mark 1919 = 200,000 billion marks in 1923.
  • Smaller businesses went bankrupt.
  • People blamed the new Republic.
• Economic recovery 23-29:

  • Rentenmark set up in November 1923.
  • Industrial output doubled by 1928 and surpassed pre-war levels.
• The Dawes Plan:

  • In 1924.
  • Instalments reduced temporarily to £50 million a year.
  • US banks agreeing to loan to German industry.
• Young plan:

  • Aug 1929.
  • Debt £6.6 to £2 billion.
  • Yearly payments till 1988.
• Locarno Pact:

  • In 1925.
  • Agreed new borders with France.
  • Meant Germany could join the League of Nations.
• League of Nations:

  • Set up in 1920, Germany excluded.
  • Germany became member in 1926.
• Kellogg-Briand Pact:

  • In 1928.
  • Between 62 nations.
  • Avoided war.
• Housing 1925-29:

  • 101,000 homes built.
  • 15% rent tax to fund building associations.
• Women 1925-29:

  • 75% working 1918 to 36% 1925.
  • 90% turned out at elections.
  • Article 109 - ”marriage is an equal partnership”.
• Hitler’s early political career:

  • Joined the DAP in 1919.
  • Named second in command of the DAP in 1920.
  • Hitler took over from Drexler as head of the party in 1921.
• The 25-point programme:

  • Made by Hitler and Drexler in 1920.
  • Compulsory sports and everyone should work.
  • Jews cannot be citizens.
  • Scrap the ToV and build the army.
• The Sturmabteilung (SA)

  • Stormtroopers, made of Freikrops.
  • Formed in August 1921 by Hitler.
  • Controlled by Ernst Röhm.
  • Called ‘Brownshirts‘.
• Reasons for the Munich Putsch:

  • Long term - Dolchstoss, reparations, resentment of Weimar govt.
  • Medium term - Influence if Mussolini, who marched on Rome in 1922.
  • Short term - Hyperinflation, French troops entered the Ruhr in 1923.
• The Beer Hall Putsch:

  • 8th Nov 1923, Hitler and 600 SA entered a beer hall where the Bavarian govt were meeting - Hitler forced them at gunpoint to support them.
  • Röhm took over local police and army HQ.
  • Ludendorff let the Bavarian leaders go behind Hitler’s back.
• Munich Putsch:

  • 9th Nov 1923, Hitler with 1000 SA and 2000 volunteers, marched on Munich town centre.
  • Ludendorff, Röhm and Streicher arrested.
• Consequences of Munich Putsch:

  • NSDAP banned until 1925.
  • Hitler arrested 11th Nov 1923 and imprisoned for only 9 months.
• Bamberg Conference:

  • In 1926.
  • Hitler organised it to address splits between socialist and nationalist Nazis.
• Wall Street Crash:

  • In Oct 1929.
  • Germany had to pay back loans, economy left in ruin.
• The Hitler Appeal:

  • Strong leader, organised SA troops.
  • His image on publicity material.
  • Travelled the country giving strong speeches.
  • Used new technology, like aeroplanes and radios.
• Figures in 1932 politics:

  • Paul von Hindenburg, WWI hero, President.
  • Heinrich Brüning, the Chancellor.
  • General Franz von Papen, politician and friend of Hindenberg.
  • Kurt von Schleicher, the army general.
• 1932 elections:

  • April elections, no parties have 50%.
  • Hindenberg re-elected
  • Brüning bans the SA and buys land to house unemployed, both plans very unpopular so he resigns in May.
  • July elections, Nazi party from 18% in 1930 to 38% in 1932.
  • Hitler demands to be chancellor, Hindenburg refuses.
• Nov 1932 elections:

  • Von Schleicher warns Hindenberg that if Papen stays as chancellor there will be civil war.
  • Von Schleicher becomes chancellor in Dec 1932, he doesn’t have public or Nazi support, suggests Hindenberg should be head of military dictatorship but he refuses.
  • Papen persuades Hindenberg to appoint Hitler as chancellor and himself as Vice-Chancellor.
• The Reichstag Fire:

  • 27th February 1933.
  • One Dutch communist arrested for starting it by Hitler blamed the communist party.
  • 4000s communist arrested.
  • Hitler used it as an excuse to imprison political oppenents and ban opposition newspapers.
  • Hitler persuaded Hindenburg to hold the March 1933 elections.
• March 1933 Elections:

  • Nazis won two thirds of the seats.
  • Used emergency powers to prevent communists taking their 81 seats.
  • Hitler was now able to change the constitution.
• The Enabling Act:

  • In 1933.
  • The Reich Cabinet could pass new laws.
  • The laws could overrule the constitution.
  • Hitler would propose new laws, Germany was no longer a democracy.
  • Used the SA to stop resistant, Nazis won the vote by 444:94.
• Enabling Act Effect:

  • Local government closed down in March 1933.
  • Trade unions replaced with the German Labour Front, many union members arrested in May 1933.
  • May 1933, SDP and Communist Party offices and funds taken by the Nazis. Other parties banned in July 1933.
• Röhm and Hitler:

  • The leaders of the Schutzstaffel (SS) wanted to reduce the size of the SA to get more power.
  • Many SA were bitter as they felt undervalued, but were loyal to Röhm.
  • SA bigger than the army, who feared replacement.
• The SS:

  • Set up by Hitler in 1925, run by Himmler.
  • Hitler’s bodyguards, wore menacing black uniforms.
  • Controlled police and security forces.
  • Ran concentration camps.
  • Acted outside the law.
• Death of Hindenberg:

  • In August 1934.
  • He was the only one above Hitler, a few hours a after he died Chancellor and President were merged to create a new office for the Führer.
• The Night of the Long Knives:

  • Hitler wanted to get rid of Röhm and the SA, invited him and 100 SA leaders to a meeting on 30th June 1934.
  • When they arrived they were taken by the SS to Munich and shot.
  • After, von Papen’s staff were arrested and his home surrounded - he could no longer keep an eye on Hitler.
  • Further killings, including von Schleicher.
• SD (Security Service):

  • Set up by Himmler in 1931.
  • Led by Heydrich.
  • Spied on Nazi opponents, home and abroad.
• Gestapo (Secret State Police):

  • Set up by Goering in 1933.
  • Led by Heydrich.
  • Spied on people and prosecuted anti-nazis, sending them to concentration camps.