Germany

• The Weimar Republic


  The period of German history from 1918-1929, with a new democratic constitution drawn up in 1919
• The First World War ended in 1918, leaving Germany scarred and crumbling after defeat. 11 million Germans had fought, 2 million died, over 4 million were wounded, and 750,000 died from food shortages.
• Kaiser Wilhelm abdicated in November 1918 and Frederich Ebert set up a new German Republic the next day, signing the armistice to end the war.
• Weimar Constitution


  The new democratic constitution for Germany drawn up in January 1919, which outlined key points like a Bill of Rights, universal suffrage, an elected president and Reichstag (parliament)
• Strengths of the Weimar Constitution

  • Established the most advanced democracy in Europe
  • The President was elected every 7 years and had power to appoint the Chancellor
  • The Reichstag had power to pass or reject changes in the law
  • Established rights of free speech and religious belief
  • Clear system of checks and balances
• Weaknesses of the Weimar Constitution

  • Article 48 gave the President too much power in emergencies
  • Proportional representation led to many small parties gaining seats, including extremists
  • The army generals and judges did not like the Weimar Republic
  • The Weimar Republic was not the choice of the people
• The Treaty of Versailles was extremely unpopular in Germany, as it imposed harsh terms like reparations, loss of colonies and territory, military restrictions, and the 'war guilt' clause.
• The Treaty of Versailles damaged Germany's economy and imposed heavy reparations, making the Weimar Republic politically weak from the outset.

  
• Challenges to the Weimar Republic from the Left and Right

  • Extreme right-wing groups wanted a return to a strong government and traditional values
  • Extreme left-wing groups wanted Germany controlled by the workers and abolition of private ownership
  • Moderate centre parties struggled to form majority coalitions while attacked by extremists

  
• Challenges to the Weimar Republic from outside the Reichstag

  • Political assassinations of left-wing and moderate politicians
  • Judges sympathetic to the right wing undermined the Weimar Republic in the courts
• 1923 was a crisis year for the Weimar Republic, with issues around reparations, the French invasion of the Ruhr, and hyperinflation.
• Positive effects of hyperinflation

  • Farmers benefitted from higher food prices
  • Some could pay off loans and mortgages
  • Fixed rents became very cheap
  • Foreign visitors could buy more
• Negative effects of hyperinflation

  • People could not afford essentials
  • Wages did not rise as quickly as prices
  • Some businesses went bankrupt
  • Savings became worthless, affecting the middle class most
• The political and economic turmoil from 1918-1923 had damaged the Weimar Republic, showing it to be weak and unpopular, with extremist parties gaining strength.
• In August 1923, Gustav Stresemann was appointed as Chancellor and Foreign Secretary, and began to recover the Weimar Republic from 1924-1929.
• Savings became worthless – middle class most affected
• People blamed the Weimar government = unpopular
• After August 1923, a new chancellor, Gustav Stresemann found solutions to some of the problems of 1923. By this point, however, the political and economic turmoil from 1918 to 1923 had done its damage.
• The Weimar Republic was shown to be weak. It had to be rescued by the Freikorps in 1919 and workers' strikes in 1920. Government forces had killed thousands of Germans in order to stay in power
• All Germans had suffered. Most blamed the Weimar Republic for their suffering. The middle classes, which would normally be the bedrock of the republic, suffered the most
• Extremist parties, with private armies hostile to the republic, had gained in strength
• In August 1923, President Ebert appointed Gustav Stresemann as his new chancellor and foreign secretary. Stresemann resigned the chancellorship in November 1923, but remained as foreign secretary until 1929.
• Rentenmark


  Stresemann set up a new state-owned bank and introduced a new currency. The supply of the new notes was strictly limited and their value was tied to the price of gold = the currency had real value
• Rentenmark


  • Back by Germany's gold reserves
  • German money trusted at home and abroad
  • Hyperinflation ended
  • Stronger basis for the recovery of German businesses and improvements to employment
• People still had lost a lot of money during the era of hyperinflation = confidence in the Republic knocked
• The Dawes Plan, 1924


  Reparations were temporarily reduced to £50 million per year and US banks agreed to give loans to German industry. Between 1924 and 1930 the US loaned Germany $25 billion.
• The Dawes Plan, 1924

  • Reassured Allies they would get their reparation payments
  • French left the Ruhr because Stresemann had called off passive resistance
  • Industrial output doubled between 1923-1928 passing pre-war levels
  • Employment, trade and income from taxation increased
• Extreme political parties furious that Germany had agreed to pay reparations
• Fragile German economy relied on American loans – could be recalled at any point
• The Young Plan, 1929


  Reduced the total reparations debt from £6.6 billion to £2 billion. It also gave Germany an extra 59 years to pay
• The Young Plan, 1929

  • Lower reparation payments allowed the government to lower taxes on ordinary German people
  • Lower taxes released public spending power – boosted German industry and created more jobs
  • French agreed to leave the Rhineland in 1930
  • Increased the confidence of Germans in the Weimar Republic
• Extremist parties resented the additional length of time given
• Annual payments were still £50 million per year
• Stretched out payments until 1988
• The Locarno Pact, 1925

  A treaty between Germany, Britain, France, Italy and Belgium. It was agreed on equal terms with other main powers – it was not imposed upon Germany. Germany accepted its new 1919 border with France, and France promised peace with Germany. Germany and the Allies agreed that the Rhineland would be permanently demilitarised. The five powers agreed to open talks about German membership to the League of Nations
• The Locarno Pact, 1925


  • Made war in Europe less likely
  • Stresemann was given the Nobel Peace Prize in 1926
  • Germany was treated as an equal – a boost to the prestige of the Weimar Republic.
• Some extremist parties resented the hated Versailles borders had been confirmed.
• The League of Nations, 1926


  The LON had been set up at the end of WW1, and Germany were not allowed to join in this. Stresemann persuaded a number of the great powers in September 1926 to give Germany membership.
• The League of Nations, 1926


  • Germany given a place on the League of Nations Council – took the most important decisions of the League
  • Boost to the moderate parties who supported Stresemann
  • Boosted the confidence of most Germans in the Weimar Republic

  
• The League was a symbol of the hated Treaty of Versailles and they wanted nothing to do with it