Germany part 1

• GERMANY BEFORE Unification of Germany.
• Before 1870, Germany was a series of independent states


  1. Prussia was the largest state

  2. The King of Prussia wanted to unite the states

  3. Many other countries felt threatened by this

  4. Prussia had a series of wars against France, Austria and Denmark

  5. By 1871, Germany was formed, the King of Prussia (Kaiser Wilhelm 1) ruled all the states
• Germany after unification


  • Each state had a representative who supported the Kaiser (the Bundesrat)
  • The Kaiser was also supported by advisors and the chancellor
  • There was also the Reichstag which discussed and voted on the Kaiser's laws
  • The Kaiser had complete control
• Kaiser Wilhelm II


  • Wanted Germany to become as powerful as Britain
  • Wanted Germany to be a military power
  • Had a strong personality but could also be impatient
  • Spent most of his youth in the army so wanted to maintain a powerful army and build up a strong navy
• Germany industrialised under Kaiser Wilhelm II
• By 1913, Germany was producing more steel and coal than Britain
• Impact on workers


  • Landowners, business and factory owners became very rich
  • Workers had low wages, poor working conditions and high cost of living
  • This caused them to join trade unions and organise strikes
  • Many workers voted for the SPD party, hoping the Kaiser would share his power and improve working conditions
• Some socialist workers had extreme views and wanted to start a revolution, which was a problem for the government
• Overseas empire


  • The Kaiser decided Germany should have an overseas empire like other European countries
  • In the late 1800s, Germany began taking over other nations including Cameroon, Togo, South West Africa and East Africa
• Protecting the new empire


  Kaiser Wilhelm wanted a large navy for two reasons:

  1. It would help Germany take over countries and protect the ones already in the Empire
  2. He wanted Germany's navy to rival Britain's
• Between 1898 and 1912, Naval Laws were introduced which saw Germany's navy rapidly grow. Lots of money was spent, taxes were raised and Germany borrowed a lot of money.
• This led to a naval race between Germany and Britain
• Impact of WWI on Germany

  • Shortages of food, medicine and clothes due to British blockade
  • In 1915, 500 women gathered in front of the German parliament and shouted they wanted their men back from the trenches
  • In 1916, 10,000 workers assembled in Berlin to shout "Down with war, down with government"
  • In 1918, Germany was close to collapse, a flu epidemic swept the country killing thousands
  • Factory owners made a fortune but workers had meagre pay
• The economy was heavily impacted, Germany had borrowed a lot of money from allies which would need to be paid back
• German factories were exhausted, having produced shells, bullets and guns instead of goods to sell abroad and make money
• On October 28, sailors refused to follow orders to attack British ships because they didn't want to fight
• News of this mutiny spread to workers and soldiers, who set up soldiers' councils in 6 days which governed cities all over Germany
• The Kaiser couldn't do anything about it as the army generals refused to support him, and he eventually abdicated Germany and never returned
• General Ludendorff told politicians that Britain, France and America might treat Germany more fairly if Germany became democratic
• Friedrich Ebert, leader of the SPD, took the Kaiser's place in a temporary basis and promised to hold elections
• On 11th November 1918, Germany surrendered, which was what the public wanted
• Weimar Republic


  • Revolution is a complete change of leader
  • The Kaiser left and Ebert became temporary leader until elections
  • Not everyone was pleased with the new republic
• Spartacists


  • Group of German Communists who wanted a German revolution
  • Wanted Germany to be equal, no differences in class or wealth
  • In January 1919 they tried to take over Berlin, thousands roamed the streets fighting and firing guns
  • Ebert sent 2,000 ex-soldiers called the Free Corps (a right-wing parliamentary group) to attack the Spartacists
  • After 3 days of street fighting, the Free Corps captured and killed the Spartacist leaders, ending the revolt
• Ebert held an election in late January 1919


  1. His party, the SPD, won the most votes

  2. Ebert became president

  3. Ebert and the newly elected politicians met on 11th February in Weimar to discuss how to govern Germany
• The Weimar Republic


  • The President was elected every 7 years, the first was Ebert
  • The President controlled the army, navy and air force and could rule alone in a crisis using Article 48
  • The Chancellor was chosen by the President and was responsible for the day-to-day running of the country
  • The Reichstag discussed and introduced laws, its members were elected every 4 years using proportional representation
  • All men and women over 20 could vote, the constitution guaranteed them basic freedoms
• Strengths of the Weimar Republic

  • More democratic and progressive
  • Public could vote for who they thought was best to rule the country
  • Guaranteed basic freedom
  • ALL men and women over 20 could vote
• Weaknesses of the Weimar Republic

  • Proportional representation led to many parties arguing over single issues, making decisions and introducing laws difficult
  • Between 1914 and 1935, no political party ever won more than half the votes
  • Article 48 allowed the president to do anything without the support of the Reichstag
• Army generals, upper-class families, factory owners, and professors did not like the Weimar Republic as it was linked to the Surrender of WWI
• Left Wing


  • Believed that everyone is equal
  • Believing in individual freedom and reforms
  • Supported the beliefs and ideas of the Catholic church
  • Supported any policy they think
• Right Wing


  • Wanted Germany to become a power nation and a power, hated democracy + warned government
  • Believed not everyone who is equal
  • Wanted strong government, led by one Strong politician or Kaiser
• NATIONAL PEOPLE'S PARTY


  • Wanted strong government, led by one Strong politician or Kaiser
• NATIONAL SOCIALIST GERMAN WORKERS PARTY (NAZIS)


  • Unemployed, ex-soldiers/wanted strong government, led by one Strong politician or Kaiser
• The Treaty of Versailles

  • Germany had to pay €.6.6 billion in reperations to the allies
  • Germany lost all 11 German colonies in Africa
  • Germany's army was limited to 100,000 man
  • Navy was limited to 6 battleships, 6 cruisers, 12 destroyers, 12 torpedo boats and NO submarines
  • The Rhineland was demilitarised
  • Alsace and Lorraine was lost to France
  • Posen and Upper Silesia was lost to Poland
  • West Prussia was lost to Poland
  • Danzig was made an international city
  • The output of the Saar coalfields was given to France
  • Germany lost 13% of its European territory, 50% of its iron reserves, 15% of its coal reserves
• Germans disliked the Treaty of Versailles because the harsh terms made them feel it was too harsh, took away land, factories, farms, mines and people, had to pay reperations which generations which weren't even involved in the war would have to pay, felt humiliated and angry, hated it was forced on them without discussion, felt stabbed in the back by new politicians, and some felt that Germany could have carried on fighting
• Prices


  Go up
• German reparations were set to 132 billion gold marks in 1921 to be paid over the next 66 years
• In 1922, Germany said they couldn't pay the reparations
• Germany couldn't pay reparations


  Government printed money
• Government printed money


  Prices went up
• In January 1923, 60,000 French and Belgian soldiers marched into the Ruhr and took control