Germany 1890-1945

• Kaiser Wilhelm II becomes Emperor of Germany

  1888
• Naval race: Germany begins to expand its navy to compete with Britain's navy

  1898
• First World War begins

  1914
• November-Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicates

  1918
• • November - First World War ends
  • June-Treaty of Versailles is signed
  • August-Weimar Constitution is established

  1919
• January-American jazz music comes to Germany

  1920
• March-Foundation of Hitler Youth


  1922
• • January-French and Belgian troops invade German industrial area of the Ruhr
  • Hyperinflation makes money worthless

  1923
• • Gustav Stresemann becomes Foreign Minister
  • August-Dawes Plan: US loans money to Germany

  1924
• February-Hindenburg becomes President

  1925
• January-Germany joins League of Nations


  1926
• October-Wall Street Crash, leading to the Great Depression

  1929
• The Depression takes held in Germany

  1930
• January-Hitler is named Chancellor, after Hindenburg's death in 1934, Hitler becomes Germany's dictator


  1933
• June-Night of the Long Knives; Rohm is arrested and later shot

  1934
• • August-Summer Olympics held in Berlin
  • Membership of the League of German Girls becomes compulsory
  • Volkswagen car company is formed


  1936
• November-Kristallnacht: Jewish homes, businesses and synagogues attacked


  1937
• March-Kapp Putsch


  1938
• September-Germany invades Poland: the Second World War begins


  1939
• • January-Wannsee Conference: plan created for extermination of Europe's Jews
  • Death camps are set up in German-occupied areas


  1942
• • April-Hitler commits suicide
  • May-Surrender of Germany to Allies in the Second World War


  1945