revolution and the republic

• WW1 was longer than expected and Germany suffered heavy losses. It became clear that the Kaiser could no longer rule. By the end of 1918, democracy had emerged in the form of the Weimar Republic.
• War deaths


  • 2 million troops died from fighting
  • 4 million were wounded
• This left 600,000 women as widows (women who have lost their husbands).
• Home front affected by the war


  • 763,000 civilians died from starvation
  • 150,000 died from the flu pandemic (country-wide disease)
• The war crippled the German economy.
• By 1918, industrial production was only 2/3 of what it had been in 1913.
• Germany's debt had increased over World War One from 50 billion marks in 1914 to 150 billion marks in 1918.
• Germany printed more money to fund the war effort. This meant that the value of the German mark fell, leading to inflation (increases in prices).
• Wealth became distributed more unevenly over the First World War.
• The average wage for a worker in 1918 was only 60% of what they earned in 1913.
• Big armament (military weapons) business owners made lots of money from the war.
• This caused social problems as workers resented (felt bitter at) business owners.
• By the autumn of 1918, it was becoming obvious that Germany could not win the war. A series of events led to Kaiser Wilhelm abdicating (giving up leadership).
• It was clear that Germany would be defeated

  29th September 1918
• Field Marshall Hindenburg and General Ludendorff told Kaiser Wilhelm II that Germany could not win the war.
• Hindenburg and Ludendorff said that a democratic government was needed for a favourable peace settlement with the Allied Powers.
• Hindenberg informed the Reichstag of the decision to create a more democratic government

  3rd of October 1918
• The Kaiser appointed a Liberal, Prince Max of Baden, to be Chancellor.
• Under Prince Max, a new government was set up.
• The German military leaders handed over power to the civilian government just in time for them to take the blame for the loss of World War 1.
• The Kaiser lost the support of his military

  28th October 1918
• Sailors in the navy refused to follow the Kaiser's orders. This was called the Kiel Mutiny.
• Kurt Eisner, a communist, caused massed strikes in Munich after supporting an uprising against the Kaiser.
• The Kaiser lost the support of his advisors and was forced to abdicate (give up leadership)

  9th November 1918
• Ministers tried to make the Kaiser abdicate which he refused.
• Following this, the leaders of the army withdrew their support for the Kaiser.
• The Kaiser abdicated and fled to Holland.
• The German Republic was born


  10th November 1918
• Philipp Scheidemann, a member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), declared the new German Republic.
• Freidrich Ebert, the leader of the SPD, became the leader of the German Republic.
• Ebert created the Council of People's Representatives as a temporary government. This Council ran Germany until new elections were held in January 1919.
• Ebert admitted defeat and signed the armistice (truce) with the Allies

  11th November 1918
• Some Germans felt that Germany could have won the war and that the treaty was unfair. They felt 'stabbed in the back' by Ebert and his government.
• Ebert and the politicians who negotiated peace became known as the 'November Criminals'. Berlin became a hotbed for revolt (rebellion).