Paper 3 - Weimar/Nazi Germany

• The Weimar Republic 1918−29

  
• Contents

  • The Origins of the Weimar Republic, 1919
  • The Treaty of Versailles, 1919
  • Political Challenges to the Weimar Republic, 1919−23
  • Hyperin}ation in Germany, 1923

  
• The Origins of the Weimar Republic, 1919
• Timeline - The Creation of the Weimar Republic

  1. The First World War & the Creation of Weimar Germany - Summary

  2. The Abdication of the Kaiser

  3. The Creation of the Weimar Republic

  4. Elections & the National Assembly

  5. The Weimar Constitution - Structure

  6. The Weimar Constitution - Strengths and Weaknesses

  
• In 1918, Germany was under a dictatorship of the Kaiser - the German word for 'King'. Kaiser Wilhelm II ruled Germany from 1888 and pushed the country to increase its economic and military power. He refused to give the people of Germany rights and freedoms.

  
• Most of the First World War had seen Germany stuck in trench warfare against the Allied forces of France, Britain and the USA. Germany launched their Spring Oyensive in March 1918 and their military leaders were con|dent it would result in German victory. Despite its early successes, the gamble of the Spring Oyensive did not deliver the necessary defeat of the Allies.

  
• The German people were at breaking point. The loss of family members and food shortages caused an eruption of strikes and demonstrations across the country. By November 1918, the situation was unrecoverable for the Kaiser. His abdication and exile to the Netherlands allowed a new state to emerge. Germany became known as the Weimar Republic.

  
• The Weimar Republic, under the chancellorship of Friedrich Ebert, pursued several policies. The |rst action of the Republic was to sign an armistice to end the First World War. The German public resented admitting defeat to the Allies. The subsequent treaty to formally end the war created mass anger against the Weimar government.

  
• The Weimar government introduced reforms that the German people had never experienced before. The government created universal suyrage and produced a new German Constitution. While the Weimar Constitution aimed to bring democracy to the people, it held many }aws. In particular, the choice to use proportional representation in elections created a weak coalition government. To pass necessary laws, it abused its emergency powers. The Weimar Constitution would later lead to negative public opinions and multiple opportunities for the system of government to be exploited.

  
• The Eyects of the First World War on Germany

  • Between 1914 and 1918, two million German soldiers died and four million more were wounded
  • Germany's debt trebled from 50 billion marks in 1914 to 150 billion marks in 1918
  • The German people were near starvation
  • The British Navy had blockaded German naval ports. No food from overseas could enter the country
  • As a result, Germany experienced a wave of civil unrest

  
• The Abdication of the Kaiser

  1. The Kaiser could no longer rule Germany

  2. Many towns had set up councils of workers and soldiers. These were to replace the Kaiser's ozcial local authorities

  3. On 9th November 1918, the Kaiser's military advisers told him he must abdicate to stop the civil unrest

  4. Max von Baden, who the Kaiser had appointed to be Chancellor on 3rd October, announced the Kaiser's abdication without his consent or knowledge

  5. The Kaiser was not in Berlin at the time. He was roughly 700km away at the Army's headquarters in Spa

  6. The next day (10th November), the Kaiser escaped from Germany by train and arrived in the Netherlands

  7. The Allies placed pressure on the Netherlands to extradite the Kaiser to Germany
• The Creation of the Weimar Republic

  1. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) aimed to bring Germany under control after the Kaiser abdicated

  2. Phillip Scheidemann, a leading member of the SPD, heard that armed rioters wanted to establish a communist government in Berlin

  3. He shouted out of a window of the Reichstag (Germany's parliament) for the German people to remain calm and support a more moderate government

  4. Max von Baden resigned as Chancellor of Germany and oyered the position to Friedrich Ebert, the leader of the SPD. Ebert accepted the role

  5. On 10th November, Ebert attempted to save Germany from communism

  6. He worked with General Groener and the army to suppress the communist rioters

  7. He dismissed the old Reichstag and created a Council of People's Representatives

  8. This consisted of six politicians who would govern Germany until elections could be held

  9. Ebert's measures succeeded in the short-term

  10. The Council of People's Representatives, along with the army, was able to regain control of Germany

  11. Germany avoided becoming a communist state

  12. Ebert's methods would have long-term consequences

  
• Elections & the National Assembly

  1. The |rst nine months of the Weimar Republic were critical to increase people's con|dence in the new government

  2. The civil servants under the Kaiser's government continued their work. They collaborated with the army and the new workers' councils

  3. Ebert continued his alliance with General Groener to keep the Weimar Government in power. In return, Ebert promised not to reform the army

  4. Businesses kept their land and property. The state would not nationalise their businesses. This helped Germany's economy recover and won the support of big business owners like Hugo Stinnes

  5. Ebert promised more worker rights to gain the approval of trade unions. An example of this was guaranteeing an 8−hour working day

  6. Ebert announced there would be elections to choose a National Assembly. The assembly would be responsible for writing the German Constitution

  7. Under the Kaiser, Germany did not have a written Constitution. This was so the Kaiser could create and change laws as he pleased

  8. The creation of a Constitution would signify the start of democracy. It would hold the new government and the German people accountable for following the rules

  9. On 19th January 1919, Germany elected their new government

  10. The SPD won 40% of the vote and the Centre Party gained 20% of the vote. These were both moderate parties

  11. 82% of enfranchised people voted

  12. In February 1919, Friedrich Ebert was elected as Germany's |rst president

  13. From November 1918 to July 1919, the Republic had not consolidated their power

  14. Extreme political parties did not support the new Republic. They continued to demonstrate and riot across Germany

  15. The SPD had gained 40% of the vote but lacked a majority. They would have to rule in a coalition government with other parties
• The Weimar Constitution - Structure

  1. The National Assembly met in February 1919 to write the Constitution

  2. They met in the town of Weimar because of the unrest in Berlin. This is where the term 'Weimar Republic' comes from

  3. The Constitution took 6 months to complete. It was passed by 262 votes to 75

  4. The Constitution outlined each elected ozcial's power and responsibilities in the Weimar government

  
• Strengths and weaknesses of the Weimar Constitution


  • Strengths:
  • The people gained more rights such as voting
  • Proportional representation ensured the Reichstag represented smaller parties. One seat was equivalent to 60,000 votes
  • The system was designed to stop someone from taking ultimate power. For example, the president chose the chancellor but the public elected the president every seven years
  • The Reichstag and the Reichsrat worked together. The Länder (local governments) retained power over schools and the police. The Reichsrat could challenge laws unless two-thirds of the Reichstag voted against the Reichsrat's intervention
  • Weaknesses:
  • An increase in elections weakened the public's enthusiasm for voting. During the 1920s and 1930s, fewer people voted in elections
  • The use of proportional representation meant no single party won a majority in the Reichstag. There were nine coalition governments between 1919 and 1923 alone. This meant policies lacked vision and took longer to pass
  • Article 48 meant the chancellor could ask the president to pass emergency laws without the support of the Reichstag. Ebert used Article 48 63 times, 1923−24. The abuse of the article continued into the 1930s
  • The new Constitution did not subdue the extremist political parties. They continued to violently attack the Weimar Republic. The government relied on force to maintain power
• The Treaty of Versailles, 1919
• Germany's Reaction to the Treaty of Versailles - Summary

  1. The Treaty of Versailles is often referred to as one of the most hated treaties in history. This is because every country that signed the agreement was deeply unhappy with the outcome. The 'Big Three' of Britain, France and the USA met at the Palace of Versailles in January 1919 with diyerent intentions.

  2. Georges Clemenceau, France's Prime Minister, wanted the treaty to be harsh on Germany. France and Germany had fought multiple times during the 19th century. Germany had taken key areas from France including the region of Alsace-Lorraine. Clemenceau saw the Treaty of Versailles as an opportunity to gain territory back and ensure Germany could not launch future invasions into France. Clemenceau's anger also stemmed from the impact of the First World War on his country. The majority of the Western Front was in France. The |ghting had destroyed many roads, hospitals and factories. He wanted Germany to

  
• The Treaty of Versailles is often referred to as one of the most hated treaties in history
• Every country that signed the agreement was deeply unhappy with the outcome
• The 'Big Three'


  • Britain, France and the USA
• Georges Clemenceau


  France's Prime Minister
• Woodrow Wilson


  American president
• David Lloyd George


  Britain's Prime Minister
• The Allies banned Germany from attending the peace talks in January 1919

  
• The Weimar Republic had little choice but to sign the treaty
• The public's hatred towards the Treaty of Versailles lasted into the 1930s
• One of the first actions of the Weimar government was to surrender to the Allies
• Germany was experiencing civil unrest and their economy was collapsing
• Matthias Erzberger, a member of the Centre Party, signed the armistice on 11th November 1918
• Withdrawing from the First World War tainted public opinion of the Weimar government
• The German army retreated in November 1918 but it was not defeated
• The armistice only ensured temporary peace
• No German representatives were allowed to attend the peace talks
• The treaty was known as a 'diktat'
• Germany had 15 days to ask the Allies to change sections of the treaty. The Allies denied every concession the Germans requested

  
• The 'Big Three'


  The leaders of Britain, France and the USA in 1919
• The aims of the 'Big Three'

  • Clemenceau wanted the treaty to be harsh on Germany, Wilson wanted to create a lasting peace, Lloyd George held an opinion in between

  
• The military terms of the Treaty of Versailles

  • Rhineland demilitarised, Germany's army restricted to 100,000 men, Germany's navy restricted, Germany not allowed to have an air force
• The territorial terms of the Treaty of Versailles


  • France given the Saar, Alsace-Lorraine became part of France, Anschluss forbidden, Germany lost Posen and West Prussia, Germany lost all colonies
• The political and economic terms of the Treaty of Versailles

  • Germany could not join the League of Nations, 'War Guilt' Clause, Germany to pay reparations of 132 billion gold marks