Weimar Republic

• What had happened by November 1918

  Kaiser agreed to abdicate
• What happened November 9th 1918

  Germany declared a republic
• Strengths of the Weimar Republic

  Democratic, Reichstag had proportional representation , constitution constructed so no one had too much power
• Weaknesses of Republic

  No party had a clear majority so it took a long time to make a decision, many small parties had seats, based on violence
• Challenges

  Loss blamed on November criminals, armistice a stab in the back from Weimar politicians, french occupation of the Ruhr, Hyperinflation
• Left wing rebellion


  Spartacist rebellion led by Karl libernacht and Rosa Luxembor tried to take over Berlin. Friekorps used violence to deal with them
• right wing rebellion 1920


  Kapp putsch led by Wolfgang Kapp. Wanted to create a new right wing government and marched into Berlin. Workers opposed putsch and striked. Wolfgang fled the country after failure
• Economic recovery

  Streseman introduced rentenmark in 1923

  Daws plan in 1924 meant US banks would loan Germany 25 billion

  Young Plan in 1929 reduced reparations from 6.6 billion to 2 billion
• Foreign relations recovery

  1925 Locarno pact meant new borders accepted. Rhineland permanently demilitarised

  1926 League of Nations set up and Germany becomes a member

  Kellogg-Briand pact meant Germany and 61 other countries wouldn’t use violence for foreign policy aims (1928)
• Living standards

  Unemployment reduced by 700,000 from 1926 to 1928

  wages raised by 25%

  private companies build 37,000 houses and building associations build 64,000

  pensioners law introduced 1920
• Women

  Given right to vote and stand for election.

  112 women in reichstag by 1932

  36% of women employed by 1925
• Culture

  Otto Dix paintings critical of German society

  architects like Mendelssohn influenced by bahaus
• Causes of lean years

  Stab in back theory caused hatred of Weimar republic

  Hitler influenced by Mussolini leading his forces into rome

  Hyperinflation made weimar seem weak
• Events of lean years

  Om november 8th 1923 leaders of Bravaria met in a beerhall munich. Hitler declared he was taking over bravaria and would march into Berlin. Officials agreed however withdrew support after being release. Upon matching into the state centre he was met with state police and arrested
• Consequences of lean years

  Hitler found guilty of treason and sentenced to five years in prison. Hitler realised he would need nationwide support for power

  wrote mein kampf in prison
• what happened after Hitler was released

  Introduce: headquarters in munich, creation of nationwide Nazi party with a representative in each state, SS for private army
• Growth in Nazi support

  Germany banks ran out of money after Wall Street crash. 6.1 million became unemployed

  Hitler seemed strong where Weimar seemed weak, promised he would protect business owners from communists, promised “work and bread”, promised farmers could keep land, aimed propaganda at women
• How hitler became chancellor

  Hindenburg elected president in 1923

  Brunning resigns 1932 after losing public support, Von Papen chancellor in 1932, Nazis win 38% of votes in reichstag 1932, Von Papen sacked 1932, Von Schliecher becomes chancellor 1932, Von Schliecher resigns 1933 and Hitler is elected chancellor
• Creating dictaatorship

  Reichstag fire on 27th februay 1933 allowed hitler to declare public state of emergency

  Enabling act in march 1933 was approved

  Once the enabling act was passed Hitler banned trade unions and all other political parties

  night of the long knives saw the death of senior members of the SA

  On 2nd August 1934 Hindenburg died and hitler declared himself fuhrer with the power of the chancellor and president