Germany 1919-33 Revision

November 1918 Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated.

Jan 1919 elections.

Feb 1919: new constitution agreed in the town of Weimar/Ebert President.

System of government in the Weimar Republic (5 points)

	Elected president controlled army, administration and made emergency laws.
	Chancellor responsible to the Reichstag.
	Reichstag made laws, controlled the government and foreign policy.
	Proportional representation.
	Bill of Rights.

1919-23 Problems

1923-29 Prosperity

1929-33 Collapse

Ineffective Constitution (3 things)

	Article 48 gives the President vast ‘emergency’ powers
	Proportional voting means lots of small, powerless parties and frequent changes in government
	The Army and the Judges were right-wing

Left Wing Rebellions (2 years)

	1919 (three events) Spartacists led by Rosa Luxemburg & Karl Leibknecht Workers Councils seized power across Germany Communists took power in Bavaria.
	1920 Red Army rebelled in the Ruhr.

Right-wing agitation (2 ways)

	1920 Kapp Putsch - rebellion in Berlin
	Nationalist terrorists murdered politicians (Rathenau 1922)

Invasion/Inflation

France invaded Ruhr - workers on strike = hyperinflation caused by money printed to pay strikers.

Munich Putsch

Nazis tried to take control of Bavaria.

Communists wanted world revolution/hated the new government.

Right-wing politicians hated the ‘November criminals’ who signed Versailles Treaty – wanted the Kaiser back.

Officials (esp judges) were disloyal and hated the government.

Army led by General von Seeckt was unreliable.

Proportional representation prevented one party getting a majority.

Occupation of the Ruhr humiliated the Gernans and led to hyperinflation.

Printing money to pay strikers.

Nazis based on Anton Drexler’s German Workers’ Party

Hitler takes over and becomes absolute leader.

25 Point Programme (inc. 6 ideas)

	abolish Treaty of Versailles
	expel anyone not ‘true’ German
	anti-Jew
	nationalise large industries
	generous old age pensions
	strong central govt

Mein Kampf (5 ideas)

	National socialism & loyalty to Germany
	Racism; all races inferior to Aryans
	Lebensraum (living space in Poland & Russia)
	Obedience to Fuhrer
	Use of armed force.

Causes (5 reasons)

	Weaknesses of the Weimar government
	Nazi Party growing – but needs action if it is to stay unified.
	Stresemann called off the strike in the Ruhr – seemed like another surrender.
	Mussolini had seized power in Italy by a ‘march on Rome’ in 1922 – Hitler hoped to copy.
	Kahr, Lossow and Seisser were planning a coup, with Hitler’s support.   When they called it off, Hitler went ahead to try to force them to do it.

Events (2 days)

	8 Nov 1923 (3 things) Hitler stormed a political meeting & said he was taking over govt of Bavaria. Used stormtroopers to take over official buildings.  Government didn’t collapse
	9 Nov 1923 (4 things) Nazis marched on the town Police shot at and rounded up stormtroopers 16 Nazis killed. Hitler was arrested and imprisoned.

Results (2 alternatives)

	Failure? Hitler arrested, imprisoned and forbidden from speaking
	Success? (3 things) trial a propaganda coup Mein Kampf sells millions Hitler starts to seek election strategy

Freikorps put down Communist revolts (2 egs.)

	Spartacists 1919
	Red Army 1920.

Army put down Communist revolts (2 egs.)

	Bavaria (1919)
	Rhineland (1923)

Strikes by workers caused the Kapp Putsch to collapse.

Stresemann - a brilliant politician became Chancellor 1923 who: [DIFFER]

	negotiated the Dawes Plan
	controlled Inflation
	persuaded the French to leave the Ruhr
	Improved Foreign affairs (2 egs.) Locarno Pact 1925 entry into League of Nations 1926
	encouraged Economic growth
	introduced Reforms to help ordinary people

New plan by Hitler to take power by democratic means.

Reorganisation of Nazi party (5 bases)

	sets up SS
	takes over other extreme right parties
	Hitler Youth
	Josef Goebbels takes over propaganda (5 strategies) posters leaflets radio films rallies
	businessmen finance Hitler (fearing Communism)

Poor performance in elections 1924-1929 - still only 12 seats in 1928

Less support because of improved conditions in Germany.

Long-term bitterness about the Treaty of Versailles

Ineffective Constitution of Republic

Money from backers inc (6 contributors):

	Thyssen
	Krupp
	IG Faben
	Skoda
	Henry Ford
	Irenee du Pont

Propaganda – blames the Jews and the Communists

Programme appeals to many people in some way

Attacks on other parties and Jews by the SA

Personal qualities (4 things):

	brilliant speaker
	powerful eyes
	good organizer
	driven determination

Economic Depression – makes Germans desperate

Recruited as chancellor Jan 1933 by Hindenburg (thought he could control Hitler).