TIMELINE OF EVENTS

GERMANY

TIMELINE OF EVENTS

TIMELINE OF EVENTS

TIMELINE OF EVENTS

TIMELINE OF EVENTS

TIMELINE OF EVENTS

THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC o THE WEIMAR CONSTITUTION (vs monarchy) and problems o KEY EVENTS & how they led to the weakness of the Weimar Republic

Instability, when the republic was struggling to survive Golden Age, economic recovery and industrial boom Wall Street Crash, instability. Collapse of Weimar Republic and rise of Hitler

MONARCHY DEMOCRACY FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE: (shift in basis of power from head of state to people)

KEY DIFFERENCES HEAD OF STATE Kaiser: A lot more powerful: hereditary monarch, complete control President: Elected by voters, thus dependent on popular support. In an emergency, could override constitutional rights and issue laws by decree CONSTITUTION Non-existent Determined fundamental rights of people (Bill of Rights) PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION N.A. Proportional representation of deputies based on vote percentage VOTERS Only men Men and women above 20 KEY IDEA: Separation of power from hands of head of state into Reichstag, Reichsrat, voters. Government completely dependent on popular vote (including President) NO INDIVIDUAL HOLDS SUPREME POWER

PURPOSE: To safeguard and protect the rights of the people by defining scope of the government s power ASSUMPTIONS: 1. That the people are politically conscious and mature 2. Principles of democracy will be adhered to 3. Government will not abuse power 4. Interest of people at the core of making decisions STRENGTHS People s views will be sufficiently represented Fair voting on laws Head of State able to step in in event of emergency Separation of power ensures no individual holds absolute power Regular change of government WEAKNESSES Difficult to make decisions due to number of different ideologies Laws voted may not be a true representation of what people want Head of State might not be competent/uncorrupt Open nature allows for rise of extremism Takes a long time to make decisions (due to levels of bureaucracy)

How does the Weimar Constitution allow for abuse (especially in the context of Germany from 1918-1933)? TREATY OF VERSAILLES ECONOMIC PROBLEMS DESPERATE AND ANGRY PEOPLE Rise of extremism, rift in government

TREATY OF VERSAILLES RESPONSIBILITY MILITARY FINANCIAL Territorial

RESPONSIBILITY / WAR GUILT Held Germany to be solely responsible for all loss and damage suffered by the Triple Entente during the War LEGAL BASIS for financial terms of the treaty

FINANCIAL o Also known as reparations o Huge sum of 6 600 000 000 Euros o To be paid in cash or in kind o Astronomical sum: Germany would take 70 years to repay the money

TERRITORIAL o Stripped of its overseas colonies (taken over by Britain and France) o Not permitted to unite with Austria in an attempt to limit economic and warmaking potential (Anschluss) o Alsace returned to France

o Not allowed to have a General Staff: body that coordinates military planning o 100 000 men, no conscription allowed o No tanks or artillery o Six battleships, no submarines o No air force MILITARY o Demilitarized zone in Rhineland (border between France and Germany, key industrial area)

LOSSES NATIONAL PRIDE 13% TERRITORY 12% POPULATION 15% AGRICULTURAL OUTPUT 48% IRON ORE OUTPUT 15% COAL OUTPUT

AFTERMATH o o o Germany not given a say in the negotiations Germans felt that their country had been humiliated and stripped of much of its power Led to Stab-in-the-back theory o o o Much of Germany s economy was taken over by the League of Nations / France Crippled Germany s recovery economically, in addition to having to pay reparations Was a further blow to the psychological impact of the treaty

AFTERMATH: KAPP PUTSCH o o o o o Many on the political right wanted to see the new Republic overthrown o Strengthened by Stab in the Back General Ludenhorff, Wolfgang Kapp, General von Luttwitz (organiser of Freikorps) Luttwitz rejected disbanding of troops and began to seize government buildings Collapsed because the trade unions called a general strike and the civil service refused to accept Kapp s orders Government did NOT move against opponents because of strikes and Communist uprisings and reliance on army (Hans von Seeckt refused to allow his troops to be used to put down uprsing)

INFLATION (n) [in-fley-shuhn] Economics. a sustained increase in the general level of prices for goods and services. Measured as an annual percentage increase. As inflation rises, every dollar you own buys a smaller percentage of goods and services.

CAUSES 1914-1918 WAR DEBTS 1919-1923 reparations and welfare costs 1923 FRENCH OCCUPATION OF RUHR & PASSIVE RESISTANCE Financed its war effort by borrowing and selling war bonds: 84% of war expenditure borrowed Policy of deficit financing; reduced taxation to create demand and employment: INFLATIONARY Had to be paid in hard currency; printed more money to pay reparations Production collapsed and revenue ceased. Government had to pay millions of marks to those who had lost revenue; resulted in government printing more bank notes

RESULT Germany was in deficit (EXPENDITURE > TAXATION) WHOLESALE PRICE INDEX July 1914 1 January 1919 2 January 1920 4 January 1921 14 January 1922 37 January 1923 2785 July 1923 74787 September 1923 23949000 November 1923 750000000000 By the end of 1923 only 29.3% trade union members worked full time

RESULT o Middle class most severely affected o The rich with land, possessions and foreign currency were protected o The poor did not have much to lose to begin with o People who took out loans benefited since they could pay back at a fraction of the original price o ALL SAVINGS BECAME WORTHLESS o Implication? After the recovery of the economy, Germany would not have much in way of investment

THE STRESEMANN YEARS

ECONOMIC IMPROVEMENT o September 1923: payment of reparations were resumed o November 1923: Rentenmark introduced to replace the old mark. Printing strictly limited. o Reichbank opened o 1924: Germany lent 800 million marks by the USA o Dawes Plan: reduced amount of reparations per year o 1928: Industrial production surpassed pre-wwi levels

THE DOWN SIDE o Economy depended hugely on American loans; potential for crash (illustrated in Wall Street Crash 1929) o Unemployment rates were still rising o One-sided economy that focused largely on industrial; ignoring agriculture (farm workers wages were in 1929 little more than half the national average) o Extremes of wealth and poverty

DAWES PLAN o Ruhr to be returned to German control to end the policy of passive resistance once and for all (Germany s most important economic zone) o Reparation payments restructured: 1B first year, 2.5B subsequent years (more German-friendly ) o American loaned Germany 800M marks

LOCARNO TREATIES o Designed to preserve existing French-German- Belgian borders (based on the Treaty of Versailles) o Rhineland security compact: demilitarized zone in Rhineland (later broken by Hitler in 1936)

LEAGUE OF NATIONS o Stresemann took Germany into the League of Nations in 1926 o Permanent seat on League s Council alongside Britain and France

THE DARK SIDE o Hindenburg, a representation of Old Germany, elected as President. Reflects the lack of support for democratic system o Nationalists opposed Stresemann s policies; thought he was too moderate. They wanted to get rid of the Versailles Treaty, not just get it revised o Nazis and Communists wanted to overthrow the Republic entirely o Structural political defects of the Weimar state not rectified

THE STRESEMANN YEARS Basically: a period of relative peace and stability before the breakdown of the Weimar republic. Dependence on USA and failure to rectify structural problems set the stage for the rise of Hitler.

WALL STREET CRASH 1929 America withdrew all loans from Germany, causing economy to crash Leading to more debt and the Great Depression German exports slumped, millions of people lost their jobs BUSINESSMEN saw their businesses close and income fall. Government even raised taxes to pay for unemployment benefit YOUNG PEOPLE Almost half the Germans between 16-30 were unemployed. 60% graduates could not get a job FARMERS had not done well in the 1920s. Prices had been falling since 1925. Slipped further into debt during the Depression WORKERS 40% were unemployed by 1932. Government also cut unemployment benefit to save money extreme poverty

SIGNIFICANCE RISE OF EXTREMISM CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE WIDESPREAD UNHAPPINESS AND DISCONTENT

Exports 1929: 630M 1932: 280M 1929: 1.8M 1932: 5.6M 1929: 100 1932: 58 50000 business closures Prices 1927: 138 1932: 77 1931: 5 major banks collapsed 50000 business bankruptcies

LESS INCOME AND LIQUIDITY LOSS OF CONFIDENCE SPIRAL DOWN IN TRADE WORKERS UNEMPLOYED ORDERS AND CONTRACTS FALL DEMAND FALLS

THE NAZIS o NAZI IDEOLOGY and how it appealed to the Germans o KEY EVENTS in the rise of Hitler

NAZISM RACISM o Aryans as master race, Social Darwinism (survival of the fittest) o Obsessed with the idea of racial purity o o o ANTI-DEMOCRACY Dictatorship, single party state Believed democracy was weak German tradition of militarism o November Criminals NATIONALISM SOCIALISM o Overturning the Treaty of Versailles o Lebensraum (Germans as master race) o Expansion, Greater Germany o o Anti-capitalist, profit sharing Loss of individual freedom for collective good ( Volkgemeinschaft )

MUNICH BEER HALL PUTSCH o 8/9 November 1923: Was a farcical failure o Nazis humiliated, 16 killed o Hitler turned defeat into triumph: trial for treason gave him a nationwide platform for his beliefs, transforming the event into a propaganda coup o Established reputation as the natural leader of extreme right-wing nationalists

Establish total control of party Gain power by legal means Create party aimed at electoral success

1929 Wall Street Crash: Weimar s Black Swan Rise of radical political extremist parties Collapse of support for Centrist parties: 39.5% Communists + Nazis: 51.6% German people voted to reject democracy (ha ha, irony)

DEATH OF WEIMAR RISE OF NAZIS Lack of support from Germany s elites wanted to return to pre 1918 Germany No widespread popularity: Germans never trusted democracy Constant economic crisis: recovery shaky at best Economic crisis was the final nail in the coffin Broad based popular support, especially from young people 60% of politically active young people (20-30) joined the Nazis Nazis were a force for change

NAZI ELECTORAL SUCCESS PROPAGANDA HITLER S PERSONAL VIOLENCE QUALITIES

PROPAGANDA Flexibility in promises to voters Farmers Unemployed Workers Industrialists Benefits and subsidies to offset falling agricultural prices Overcoming the economic crisis; offering bread, hope, and work Playing down fear of nationalization and control of economy Rallies Unifying themes Scapegoats Uniforms, torches, music, salutes, flags creating a visual spectacle highlighting strength and organization Hitler the saviour of Germany, Nationalism, Volksgemeinschaft November Criminals, Communists, Jews

HITLER AS CHANCELLOR o Hindenburg moved power from parliamentary to presidential o After September 1930 elections, there was no way a rightwing government could be formed without Nazis o March 1932: Hitler demanded Chancellorship. Demanded all or nothing strategy o Schleider tried to convince Hindenburg that continuing Papen s chancellorship would lead to civil war and formed majority with Nazis, him as Chancellor. Tried to split Nazis o Hitler found out and dismissed Strasser. Schleider did not get authority to rule by emergency decree. Schleider resigns. o Papen persuaded Hindenburg to accept Hitler as Chancellor with Nazi minority in Cabinet

CONSOLIDATION OF POWER KEY QUESTION: how did Hitler consolidate his power in 1933-1934 through the systematic removal of opposition?

REICHSTAG FIRE 27 FEB 1933 EMERGENCY DECREE 28 FEB 1933 ELECTIONS 5 MAR 1933 BANNING OF TRADE UNIONS 2 MAY 1933 EMPLOYMENT LAW 9 JUN 1933 LAW AGAINST NEW PARTIES 14 JUL 1933 ENABLING ACT 24 MAR 1933 CIVIL SERVICE LAW 7 APR 1933 CONCORDAT WITH CATHOLIC CHURCH 20 JUL 1933 NIGHT OF THE LONG KNOVES 30 JUN 1934

REICHSTAG FIRE o Reichstag was burnt down on 27 Feb 1933 o Nazis accused Dutch Communist van der Lubbe of starting fire o Theory of Nazis befriending him and convincing him to set fire Significance? o Was marketed as the beginning of a Communist plot against the government o Advocated stamping out the Communists o Caused the Emergency Decree

EMERGENCY DECREE o Passed on 28 Feb 1933 o Allowed Hitler to restrict personal liberty, freedom of expression, privacy etc and arrest whoever is deemed suspicious with no actual charge indefinitely o SS and SA began rounding up Communists Significance? o Act of campaigning against Nazis was effectively illegal o Gave Hitler full power over country to arrest and detain whoever he wanted

5 MARCH 1933 ELECTIONS o 43.9% seats to the Nazis not as much as Hitler had hoped o Main opposition were social democrats (18.3%), Communists (12.3%), Centre Party (11.2%) Significance? o Set the stage for Hitler to push for Enabling Act so he could bypass the Reichstag

ENABLING ACT o Passed on 24 March 1933 o Allowed the Cabinet to introduce legislation without going through the Reichstag o 444 for, 94 against because SA intimidated Social Democrats + Communists and did not allow them to turn up. People who did not turn up were automatically considered as supporting the bill Significance? o Hitler had fulll power and effective dictatorship o Eliminates say of Reichstag and Cabinet o Reichstag voted to allow themselves to be bypassed

CIVIL SERVICE PURGE o 7 April 1933: Jews and political opponents purged from bureaucracy and civil service (doctors, lawyers, teachers etc) o Not as thorough as Nazis would have liked (War veterans etc exempt) o Appeals not allowed Significance? o Anyone deemed a political opponent or seen as unnecessary could be purged o People therefore less likely to oppose Nazis for fear of losing their jobs o Got rid of opposition from intellectuals

BANNING OF TRADE UNIONS o o o o o o o Need arose from power trade unions exercised over workers Arrested all trade union leaders, took over HQs Confiscated funds (essentially workers money) German Labour Force took over; Strength Through Joy movement + Beauty of Labour Movement Strikes and protests banned Significance? Trade unions traditionally associated with political left Removed possible opposition from workers by: o Taking away their say (banning of strikes, traditional way of demanding better wages and conditions) o Appeasing them (STJ: Volkswagen, cheaper movie tickets etc, BOL: Improved working conditions, low cost canteens

EMPLOYMENT LAW o 9 June 1933: Men sent to public works o Unemployment fell from 6M to virtually nothing o Luftwaffe provided jobs to steel mills, coal mines, factories Significance? o Increased support for Nazis solved key Weimar problem of unemployment o Preparation for war (kill two birds with one stone wow) o Raised demand from private sector

LAW BANNING NEW PARTIES o 14 July 1933: Anyone attempting to set up a party would be punished with penal servitude of up to 3 years or imprisonment from 6 months to 3 years o Nazis only party in Germany Significance? o Effectively stamped out all possibility of political opposition o Total dictatorship

CONCORDAT WITH CATHOLIC CHURCH o 20 July 1933: Catholic Church agreed not to oppose political and social aims of Nazis o In return guaranteed religious freedom and rights of land Significance? o Eliminated opposition from Church another key influencing factor in Germany

NIGHT OF THE LONG KNIVES o SA became too powerful in Nazi Germany; led to opposition within Nazi party and army o Himmler, Goring, Goebbels vs Rohm who became overambitious, spoke of absorbing army within SA o Hitler signed pact with army; SA under army, army oath to Hitler Significance? o Army swore personal allegiance to Hitler o Rise of SS o Eliminated last possible source of opposition: from within the party itself o Showed Hitler s relentless pursuit of complete power

How did these events circumvent all possible sources of opposition to Hitler? 1. Controlled crisis: reduced unemployment, led to support and gratitude for his policies 2. Got rid of all opposition and possibility of opposition by stamping out political opponents and dissent from within party 3. Made good use of events to his advantage

COMMUNISTS SOCIALISTS OTHER PARTIES STURM ABTEILUNG CATHOLIC CHURCH CATHOLIC CENTRE