The social and economic strains of total war-finance and economic The Burgfried and 1914 The social and economic strains of total war-finance and economic mobilisation.

Connector What is happening?

Trip to Paris "[obscured by flowers] the fight my sword tip is itching See you later on the Boulevard

Outcomes All to know what the terms Burgfried means Most to see how the Burgfried and political situation in 1914 Some to see how this relates to Germany's role in the beginning of World War 1

What was the Burgfried? literally "fortress peace" or "castle peace" but more accurately "party truce" German term used for the political truce the Social Democratic Party of Germany and the other political parties agreed to during World War I. The trade unions refrained from striking, the SPD voted for war credits in the Reichstag and the parties agreed not to criticize the government and its war

Why did the Burgfried happen? the Social Democrats believed it was their patriotic duty to support the government in war they were afraid of government repression should they protest against the war they feared living under an autocratic Russian Czar more than the German constitutional monarchy and its Kaiser they hoped to achieve political reforms after the war, including the abrogation of the inequitable three-class voting system, by cooperating with the government.

Did anyone oppose? The only SPD member of parliament to vote against war credits in the second session was Karl Liebknecht. In the third session on March 20, 1915, Otto Rühle joined him. Over the course of the war the number of SPD politicians opposed to the war steadily increased. Their resistance against the Burgfrieden politics led to the expulsion of Liebknecht, Rosa Luxemburg, Clara Zetkin, and others from the SPD. These went on to found the Spartacist League, the Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany (USPD), and the Communist Party of Germany (KPD), who would later fight the Nazi's in street battles in the 1930's

Spirit of 1914 The Spirit of 1914 refers to the alleged jubilation in Germany at the outbreak of World War I. Many individuals remembered that euphoria erupted on 4 August 1914 after all the political parties in the Reichstag, including the previously antimilitarist Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), supported the war credits in a unanimous vote, later referred to as the Burgfrieden

Why did this happen? Many, particularly those in the middle class, believed Germany had ended its decades of bitter domestic political conflict. The string of military victories in the following weeks, which demonstrated what Germany could accomplish when unified, suggested that the war would be short, reinforced the ebullience.

Many on the political right accordingly believed, and continued to believe into the Nazi era, that these first weeks of the war were Germany's finest hour, the German equivalent to 1789 in France. Until the 1990s, most historians took the memory of the Spirit of 1914 at face value and claimed that the enthusiasm in August 1914 was universal.

Was this true? There was widespread apprehension when Germany declared war on 1 August 1914 and civilians watched their loved ones march off to battle in the following weeks. Middle-class nationalists were the most enthusiastic and published countless tracts and editorials hailing the new political unity An estimated one million war poems were sent to German newspapers in August 1914 alone. Dissent was smothered by this overabundance of literature cheering the war, the promise not to violate the Burgfrieden, and fear of undermining support for loved ones on the front. It accordingly appeared that the Spirit of 1914 was universal

Was it correct? The memory of Spirit of August 1914 persisted, even when the actual support for the war waned with the horrifying casualties on the front and the terrible hunger on the home front caused by the British blockade of Germany.

The 1920's During the Weimar Republic the popular perception that Germany had been stabbed in the back rendered the public vulnerable to the Nazis, who embraced the language of the Spirit of 1914 in their aim of reviving German pride, confidence and power. The Spirit of 1914 is said to be when Great Britain was fighting Germany in the trenches. While the two countries were fighting, a beautiful voice came out of the sky, and started singing Silent Night, a religious hymnal. While what people say, "Angels" where singing Silent Night, the German's and the English exchanged gifts, and brought peace upon the two trenches.

Task Discuss and present in two groups Read pages 49-54 in your red books Make notes In the green book 82-88/89

Read the article http://www.rosenoire.org/articles/hist1.php Extention Read the article http://www.rosenoire.org/articles/hist1.php

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