The Weimar Republic and the Beginning of Nazi Dictatorship The Failure of Democracy

1918 – Germany a Beaten Power Navy Mutinied Population Starving (British Naval Blockades) Riots in the Streets However, infrastructure in Germany still intact WWI ended before Germany was invaded

New Civilian Government Army Leaders (Hindenburg and Ludendorff) realize they had lost and did not want the humiliation of suing for peace – allow civilian government to take control New Socialist Leader Philipp Scheidemann

First Task - Constitution Proportional Representation in Reichstag (Parliament) led by a Chancellor A President was to be elected Could appoint or dismiss Chancellor Could Govern by decree (make laws in times of emergency without parliamentary consent) First President a Socialist – Freidrich Ebert (moderate Socialist)

Freidrich Ebert

First Challenge to New Government Spartacist Rebellion Extreme Socialists want Communist style revolution Led by Karl Liebnecht and Rosa Luxemburg Two week uprising in Berlin Eventually put down by Frei Korps Ex-servicemen who were against Communism Leaders Killed

Frei Korps

Weimar Republic – Second Challenge Too much fighting in Berlin so new government sets up in city of Weimar Ebert Forced to sign Treaty of Versailles Seen by many as an unforgivable crime Republic is associated with humiliation – traitors to Germany (Hitler would call them the November Criminals) Army claims it is all the civilian “traitors” fault

For and Against Support for the Weimar came from: Socialists Catholic Center Party Democratic Party Those Opposed were the Nationalists and Industrialists Wanted Kaiser back Trade Unions crushed Communists dead Nationalists set up and used the Frei Korps (jobless soldiers) to achieve some of these ends Question: Why would the Nationalist be so Against the Republic?

Third Challenge - Kapp Putsch Frei Korps led by Dr. Kapp try to take power by force Reichswehr (Professional Army) refuses to come to the aid of government and fire on the Frei Korps Government flees Berlin Stopped by general strike by workers Rebels go mostly unpunished Kapp

The Kapp Putch

Fourth Challenge - Economy Loss of Industrial output Treaty of Versailles gave away a great deal of Germany’s industrial areas - Saar Reparations Too severe Government began printing money to pay it without assets to back the notes 1923 French and Belgians move into Ruhr (Industrial Heartland of Germany) Take what they had been promised in Versailles but had not received – coal German workers strike – economy slows even further

Inflation 1918 Jan 1923 Sept 1923 Nov 1923 Bread .6 Marks 250 Marks 201 Million Marks Wealthy are not hit as hard – value of factories and land keeps pace with inflation Trust in Weimar Republic fades

Boys making Kites out of the German mark

The German Mark Firewood Cooking Fuel Lines for food Children Play with stacks of money Cooking Fuel Lines for food 100,000,000 Mark note

The Munich Putsch 1923 (The Beer Hall Putsch) Lead by Hitler and Ludendorff (General in WWI greatly respected by Germans) Gather in a Beer Hall in Munich 3000 armed Brown Shirts (S.A. - Sturmabteilung) March on parliament with idea of taking control Bavarian police fire on marchers and a battle ensues 16 killed Hitler arrested Sentenced to five years in prison Writes Mein Kamph

Ludendorff Prison The Beer Hall The Conspirators The March

The Lull – Germany Accepted back into International Community 1924-1929 Gustav Stresemann Chancellor Stabilizes currency Halts inflation by creating Reichsmark backed by land Orders strikers in Ruhr back to work Starts to pay reparation again Stabilizes international relations Dawes Plan 1924 800 million from USA to help with Reparation Young Plan - 5 years later Reparation reduced to 2 billion from 6.6 Treaty of Rapallo with Russia Closer ties Secret training schools for German Tank and Airplane pilots (Goes against treaty of Versailles)

1925 Locarno Treaties France most important one - Germany gives up any rights to Alsace-Loraine and recognized permanent borders with France Treaty with Poland and Czechoslovakia – disputes to be settled without international help 1926 Germany allowed to join League of Nations Nazi and Communist support lessens during this time When economy begins to falter again (unemployment – agriculture – Great Depression) Nazis begin to gain support again

Political and Economic Turmoil in the 1930s Great Depression degrades economy World wide USA demands payment of its earlier loans to Germany (Dawes etc.) Bruning (Catholic Center Party leader and German Chancellor) responds by cutting unemployment and welfare benefits Socialists withdraw from Coalition Bruning no longer has majority in Reichstag

Nazis and Communists increase their percentage of the vote Elections are called by President Hindenburg (very respected WWI General) Things got worse Nazis and Communists increase their percentage of the vote Bruning has even smaller minority - has to rule by decree Reichstag no longer center of power 1932 Hitler challenges Hindenburg in Presidential election Hindenburg – 19000000 Hitler – 13000000 Communist leader - 4000000

November 1932 elections still no majority Bruning Resigns May 1932 New Chancellor is Franz Von Papen (no real political affiliations – opportunist) Lifts ban on the S.A. Clashes between Nazis and Communists November 1932 elections still no majority December 1932 new Chancellor von Schleicher – resigns Jan 28th, 1933 when Hindenburg won’t let him govern by decree January 30th 1933 – Hindenburg asks Hitler to become Chancellor

Hitler as Chancellor

Hitler Gains Complete Control Hitler did not have a majority at first Calls for new election – still only 44% Reichstag is burnt down in February Communist arrested Communists outlawed - persecuted Passes Enabling Bill – Dictatorial powers Socialists vote against In May socialists are banned By July all other parties are made illegal Nazi Party in complete control