Europe in 1919

Maimed German WW I Veteran

The “Stabbed-in-the-Back” Theory Disgruntled German WWI veterans

German “Revolutions” [1918]

German Freikorps

Sparticist Poster

The Spartacist League Rosa Luxemburg [ ] murdered by the Freikorps Karl Liebknecht [ ] Murdered by the Freikorps

Friedrich Ebert: First President of the Weimar Republic

The Parliament Constitution established a two house parliament– –Lower house= Reichstag –Allotted seats to the parties in direct proportion to the percentage of votes they polled in the election –Positive: assured representation to minor parties –Negative: encouraged the development of a multi party system which made it impossible for anyone party to have a majority

The Parliament cont… –Upper house: Reichsrat –Consisted of representatives elected by the parliaments of the eighteen German states –It had the power to delay the passage of legislation but could not permanently block bills favored by the Reichstag.

The German Government:

The French in the Ruhr: 1923

The French Occupation of the Ruhr

The German Mark

The Beer Hall Putsch: 1923

The Beer Hall Putsch Idealized

Hitler in Landesberg Prison

Mein Kampf [My Struggle] In the book Hitler: gives a semifictionalized account of his life Expresses his ideas of: German racial superiority German nationalism Anti- Semitism Anti- Marxism Set forth what German foreign policy should be Germany was vigorous and growing country that needed lebensraum (living space

European Debts to the United States

The Dawes Plan (1924) Main Points 1. The Ruhr area was to to be evacuated by Allied occupation troops 2. Reparation payments would begin at “one billion marks the first year and increase to two and half billion annually after five years” 3. The German Reichsbank would be reorganized under Allied supervision 4. The sources of reparation money would include transportation, and taxes Main Points 1. The Ruhr area was to to be evacuated by Allied occupation troops 2. Reparation payments would begin at “one billion marks the first year and increase to two and half billion annually after five years” 3. The German Reichsbank would be reorganized under Allied supervision 4. The sources of reparation money would include transportation, and taxes Results 1.Short term economic benefits to the German economy 2.Softened the burden of war reparations 3.Stabilized the currency 4.Brought increased foreign investment and loans to the German market 5.Made the German economy dependent on foreign markets and economy

The Young Plan (1930) For three generations, you’ll have to slave away! $26,350,000,000 to be paid over a period of 58½ years. For three generations, you’ll have to slave away! $26,350,000,000 to be paid over a period of 58½ years.

Timeline Paul von Hindenburg wins presidential election in Germany World Depression strikes Germany (Banks fail, foreign trade declines, factories close, millions are unemployed) von Hindenburg names Heinrich Bruning chancellor (Reichstag majority disagrees and Hindenburg invokes article 48 of the constitution which authorizes him to rule by decree) extremist parties make substantial gains (Nazis & communists)

Weimar Germany: Political Representation [ ] Political Parties in the Reichstag May 1924 Dec May 1928 Sep July 1932 Nov Mar Communist Party (KPD) Social Democratic Party (SDP) Catholic Centre Party (BVP) Nationalist Party (DNVP) Nazi Party (NSDAP) Other Parties

Nazis Fascist Party of Germany Won the support of the lower middle class and peasantry Voters were strongly nationalistic in their political views Most Nazi supporters were Protestant (German Catholics remained loyal to the Catholic Center Party)

League of Nations Members

Washington Naval Conference [ ] U. S. Britain Japan France Italy

The Maginot Line

Locarno Pact: 1925

Gustave Stresemann (Ger.) Aristide Briand (Fr.) Austin Chamberlain (Br.)  Guaranteed the common boundaries of Belgium, France, and Germany as specified in the Treaty of Versailles of  Germany signed treaties with Poland and Czechoslovakia, agreeing to change the eastern borders of Germany by arbitration only.  Guaranteed the common boundaries of Belgium, France, and Germany as specified in the Treaty of Versailles of  Germany signed treaties with Poland and Czechoslovakia, agreeing to change the eastern borders of Germany by arbitration only.

Kellogg-Briand Pact: 1928  15 nations committed to outlawing aggression and war for settling disputes.  Problem  no way of enforcement.  15 nations committed to outlawing aggression and war for settling disputes.  Problem  no way of enforcement.

The Great Depression [ ] Paris in 1930 London in 1930

German Unemployment:

The Great Depression [ ]

German Election Results in 1933

The “New Napoleons?”