HIST2128 Germany, : From Empire to Republic The Revolution of and the founding of the Weimar Republic Lecture April 2012

Split of Social Democratic Party 1912 Reichstag election success: Largest party in national parliament 1914 Strong support of German war bonds 1917 Under impression of Russian Revolution splits into: MSPD or SPD: Majority Social Democratic Party (moderate, reformist) USPD: Independent Social Democratic Party (radical but not revolutionary ) Spartakus League (revolutionary, Marxist-Leninist)

Empire ＞ Parliamentary monarchy Ludendorff predicts “break-down” of army (29 Sep) New government formed under liberal Prince Max von Baden as chancellor, with MSPD, Catholic (Centre Party) and Left Liberals (FVP) = A revolutionary constitutional act, signed 4 Oct by Kaiser Wilhelm II: ‘October Decrees’ = First step to transform Empire into parliamentary monarchy

Sailors mutiny in Kiel Growing unrest in fleet which lay idle during war Suicidal order from Naval High Command in early Nov 1918 as immediate cause Revolutionary sailors supported by socialists & democrats take power but soon repressed = First major upheaval in Germany = Stab-in-the-back legend born: “Enemy on the left” = Growing public fears of Bolshevist Russian-style revolution by leftists

Regime change, 9/10 Nov (1) Revolution arrives at capital Berlin (9 Nov): → Mass demonstrations + tense political situation Imperial chancellor Max von Baden announces emperor’s abdication (without his consent) + hands over his office to SPD leader Ebert to safeguard new parliamentary monarchy → Proclamation of a republic in by Social Democrat Scheidemann ≠ proclamation of a socialist republic by Communist Liebknecht

Regime change, 9/10 Nov (2) (Informal) abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II Renunciation of crown prince Wilhelm to become next emperor Kaiser Wilhelm II flees to exile in Holland (10 Nov) = End of monarchical system in Germany after 200 years ( )

Regime change, 9/10 Nov (3) SPD leader Ebert as chancellor for a few hours Berlin Workers’ and Soldiers’ Council as highest political authority in Germany ↓ ☼ Transfers power to new provisional government: ‘Council of People’s Deputies = 3 SPD + 3 USPD ☻ No Communist counter-government of Bolshevist- Russian style due to lack of support ► ☼ Ebert’s strong push to held general national elections ASAP in order to achieve parliamentary democracy

Ebert Groener Accord Ebert’s accord with general Wilhelm Groener (successor of Ludendorff), 10 Nov → to suppress revolutionary uprisings in interest of peace & stability → to keep up military discipline in German army = First major rift between moderate SPD and more radical USPD = Minimized chance for leftists to transform Germany into a Bolshevist Russian-style state = No ‘offensive pact’ of SPD + military against revolution

Spartakus Uprising Creation of Communist Party (KPD) called ‘Spartacus League’ by USPD + other radical leftists Spartakus ‘Red Guard’ uprising (5-12 Jan 1919) Leaders Rosa Luxemburg + Karl Liebknecht murdered by Free Corps = First Bolshevist Russian-style revolutionary attempt in Germany = Second major rift between moderate SPD and more radical USPD = Unsuccessful uprising but begin of long-lasting Communist ‘martyrs’ legends

Election to National Assembly, Jan 1919: A two-third majority for SPD, (Catholic) Centre Party, and (left-liberal) DVP = ‘Weimar Coalition’ of pro-democratic & pro-republican 3 parties

National Assembly at Weimar Weimar associated with enlightened 18 th c. + high literature of Goethe and Schiller + far away from revolutionary capital Berlin Ebert elected president + Scheidemann prime minister → ‘Weimar Coalition’ government: SPD + (Catholic) Centre Party + (left-liberal) DDP with decisive influence on democratic & republication German constitution Versailles Peace Treaty formally signed New republican Constitution accepted: 262 to 75 votes

Weimar Constitution ☺Created parliamentary democratic republic ☺ Reichstag (people’s representation) with much more power than in Empire ☺ Reichsrat as federal element (member states) ☻President with extensive powers (esp. Art. 48 ‘emergency decree power’) ☻Many splinter parties due to proportional representation ☻ Plebiscites ☻ Limitation of federal states’ rights