The Weimar Republic

1
The Weimar Republic

• (1919-1933)

2
Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicates

• The Kaiser began to loose the loyalty of his
  people because they were fed up with the long and
  costly war.
• On October 29th 1918 Sailors mutinied, the mutiny
  spread throughout Germany quickly.
• The mutineers were lead by socialists who set up
  workers and soldiers councils to run the local
  governments.
• Realizing his dire situation the Kaiser abdicated
  on November 10th 1918, fleeing to Holland.
• Chancellor Prince Max have up his position and
  gave it to the leader of the Social democratic
  party, Friedrich Ebert

Now Germany was a republic
3
Treaty of Versailles

• The initial reaction of the public was confusion
  and some rage.
• However, as the German economy declines, more and
  more Germans blamed the Allies ganged up on
  Germany
• The Weimar government never liked the treaty. It
  considered the treaty way too harsh and
  vindictive.

4
The main political parties in Germany

• The social democratic party
• Leader Friedrich Ebert
• The independent socialists
• Leader Hugo Hasse
• The Spartacists (later the German communist
  party)
• Leaders Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg

5
Revolutions

• The Kaisers abdication left a massive power
  struggle in Germany.
• The social democratic party and the communists
  clashed over ideals.
• The Communists were taking over many cities,
  Ebert had to call in support from the army and
  the Freikorps to suppress them.
• Once they were suppressed Ebert announced the
  first government election. The SPD won a majority
  and Ebert became the first president.

6
Establishment (a)

• January 19th 1919, 30 million Germans voted for
  the members of the national assembly.
• On February 11th 1919, Ebert was elected
  president of the Weimar republic.
• These members then met in Weimar to write a new
  constitution for Germany.

7
Political Extremism (t)
8
Putsch

• Kapp Putsch-- A group of free corps militia took
  control of Berlin and put rightist Wolfgang Kapp
  on throne-- The national governor fled and
  called a national strike-- The strike overthrown
  Kapp
• Beer Hall Putsch-- Coup d'état lead by Hitler,
  WWI general Enrich Ludendorff and other leaders
  of the kampfbund (patriotic fighting society)--
  National police/armed forces stifled this
  revolt-- Hitler served in comfortable jail for
  8 months

9
Hyperinflation
10
Invasion of Ruhr

• Order given by German government The action of
  the French government in the Ruhr area is a
  gross violation of international law and the
  Treaty of Versailles. As a consequence all orders
  given to German officials in the course of this
  action are legally invalid. The German government
  therefore orders all its officials not to obey
  the instructions of the occupying forces.
• Improved relations with Russia

11
Stresemann Years

• The world could not risk the complete collapse of
  Germany, therefore the Dawes plan was created in
  1924.
• Germany signed the Locarno treaty in 1925 in
  order to gain the trust of her old enemies.
• As a result Germany was allowed to join the
  league of nations.
• The Young plan was to be implemented in 1929,
  however the wall street crash occurred and all
  repayments stopped.
• During the Stresemann years the SPD gained
  popularity.

12
Depression

• Germanys economy was too closely linked to the
  US economy

13
Hitlers Elections
14
Why democracy was doomed to fail

• The internal fighting between the communists and
  the SPD made it impossible for them to act
  together against their real enemies, the Nazis.
• The fighting also divided the working class at
  elections so from the start they lost one of its
  most important defenses, the support of the
  working class.
• The existence of the republic was a case of
  national humiliation.
• The members of the republic had signed the treaty
  of Versailles.
• The way the Reichstag was elected.
• The Depression.