SPD
Signed an armistice- advised by German generals
-The politicians who signed the armistice
-People wanted somebody to blame after Germany lost the war and terrible peace terms were agreed
-The belief that the German army could have won the war- myth was supported by German generals who said the government betrayed them
Ebert
-seats in parliament allocated for so many votes (in Weimar Germany 60,000)
- For the Reichstag- every 4 years
-Presidential elections- every 7 years
-The president could use special powers in an emergency to suspend democracy-could ignore Reichstag
-The chancellor could use it to pass laws through the president without the need of the Reichstag in times of crisis
-Germany were forced to sign it with no negotiations-"dictated peace"
-Allies would start a war and/or continue naval blockade of Germany
-1921
-£6.6 billion
-Army limited to 100,000 men with no tanks
-Germany not allowed an air force
-Navy reduced to 15,000 sailors with limited battleships, cruisers, and destroyers and no submarines
-Rhineland had to be demilitarised with allied troops allowed to be stationed there, but not German
-moderates only got 45% of votes so it was difficult to pass laws from the Reichstag
-January 1919
-Communists tried to seize power by seizing important buildings like newspaper and railway offices
-Government had to ask Freikorps for help to stop rebellion which they did
-Freikorps violently murdered revolt leaders (Luxemburg and Liebknecht)
-Because Ebert used Freikorps against communists
-SPD needed support in a coalition- its natural left wing ally should have helped but didn't which made the government weak to right wing groups
-March 1920
- Lead by right wing extremist Wolfgang Kapp
-Freikorps units marched on Berlin forcing government to flee
-Berlin workers went on strike as a protest against the right wing
-Kapp could not rule without workers so fled and government returned
-Nobody was punished for this as the legal system favoured right wing extremists
-Ex-soldiers with extreme right wing views who hated communism
-Hated republic for signing armistice and then ToV which made Germany seem weak
-The German industrial heartland (Ruhr) was occupied by French forces after Germany failed to make second reparation payment
-Goods were seized and German workers went on strike- 150,000 expelled by French
-Industrial production stopped- Germany had no access to 80% of its industrial reserves causing shortages
-Shortages caused inflation which government tried to solve by printing money which depreciated currency value
-Hyperinflation causes- prices of goods would rise throughout the day and everyone was affected badly by the economic problems
-middle classes savings and fixed incomes both became worthless
-many middle class owned business had to shut down as normal trade was not possible
-Middle class should have been the strongest supporters of a democratic state, but many were critical of it so their loyality wasnt guaranteed
-Chancellor
-Foreign minister
-Hyperinflation- new currency introduced (rentenmark later renamed to reichsmark) tied to industry so had value and helped stabilise hyperinflation
-French occupation of the Ruhr-promised to pay reparations and proved Germany's reliability so the French left
-Weak German economy- Dawes plan and Young plan
-Agreement signed by Germany, Britain, France, Italy and Belgium
-Agreed not to invade each other and accept borders
-63 countries would not use war to achieve a foreign policy aim
-8th November 1923
-Hitler and nazis interrupted meeting in Beer hall in Munich and forced Bavarian politicians to support his attempt to seize power
-The next day Hitler and the SA marched through Munich but were stopped by police and army who did not support the putsch
-Hitler sent to prison for 5 years but only served 9 months
-Hitler over estimated support from the German people
-Badly organised
-Army stayed loyal to the state
-nationalism, extreme racism and traditional German right wing values
-Very anti-democratic
-Made it so he had full control of the parties policies
-Different sections of the party responsible for different things and different regions (nazi leader of a region called gaultier)
-Got money from wealthy businessmen who were worried about communists
-Set up the SS
-Content with Stresemann's policies
-Economic policy solved hyperinflation and so people were better off
-Germany had become more respected internationally
-Hindenburg as president reassured people as he was a respected war hero with strong German values
-Businesses closed down
-People lost jobs
-Higher taxes
-Homelessness and theft/violence
-Communist-workers-unemployment and falling wages
-Nazis-upper and middle class-protect them from communism
-Economic crisis
-Appeal of Hitler and Nazi's and fear of communism
-Propaganda
-Work of the SA
30th January 1933
-Nazi's had many seats in Reichstag so could get laws passed
-1932-chancellors couldn't get laws passed
-President having to use emergency decree article 41 and article 48
-Hindenburg reluctant to appoint Nazi's as he saw them as too violent
-Von Papen and Von Schleicher appointed as chancellor but neither could get laws passed
-Von Papen convinced Hindenburg to appoint Hitler
-Von Papen believed Hitler could be controlled to pass laws