Weimar Germany

The Origins of the Republic, 1918-19

• The legacy of the first world war for Germans was negative, especially economy wise. Germany was deep in debt (150 billion marks by 1918), and the people of Germany were suffering due to the German ports being blockaded, meaning no food was coming in. All over Germany , strikes were taking place, and society was crumbling. It was evident that the Kaiser at the time, Kaiser Wilhelm, had lost control, and needed to go. On the 9th November 1918 the Kaiser abdicated.
• The same day of the Kaisers abdication, people were rioting outside the Reichstag (German Parliament). The leader of the SPD (Social Democratic Party), Phillip Scheidemann rushed to a window to announce the abdication, and promised a new Republic.
• The SPD had to work quickly to establish some form of peace, so they made a series of changes. The role of chancellor was handed over to Ebert, who was the leader of the SPD. The army promised to keep communists out of the way, and a Council Of Representatives was formed.
• On the 11th November 1918, Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles, which was an agreement to formally end the war. The terms of the Treaty were decided by the Allies, with no German input, and it would become a burden for Germany.
• Ebert attempted another series of announcements to form the Weimar Republic:
• Civil servants would keep their positions
• The army was not to be reformed
• No land would be confiscated and there would be no state control of industry
• Trade unions were promised 8 hour working days
• These promises meant that Ebert was able to set up a new constitution for the Republic

The Origins of the Republic, 1918-19

• A National election was to be held to decide a National Assembly, which would replace the temporary Council of Representatives. The elections took place on the 19 January 1919, and the SPD won 40% of the votes.
• A National Assembly was held, where after 6 months, a new constitution was decided upon: The Weimar Constitution.
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The Origins of the Republic, 1918-19

• Strengths of the Weimar Constitution:
• Germany was declared a democracy, where even women could vote
• Proportional Representation meant that all parties had a fair chance of gaining a seat in the Reichstag
• No one person was given too much power. The Reichstag and Reichsrat would vote for laws, the chancellor would pass them and the President approved them.
• The Reichsrat could regulate the power of the Reichstag by delaying new laws
• The voting age was reduced from 25 to 21
• Central government was more powerful than ever, but local governments still kept power in their constituencies
• Weaknesses of the Weimar Government:
• Many coalitions were formed, so there was division in decisions, especially in a crisis
• The chancellor often relied on the President to make laws, as the Reichstag was so undecided
• The constitution was built on betrayal and violence in the eyes of the people
• Parties within the government openly opposed each other, such as capitalists and communists
• Article 48 gave the President the power to pass a law by decree, without any support

The Early Challenges to the WR, 1919-23

• Before the Republic had even started forming laws or taking action in Germany, they were already hated. To the German people, they were a symbol of betrayal, as they blamed the people who started the Weimar for signing the Treaty. The German people strongly believed the war was far from over, and they labelled members of parliament as "The November Criminals", as the armistice was signed in November, and they were seen as traitors to the country.
• The Treaty had brought upon several setbacks for the German economy. Germany was forced to accept full blame for the war and for this reason they were made to pay reparations. The allies demanded £6600 million in early instalments to repair damage in their countries.
• Essentially the Weimar Republic was already linked to defeat, humiliation and weakness before it had even done anything to help.
• Terms of the Treaty included:
• The Army being reduced to 100,000 members
• The Navy was limited to 6 battleships, 6 cruisers, 12 destroyers, 12 torpedo boats and no submarines
• The air force was destroyed
• No military was allowed in the land bordering France (the Rhineland)
• Germany lost 11 of its colonies
• Dolschtoss was a term used by Germans which referred to the "Stab in the Back" that the German people had suffered. They believed that the Government had surrendered and that the Army was far from defeat. Ebert even said to the German Army "No enemy defeated you!".
• The Treaty was also seen as a Diktat, in that the terms were imposed, not agreed.

The Early Challenges to the WR, 1919-23

• Extreme Right Wing Groups - Supported capitalism, and wanted a strong army and leader, like the Kaiser. They encouraged traditional values, and placed the interest of the Nation over the individuals. They were heavy nationalists.
• Extreme Left Wing Groups - Encouraged communism and wanted Germany to be controlled by the people. They wanted to abolish capitalism and they stressed co operation with other countries over independence.
• In the early stages of the Weimar Republic, extremist parties grew in size, as people wanted to find a new way of leadership, as they openly despised the Weimar. This led to numerous challenges.
• The Spartacists were a communist party, who openly opposed the Weimar. They were strong supporters of the KDP ( German Communist Party), who were funded by the Soviets, and had numerous newspapers as well as 400,000 members. One day, Ebert fired a police chief in Berlin, who was popular with the workers. Many workers took to the streets in protest, and the Spartacists took the chance to undermine the government. They called for an uprising and a general strike in Berlin, and on 6 January 1919, 100,000 workers headed to the streets, seizing government newspapers and telegraph offices.
• Ebert had to do something. The army were depleted of soldiers, but he realised that the soldiers that had been released (due to the ToV restricting army numbers), were returning home with their weapons, and were openly anti communist. They came together to form The Freikorps and Ebert set them on the rioters. The 250,000 Freikorps easily drove rebels off the streets, and eventually, the communist uprising was suppressed. However, The Freikorps were about to become a problem.

The Early Challenges to the WR, 1919-23

• Soon enough, the mass numbers of soldiers in The Freikorps were becoming hard to control. In 1920, they were due to be disbanded, however fearing unemployment, The Freikorps revolted. This was essentially a group of trained and armed right wing extremists, who were running riot in the streets. The Army refused to step in, as the Freikorps were ex soldiers. The Freikorps appointed a Nationalist politician to run things, a man named Wolfgang Kapp. The politicians in the Weimar fled, fearing for their safety. However, the Weimar urged the people of Berlin to go on strike. Most people obliged, as they were largely socialist, and did not want the Kaiser to return. Berlin came to a halt due to strikes, and Kapp lost control. He fled but was eventually caught and locked up, where he died.
• The Weimar was struggling. It had feel victim to:
• Left wing uprisings
• Right wing uprisings
• Extremist parties in the Reichstag
• Political assassinations
• Extremist armies
• Bias in courts

The Early Challenges to the WR, 1919-23

• Under the ToV, Germany owed large amounts of money to many countries. The problem was that Germany was bankrupt, and even its wealth earning areas, such as steel and coal reserves had been lost. With no reserves and falling income, Germany failed to pay reparations.
• In December 1922, Germany failed to send coal to France from the Ruhr fields as they were supposed to do under the reparations agreement. In retaliation, the French sent their army into the Ruhr, and took raw materials, manufactured goods and industrial machinery. Germany tired to get workers on strike, but France simply arrested workers or replaced them. The Germany Army was no match for the French Army, so they could do nothing about the situation.
• The Ruhr contained 80% of Germanys coal, iron and steel reserves, and the disruption only increased unemployment and worsened the shortages of goods.
• As a result of the shortages of goods, the price of things rose, and this is called inflation. The government decisions that followed would plunge Germany into a deep crisis.
• From 1914, the government had decided to print more paper, however it had little impact in terms of inflation. However, after the Ruhr invasion, the government had to make up for the loss of their reserves as well as pay all the strikers. This, aswell as all their reparations, led to them printing even more money, only this time, it caused hyperinflation (where the costs of goods rises dramatically). By November 1923, the Mark was worthless.

The Early Challenges to the WR, 1919-23

• The advantages of hyperinflation:
• People could pay off mortgages and debts easily
• Farmers were paid more for food
• Fixed rents became cheaper than ever
• Foreign visitors could buy more for there money
• The disadvantages of hyperinflation:
• Peoples savings became obsolete
• The price of goods rose so much people often had to carry money round in wheelbarrows
• Businesses went bankrupt
• Wages rose, but not as quickly as prices
• Foreign suppliers refused payment in Marks, so shortages became to rise
• People could not afford essentials, such as bread
• The Weimar was blamed, so they became even more unpopular

The Recovery of the Republic 1924-29

• A man named Gustav Stresemann was placed in the role of the Chancellor, and his strategies were what brought Germany back onto their feet.
• In November 1923, Stresemann introduced the Rentenmark, a new form of currency which had tightly controlled distribution. Its value was tied to the price of gold, so it had real worth. Later, a national independent bank known as the Reichsbank was given control of the currency, and it was renamed the Reichsmark. The new currency was trusted at home and abroad, and it brought hyperinflation to an end.
• In 1924, an American banker was hired by the Allies to deal with Germanys failure to pay reparations. His name was Charles Dawes, and he formed the Dawes plan, which consisted of these terms:
• Reparations reduced to £50 million per year (temporarily)
• US banks agreed to loan money German industry, and they loaned $25 billion between 1924-1930
• As well as this, the French left the Ruhr, meaning Germany regained a large part of their industry.
• Along with this came the Young Plan of 1929, which made further progress with the reparations. The Young Plan consisted of:
• Reducing the debt from £6.6 billion to £2 billion
• The payments could be made up until 1988
• This was beneficial to the economy, as lower reparations meant lower taxes, however some people saw it as a way of extending the burden.
• Despite any negative feedback, the work of Stresemann in terms of reparations was ground breaking:
• Employment and trade increased
• Industrial output doubled by 1928
• However, the economic recovery depended on American loans, and extremist parties were against paying reparations at all.

The Recovery of the Republic 1924-29

• Stresemann resigned as Chancellor in 1923, but remained as foreign secretary until 1929. His work in foreign affairs was also very helpful.
• The Locarno Pact of 1925 was a treaty signed between Germany, France, Britain and Belgium. The terms were agreed with Germany, and they were as follows:
• Germany accepted its new border with the French, promising peace with them
• The Rhineland would be made free of troops
• Discussions about Germanys membership in the League of Nations was now open for discussion
• This was beneficial, as it meant that Germany was now being treated as equal, and the confidence in the Weimar was growing. It also meant that the chances of another was were much lower.
• The League of Nations was an international body that hoped to discuss world problems in hope of preventing another war. Germany was initially excluded, however in 1926, they became a member. As successful as it was, some saw the LoN as a symbol of prejudice against Germany in the form of the ToV.
• The Kellogg Briand Pact 1928 was an agreement between 62 countries which committed countries to avoiding the use of war to achieve foreign objectives. This pact secured Germanys position as a social power, and was almost the end of the way people viewed Germany as a violent, war starting state.
• The Young Plan 1929 (See previous slide)

Changes in Society, 1924-29

• There was gradual improvements in the standard of life during the "Stresemann Years".
• Wages and work:
• Working hours reduced
• Wages rose
• Working conditions improved
• Hyperinflation made employment insecure
• Well off Germans hated seeing workers thriving
• Unemployment Insurance:
• 3% of workers earnings was deduced and put aside as insurance for if the person ever became sick or unable to work.
• Housing:
• 15% rent tax was introduced to fund building associations
• Between 1925 and 1929, 101,000 homes were built
• There was still a housing shortage

Changes in Society, 1924-29

• Women at work:
• The war brought about a greater amount of women to work, however this dropped from 75% in 1918 to 36% in 1925. Essentially, the equalities brought about by the war were declining.
• Women often gave up work and got married, and fewer women secured high status jobs.
• Despite all this, there was an increase in part time work, and women were encouraged to go to university, There were also new jobs available for women, such as teaching and medicine.
• Women in politics:
• Women could vote by 1918
• 90% turned out at elections
• Article 109 stated that men and women were equal
• Marriage was an equal partnership

Changes in Society, 1924-29

• Women at leisure:
• For some women, mainly those who were young and unmarried, the 1920s brought much more financial and social independence. People called them "New Women", and they often went around smoking drinking,, dressing differently (less modest, more makeup etc) and all this whilst being unaccompanied by men.
• They also seemed less interest in marriage, and took advantage of more sexual attitudes. Many women and men found it abnormal, and thought they were straying too far from the traditional values of society (housekeeping, motherhood etc). The birth rate fell and the divorce rate was rising.
• This created division in society:
• Some women were open to freedom and change, whereas others found it daunting.
• Some men accepted the changing roles of women, whereas others thought they were inappropriate and a threat to the position of men
• Traditionalists and Conservatives complained that women should focus on being housewives
• Some people blamed the economic instability on women in the labour market

Changes in Society, 1924-29

• Art:
• Expressionism was a new form of art which captured the vulnerability and problems facing Germany at the time. It was something for everyone to see, and was supposed to derive from raw emotion, and confrontation of some kind.
• Architecture:
• The Bauhaus School of Design was set up, and attracted many talented artists and designers. It was set up by Walter Gropius, and challenged popular ideals as well as introducing new, radical ones.
• Cinema:
• Germany had less restrictions on Cinema under the Weimar, and with the addition of Expressionism, German Cinema flourished. They to challenged the old cinema, and helped to move Germany forward in the Arts.