GERMANY

1918-1919: Imperial Government to Republic

1933: Third Reich

By: Haley Fica and Sarah Dotson

Causes of Change: Imperial Government to Republic

-Germany entered WWI in 1914.-The Central Powers (Germany, Austria- Hungary, Turkey, and Bulgaria) thought they had more man power than the Allies did; however, the United States joined the Allies in April 1917 and returned the power to the Allies.

-As the Central Powers, began to lose World War I, many Germans began demanding an end to the war. -Many more Germans also began to associate themselves with the political left, or the Social Democratic Party, who also opposed the war.

Imperial Government to Republic

-In October 1918, North Germany began to see the beginning of the revolution. Germany Navy ships refused to sail which began the uprisings against the imperial government. The German Revolution begins.

-The uprisings began to spread throughout Germany on November 3. Also, military rulers began to lose faith with Kaiser and his government.

Imperial Government to Republic

-With an internal revolution, Austria-Hungary began to break apart from racial tensions, and pressure from the German high command, the German ruling princes relinquished their power.

-On November 9, Phillip Scheidemann named a Republic to take the imperial government’s place. This new government was governed by the German Social Democrats.

-On November 11, the armistice was signed between the Allies and Germany to stop fighting in the Western front (Luxembourg and Belgium) and the war was over.

Final Change to Republic-In 1919, a national assembly meet in

Weimar and created a new constitution, which would begin August 11.

Chronology of Events: Imperial Government to Weimar

Republic-August 1, 1914: World war I begins-1917: The Unites States enters the Allied Forces.

-October 7- November 3 1918: The German navy refuses to be sent out to fight.

-November 4, 1918: General strikes occur by sailors and work councils.

-November 7, 1918: Workers march upon the House of Wittelsbach.

-November 8, 1918: The German Princes, grand dukes, and ruling dukes are deposed.

-November 9, 1918: Phillip Scheidemann creates the republic.-November 11, 1918: End of World War I.-1919: New Constitution formed.-August 11, 1919: The constitution is put in place and Phillip

Scheidemann announced as chancellor.

LeaderPhillip Scheidamann: He announced

the beginning of the republic.

Government Structure

President: over 35 years old, this person represented Germany as a whole, had a term of 7 years, commander of the armed forces

Chancellor and ministers were appointed by the president.

Cabinet formed

decisions by majority vote. Reichstag:

The Parliament

Causes of Change: Weimar Republic to Third Reich

-The Weimar Republic was troubled before it even started. They had massive debts to pay due to the war, and they had large amounts of orphans and disabled soldiers.

-Weak currency lead to bad economy and a poor country. Hyperinflation occurred.

-High unemployment rates.-High taxes

Weimar Republic to Third Reich-Adolf Hitler becomes chancellor in January

1933 during the economic, social, and political decline of the republic.

-He establishes the third Reich through the Enabling Act of 1933. This was signed by president Paul von Hindenburg. Through this act, Hitler legally established his plenary powers and his dictatorship. It allowed the Nazis to have complete power and the cabinet did not have to have a majority support of the Reichstag, or the Parliament established by the Weimar Republic.

Chronology of Events: Republic to Third Reich

-January 30, 1933: Adolf Hitler is appointed as Chancellor by President Paul von Hindenburg.-February 27, 1933: Reichstag building is set on fire, and the communist Marinus van derLubbe is charged with arson. The Nazis begin to exploit the Reichstag Fire Decree by taking civil liberties to suppress their opponents

Chronology of Events .-March 1933: The Enabling Act amended the

constitution and allowed the cabinet to pass laws without the Reichstag.

-1934: The regime began to ban the communists, the social Democrats, the Nationalists, the People’s Party, the German state Party, and the Catholic centre Party. These disbanded people could either join the Nazis or not participate in politics at all.

Leader

Adolf Hitler

PropagandaJoseph Goebbel’s propaganda machine which showed the government as a dedicated, dutiful, and efficient outfit. He was editor of the Berlin Nazi Newspaper. Was Reich Minister of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda. He attacked German Jews which eventually lead to the holocaust. He had totalitarian control over the media. He used his propaganda to prepare the Germans for aggressive war and killing of civilian peoples.

Government StructureThe Fuhrer, or leader, Adolf Hitler.Each law was approvedor disapproved by him.

Cabinet

Reich offices (Reich Treasury

office, Reich Youth Office)

Reich ministries (Reich of foreign Ministry, Ministry

of Justice, Economic Ministry)

PIRATES: Weimar RepublicPolitics: This huge revolution was the result of the

publicsdiscontentment toward the Kaiser family. They changedGermany to a republic and with this republic came aconstitution as well. The people were very involved in

thismovement, and there was voting rights for all and the

people’svotes meant everything to the government.

Technology: The construction and use of Zeppelins came back during this time. They were often used as “peace vehicles” between the countries.

Intellectual Innovations: During this time, there was a school

called the Frankfurt school. Here there were many scholars

that supported communist ideas. They did not believe insocialism or capitalism, and they were called Marxist

scholars.

Economics: There was a policy called the Rentenmark that

helped to stop inflation temporarily. Yet, Germany was not in

good shape thanks to the natural resources that had been

taken from the war. During the Weimar Republic, though, they

stabilized the economy and they called this the golden age.

Religion: Jewish people became extremely powerful andinfluential during this time. Some of this power is what

gearedHitler towards Anti- Semitism. Also, the Catholic people

wereimportant in the republic.

Society: For the most part, there was still a social hierarchy.

But, women had more rights than they did before because of

the introduction of the Constitution, but overall society wasn’t

equal by any means.

Art and Architecture: During this period, there was a huge

modern art movement. It was mostly architectural and it was

very simple. It was called the Bauhaus style.

PIRATES: Third ReichPolitics: Under von Hindenburg, Hitler became

chancellor. When con Hindenburg passed away, Hitler came to power and named himself Fuhrer, and he abolished the presidency. He passed the Enabling act in order to do this.

Technology: During this time, the technology relating to the

army and weapons flourished. Hitler encouraged massdestruction is his goal to rule the world. Because of

Hitler’sdrive Germany became extremely powerful and they had

thebest air force and mechanized army.

Intellectual Innovations: Overall, the goal in Germany was to create more Nazis. All of the education was designated to brainwash the children into Nazis. Schools made sure that the students obtained information on white supremacy and race science. They also trained the children to be housewives and even soldiers.

Economy: During the Third Reich the economy was a mix

between a command economy and a free market. The reason

for the confusion in their economic state was simply because

of the Nazis overall perception that the economy wasmaterialistic. The main goal of Hitler was to expand andconquer; therefore, he didn’t care very much about theeconomy.

Religion: Overall, Hitler did not believe that Jewish people

were good, and he passed laws that forced them to wearyellow stars, and he even encouraged violence against

them. He even sent them to concentration camps to eventually

die.

Society: Basically in their society, people such as Jews,Gypsies, homosexuals, and other outcasts were sent toconcentration camps. The favored people were called

Aryans,and they had blonde hair and blue eyes.

Art and Architecture: In the Weimar Republic, a modern art

movement had occurred, and Hitler worked to make the public

forget about it. He made it to where every form of media had

to be strictly reviewed by the Propaganda Ministry. Most of the

art that was approved was based upon things that Hitler stood

for.

ComparisonRevolutionary Period:

Society Religion Economy Successfulness

Weimer Republic

There were obvious social divisions, but women’s rights improved, and there was room for everyone to have a place in society. The people were much more involved in general.

Catholics and Jews were influential in society. Jewish people were particularly influential.

The economy was stable, and Germany went through a golden age. They decreased the rate of inflation as well.

The Weimer Republic was a period of overall successfulness and peacefulness throughout Germany. There was a stable economy, little hatred, a stable government, and an art movement.

Third Reich Social classes were prominent, but it was not due to a usual factor: income. The social inequalities that were present were because of Hitler’s Anti- Semitic movement where he was against Jews and other outcasts such as gypsies, and homosexuals, as well as the disabled. The favored race was called the Aryans, and they had blonde hair and blue eyes.

Jewish people were at the end of the spectrum. They were sent to concentration camps, and they were forced to wear yellow stars that identified them as Jews. They were persecuted during Hitler’s reign.

The economy failed during this time because the Nazis believed that the only important thing was to destroy and conquer. They didn’t believe in materialistic things; therefore, their economy was a mix of different things during this time.

The Third Reich was an awful economic, political, societal, and religious period. Nothing prospered from this time, and the destruction outweighed all of the benefits that may have been gained.

Everyone’s Jobs

Haley: Assignment 1, Assignment 3, Overall PowerPoint Presentation

Sarah: Assignment 2, Assignment 4, Overall PowerPoint Presentation