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Weimar Germany
A revision presentation from http://www.mrallsophistory.com/
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The situation after World War 1• The Kaiser has abdicated and
left Germany• A power vacuum has been
created as there is no established form of government
• Millions of German workers have been killed or seriously injured during the war
• Germany has become an international pariah (outcast)
• Germany is subject to an imposed peace settlement
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The situation after World War 1• In reality, this meant:
– Political instability• There were uprisings against
the fledging republic even before it was properly formed.
– Economic ruin• The war has devastated the
economy and further problems occur as a result of the Peace settlement.
– Unemployment• Millions of soldiers have
returned home to find no jobs available.
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The Treaty of Versailles• Terms of the Peace treaty• Massively reduced
military capability• ‘War guilt’ clause imposed• Reparations fixed at a
very high level
• All of this led to BIG problems from 1919
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Problems 1919-1924• Anger directed at the government
for signing the Treaty of Versailles• The new constitution reliant on
coalition governments, which weakens its power
• Economic problems as all profit is sent directly to the Allies as reparations pay-outs
• Valueless currency as economic crisis leads to hyper-inflation
• Rise of extremist groups attempting to wrestle power from the de-stabilised government (Freikorps, Spartacists etc.)
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Opposition Uprisings• The Communist
Spartacists in 1919, defeated by the right-wing militia of the Freikorps
• The right-wing Kapp Putsch, defeated by a general strike
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Kapp Putsch• Right wing journalist opposed
the Ebert government and the humiliation of Germany at Versailles
• Along with two key military officers (General Luddwitz and General Ludendorff) and the paramilitary Friekorps he seized control of Berlin and declaired a new right wing government
• Ebert fled but called on the people to organize a nationwide strike.
• The strike was effective and made the coup unsustainable
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Significances:• The support of the army could
not be taken for granted• There was not universal
support for the Weimar Government
• The Government had limited means of dealing with uprisings of this nature
• Politicians were not necessarily safe in Berlin
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Summary• Germany in a desperate situation.• The terms of the Treaty of Versailles
cripple the economy and prevent German recovery after the war.
• This in turn leads to the new, Weimar, government being unable to restore pre-war conditions.
• Animosity towards those who signed the treaty grows and many German people look for people to blame for the crisis, leading to theories of ‘the stab in the back’.
• The new government, already under fire, is likely to fail in it’s duty to provide security, prosperity and comfort given the conditions that it has inherited.
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Practice question• Describe the problems
faced by the governments of the Weimar Republic in the years 1919-22[4]
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The Weimar Republic Under Gustav Stresemann• Stresemann was
Chancellor in 1923 only.• His main role was as
Foreign Minister from 1924
• He was a right-winger and more able than Ebert
• He built up Germany’s prosperity again although all of Europe was recovering
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The Dawes Plan - 1924• Germany’s reparations paid over a longer
period• America lent money to German industry
and also to the Government to pay reparations
• German currency reorganised
USA Germany GB & FRANCEloans Rep’s
War debts
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The Weimar Republic Under Gustav Stresemann• Stresemann showed real
skill in foreign policy– Locarno Treaties – 1925– 1926 – Germany joined the
League of Nations– Young plan - 1929
• After a number of years in the wilderness Germany was accepted back into the international community
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The Locarno Treaties• Germany, France, Italy,
Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Poland met at Locarno in Switzerland.
• Signed a number of treaties to settle disputes between themselves– France, Belgium and Germany
agreed to accept borders as drawn up by Treaty of Versailles
– Rhineland stayed demilitarised– France would protect Poland
and Czechoslovakia if attacked by Germany
– Germany would not use force to settle disputes with neighbours
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BUT!• Unemployment and Unemployment and
poverty still highpoverty still high• The growing The growing
prosperity was based prosperity was based on USA loans – what on USA loans – what would happen if USA would happen if USA wanted the money wanted the money back?back?