Failures of the Weimar Republic Mr. Meester AP European History

Post-War Germany The collapse of the German war effort in 1918 created a political crisis. Forced the abdication of the Kaiser The German Republic on November 9, 1918. On Feb. 11, 1919, an assembly met in the historic town of Weimar to write a new constitution and selected Friedrich Ebert President of Germany. The Majority Socialists, the Catholic Center Party, and the German Democratic Party dominated the new assembly.

Problems of the Weimar Republic The new government faced a number of serious domestic problems that challenged its authority. Acceptance of the Frieddensdiktat “the dictated peace.” The violent Communist Spartikist Rebellion of 1919 in Berlin. Flawed constitution. The losses in territory, manpower, and economy suffered due to the war, coupled with a $30.4 billion in reparations, had severe impact on the German economy and society.

Inflationary Problems Hopes of future reductions, caused Germany to borrow heavily and make payments to fulfill its early debt obligations. The result was hyperinflation the Mark went from 8.4 per dollar in 1919 to 7,000 Marks pre dollar by December, 1922. The Weimar government underlined Allied insensitivity to Germany’s plight. After the Allied Reparations Commission declared Germany in default on its debt, the French the Belgians occupied the Ruhr.

German Resistance Chancellor Wilhelm Cuno encouraged the Ruhr’s Germans passively to resist the occupation Began printing more Marks which dropped from 40,000 to the dollar in January 1923 to 4.2 trillion to the dollar eleven months later The occupation ended in September due to stronger Allied sympathy to Germany But the Hyperinflationary had severe economic, social, and political consequences.

1923 German Marks

Weimar Politics, 1919-1923 Germany’s economic and social difficulties deeply affected its infant democracy. From February 1919 to August 1923, the country had six Chancellors. In the aftermath new elections resulted in a defeat of the ruling coalition and a drifting toward extremism The Democrats (DDP) lost seats to the German National People’s Party (DVP) The Majority Socialists lost seats to the more reactionary Independent Socialists.

Hitler on the scene In late 1923 Hitler makes his political debut. He had grown up in Austria and been exposed to the anti-Semitic views of the Christian Social Party Settled in Munich after the war A veteran, he felt war had given him purpose Joined the National Socialist German Workers Party The Nazis had issued the 25 points in 1920 Also formed the Sturmsbteilung (SA) or Stormtroopers Hitler rose to power modeling himself after Mussolini 1923 Munich Beer Hall revolt resulted in Hitler going to prison Wrote Main Kampf was released after a few months

Gustav Stresemann The dominant figure in German politics from 1923 to 1929 was Gustav Stresemann, leader of the DVP. He was Chancellor during 1923, he was more important as Foreign Minister from 1923 to his death in 1929. In 1926 he received the Nobel Peace prize for his work.

Stresemann Policies Stresemann reestablished the value of the German currency by establishing a new currency called the Rentenmark. He promoted the end of passive resistance in the Ruhr area. Worked with the Allies to renegotiate the debt repayment of Germany. The Dawes Plan The peak of Stresemann’s efforts to restore Germany to normal status in the European community was the Locarno Pact, December 1, 1925.

Locarno The Locarno Agreement was designed to allow a fresh start Recognized boundaries in the west France supported German membership in the League of Nations France agreed to pull troops out of the Rhineland 5 years early Lead to a spirit of optimism which would give us the Kellog-Briand Pact However this spirit proved to be unjustified Many problems still existed particularly in the East Germans didn’t want to keep paying reparations, etc.

Weimar Politics, 1924-1928 The elections of 1924 saw gains for both the Communists with 3,700,000 votes and the Nazis Party with almost 2,000,000 votes. In 1925, Paul von Hindenburg was elected president of the government. Hindenburg vowed to protect the Weimar government and its constitution. The elections of 1928 saw greater gains for the Social Democrats, getting almost one-third of the popular vote. The Nazis lost one seat in the Reichstag while the Communists gained seats.