The Weimar Republic
ORIGINS of WEIMAR
GERMANY defeated in WWI
Kaiser William II abdicated
New Constitution created
A democratic Federal Republic
PROBLEMS of the new Republic
Associated with hated Treaty of Versailles – NOT
negotiated
Claim of some army leaders that they had been
“stabbed in the back”
Failed to get rid of “enemies within” who
undermined the Republic
THREATS from both LEFT and RIGHT
Spartacist Uprising
Kapp Putsch
Munich Putsch
Major ECONOMIC problems
Huge reparations bill to pay to Allies
Occupation of Rhur by French and Belgian troops
Passive resistance adopted by workers - German industry
starved of coal and steel
Massive inflation - money absolutely worthless
High level of unemployment
Loss of crucial middle class support
POLITICAL instability
PR system in Constitution
Many different political parties
Weak Coalition governments created
No experience of real democracy
STRENGTHS AND SUCCESS
Came mainly in period 1924-29 – all due to one
politician
Gustav Stresemann
directed the economic, political and diplomatic recovery
Was Chancellor and then Foreign Minister
Main aim was to make Germany “acceptable and
respectable” – VERY SUCCESSFUL
New currency created and widely accepted - Retenmark
New reparations plan drawn up - French and Belgians
withdraw from Rhur
Arrival of USA economic aid - Dawes plan
Economic recovery begins - rise in exports
Young Plan 1929 - reduced the reparation payments
Joined the League of Nations 1926
Signed the Locarno Pact 1925
Germany appears to be reasonable and responsible
Signed the Kellogg-Briand Pact 1928
Agreed to outlaw war as means of settling disputes
FALL OF THE REPUBLIC
Wall Street Crash
of 1929
Death of Stresemann in same year
USA loans stopped
Mass unemployment - 6million within 30 months
HUGE IMPACT ON ALL OF SOCIETY
Huge rise in discontent - growth in support for the
extremes in politics
Huge rise in popularity of new NAZI party
Huge rise in support for Communists
January 1933 - Hitler made Chancellor in Coalition
government
ONE YEAR LATER…
March 1933 – ENABLING
ACT passed – END of democracy and END of Weimar Republic
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