PRENAZI STATE THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC Germany 1919 1933

PRE-NAZI STATE: THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC Germany 1919 -1933

TREATY OF VERSAILLES PUNISHMENTS Loss of territory: § § § § Alsace-Lorraine (given to France) Eupen and Malmedy (given to Belgium) Northern Schleswig (given to Denmark) Hultschin (given to Czechoslovakia) West Prussia, Posen and Upper Silesia (given to Poland ) Lands returned to Russia League of Nations took control of Germany’s territories Huge reduction of military: § Reduced to 100, 000 men § No tanks, submarines, or airforce allowed § Only 6 naval ships King must step down—Democracy must replace monarchy Acceptance of Guilt for WWI —”War Guilt Clause” Reparations—Billion dollar payments to England, France, Belguim, Russia, USA

BIRTH OF A REPUBLIC German (November) Revolution in 1918 § Supreme Command issued Naval Order to attack British navy – a last attempt to salvage some honor § Sailors at 2 naval bases revolted § Spirit of revolution spread throughout the country § Germany devastated by World War I due to fighting on both western and eastern fronts Emperor Wilheim II abdicated throne on Nov 9 th Social Democratic Party of Germany § Leadership of revolution sought to create democratic form of government Revolution ended August 11, 1919 § Weimar Constitution adopted

BIRTH OF A REPUBLIC National Assembly in Weimar August 11, 1919: Adopted Constitution of German Reich § Declared Germany to be a democratic parliamentary republic with a parliament elected using proportional representation § Universal suffrage established; minimum voting age 20 Democracy was new to Germany. § Germany had been ruled by an emperor and was semiautocratic. § This system had virtually no democratic elements thus the introduction of democratic ideals (universal suffrage, political parties) was a radical change for Germany.

HYPERINFLATION Inflation: Rise in the price of any good or service Hyperinflation: when the inflation rates exceeds 50% a month Between 1922 & 1923, Germany experienced 322% inflation. § Assume that in July 1922 a stove cost 100 German marks. § By November 1923 that same stove cost 726, 000, 000 marks. * In today’s world, if a cup of coffee cost you $1 in 2014, by 2015, it will cost you $322. 00!!!

HYPERINFLATION What caused this economic hardship? According to the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was required to make reparation payments for war damages. In April, 1921, the Allied Reparations Commission determined that Germany owed 132 billion marks (33 billion U. S. dollars), payable in annual installments of 2. 5 billion marks. In 1921, the new German republic, known as the Weimar Republic made its first payment. By the end of the war, the German mark had lost half of its value. People experienced this phenomenon as a doubling of the prices they were paying for goods and services.

HYPERINFLATION

HYPERINFLATION Example of the economic hardship caused by hyperinflation: 10 Million Marks would buy: § 1/2 lb. of meat or 4 eggs or 2 lbs. of potatoes § Bread was 2 million marks per loaf

BERLIN RIOTS ON HYPERINFLATION NOV. 5 & 6 1923 Mob of 30, 000 people rioted in Berlin to protest misery brought on by hyperinflation. Blamed their plight on Jews who mistakenly controlled the German economy and involved in international conspiracy to dominate the world economy.

MUNICH BEER HALL PUTSCH NOV. 8, 1923 Hitler leads a group of soldiers in a beer hall and tries to overthrow government Sentenced to 5 years, serves 9 months in Landsberg prison Could have been tried for treason § Austrian citizen, not deported Trial gives him a forum to speak

THE DAWES PLAN: 1924

THE DAWES PLAN BASICS Sought to help end hyperinflation Germany’s reparations paid over a longer period America lent money to German industry and also to the Government to pay reparations German currency reorganized

THE GOLDEN AGE: 1924 -1929 Gustav Stresemann becomes the foreign minister § Had been the Chancellor in 1923 Currency became stable 1925 Stresemann restores relations with France 1925 - Ebert dies § Paul Von Hindenburg becomes 2 nd President 1926 - Germany joins League of Nations 1927 - Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Anthropology, Human Genetics, and Eugenics opens

US STOCK MARKET CRASH IN 1929 World Depression hits U. S. has to call back loans Unemployment increases § 978, 000 in 1924 § 5, 109, 000 in Oct. 31, 1932 Many Germans feel a renewed sense of despair.

POLITICS IN 1932 - Unemployment reaches 5 million Election of 1932: § Nazi Party receives 38% of the votes § Over 30 parties represented

THE END OF THE REPUBLIC Jan. 30, 1933 - Hitler named last Weimar Chancellor 1933 elections- Nazi’s receive 44% of the vote, the highest percentage ever won by their Party § Even though they have destroyed much of the opposition § Social Democrats only ones to resist Hitler passes the Enabling Act § Permits government to decree laws without parliament