Unit 2A Germany 1918-1939

French invasion of the Ruhr
1. Germans protested against reparations saying price was too high
  1. First instalment £50million paid in 1921
    1. 1922 nothing was paid Ebert announced nothing would be paid for foreseeable future
      1. Weren't accepted by France- January 1923 French and Belgian troops entered the Ruhr.
2. The troops began to take what was owed to them.
  1. Took key industrial goods (Ruhr key industrial area Germany)
    1. Contained 80% of Germanys iron and coal output contained many factories
Reparations announcement
1. Germany was responsible for the war stated by the war guilt clause
2. Allies could claim reparations (compensation for damage that the war caused)
  1. 1921 commission set the figure at £6600 million
    1. Germany also lost much of her rolling stock and merchant navy
      1. Reparations bill caused outrage in Germany
        Headed massive bill while at the same time their ability to pay had been seriously restricted.
        Treaty took- 10% German industry- 15% of agricultural land- 16% coal industry-48% Iron industry
Political Violence
1. constant theme in early years of the Weimar republic
  1. Political assassinations frequent
  2. Most notable came in the Summer of 1922 with the murder of Walter Rathenau (foreign minister)
    1. Estimated Freikorps was responsible for 356 assassinations during this period
Spartacist Revolt 1919
1. Communist political party led by Rosa Luxembourg and Karl Liebknecht
  1. argued against Ebert's plan (Ebert was the first President of the Weimar Republic)
    1. Democratic Germany- they wanted a Germany ruled by workers councils (called Soviets)
      1. Launched bid for power in January 1919 joined by sailors and soldiers
        Set up soviets in many towns across Germany
        Many soldiers were against the communists and had formed themselves into vigilante groups called FRIEKORPS
        Ebert made agreement with FRIEKORPS to crush the spartacists.
        Both heavily armed high casualties
        FRIEKORPT worked Luxembourg and Liebknect were murdered
        Kurt Eisner (ally of Liebknect) February 1919 murdered by opponents
        Communists reacted by declaring a communist republic
2. Ebert used FREIKORPS to crush communists May 1919
  1. Communists attempted to seize power in the Ruhr 1920
    1. Again Ebert used FREIKORPS and communists were crushed
    2. 2000 casualties
3. Many people in Germany approved Ebert's ruthless approach towards communists
  1. People feared that Germany would go the same way as Russia
The Kapp Putsch March 1920
1. Communists many right-wing groups wanted to destroy the Weimar republic
  1. Army most important group, that hated the Treaty of Versallies
    1. March 1920 Dr Wolfgang Kapp led 5000 members of the FREIKORPS into Berlin
      1. The Kapp Putsch (Putsch meaning rebellion)
        Army refused to fire on the FREIKORPS.
        Looked like Ebert's Government would fall.
        He was saved by the workers of Berlin.
        Declared general strike in Berlin which brought the city to a stand still-no transport, power or water
        After a few days Kapp realised that he could not succeed and fled the country
Assassination of Rathenau
1. June 24th 1922.
  1. three- right wing students shot dead Walter Rathenau
    1. Newly appointed foreign minister who was Jewish
Munich Putsch of 1923
1. By 1923 Hitler felt strong enough to seize power in Germany.
  1. Believed people would welcome his brand of strong leadership
    1. On the 8th November Gustav Kahr (Bavarian PM) was holding a meeting in a Munich Beer hall.
      1. Hitler arrived with around 600 supporters
        Forced Kahr at gunpoint, to support his takeover and March on Berlin the Next day
        3000 Nazis marched into the centre of Munich.
        It soon became clear that Kahr would not support Hitler
        Was a mistake on Hitlers part by letting Kahr go after he had made his promise of support
        100 policemen were blocking the route of the Nazis in a street.
        Hitler pushed to the ground after shots were fired
        Hitlers shoulder was dislocated
        Eye witness claims Hitler lost his nerve fled to an awaiting car.
        Ludendorff continued on to the next square where he was arrested- Hitler arrested two days late.
        Putsch ended in failure.
        Along with other leading Nazis Hitler was put on trial in February 1924
Hyperinflation
1. The German economy had ground to a halt, Government had no resources to buy goods in from abroad.
  1. Make up for this shortfall the Government simply started to print money.
    1. In 1923 they had 300 paper mills and 200 print shops simply printing money.
      1. This however, led to hyperinflation people realised that the money was worthless and so demanded higher prices.
        That soon led to massive increases in prices.
        Money became so worthless that children were given bundles of banknote to play with
        Or people used it as fuel as it was cheaper to burn this than use it to buy coal or wood
The Reichstag Fire 27th February 1933
1. 27th February 1933, the Reichstag building in Berlin was burned down.
  1. A Dutch communist (Marius Van Der Lubbe)
    1. He was found at the scene and he was arrested.
      1. Put on trial and found guilty of starting the fire
        Many suggestions that the Nazis started the fire themselves this is not important
        They were able to use this to target the communists, who were their biggest threat in the upcoming elections
        Hitler accused the communists of plotting against Germany
        400 communists were arrested on the night of the fire
        The next day and emergency decree was passed which allowed the police to search houses, confiscate property and detain people without a trail.
        These powers were used to target the Communists

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Unit 2A Germany 1918-1939

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