After the Kaiser left the Weimar
government were forced to sign
the Treaty of Versailles .
The people were bitter and
looking for someone to blame
A simple explanation for the defeat
spread quickly. The new government
had stabbed them in the back!
PROBLEM 2- THE TREATY OF
VERSAILLES
The German people
expected a fair treaty
They had created a democratic
government just as the allies had wanted.
This government needed support.
President Wilson of the USA said
the treaty should not be harsh.
Germany did not start the war. They
believed everyone was to blame.
The terms of the Treaty
AMRY
Army reduced to 100,000. Navy
cut to 15,000 sailors, 6 battleships,
no subs, no tanks, no air force
Meant Germany was defenceless
and couldn't protect itself from
invasion. People felt VULNERABLE
LAND
Lost 13% of land of land and about 6 million people.
Colonies taken away. Rhineland was demilitarised
Meant they lost important raw materials and
businesses, so economy would be messed up
MONEY
Had to pay reparations
of £6.6 million
Meant economy
was destroyed
BLAME
100% of blame
Meant people
were furious!
PROBLEM 3- POLITICAL
VIOLENCE
Violence broke out. People felt that the
democracy had been imposed on them and
they didn't want or trust it. Food shortages
and high unemployment made it worse
LEFT WING
SPARTACISTS RISING 1919
Rosa Luxemburg
Karl Liebnicht
Thought the government wouldn't improve the lives
of the people. Wanted a Communist revolution. The
Workers protested and took over a newspaper HQ.
The government ordered the Freikorps to stop them.
100 workers were killed, including the leaders.
RED RISING IN THE RUHR 1920
Workers
A group of workers who were angry about pay and working
conditions began protesting. In 1920 a Communist 'red
army' of 50,000 occupied the Ruhr region- one of Germany's
main industrial areas. The Germany army easily crushed
the revolt because it lacked leadership and a clear plan.
RIGHT WING
KAPP PUTSCH 1920
Wolfgang Kapp
Freikorps
The Government ordered for the troops to be disbanded. It had little
need for them now. They became unemployed. 12,000 Freikorps
marched to Berlin and made Kapp the new leader of Germany. He failed
to win support and the workers went on strike so he fled after 4 days.
MUNICH PUTSCH 1923
Hitler
SA
Nazis
The Nazis planned to take over the government. They
believed democracy was weak and wanted a party
system with one leader. Hitler and 600 SA members
burst into a Beer Hall and forced the leader of Bravaria
to join them. Hitler was captured and imprisoned. He
wrote 'Mein Kampf' whilst he wwas in prison and was
released early because people were sympathetic
towards him.
PROBLEM 4- INVASION OF
THR RUHR
Germany struggled to keep up with the reparations payments.
In 1922 Germany announced it would stop paying for 3 years
because they couldn't afford them. France did not believe this
so they Invaded the Ruhr
In 1923 French and Belgian troops
marched into the Ruhr and took control.
The Government told its workers to strike and promised to
still pay them. This cost a lot of money! The government
ran out of money because they no longer had businesses
in the Ruhr. This led to HYPERINFLATION!
PROBLEM 5-
HYPERINFLATION
The Government beccame short of money so it printed more
Prices rose at an incredible rate. The German
mark became worthless by November 1923.
Meant that people lost their jobs, their
homes and their savings. They couldn't even
afford to buy food or clothe their families!
Many had to rely on soup kitchens to survive.