Sadaf Malik

2016/02/23
Block E
Interwar Germany
Weimar Republic
- Weimar is a town in Germany
- After the abdication of Kaiser on November 9, 1918, there was an
opening
-Germany attempts a parliamentary democracy
o Reichstag
Germanys elected parliament
Physical building where parliament meets
President is elected separately, Chancellor (similar to a prime
minister) and elected MPs
Many different political parties emerge
President Ebert (socialist)
Weaknesses
o Proportional representation
Need to take into consideration the opinions
of other parties
o Extremist Parties
Wanted to get rid of democratic constitution
o Treaty of Versailles
Signed the TOV
stained on the diktat
Problems
o Spartacists (Liebknecht and Luxembourg)
Jan 1919: attempted communist revolution
however, large numbers of former soldiers
discharged from the military beat back
revolution
L and L dead
o Kapp Putsch (1920)
German for overthrow
Wanted to remove Eberts government and
replace with leaders that wanted to expand
the military
Extreme nationalists
Wolfgang Kapp (leader) recruited former
soldiers
Freikorps: ex WW1 soldiers
Plan was through a general strike, the
freikorps would remove government

Workers dont follow through with

general strike failure of Putsch

Ruhr Crisis (1923)

Massive inflation in a short time period
Losing trust/faith in Weimar Republic
Heavy burden of the reparations in WW1
Rise of the National Socialist German Workers Party
o 1919: party formed during the beginning of democracy
o 1920: 25 points- written by Hitler
Discusses the termination of the TOV
Need for living space expanding territory
Union of all German speaking people (self determination)
Anti- Semitic views
Stresses the duties of a citizen to state
o 1923: Munich Putsch (Beer Hall Putsch)
Poor economic conditions (reparations, inflation etc.)
Hitler plans the overthrow of the Weimar Republic
Support of Ludendorff (WW1 general)
Nov 9: Hitler, Ludendorff wearing brown left beer hall but were
stopped by police
Arrested the leaders, 16 people killed
o Hitler creates poorly written Mein Kompf in prison
Stands for my struggle, story of what he
believes in and his life rants negatively
Emphasizes ideas he doesnt agree
with
o Against democracy,
communism, liberal pacifism,
Jews, Weimar Republic,
Christian morality
Writes about the Aryan master race
Associates Aryan features with Nordic;
associates Jewish features with the
downfall of civilization/ destruction of
social order or values
o 1924- 1929: Golden Years
Beginning from the Ruhr crisis under control to the crash of the
stock market
Period of prosperity
Stresemann (chancellor) creates good economic policies
Renders German currency useless; instead, creates a new
currency the Rent mark
Bartering system arose due to previous economic crisis;
new currency backed up with land and not gold
o Gave people confidence to use paper money again
o

Ordered workers back into Ruhr; France and

Belgium leave
o Increase in industrial production, earnings start to
rise again, US invests in German industry
Dawes and Young Plan designed to help with
reparations
Dawes Plan (1924) loans; Young Plan
(1925) reduces
German recovery is linked with US
Locarno Treaty
Acknowledgement by Germany to fit in
Ends isolation
Recognizes border between France and Germany
Gives up claim to Alsace- Lorraine
Britain and Italy act as reinforcement to ensure Germany
keeps its word
1926: LON accepts Germany
1930: Effects of the Depression
American banks had been loaning money for reparations
Germany defaults on their loans after the US demands their
money back (crash of the stock market)
Germany had to cut spending (welfare and employee
benefits, infrastructure etc.)
No jobs, no income, no taxes
Chancellor Bruning
Unhappy with government, socialist parties within
Reichstag walk out, refuse to take part
Forces an election to happen
o People look to extremes: communist and fascist
Nazis gain support
Middle class fears over losing their jobs
Land owners like higher tariffs and low interest loans
Young people attracted to the idea of the democracy is
bad; Weimar Republic caused the TOV to be signed
1932: Presidential Election
March: Hindenburg VS Hitler
Hindenburg ends up winning but Hitler gains a following
July: General Election for Parliament
650 seats Nazis win 230/650
All other parties have less than 230
Forming a coalition is necessary
Hitler demands to be chancellor, chancellor is appointed
by Hindenburg (president)
o Doesnt pick Hitler, strong rival
o No cooperation on behalf of Nazis, walk out of the
Reichstag
o

Hitler becomes Chancellor in Jan

Crucial moment in history
Appointed by Hindenburg
March 5: General election is set
Feb 27: fire sets ablaze at the Reichstag, Hitler blames
communist communist revolution
Need for an emergency law (signed by Hindenburg)
o Ends freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press
In hindsight, conspiracy is lead by Hitler
Uses one-week window to propagandize against the
communists
Results of election: 288/650; creates a coalition with
Nationalists
The Enabling act
o First and only law in government
o Allowed Hitler to rule as dictator
o Asked parliament for special powers
Creation of laws without consulting
parliament or its approval for 4 years;
desperate situation facing a revolution
94/650 members voted against act
Members were of the socialist
democratic party
Communist party had been outlawed
Consolidation of Power
o 1933: Civil Service Law
Jews and anyone considered disloyal were fired from
government positions
o 1933: Law against the formation of new political parties
Made the Nazis the only legal party in Germany
Tightening its control
o 1933: The Richt Press Law
Made the editors of newspapers responsible of stories written in
paper
o 1934: Trade Unions Were Replaced
The Nazi Labour Front
Stepping stone, not a member = no job
o June 1934: Night of the Long Knives
Removal of potential opponents to Hitler
Target: Ernest Rohm; leader of SA (brownshirts)
SA were Hitlers bodyguards
People disliked the hired thugs
4 million SA members
Hitler is worried that Rohm is going to challenge him with the
creation of a second army
o June 20, 1934: Rohm and 300 SA men are killed
o

1933:

o
Nazis
o

o
o

Another group led by Himmler (Black shirts or SS)

Evolve into secret police
Run concentration camps
Himmler has fanatical loyalty to Hitler
Asks to be handed a gun
Under the cover of darkness, the executions happen
Hindenburg and army support the death of Himmler
August 1934: Hindenburg dies of natural causes at age 84
Hitler creates a leadership position (chancellor)
Has army swear oath of loyalty to Hitler
January 1935: plebiscite: Saars return to Germany
90% yes
in Power
Economy: make Germany as self sufficient as possible
Reduction of imports, did not want to rely on other countries for
key resources (coal, oil, iron etc.)
Introduced conscription in 1935 and created an air force both were
not allowed by TOV
Discouraged women form working to create more jobs for men
Created special medal for mothers: Golden cross if more than
eight children
Wanted an autarky; but does not have enough raw materials
Conquer a country that has the resources
Guns before butter
Military before anything
Propaganda
Joseph Goebbels (poisoned dwarf)
Master of manipulating the message
Pro Nazi, Nazify Germany
Radios; inexpensive, receive broadcasts only form within
Germany
1936: Berlin Olympics
Show off Germany to the rest of the world
Strength, power, superiority of the Aryan race
Jesse Owens (US) defeats Germany in various track races
4 gold medals
Formation of the Aryan State
Nuremberg rallies
Town in Germany
Hundred and thousands of people travelled to Nuremberg
in the summer
Marching, singing, flags flying, unison
o Nationalism, sense of belonging
Power of state on display
Emphasis on order: lining up, formation of squares,
uniforms

Anti

Semitism
Jews were a minority
Steady increase in persecution
Hitler wanted Jews to leave Germany
April 1933: Jews were no longer to work for govt, could
only work for Jews
Nuremberg Laws
Sept 1935: Jews could no longer be citizens of Germany
no right to vote
o Breaking point, people still did not leave (not
everyone could afford)
Countries either had quotas or were denied
November 7, 1938: Paris, German Jew kills German diplomat
November 9, 1938: Kristallnacht
Night of Broken Glass
Hitler orders windows of all things Jewish to be broke; SS
and citizens carry out this act
30,000 Jews sent to labour camps
o Released because they promised to leave Germany
Youth and Education
Hitler wanted to win loyalty for life; starts with youth
All sorts or organizations
Boys: Little Fellows, Young Folk, Hitler Youth
o Hitler youth (14- 18) mandatory labour and
conscription
Girls: Young Maidens
o Kinder, Kirche, Kuche
o Kids, CHirch, Cook
School Subjects
Biology
o Textbooks rewritten to emphasize superiority of
Aryans and the unhuman nature of Jews
o Emphasized eugenics
Perfect child; visually combine genes
History
o Rewritten to emphasize the past glories of Germany
Best students sent off to Adolf Hitler School
o Marching, singing, parades
o Physical fitness, endurance, participation
The Swing Movement
o Middle class youngsters
o ; listened to music not about Germany
Edelweiss Pirates
o Nota s organized as the swing
o Working class youngsters
o Wilderness; made fun of Germany
Religion

1933:

1937:

signed an agreement with Catholic Church

Mutual agreement not to criticize one another
Did away with Catholic Youth groups
Pope makes speech Nazism is Anti- Christian
Retaliates by arresting priests, nuns and sending them to
labour camps
Same goes for Protestants

Police State
Separate from the army
Certain targets not good for Germany
Jews, communists, socialists, gypsies, priests
o Survived by keeping quiet
1936: Himmler only reports to Hitler
Overall control of the SS
Gestapo assigned to Hedrick
Arrest suspicious people, take them to camps without any
trial
o Preventative detention
Beggars, prostitutes, alcoholics,
homosexuals, hooligans, lazy people
People of different groups were given
different coloured uniforms easy to
identify, and target torment
Foreign Policy
General Aims
Lebensraum: living space
Recreation of Roman Power/Great Power
Destroy the TOV
Collect German speaking people under German rule (self
determination)
Rearm Germany
1934: Hitler signs non aggression agreement with Poland
Supposed to be in effect for 10 years
Convenient; didnt carry a lot of promise
Short term
Country he wouldnt need to worry about on it s border
Little Entente created by France to surround Germany
with enemies
o Had a neutral country on Eastern border, circle
breaking down
July 1934: attempts a union with Austria
Known as Anschluss
Reasonable justification
o Part of self determination
o Why should Germany and Austria be excluding in
Self determination

Encouraged Nazi party to overthrow Austrian government

o Partially successful
o Leader dead, Austrian army subdues revolt
o M steps in
Threatens with Italian army
July 1935: Saar plebiscite and rearmament
90% in favour of returning to Germany
Allowed by LON; at the end of 15 years
With conscription Germany had 60000 men compared to
LON 100000
Violation of TOV, LON lets it slip by
1936: Rhineland (demilitarized/buffer zone)
March: small German military force gets sent
Bluff on Germanys behalf; orders if France reacts to
retreat
France asks Britain for help, France left on its own
Turning point: Hitler is convinced
o Britain is weak
o France is powerless without Britain
Avoid future war, do not want to be
provocative
1938: Anschluss and Sudetenland
Hitler puts pressure on Austrian government
Chancellor of Austria creates plebiscite for citizens
Hitler has Chancellor replaced (through resignation) by
Seys Inquart (pro Hitler)
March 12: Germany invaded/invited into Austria
o Swastika flies over Austria, no resistance met with
German army
o Technically Germany invaded sovereign country,
could use sanction
Sudetenland: Heinlein Leader of Nazis
o Sept 1938: Hitler claims self determination is valid
o Br PM Chamberlain is not convinced; Hitler and
Chamberlain have a meeting
o H assures CH last piece of land and CH does not
want to risk war
Sept 29: 4 Power Conference
Br, Germany, Fr and Italy agree Germany can occupy
Sudetenland
o No representative from Czech and Sudetenland
o Chamberlain returns from Munich in London
believing problem is solved
1939: Czechoslovakia
March: Hitler occupies the rest of Czechoslovakia
o Not welcoming, taken without approval

Hitler cannot use self determination; made up of

different ethnicities
o Chamberlain draws a line Hitler does not take
anything into consideration
o Poland could be next possible target even if non
aggression is signed
o Hitler wants to avoid war on two fronts
August 1939: Nazi Soviet Pact
Agree to invade Poland and take each
Agree not to fight each other for 10 years
Stalin is aware of Hitlers motives but delays it for as long
as possible
Sept 1: Germany invades Poland
Britain issues an ultimatum
24 hours to eradicate Poland or a state of emergency will
be declared
Sept 3: Br and Fr declare war
Policy known as Appeasement
o