weimar republic 1918-33

1917- USA entered war (brought 2million new troops)

March 1918- Failure of Ludendorff Offensive

September 1918-obvious that Germany was on the brink of defeat 

Woodrow Wilson had suggested a fair, negotiated peace (armistice)

Kaiser reformed second reich into parlimentary democracy (weimar government) 

paid cost of war by taking out loans& printing money in hopes of victors spoils

entire reich budget needed to pay interest on loans

September 1918- kaiser forced into making a more democratic state

October 1918- Prince Max of Baden appointed chancellor - responsible to reichstag not kaiser

24th october- prince max requests armistice (peace), wilson stated that the kasier would have to abdicate, soldiers began to mutiny

28th october- naval mutiny began

3rd november- revolt spread to cities and ports 

8th november- bavarian monarchy deposed- prince max lost control

9th november- prince max released statement saying kaiser was abdicating 

11th november- armistice signed

terms;

president elects cancellor and ministers (change every 7 years= good for stability)

article 48- rule by decree in emergency (bypass reichstag) (weakness- over used)

chancellor proposes new laws, must have support of at least half the deputies (democracy= strength)

proportional representation- how deputies are elected (weakness- hard to pass laws different parties have different beliefs)

reichstag votes on new laws and budget

each state is incontrol of its policing, education and welfare

reichrat- representative elected to advise chancellor 

all german citezens are equal before the law

president, reichrat and people can call a refurendum

women can vote and be elected on the same basis as men (strength)

army,judiciary and civil service are independent (weakness- people enforcing laws do not support them)

thought their 1.7million killed soldiers, food and fuel shortages would have been taken into consideration

belived they were not the cause of the war (they thought- imperialism, nationalism, militarism, alliances)

hoped it would be recconised that the kaiser and army had led them into conflict- they were gone now so german citezens shouldn't be blamed

demmocratic reforms installed- favour with wilson

1. western and eastern side of rhineland permimently demiliatarised, allied army occupation

2. poland was given posen, west prussia, pomerania and eastern silesia to form a new polish state

3. germany not allowed to trade with austria

4. £6.6billion reparations

5. not allowed to join league of nations

6. all overseas colonies in africa and far east placed under leage of nation's control

7.army reduced to 100,000 men, forbidden to use tanks or gas

8. navy limited to 15,000 men, 6 battleships

9. article 231=war guilt clause- germany has to accept responsibility for starting the war

10. national self determination- western silsea voted to remain as part of germany

german reaction;

allied occupation- resentment- french control of saarland coal mines= german festivals and patriotic songs were banned 

war guilt- unjust and humiliating, belief that germany had been forced into war because the allies were circling it

reparatons- unfair, thought debt would cripple german economy

lack of national self determination- millions of german people were living in non-german states such as poland, czechoslovakia/ east prussia was separated from rest of germany

wounding of german national pride- disarmament and exclusion from league as they saw themselves as a world power

satisfied that germany have lost land and empire

doubtful whether france has recieved too much and germany won't be able to pay= bad to make  germany too weak

liked the reduction of the German navy, ensured that Britian was in charge of seas

appriciate the reparations and alsase laurraine demands had ben met

think it's too linient

french blame clemanceau and do not re electy him

wanted it made into a powerless independent country

think it's too harsh

think britian and france have gained too much from the treaty

USA has to make its own peace with germany 

=wilson looses job

Schneidemann resigned, Gustav Bauer took over

signed treaty- 28th June 1919; Diktat= dictated peace

LEFT WING;

policy of fulfillment- comply with terms whilst negotiating modifications

weimar government- the november criminals "stab in the back myth"

RIGHT WING;

instability= join extremeist groups, overthrow government

Ludendorff and army spread november criminals rumour to keep blame away from kaiser's regime

by 1919 the national debt of germany was £1.44billion marks 

repay buy- getting more loans, printing more money

january 1922- reparation comission postponed payments due in jan and feb

july- asked for suspension for rest of year

nov- asked for £500million marks and to be released from paying for 3-4 years 

france and belgium respond to germany not trying to pay by sending 60,000 troops into Ruhr in january 1923

-then increased forces to 100,000 men 

took control of factories, steelworks, railworks and shops

german reaction; (limit the gains of french occupation- keep people's pride)

policy of passive resistance where people of ruhr told to not co-operate with french soldiers

continued paying wages of steel workers and miners on strike 

economic; 

coal output= 1 fith of its pre-occupation level

germany had to use up limited foreign currency reserves to import coal from abroad

coal and steel shortages= increased price of goods

ruhr crisis cost german government twice as much as annual reparations payments