leaders of the weimar republic

The commander-in-chief was the Reich president, while the Reich minister of the armed forces exercised command authority. Berlin intellectuals responded by condemning the excesses of what they considered capitalism and demanding revolutionary changes on the cultural scenery. Hindenburg, despite his misgivings about the Nazis' goals and about Hitler as a personality, reluctantly agreed to Papen's theory that, with Nazi popular support on the wane, Hitler could now be controlled as Chancellor. Which of the On 11 November 1918, an armistice was signed at Compigne by German representatives. "Either-or: The narrative of 'crisis' in Weimar Germany and in historiography. The immediate question was what part the now large Nazi Party would play in the Government of the country. Timeline . Pre-War [86], The consensus opposing the "war guilt clause" did much to promote agitation against foreign countries and the Weimar Constitution. The government was expected to assure itself of the co-operation of Hitler. Otto Wels, the leader of the Social Democrats, whose seats were similarly depleted from 120 to below 100, was the only speaker to defend democracy and in a futile but brave effort to deny Hitler the 23 majority, he made a speech critical of the abandonment of democracy to dictatorship. This action was later ratified by a highly non-democratic referendum. [47], To ensure that the fledgling government maintained control over the country, Ebert and General Wilhelm Groener, Ludendorff's successor as leader of the Supreme Army Command (OHL), concluded the secret EbertGroener pact on 10 November. They viewed them as traitors since they had signed the hated Treaty of Versailles. [94], In January 1923 France declared Germany in default. [132] A code of January 1919 bestowed on land labourers the same legal rights that industrial workers enjoyed, while a bill ratified the same year obligated the states to set up agricultural settlement associations which "were endowed with the priority right of purchase of farms beyond a specified size". Paul von Hindenburg became Reichsprsident in 1925. This policy did not prove successful either. Many of the new buildings built during this era followed a straight-lined, geometrical style. Erzberger was also attacked for signing the armistice agreement in 1918, and Rathenau had sought to break Germany's external isolation after the First World War through the Treaty of Rapallo, which opened diplomatic relations with the new Soviet Union, renounced all war claims and mutually cancelled pre-war debts. [9] Debate continues as to whether this policy was without alternative: some argue that the Allies would not in any circumstances have allowed a devaluation of the Reichsmark, while others point to the Hoover Moratorium as a sign that the Allies understood that the situation had changed fundamentally and further German reparation payments were impossible. Following Germany's defeat in World War I, several million soldiers of the Imperial German Army either simply dispersed on their own or were formally demobilized. In line with the contemporary economic theory (subsequently termed "leave-it-alone liquidationism"), he enacted a draconian policy of deflation and drastically cutting state expenditure. ', "World War I Killed, wounded, and missing", "The National Archives Exhibitions & Learning online First World War Spotlights on history", "Der Reichskongress der Arbeiter- und Soldatenrte", "Das Deutsche Reich Wahl zur Nationalversammlung 1919", "The Social and Political Consequences of the Allied Food Blockade of Germany, 191819", "Approximate German territorial losses, and related loss of resources, following the Treaty of Versailles, June 28, 1919", "Occupation during and after the War (Germany)", "Philipp Scheidemann gegen die Annahme des Versailler Vertrages (12. Hitler used the provisions of the Enabling Act to pre-empt possible opposition to his dictatorship from other sources, in which he was mostly successful: in the months following the passage of the Enabling Act, all German parties aside the NSDAP were banned or force to disband themselves, all trade unions were dissolved and all media were brought under the control of the Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda (with the partial exception of the Frankfurter Zeitung). [d][8] Nevertheless, especially on the political right, there remained strong and widespread resentment against the treaty and those who had signed and supported it. The German government under Chancellor Wilhelm Cuno responded with a policy of non-violent passive resistance to the occupation. The money served as both start-up financing for reparations and as aid for an economic revival. The economic stagnation led to increased demands on Germany to repay the debts owed to the United States. He did not even want their support for the bill. The parliamentary system of Weimar democracy was the expression of a party landscape that was strongly characterised and fragmented by class and social milieus. The 1919 per capita GDP was only 73 percent of the comparable 1913 figure. WebFriedrich Ebert (1918; oversaw transition to Weimar Republic as chairman of the Council of Peoples Commissioners) Weimar Republic (191933) Philipp Scheidemann (1919) What kind of asshole propagandizes his own people about this level of economic and medical suffering while doing so little to stop fascism? [19] It developed far-reaching cooperation with the Soviet Red Army, leading to the secret training of German military pilots in clear violation of the Treaty of Versailles. But the Reichswehr officers were not prepared for this, the working class had a natural distrust of their future allies, and the great capitalists and landowners also did not like the plans. [12] Zentrum, the Catholic Centre Party, favoured the term Deutscher Volksstaat (German People's State),[e] while on the moderate left Chancellor Friedrich Ebert's Social Democratic Party of Germany preferred Deutsche Republik (German Republic). On 8 November 1923, in a pact with Erich Ludendorff, a league of nationalist fighting societies called the Kampfbund, took over a meeting that Kahr and Lossow were holding at a beer hall in Munich. On 29 January, Hitler and Papen thwarted a last-minute threat of an officially sanctioned Reichswehr takeover, and on 30 January 1933 Hindenburg accepted the new Papen-Nationalist-Hitler coalition, with the Nazis holding only three of eleven Cabinet seats: Hitler as Chancellor, Wilhelm Frick as Minister of the Interior and Hermann Gring as Minister Without Portfolio. Therefore, focusing on the contradictions and ambivalences of civil society will provide the real reason of the rise of the NSDAP. Therefore, Hitler refused ministry under Papen, and demanded the chancellorship for himself, but was rejected by Hindenburg on 13 August 1932. In both states the Communists were expelled by Reich executions (Reichsexekutionen) using Article 48 of the Weimar Constitution. Only the SPD had voted against the Act. Hitler presented an appealing prospect of respect towards Christianity by paying tribute to the Christian faiths as "essential elements for safeguarding the soul of the German people". The Executive Council of the Workers' and Soldiers' Councils, a coalition that included Majority Social Democrats, Independent Social Democrats, workers and soldiers, introduced the eight-hour work day, reinstated demobilised workers, released political prisoners, abolished press censorship, increased workers' old-age, sick and unemployment benefits and gave labour the unrestricted right to organise into unions. [87], The young republic was exposed from the beginning to attacks from both the extreme right and extreme left. It effectively ended military operations between the Allies and Germany. [citation needed]. [118] As a result of the Dawes Plan, foreign troops left the Ruhr in 1925. They also elected SDP leader Friedrich Ebert as Jeremiah on Twitter Meetings of the left-wing parties were banned and even some of the moderate parties found their members threatened and assaulted. In addition, a national unemployment insurance programme was introduced in 1927. Weimar Germany, 1918/191933 Population by Religious Denomination (19101939), "Der Name des Feindes: Warum heit die erste deutsche Demokratie eigentlich 'Weimarer Republik? This date, dubbed by the Nazis as the Machtergreifung (seizure of power), is commonly seen as the beginning of Nazi Germany. [74] France had demanded the occupation both to protect itself from a renewed German attack and as collateral for German reparations. Innovative street theatre brought plays to the public, and the cabaret scene and jazz bands became very popular. Category:People of the Weimar Republic - Wikipedia Middle class owners of land or houses often came out ahead because their debts lost value along with the currency. [46], The Executive Council of the Workers' and Soldiers' Council of Greater Berlin called for a National Congress of Councils (Reichsrtekongress) which took place from 16 to 21 December 1918. They wanted a renewed Germany and a new organisation of German society. Schleicher's bold and unsuccessful plan was to build a majority in the Reichstag by uniting the trade unionist left wings of the various parties, including that of the Nazis led by Gregor Strasser. They joined the calls for Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicate, and when he refused, Chancellor Maximilian of Baden made a public announcement that the Kaiser and Crown Prince Wilhelm had already done so. ", This page was last edited on 30 June 2023, at 11:04. When he was unable to steer the country toward prosperity, President Paul von Hindenburg named a new chancellor a year later. This speech aimed especially at the future recognition by the named Holy See and therefore to the votes of the Centre Party addressing many concerns Kaas had voiced during the previous talks. After meeting with Centre leader Monsignor Ludwig Kaas and other Centre Trade Union leaders daily and denying them a substantial participation in the government, negotiation succeeded in respect of guarantees towards Catholic civil-servants and education issues. [109], The economic consolidation that occurred after the period of hyperinflation was largely at the expense of wage earners and the economic middle class. WebIf they just say bidenomics is working enough times ppl start to buy it and blame themselves for what in reality is not their fault. [citation needed]. After bloody battles in which an estimated 1,000 insurgents and 200 soldiers died, Reichswehr and Freikorps units suppressed the revolt in early April. [63] The classic example was Hugo Stinnes, who earned the title of Inflation King by taking advantage of its effects on debt to amass controlling interests in 1,535 businesses with 2,890 different plants by 1924. During the course of World War I, war reporting was the responsibility of the German General Staff and after 1918 of the Potsdam Reich Archives founded by General Hans von Seeckt,[85] which dedicated itself to the task of "disproving" German war guilt and war crimes. Under the terms of both the Armistice of 1918 and of the Treaty of Versailles, French, British, Belgian and American troops occupied the Rhineland, the area of Germany on the west bank of the Rhine river, together with bridgeheads on the east bank near Cologne, Mainz and Koblenz. Many German civilians expected life to return to pre-war normality after it was lifted, but the severe food shortages continued. A new communist government in Russia sued for peace in 1917. WebField Marshal Paul von Hindenburg was a German general who gained renown during World War I and later as President of the Weimar Republic. [113] In the meantime, the state had also introduced a new system of social security. [38], By 7 November the revolution had reached Munich, resulting in the flight of King Ludwig III of Bavaria. [177] The first modern transgender affirming clinic that offered male-to-female surgeries began in the Weimar Republic. Scarlet. It is estimated that between 100,000[57] and 250,000[58] German civilians died of disease or starvation between the end of the war and the signing of the treaty. [151] In April 1932, Brning had actively supported Hindenburg's successful campaign against Hitler for re-election as Reichsprsident;[152] five weeks later, on 30 May 1932, he had lost Hindenburg's support and resigned as Reichskanzler. Four Chancellors (Heinrich Brning, Franz von Papen, Kurt von Schleicher) and, from 30 January to 23 March 1933, Hitler governed through presidential decree rather than through parliamentary consultation. Awareness of imminent defeat sparked a revolution, the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II, formal surrender to the Allies, and the proclamation of the Weimar Republic on 9 November 1918.[7]. On 20 March, negotiation began between Hitler and Frick on one side and the Catholic Centre Party (Zentrum) leadersKaas, Stegerwald, and Hackelsburger on the other. The general elections on 31 July 1932 yielded major gains for the Communists, and for the Nazis, who won 37.3% of the votetheir high-water mark in a free election. WebAdolf Hitler Hitler blamed the Weimar Republics weakness on the influence of Germanys Jewish and communist minorities, who he claimed were trying to take over the country. Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg, leaders of the newly formed KPD (Communist Party of Germany), were murdered by a paramilitary militia, the Freikorps, in The hitherto Presidential Dictatorship hereby was to give itself a new legal form. drew Germany into WWI. [77], The most contentious article of the treaty, the so-called War Guilt Clause, did not use the word "guilt". [44] In view of the mass support for more radical reforms among the workers' councils, a coalition government called the Council of the People's Deputies (Rat der Volksbeauftragten) was established, consisting of three MSPD and three USPD members. Finance Minister Matthias Erzberger was assassinated in August 1921 and Foreign Minister Walther Rathenau in June 1922. In Shirer's view, the DNVP's refusal to "take a responsible position either in the government or in the opposition" during most of Weimar's existence denied Weimar "that stability provided in many other countries by a truly conservative party. The consequent general election on 14 September resulted in an enormous political shift within the Reichstag: 18.3% of the vote went to the NSDAP, five times the percentage won in 1928. [104], In 1920 the German Workers' Party had become the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP), or Nazi Party, which would eventually become a driving force in the collapse of the Weimar Republic. WebQuestion 1 30 seconds Q. [124], Not everyone, however, was happy with the changes taking place in Weimar culture. Under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, the new army, the Reichswehr, was limited to 100,000 men and the Reichsmarine (navy), to 15,000. [127] In 1919, legislation provided for a maximum working 48-hour workweek, restrictions on night work, a half-holiday on Saturday, and a break of thirty-six hours of continuous rest during the week. The financial collapse and subsequent The French minister president Raymond Poincar saw Germany's failure to pay reparations as a lever that he could use to achieve the separation of the Rhineland from the German Reich, a French demand that had been refused by the British at Versailles. The Weimar Republic was severely affected by the Great Depression. [71] The Memel Territory was ceded to the Allied powers,[72] and Danzig went to the League of Nations as the Free City of Danzig. Hitler decided to focus in the future on legal methods of gaining power. [141] Housing construction was also greatly accelerated during the Weimar period, with over 2 million new homes constructed between 1924 and 1931 and a further 195,000 modernised.[142]. [161] Hitler blamed the fire on the KPD (though Van der Lubbe was not a member of the party) and convinced Hindenburg to issue the Reichstag Fire Decree the following day. From March 1930 onwards, President Paul von Hindenburg used emergency powers to back Chancellors Heinrich Brning, Franz von Papen and General Kurt von Schleicher. The Great Depression of October 1929 severely impacted Germany's tenuous progress; high unemployment and subsequent social and political unrest led to the collapse of Chancellor Hermann Mller's grand coalition and the beginning of the presidential cabinets. The Communists' 81 seats had been empty since the Reichstag Fire Decree and other lesser known procedural measures, thus excluding their anticipated "No" votes from the balloting. The millions of radical adherents at first forced the Party towards the Left. Most Germans thought the Treaty of Versailles was a punishing and degrading document because it forced them to surrender resource-rich areas and pay massive amounts of compensation. [92], The sharp political polarisation that had occurred was visible in the assassinations of important representatives of the Republic by members of the right-wing extremist Organisation Consul. Foreign trade became all but impossible, as did German ability to pay reparations. [154], Since the government could not respond to all of these anti-democratic criticisms from these civil society groups, they (the civil society groups) aligned themselves with populist groups who would support them, eventually leading to the alignment with the Nazi party. In 1929, the onset of the depression in the United States of America produced a severe economic shock in Germany and was further made worse by the European banking crisis of 1931. Under the Provisional Act for Agricultural Labour of 23 November 1918, the normal period of notice for management and most resident labourers was set at six weeks. [131], The Provisional Order of January 1919 concerning agricultural labour conditions fixed 2,900 hours as a maximum per year, distributed as eight, ten, and eleven hours per day in four month periods. WebThe Weimar Republic - Germanys first democracy. Kahr and Lossow organized the resistance to Hitler, with the result that the coup attempt was easily stopped. [102], The nationalist right, especially in Bavaria, branded the breaking off of the Ruhr resistance as treason. World History Unit 23 Flashcards | Quizlet Meanwhile, the only remaining question for the Nazis was whether the Catholic Centre Party would support the Enabling Act in the Reichstag, thereby providing the .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);clip-path:polygon(0px 0px,0px 0px,0px 0px);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}23 majority required to ratify a law that amended the constitution. The fall of the Munich Soviet Republic to these units, many of which were on the extreme right, resulted in the growth of far-right, antisemitic movements and organisations in Bavaria, including Organisation Consul, the Nazi Party, and societies of exiled Russian monarchists. [91] The unstable political conditions in the early phase of the Weimar Republic were also evident in the Reichstag elections of 1920, in which the centre-left Weimar Coalition, which until then had had a three-quarters majority, lost 125 seats to parties on both the left and right. In his book, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, journalist and historian William L. Shirer wrote that the DNVP's status as a far-right party rather than a mainstream conservative party was one of the main reasons for the Weimar Republic's downfall. After initial offers were rejected by the Allied Powers, the hunger and privation of the war years came together with the awareness of an impending military defeat[30] to help spark the German Revolution. List three reasons the weimar republic was considered weak? The ensuing street fighting left 11 Volksmarinedivision members and 56 members of the regular army dead. Although he did not approve of Hitler or his politics, Hindenburg became the man who made him Chancellor of Germany,
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