Germany

Resumen de History Mock 2010



Chapter 6: Germany 1918-1945




The Impact of the First World War

In 1914 there was great optimism of Germany’s actual power and prosperity. People were proud of their country, their army and of their Kaiser – virtually a dictator. But in 1918 everything was destroyed and people were suffering hunger and epidemic diseases.
• Germany was bankrupt:many working men died, national income decreased 70% and industries decrease 33%
• German Society divided deeply: women were taken to work in factories and the richer people made fortunes while poor people died of hunger
• Germany became an unstable democratic republic: a revolution took place and many people hated the new democratic leader


The birth of the Weimar Republic

AfterGerman defeat in the WW I, the Kaiser refused to become democratic. These brought mutinies and revolts which finally ended with the Kaiser’s abdication. The Socialist Friedrich Ebert become the new leader. He made peace with the Allies and passed a new Constitution (freedom of speech and worship and better working conditions). However, other politicians were not enthusiastic. They restricted whatthe new gov’t could do and many wanted the Kaiser back. However, in 1919, he became the President of the Weimar Republic after elections.


The Republic in danger, 1919 – 1924

❑ The threat from the Left: a Communist Revolution took place. The SPARTACISTS wanted to organize Germany with soviets as well as Russia. They tried to do so in some towns but the FREIKORPS – anti-communistsoldiers who joined Ebert – stopped them and killed their leaders. Another revolution took place in Bavaria but it had the same end as the other one. By the 1920s there was a powerful communist anti-government force.
❑ Treaty of Versailles: the injustice of the Treaty appalled most Germans. These thought that Ebert was to blame so a great source of bitterness was created.
❑ The threat from theRight: people from the right had been proud of the Kaiser’s power. In 1920, the Kapp Putsch rebellion took place. 5000 Freikorps rebelled and there was no way of stopping them. But Berlin workers gave a general strike and the rebels suffered food and water shortage, so it failed. Political assassinations were frequent. In 1923 Hitler led the Munich Putsch but failed. Nevertheless he received alight sentence because he had friends in the gov’t.
❑ Economic Disaster: the Treaty weakened German economy. Germany had to pay reparations to the Allies, and then the French occupied the Ruhr – industrial areas. The solution was to print money, but this caused hyperinflation as a chain reaction.
In 1923 a new gov’t took over with Gustav Stesemann. He crated a new currency – Rentenmark. Hereceived loans from the USA and solved the economic crisis.


The Weimar Republic under Stresemann

Achievements:
▪ Economy: he built up Germany’s prosperity again. Loans were asked to the USA and industry recovered. In 1928, production was the same as before the war and reparations were paid and exports increased.
▪ Culture: a cultural revival took place. Writers, poets and architectsdeveloped as well as cinema. Censorship was removed.
▪ Politics: the Republic was beginning to settle and Germans were reconciling.
▪ Foreign Policy: Stresemann signed the Locarno Treaties and Germany was accepted in the LN. He also negotiated the Young Plan and took away all foreign troops from Germany.
Problems:
▪ Economy: the economic boom was precarious and for a short time.Peasants and middle classes felt the gov’t offered them little. They had been benefited with the Kaiser and the war. Farmers found overproduction.
▪ Culture: a moral decline seemed to lead that cultural change. In addition, many Americans and Jews immigrated to Germany. Country values were lost.
▪ Politics: Nazis and Communist built powerful party oppositions.
▪ Foreign Policy:...