A fact to ponder: Adolf Hitler came to power legally and

democratically

Germany in the Aftermath of World War

I

The End of the First World War

1914-1918 Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary,

Ottoman Empire) defeated by Allied Powers (France, United Kingdom, Russia, US)

Effects on Germany About 2.5 million dead; many more wounded Political turmoil Psychological shock – Germans didn’t expect to

lose the war

Review: World War I

By 1917, tide was turning

against Germany Protests and political

changes Workers launched walkouts

and strikes Leftist political parties

began to oppose the war Mutinies in the armed

forces Challenges to monarchy

and Kaiser Wilhelm II

Dissent in Germany

July 1918: US troops arrive in

France Allied counterattacks push

Germany back October 1918: Germany

requests an armistice based on Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points

November 10: Kaiser Wilhelm abdicates

Armistice signed November 11

The End of the War

Signed June 28, 1919 Treaty ending World War I with Germany Germany was not allowed to negotiate – a diktat Major provisions

Blame – the War Guilt Clause Reparations – Germany owed money to the Allies Army – severe limits on Germany’s military Territory – Germany lost 13% of territory + all

colonies

The Treaty of Versailles

German Territorial Losses after WWI

“The Allied and Associated Governments affirm and Germany accepts the responsibility of Germany and her allies for causing all the loss and damage to which the Allied and Associated Governments and their nationals have been subjected as a consequence of the war imposed upon them by the aggression of Germany and her allies.”

The War Guilt Clause

June 28, 1919 (included in Treaty of Versailles) Blamed Germany for WWI Germans resented this provision

The War Guilt Clause

You’re halfway through. Here’s a

cat!

The Weimar Republic

November 10, 1918: Kaiser Wilhelm abdicates

debate over future government January 1919: Germans vote for democratic

parties February 1919: new constitution drafted at

Weimar Reichstag – a parliament elected by the people President – elected by the people;

commander-in-chief of military and able to exercise emergency powers

Chancellor – appointed by the President, approved by the Reichstag; relatively weak

Germany’s Democratic Experiment

Bitterness and resentment about WWI Political instability Economic problems and hyperinflation

Three Problems

“Stab in the back” theory Limits on Germany’s army

put many soldiers out of work

Freikorps – literally “Free Corps” – formed to crack down on left-wing parties

Many extreme nationalist parties formed, including the National Socialist German Workers’ Party

Bitterness and Resentment

1920 elections: extremist parties take over

35% of vote Communists (20%) – support a workers’

revolution German National People’s Party (15%) – support

a monarchy Proportional representation gives extremist

parties a chance to join the Reichstag (more on this later)

Several coups (illegal attempts to take power) Terrorism by ultra-nationalists against

democrats and leftists

Political Instability

January 1920: reparations fixed at $33 billion

Germany paid in goods as well as cash

January 1923: French and Belgian troops occupy the Ruhr and seize assets

German workers strike, refusing to cooperate

Economic Problems

Date: 1921-1924 German government

begins printing money to help pay reparations

Led to hyperinflation – rapid decrease in the value of money

Hyperinflation

Middle-class people lost the value of their

savings Pensions for the elderly became worthless Allies started demanding payment in goods

rather than currency Money had to be spent immediately after

being earned

The Impact of Hyperinflation