-
Prussia was the most powerful state out of many that combined to form Germany
-
related to British royal family
liked the British navy
was very badly tempered but energetic
weltpolitik- Germany becoming a world power
autocrat- a ruler with absolute power -
focused on militarisms, army
industrialisation- made as much coal and steel as Britain
population 49mil - 68 mil
big rich vs poor divide
poor living and working conditions
not enough food
big debt of 489bill marks by 1913 -
.Kaiser proposed laws
reichstag could accept or reject laws-
chancellor- government minister, proposed laws but could be dismissed by kaiser
government- helped kaiser run country
voters- men over 25, voted for different political parties -
rise in left wing political parties, wanting more democracy due to workers wanting more rights, but kaiser wanted to rule alone as an autocratic leader
had 110 seats in reichstag in 1912
people angry that tax money was taken for militarisation rather than increasing wages -
3 mil soldiers died
food and fuel shortages
factories closed, focused on producing weapons
1918- increase in strikes -
sailors refused to obey orders and had a revolution
inspired many others to also strike -
kaiser dipped
-
Germany became a democratic republic with Ebert promising to end war and hold elections
called the November Criminals -
germany surrendered
-
Land, Army, Money, Blame
Diktat- enforced peace
lost 13% land
100,000 soldier army
6 mil mark reperations
War Guilt Clause -
allows president of Weimar republic to make rules alone without using the Reichstag
-
Friedrich Ebert was the first president
all Germans were equal
voting system of proportional representation
rules had to go through Reichstag -
workers
freikorps crushed the uprising
left wing -
-
Nationalistic uprising
Freikorps- soldiers protested -
led by Ernst Rohm
became big in 1933
made of old soldiers -
extreme rise in prices
government printed money to pay workers striking in Ruhr -
germany couldnt pay reperations do French and Belgian soldiers invaded the Ruhr
workers were striking -
led by Hitler and General Ludendorff( ww1 leader)
tried to take power by force
Fails- stopped by police
Ludendorff and Hitler were arrested
Hitler imprisoned
wrote Mein Kampf -
USA loans given to Germany which allowed it to improve and pay reparations
-
no attempt to overthrow
improvement in art, culture, music, literature
more gender equality
anti-war media -
Led Golden Age
was chancellor and foreign minister
introduced new currency - Rentenmark - brought hyperinflation under control
ended occupation of Ruhr- promised to pay reparations
Golden Age -
acceptance of ToV
-
-
-
US loans were taken back, so german economy collapsed
unemployment rose to 6 million
businesses closed, no German good produced
this made people desperate for new political parties -
-
-
communist party blamed
Hindenburg gave Hitler article 48 powers -
gave hitler power to pass laws by himself
-
Nazis made different schemes to battle unemployment
conscription into army
construction work- building hospitals and public buildings
men aged 18-25 forced into 2 years army work -
Killed Ernst Rohm- leader of SA
SS soldiers killed 200 SA leaders, many arrested
killed many opposition of Hitler killed
Hitler confessed -
after Hindenburg's death, Hitler becomes an absolute ruler
-
citizenship taken away from Jews
interracial relationships were prohibited -
ordinary German people destroyed Jewish businesses
-
caused: rationing of food, labour shortages, bombings