-
Spartacist Revolt
In 1919, the Communists led by Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg tried to take over Berlin in the Spartacist Revolt, but they were defeated by the Freikorps -
Period: to
Weimar Republic was unpopular
It was difficult to make decisions because there were so many parties in the Reichstag
It was hard to pick a Chancellor who had the support of most of the Reichstag
The new Government had to accept the post-war treaties, so they were hated by many Germans because of the loss of territory, the ‘War-guilt’ clause, the reparations, etc -
Kapp Putsch
In 1920, some of the right-wing Freikorps themselves took part in the Kapp Putsch, led by Wolfgang Kapp, they took over Berlin to form another government. The workers staged a General Strike and Kapp gave up -
Germany couldn’t pay the reparations
Hyperinflation had three major results
The Nazis led the Munich Putsch -
workers in the Ruhr returned to work
-
In 1920, some of the right-wing Freikorps themselves took part in the Kapp Putsch (Putsch = revolt), led by Wolfgang Kapp, they took over Berlin to form another government. The workers staged a General Strike and Kapp gave up
This led to fury in Germany, while workers in the Ruhr refused to work: the government started printing money to pay the striking workers: hyperinflation, with 3 major results:
- Wages were paid twice a day before prices went up again
- The Middle Class lost out as bank saving became worthless
- The German Mark became worthless -
Dawes Plan
-
Locarno Settlement
-
Germany joined the League of Nations
-
Nazi party had risen to nearly 200,000
-
The elections showed Nazi gains
Germany had no strong government
Hindenburg refused to give the Nazis power -
Hindenburg appointed Kurt von Schleicher as Chancellor
-
President Hindenburg beat Hitler in the Presidential elections
President Hindenburg said he’d win easily but didn’t win a majority in the first election; in the second ballot he won 53% and beat Hitler who won 36,8% of the vote -
The Nazis used dirty tricks to win
-
Left League of Nations
-
Began to build up armed forces
-
Hitler’s Enabling Bill
Hitler declared the Communist party illegal; this gave him support in parliament to bring in an Enabling Bill which was passed with threats and bargaining in March 1933; this bill let him govern for four years without parliament and made all other parties illegal: Hitler was almost in full control -
Period: to
Hitler’s Foreign Policy
Arguments in favour of Hitler’s foreign policy
Hitler was only doing what most Germans wanted
Germany had suffered the humiliation of Versailles long enough
No other country would disarm
When Britain signed the Anglo-German Naval Agreement 1935, it approved Germany breaking the Versailles Treaty Arguments against Hitler’s foreign policy
His wish to reverse Versailles and unite Germany…, but taking the whole of Czechoslovakia and Poland was too much
Hitler showed he couldn’t be trusted
He -
Hitler made himself Commander-in-Chief of the Army
The SA had been destroyed, and a month later, when Hindenburg died, Hitler combined the posts of Chancellor and President, made himself Commander-in-Chief of the Army, and was called Der Führer (the leader) -
Night of the long knives
Hitler had opposition (Ernst Röhm). Hitler sent his own men to arrest Röhm and others. Von Schleicher and Röhm were killed. The SA had been destroyed, and a month later, Hitler combined the posts of Chancellor and President, made himself Commander-in-Chief of the Army, and was called Der Führer (the leader) -
Nuremberg Laws
-
Introduced Conscription
-
Refused to accept Treaty of Versailles
-
The SS and Gestapo
The SS, formed in 1925 as a personal force for Hitler and the leading Nazis
The Gestapo were secret police and could arrest anybody without cause -
Olympic Games in Germany
-
Occupation of Rhineland
-
Rome-Berlin Axis
-
Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan and Italy
-
Kristallnacht (night of knives)
-
Anschluss with Austria
-
Occupied Sudetenland
-
Occupied rest of Czechoslovakia
-
Pact of Steel with Italy
-
Treaty with Russia
-
Invaded Poland