Years of Crisis, 1918-23 HI290- History of Germany.

Years of Crisis, 1918-23

HI290- History of Germany

The Birth of German Democracy?

• Did 1918 mark a break from the 19th century?• How revolutionary were the events of 1918?• What compromises led to birth of the parliamentary republic?• What changes in German politics and society did the birth of the

Weimar Republic signal?

The October Reforms 3 October: Prince Max von Baden installed as

Chancellor. Coalition of Centre Party, Liberals and SPD. 26 October: Reform of the Constitution

announced The 3 class franchise in Prussia abolished. The Kaiser’s powers over the army and

appointments severely curtailed. The Chancellor and the Government

made accountable to the Reichstag. A ‘Revolution from above’?

Prince Max von Baden (1867-1929)

The November Revolution

Mutinous sailors at Kiel, November 1918

Philipp Scheidemann proclaiming the new Republic on November 9, 1918

The Council of Peoples’ Representatives

Friedrich Ebert (1871-1925) General Wilhelm Groener (1867-1939)

The Challenge from the Left:The Spartacist Uprising, January 1919

Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg

The Constituent Assembly

The Weimar Constitution

Reich Government

Chancellor Head of Government; determines policy; must command the confidence of the Reichstag.

Ministers Nominated by Chancellor and approved by a vote in the Reichstag.

Legislature Reichstag (Lower House) Legislation passed by majority voting; powers to set the federal budget, declare war and ratify treaties.

Reichsrat (Upper House) Can veto legislation (but veto can be overruled by two-thirds majority vote in the lower house).

Executive Reich President

Can be any German citizen over 35; Supreme Commander of the Army; Can assume Emergency Powers under Article 48.

All German citizens over 20 Federal States (Länder)

The Threat from the Right:The Kapp Putsch

Wolfgang Kapp (1858-1922), figurehead of the Kapp Putsch

Freikorps distribute leaflets in Berlin, March 1920

The Challenge from the Left:The Ruhr Uprising

The Threat from the Right:Terrorism

Victims of Feme killings: Hugo Haase (1863-1919), Mattias Erzberger (1875-1921) and Walter Rathenau (1867-1922)

HyperinflationDate German Marks to the Pound

SterlingGerman Marks to the US Dollar

January 1920 233 64.8

July 1920 152 39.5

January 1921 243 64.9

July 1921 278 76.7

January 1922 811 191.8

July 1922 2,200 493.2

January 1923 83,190 17,972

July 1923 1,594,760 353,412

August 1923 21,040,000 4,620,455

September 1923 449,375,000 98,860,000

October 1923 112,503,000,000 25,260,208,000

November 1923 9,604,000,000,000 4,200,000,000,000

Sources: Edgar, Viscout D’Abernon, An Ambassador of Peace, vol. 2 (London, 1929), p. 298-300 Matthew Stibbe, Germany 1914-1933 (Harlow, 2010), p. 99

German children play with stacks of worthless banknotes

Conclusion

• German politics were radicalized by the experience of war and defeat.

• But the vast majority of Germans were primarily concerned with their material well-being, not radical political reform.

• The circumstances of its birth hampered the Weimar Republic – revolution and counter-revolution, economic crisis and the bitter legacy of defeat all helped to undermine faith in the new democracy.

• The Weimar constitution achieved much (a democratic system, welfare state etc.), but did little to solve deep divisions within German society and left key institutions unreformed.

• But the Republic weathered the storm – which should indicate that it had more popular support and stronger institutions than has sometimes been suggested.