Weimar Republic and Nazi Rise

• The Weimar Republic existed from 1918 to 1929.

The Constitution

• The President was elected every seven years.
• The president's role was intended to be fair, granting women the right to vote on equal terms with men.
• The Chancellor was appointed by the President from the Reichstag and needed majority support.
• The Parliament (Reichstag) used proportional representation, where parties received seats based on their vote share.
• All adults in the German electorate had the right to vote.
• In emergencies, Article 48 allowed the President to rule independently.
• Proportional representation led to many small parties, weakening the government and making lasting coalitions difficult.
• The Chancellor did not need to be the leader of the largest party.
• Article 48 could be used to overrule the Reichstag in emergencies.

Key Developments

• Autumn 1918: Germany was losing the war, and the Allies demanded Kaiser Wilhelm's abdication for peace talks to begin.
• Political revolution led to Germany becoming a republic, with Ebert (Social Democratic Party leader) temporarily in control.
• November 11, 1918 the German government signed an armistice with the Allies.
• January 1919: The Spartacist Uprising occurred.
• The Treaty of Versailles was signed in June 1919.
• March 1920: The Kapp Putsch took place.
• January 1923: The Invasion of the Ruhr led to hyperinflation.
• November 1923: The Munich Putsch occurred.
• In 1920, Social Democrats formed the Reichstag majority.

Challenges to the Weimar Republic

• January 1919 - The Spartacist Uprising, led by communists Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht, seized newspaper headquarters and tried to trigger a strike.
• Nationalist Freikorps launched the Kapp Putsch in March 1920, led by Wolfgang Kapp.
• The government used police and Freikorps to suppress it.
• The uprising lacked public support and lasted less than two weeks.
• The revolt highlighted the government's dependence on the army and their promise not to interfere with army leadership.
• Trade Unions in Berlin organized a general strike.
• Kapp was imprisoned after chaos prevented him from ruling.
• The army sympathized with Kapp and refused to act.
• 5,000 Freikorps established a government in Berlin, forcing the Weimar government to flee to Dresden.

Treaty of Versailles

• Germans were shocked by its severity, viewing it as a 'Diktat' enforced without negotiation.
• Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France.
• Land was taken to give Poland access to the sea, with the 'Polish Corridor' cutting off East Prussia from Germany.
• Germany lost overseas colonies.
• The Saar Coalfields were given to France for 15 years.
• The army was limited to 100,000 men, and the navy restricted to 6 battleships and 15,000 sailors with no submarines or aircraft.
• The Rhineland was demilitarized and occupied by Allied troops.
• Germany had to pay £6.6 billion in reparations for war damages.
• Article 231 placed blame on Germany for causing WW1, justifying reparations.
• Germany lost 13% of its land, including valuable farmland.

Challenges of 1923

• The German government failed to make its second reparations payment in 1922
• France and Belgium invaded the Ruhr in January 1923, seizing goods to the value of reparations owed
• A strike united workers against French invaders, leading to temporary government popularity
• Some workers sabotaged machinery and mines.
• Passive Resistance caused government to print more money to pay strikers due to the inability to offer resistance.
• Pensions and fixed incomes became worthless during hyperinflation, savings lost all value to the middle class and wages could not keep up with inflation
• £1 worth of foreign goods cost 20 marks in November 1918, but 20 billion by 1923.

Recovery of the Republic

• August 1923: Stresemann was appointed Chancellor, calling off passive resistance in the Ruhrand committing Germany to reparations payments.
• November 1923: A new currency, the Rentenmark, was introduced, prices came down when value of the currency guaranteed ending hyperinflation and based on the governments gold.
• March 1924: This control passed to Reichsbank after the economy stablised being replaced by Reichsmark.
• 1924: The Dawes Plan restructured payments to ease immediate pressure (total was not reduced).
• 1925: The Locarno Treaty guaranteed frontiers with France and Italy to reassure Germany would not attack these to reclaim lost territory.
• 1926: Germany joined the League of Nations, marking improved relations and boosted pride.
• 1928: The Kellogg-Briand Pact was signed by Germany, agreeing to avoid war by solving disputes.
• 1929: US banks issuing loans and reduce taxes.
• 1929: Young Plan. reparations revises again, total amount reduced and yearly payments to 2,000 marks and Allied troops left Rhineland.

Changes in Society 1924 - 1929

• Living standards improved, with wages increasing by over 10% by 1928 and the homeless decreasing by over 60%.
• More than 2 million homes were built or renovated between 1924-31
• Politics: Women made gains, with 32 Reichstag deputies in 1926.
• Female doctors doubled from 2,500 in 1925 to 5,000 in 1939.
• Women gained equal rights (e.g., vote, marriage equality, and professional access).
• Young single women gained financial independence and divorced rates rose with social freedom.
• Cultural Changes: Architecture flourished, especially the Bauhaus movement and literature from various political viewpoints.
• Arts were financed by economic recovery after 1924
• Negatives: Unemployment remained high among white collar households, criticism artists undermining values and married working women were criticised for working and neglecting their homes. Evidence FOR Recovery included, little support for extremist parties, new factories bulit, wages and conditions improved, lower working hours, benefit schemes and rising education numbers. AGAINST were consitutional issues and some of the gains came US loans.

The Wall Street Crash and The Great Depression

• Share prices collapsed beginning October 1929 on Wall Street, ruining US businesses and causing them to end foreign loans and asked for existing loans to be paide and taxed.
• By January 1933 unemployment rose to reach 6,000 workers and taxes were raised with smaller unemployment benefit assistance and homelessness soared as income and savings crashed
• The problems from these events let to people turning to extremist groups.

Early Nazi Party

• Hitler designed the Nazi flag with the colours red (socialist), white (nationalist) and swastika (racial views). Hitler's rise occurred due to good qualities like orator and stage presence carefully rehearse and study his action shots.
• In 1923, Hitler has The SA or Sturm Abteilung attracted ex-soldiers, especially from the Freikorps disrupted meetings of Hitler's opponents (especially Communists) and known for uniforms.

The Nazi Party Programme.

• The Nazi Party Programme (Twenty Five Point Programme) was kept deliberately appealing to as many groups a possible, Nationalised destroying the Treaty, socialism Anti communism

Re-organisation of the Nazi Party 1924-28.

• February 1925, the ban on the Nazi party was lifted. Hitler relaunched the Party, but it was recognised into a party that could appeal to electors.
• The Bamberg Conference survived leadership was confirmed and propaganda was used to make the organisation strict.

The Munich Putsch:

• 8th November 1923, Hitler attempted to seize power in Munich.
• Hitler intended to overthrow government due to disgareement with hyperinflation to seize power.
• Judge at his trial was light on him, releasing him after months and using the trial to promote his cause.

Political Manoeuvring

• The SA was strengthened new organisation and propaganda
• Hitler gaining popularity, created national office and all party members to be controlled.
• Parties were set up to focus on groups like teacher, students and women.

Nazi Organisation

• Set up to appeal to certain interest groups, including the Nazi Students' League, the Teachers' League, and the Women's' League.
• Nazi youth movement was organised to appeal to the young.

Nazi propaganda

• The Nazi party employed Party propaganda and used posters skilfully.
• Also used Nazi newspapers and meetings to put across Nazi ideals.
• anti-Jewish message had the most appeal among the working classes and increased anti-Semitic propaganda.
• Nazis trained their members in public-speaking. Party Rallies also helped.

Growth in support for the Nazis

• Leaders of big businesses targeted by the Nazis and Hitler persuaded wealthy businessmen that the Nazi Party was their best hope from the rise of the Communists.
• Wealthy businessmen poured money into the NSDAP Alfred Hugenberg allowed Goebbels to use his newspapers for Nazi propaganda.
• Name National Socialist German Workers' Party a sign of the appeal to the working class and Policies worked on workers German traditional values protection again Communism, to promote to the middle class and yong, exciting atmospheres in rally.

Hitler becoming Chancellor:

• 1924: Hitler used a plane to visit 20 cities in 5 days,
• 1928: Election held campaign between Nazi and commute Von pap depend to called on government to gain support 19.4 million so remain a political with population support. 1932: 10 96 vote Hitler persuade. to chancellor could be control

The SA

• Held marches and rallies that built up the importance of the party.
• Uniformed appearance of the SA suggested strict organisation and discipline.
• SA attacked rival groups and disrupted political meetings.
• SA ran soup kitchens to provide support for the poor.
• By 1932, the SA had 600,000 members, attracting the young and unemployed.

Appeal of Hitler:

• Impressive orator and regularly held public speeches.
• Portrayed himself as Germany's last hope and attacked the Treaty of Versailles
• Party Policy: Included the need for a strong government and Emphasised nationalism with lots of training.

Propaganda and the the rise of Hitler

• propaganda and promise to get new jobs which targeted working and Weima

Nazi Control and Dictatorship 1933-39:

• January 1933: Hitler was only 2 other Nazis in the government.
• February 1933: The Reichstag building was set on fire with with political.
• Hitler called SA and call used SA violence against Hitler. March seats in constitution with greater

Police states:

• People states more important from people action.

Key Figures of The Reich:

• S5, SD, Gestapot set y to set action people action from public torture

The Hitler Oath to ensure loyalty

August died made loyalty for oath of loyalty to him by

1933 from power control

• Church opposition
• Limited church to oppose
• But Catholic support

Nazi opposition from German public

• Nazi group

Limited Opposition and Censorship from the government

people support the action to take

Controlling and influencing attitudes

• All aspects checked to be with Nazi ideas when Hitler became Minsiter People image strength with strong clear vision Sporting People and public

Nazi policies towards women: Life in Nazi Germany

Women's Roles: Strong and Helpful:

• Not action but home with with traditional.
• Not wearing with campaign

Policies to encouraged action and 7 from year, pure to pay

Nazi policies towards the youths

• Youths Strengthen Germany

Schools and action to 14 1925 control and 76 action League and support and people action and German league of maidens.

Strength and the Nazi Party

• Youths labour, and action

Strength from the love on 1978 you got and action on beauty of

Nazi beliefs Beliefs And the 20 of minorities actions

Had public power and had to be a year which to take place

Treatment against Jews

• action in 1945 public actions.

action you can did for actions SA action from Hitler was the best actions were taken

Questions cover the Nazi Party's methods for gaining support, the role of the SA, and the impact of hyperinflation in Weimar Germany. It also explores nationalism, political disruption, and Hitler's ascent to power.