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Week 7

Week 7. Revolution & Counterrevolution. Karl Liebknecht addressing crowd in Berlin, 6 November 1918. The Birth of the Weimar Republic. Did 1918 mark a break from the 19th century? Was 1918 a revolutionary moment? What compromises allowed the Weimar Republic to be created?

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Week 7

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  1. Week 7 Revolution & Counterrevolution Karl Liebknecht addressing crowd in Berlin, 6 November 1918

  2. The Birth of the Weimar Republic Did 1918 mark a break from the 19th century? Was 1918 a revolutionary moment? What compromises allowed the Weimar Republic to be created? What changes did the Republic signal?

  3. In the Face of Failure… Supreme Command placed the burden of defeat onto a civilian govt. headed by Prince Max von Baden. Social Democrat Philipp Scheidemann became first SPD minister of newly formed cabinet. 3 October: Max von Baden sued for peace and set in motion October reforms

  4. October Reforms • Brought together coalition of SPD, Center Party, and liberals • Abolition of Prussian three-class electoral system • Army brought under parliamentary control / Kaiser’s authority over army and appts. curtailed • The Chancellor and the Government made accountable to the Reichstag

  5. Sailors at Kiel November 1918

  6. Revolution in Bavaria And his assassin, the 22 year old Anton Graf von Arco auf Valley (1897-1945) Kurt Eisner (1867-1919), the leader of the Bavarian Revolution

  7. Friedrich Ebert, SPD • First president of the Weimar Republic • Saddle maker by profession

  8. Split on the Left Death announcement of Liebknecht & Luxemburg

  9. Founding Compromises • Ebert-Groener Pact • Stinnes-Legien Agreement

  10. What was SPD’s vision? • For the majority of the SPD, a return to order in fulfillment of its historical objective to improve the general welfare • Fear of the Bolshevik breakdown of order and apparent collapse of domestic and foreign policy • Striving to re-establish a stable if not stronger position

  11. Civil War, 1919-1920 Groups: • Army • Demobilized Freikorps supported by former Supreme Command Ludendorff and Hindenburg • Spartacists • Worker’s & Räte Movement

  12. Civil War

  13. Call for Freikorp Volunteers

  14. Street Fighting in the Capital

  15. Revolution in Bavaria Above:The Revolutionary leaders Ernst Toller and Eugene Levine Right above and below: Freikorps entering Munich, May 1919

  16. Kapp Putsch Wolfgang Kapp

  17. Ruhr Uprising, March 1920

  18. Matthias Erzberger, 1875-1921Killed on holiday in Black Forest • Centre Party Leader • Proponent of self-determination • Supported Armistice and signed Versailles Treaty • 1919-1920: Vice Chancellor & Finance Minister

  19. Walter RathenauMurdered en route to office in 1922 • Foreign Minister • Signee of Rapallo Treaty • Proponent of Jewish assimilation

  20. Punitive Peace Settlement

  21. World War I Financial Costs: Germany spent 36 million Marks/day at the beginning of the war; jumped to 146 million Marks/day by early 1918 Germany’s total expenditure: approx. 150,000,000,000 Marks

  22. Versailles Treaty, 1919 Article 231: “War Guilt Clause” Officially blamed Germany for causing the war and exacted high reparations set initially at $33,000,000,000 in 1921

  23. Versailles Treaty • Germany lost portions of Poland and Denmark, overseas colonies, as well as Alsace-Lorraine • Creation of German speaking mini-states in Danzig, Memel & the Saar • But, also the creation of many smaller states based on the notion of “self-determination”, i.e. Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Yugoslavia, and Hungary • Reduction of armed forces to 100,000 professional soldiers; massive restrictions on armaments • Occupation of the Rhineland for 15 years

  24. DolchstoßlegendeStab in the Back Legend Philipp Scheidemann and Matthias Erzberger betray the troops.

  25. Weimar Constitution • Proportional Representation • Extended the vote to women and lowered the voting age • Called for the direct election of the Reich President • Maintained a federal system although education and religion were centralized • The Chancellor and Cabinet were appointed by the President, but required parliamentary support to pass legislation. • Established fundamental civil rights

  26. Weimar Constitution Source: J. Traynor, Europe 1890-1990

  27. Political Parties • Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (German Social Democratic Party, SPD). • Unabhängige Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (Independent German Social Democratic Party, USPD). • Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands (Communist Party of Germany, KPD). • Deutsche Demokratische Partei (German Democratic Party, DDP). • Zentrumspartei (Centre Party). • Deutsche Volkspartei (German People’s Party, DVP). • Deutschenationale Volkspartei (German National People’s Party, DNVP). • Various smaller parties including the Bayerische Volkspartei (Bavarian People’s Party, BVP) and the Nationalsozialistische Partei Deutschlands (NSDAP).

  28. World Haunted by Compromises

  29. Starting Points • Punitive Peace Treaty • Compromised Social Revolution • Civil War • Anti-Republican Elites • Dissatisfaction with the Republic • Post-war economic stagnation

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