1. Emergence of the Democratic Republic and the impact of the Treaty of Versailles
Democracy established before treaty to end war be signed,
Germany had no choice, Ludendorff announced Germany has lost war
Starvation was ranmpant- no option
Needed to stop britans restriction of incoming food supplies
Germany becomes a democracy at Weimar in 1919. A republic with a president and prime minister
First president- Ebert
Scheidemann-PM – Leader of the SDP- Socialist Democratic Party
The Parties:
Left: SPD, USPD,KPD
Centre: DDP, ZENTERUM (cathoilic)
Right: DVP,DNVP, NAZI
The military stepped aside, the politicians were to decide what to do
Great shame, it was an event which many historians have argued which created a legacy of defeat and betrayal for Weimar
Hitler called this the “dolchtosslegende” : ‘ the stab in the back ledged’.
The blame although truly to be weighed upon the military was thrust upon the civil politicians. Germany was humiliated altogether in a state of devastation
Diktat- IMPOSED PEACE
2. Political, economic and social issues in the Weimar Republic to 1929
3. Collapse of the Weimar republic: 1929-1933
4. Impact of the Great Depression on Germany.
The focus here is on the different events and devolepments which faced Germany society- response to both internal and external international society
NB: a country is never in isolation what is going ion in the world around them will greatly affect how their own society devoleps from within
Continious viscious cycle: politica, social, econmy
Conter revolution of 1918-1919: Spartcasit uprising- Extreme left, Communism ideologies
Supression of the movement: Gustav Noske (defence minister and the freikorps (volunteer groups of ex soldiers)
Rose luzemburg
Implications: Needed support of the army, hatred divided the left- socialist and communists, led to perpetual division which made the left less able to resist the extreme right of politics