Topic 14: Beginning of Weimar 1918-1923
Weimar was created right at the end of WWI, when the Kaiser abdicated. The government
signed the armistice
- Many citizens unhappy with the signing of the armistice as they believed that
Germany was still winning the war (propaganda) , thus they disliked Weimar from the
very beginning
The October 1918 reforms
- Ludendorff, which knew germany was on the brink of defeat, wanted to introduce
democracy → Wanted to change Germany into a constitutional monarchy
(democracy while monarchy was maintained)
- October 3rd → chancellor and government not longer dependent on kaiser but to the
reichstag
- Ludendorff’s reasoning
- Shifted responsibility for Germany’s defeat and the signing of the armistice
onto the new leadership of Weimar, as opposed to the military leadership and
conservative forces
- Origins of the “stabbed in the back” myth
- A more democratic germany would better appeal to the allies
- A move towards democracy would pacify the socialists and avoid revolution
- In late october, a 2nd bill was adopted, transforming the german empire into a
constitutional monarchy
- By the first week of November the reform had failed to impress the German people
and discontent was turning into a fundamental revolutionary movement who
demanded for immediate peace and the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II.
- Troops and sailors realized the war was lost and carrying on would do nothing
- National shock when Germany announced their military had lost despite the
propaganda and censorship leading people to be misinformed
- Increasing anger and bitterness over socio-economic conditions
The creation of Weimar
- Navy mutiny at Kiel on 29th of october, because they were ordered to fight the British
Navy (effort for German pride)
- By the 2nd of november, the mutiny had spread (to Lübeck and Hamburg)
and was uncontrollable
- Soviets (councils) developed in Berlin, Cologne and Stuttgart.
- On the 9th it was proclaimed Wilhelm II had abdicated, and on the 10th the republic
was announced
Securing power
- Ebert-Groener agreement (November 10th 1918)
- Groener (the army commander) agreed to support the government and use
the army to maintain security/stability of the republic
- Ebert agreed to oppose revolutionary socialism and preserve the authority of
army officers
- Stinnes-Legien agreement (November 15th 1918)
, - Karl Legien (leader of trade unions) and Hugo Stinnes (leader of industrial
employers) made a deal that the trade unions would not interfere with private
ownership and the free market
- In return, there would be an 8h working day and recognition of trade unions
- Ebert endorsed it because trade unions were powerful and linked to the SPD
First elections (January 19th 1919)
- SPD (moderate socialist, against far-left, pro republic): 38%
- ZP/BVP (roman catholic, pro republic, center-right): 20%
- DDP (liberal, pro republic, constitutional reforms): 19%
- DNVP (conservative, anti-semitic, monarchist, nationalist): 10%
- NSDAP (nazi, right wing, anti-semitic): less than 1%
The constitution (11th of august 1919)
- Germany is a federation of 18 Landër
- All men and women over 21yo vote for president (every 7) and reichstag (every 4)
- Strengths
- Democratic
- Based on proportional representation (1MP for 60 000 ppl)
- Reichstag (parliament chamber) + Reichrat (lander chamber)
- Power was shared
- Weaknesses
- Born out of military defeat and tainted by humiliation of treaty of versailles
amid revolution
- Weak government that are very short-lived because they’re coalition gov
- Article 48 allows the president and chancellor to bypass parliament
- Traditional institutions stayed → army, judges, civil service
Weimar had to deal with many problems from the start, because it was right after war
- War casualties and civilian deaths
- Spanish flu
- Food and fuel shortages
- Political extremism
Creation of a provisional government by Friedrich Ebert
- Short term government to deal with the revolutionary movement until a national
election was held to vote for a parliament
- Coalition government composed of several parties, namely the German Social
Democratic Party (SPD) and the German Independent Social Democratic Party
(USPD)
- Lack of unity in his coalition government due to the varying aims and methods of the
socialist movement
- German society in a state of near-collapse, giving political figures little room to
maneuver when it was necessary to make difficult and hasty decisions
- Ebert was a moderate and feared the political situation could easily run out of control,
with his main worry being that the extreme left would gain the upper hand
Weimar was created right at the end of WWI, when the Kaiser abdicated. The government
signed the armistice
- Many citizens unhappy with the signing of the armistice as they believed that
Germany was still winning the war (propaganda) , thus they disliked Weimar from the
very beginning
The October 1918 reforms
- Ludendorff, which knew germany was on the brink of defeat, wanted to introduce
democracy → Wanted to change Germany into a constitutional monarchy
(democracy while monarchy was maintained)
- October 3rd → chancellor and government not longer dependent on kaiser but to the
reichstag
- Ludendorff’s reasoning
- Shifted responsibility for Germany’s defeat and the signing of the armistice
onto the new leadership of Weimar, as opposed to the military leadership and
conservative forces
- Origins of the “stabbed in the back” myth
- A more democratic germany would better appeal to the allies
- A move towards democracy would pacify the socialists and avoid revolution
- In late october, a 2nd bill was adopted, transforming the german empire into a
constitutional monarchy
- By the first week of November the reform had failed to impress the German people
and discontent was turning into a fundamental revolutionary movement who
demanded for immediate peace and the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II.
- Troops and sailors realized the war was lost and carrying on would do nothing
- National shock when Germany announced their military had lost despite the
propaganda and censorship leading people to be misinformed
- Increasing anger and bitterness over socio-economic conditions
The creation of Weimar
- Navy mutiny at Kiel on 29th of october, because they were ordered to fight the British
Navy (effort for German pride)
- By the 2nd of november, the mutiny had spread (to Lübeck and Hamburg)
and was uncontrollable
- Soviets (councils) developed in Berlin, Cologne and Stuttgart.
- On the 9th it was proclaimed Wilhelm II had abdicated, and on the 10th the republic
was announced
Securing power
- Ebert-Groener agreement (November 10th 1918)
- Groener (the army commander) agreed to support the government and use
the army to maintain security/stability of the republic
- Ebert agreed to oppose revolutionary socialism and preserve the authority of
army officers
- Stinnes-Legien agreement (November 15th 1918)
, - Karl Legien (leader of trade unions) and Hugo Stinnes (leader of industrial
employers) made a deal that the trade unions would not interfere with private
ownership and the free market
- In return, there would be an 8h working day and recognition of trade unions
- Ebert endorsed it because trade unions were powerful and linked to the SPD
First elections (January 19th 1919)
- SPD (moderate socialist, against far-left, pro republic): 38%
- ZP/BVP (roman catholic, pro republic, center-right): 20%
- DDP (liberal, pro republic, constitutional reforms): 19%
- DNVP (conservative, anti-semitic, monarchist, nationalist): 10%
- NSDAP (nazi, right wing, anti-semitic): less than 1%
The constitution (11th of august 1919)
- Germany is a federation of 18 Landër
- All men and women over 21yo vote for president (every 7) and reichstag (every 4)
- Strengths
- Democratic
- Based on proportional representation (1MP for 60 000 ppl)
- Reichstag (parliament chamber) + Reichrat (lander chamber)
- Power was shared
- Weaknesses
- Born out of military defeat and tainted by humiliation of treaty of versailles
amid revolution
- Weak government that are very short-lived because they’re coalition gov
- Article 48 allows the president and chancellor to bypass parliament
- Traditional institutions stayed → army, judges, civil service
Weimar had to deal with many problems from the start, because it was right after war
- War casualties and civilian deaths
- Spanish flu
- Food and fuel shortages
- Political extremism
Creation of a provisional government by Friedrich Ebert
- Short term government to deal with the revolutionary movement until a national
election was held to vote for a parliament
- Coalition government composed of several parties, namely the German Social
Democratic Party (SPD) and the German Independent Social Democratic Party
(USPD)
- Lack of unity in his coalition government due to the varying aims and methods of the
socialist movement
- German society in a state of near-collapse, giving political figures little room to
maneuver when it was necessary to make difficult and hasty decisions
- Ebert was a moderate and feared the political situation could easily run out of control,
with his main worry being that the extreme left would gain the upper hand
