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Weimar Germany

Weimar Germany. The History of Western Civilization since 1500 Prof. Dr. George S. Vascik. Problems of the Republic. Revolutionary birth The Treaty of Versailles. Reparations. The German war effort. In late summer 1918, German forces were still in France and Belgium

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Weimar Germany

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  1. Weimar Germany The History of Western Civilization since 1500 Prof. Dr. George S. Vascik

  2. Problems of the Republic • Revolutionary birth • The Treaty of Versailles. • Reparations.

  3. The German war effort • In late summer 1918, German forces were still in France and Belgium • German public thought they were winning • In fact, American forces were pushing them back and defeat was inevitable • September 28, High Command demanded the government negotiate an armistice • President Wilson insists Emperor must abdicate • Austria-Hungary collapses • Naval mutiny in High Seas Fleet spreads to Berlin • Soviets established • Socialists in German parliament formed a provisional government that was charged with writing a democratic constitution

  4. November in Berlin Rebels of the Berlin garrison Schiedemann proclaims the Republic Naval mutineers

  5. January in Berlin Communist Red Guard on parade Karl Liebknecht at a rally Red Guards Rosa Luxemburg

  6. Results • The “stab-in-the-back” legend • Widespread belief that the German army was not defeated • Notion that Germany was betrayed on the home front by the politicians, the unions, and the Jews • The Groener-Ebert pact • The army (General Groener) agreed to support the provisional government against the communist rebels if the soviet’s leader (Friedrich Ebert) agreed that army would be autonomous under new constitution

  7. Weimar and the parties WEIMAR COALITION RIGHT LEFT

  8. The Treaty of Versailles

  9. Reparations • January 1920 - Treaty comes into force. • January 1921 - Paris conference sets reparations amount. • May 1921 - London Ultimatum. • January 1923 - France and Belgium occupy the Ruhr to exact in-kind payments. German government declares “passive resistance.”

  10. Hyperinflation

  11. currency

  12. Impact of hyperinflation • Domestic. • Severe economic distortions. • Middle class savings are wiped out. • German exports become more competitive. • International. • Germany couldn’t make payments to Allies. • Allies couldn’t repay war debt to USA.

  13. Charles Dawes, 1865-1951 • Born Marietta, Ohio; UC law school. • Made fortune in utilities, banking. • Active in GOP. • General with AEF. • 1920, Director of the Budget.

  14. The Dawes Plan • German budget (taxes and expenditures) is negotiated with the Allies. • Allies appoint a “budget commissioner”. • This official (Owen Young) must OK budget every year. • Germans introduce new, stable, gold-based currency backed by a mortgage on national railroads. • American banks make gold loan to German government.

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