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The German Revolution of 1918 ( establishment of Weimar Republic)

The German Revolution of 1918 ( establishment of Weimar Republic). The causes. The Causes. The military defeat of Germany; a democratic regime needed!. A need to move responsibility for German´s defeat away for the military and conservative establishment ( Stab in the Back)

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The German Revolution of 1918 ( establishment of Weimar Republic)

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  1. The German Revolution of 1918 ( establishment of Weimar Republic) The causes

  2. The Causes The military defeat of Germany; a democratic regime needed! • A need to move responsibility for German´s defeat away for the military and conservative establishment ( Stab in the Back) • Economic problems and a threat of left-wing revolution • The Failure of October Reforms / A Revolution from above (Prince Max of Baden as Chancellor) * Wilhelm II gave up his powers over the army and the navy to the Reichstag * The Chancellor and the Government accountable to the Reichstag However: The Forces which had been dominated imperial Germany were still in position!!

  3. The Birth of German Republic (The Weimar R.) • Sailoirs´revolt at Kiel; Prince Max´s government began to loose control • A revolutionary movement all over Germany - workers´and solders´ councils were established in major cities ( just like in Russia…) - an independent socialist-democratic republic was established in Bavaria → The October Reforms had failed to impress, demands for immediate peace and abdication of Kaiser;

  4. The rise of left-wing parties: - SPD; social reforms were called, no revolution -USPD; a compromise between the communists and socialists -KPD; armed uprisings, extreme left, called for a communist revolution!( Karl Liebknecht, Rosa Luxenburg)

  5. ..Revolution and Ebert´s Coalition Government • Prince (PM) resigned, Kaiser went into voluntary exile in Holland: establishment of a new government: 2) Ebert´s Government * SPD and USPD- Ebert became Chancellor * proclaimed Germany a republic The main worry: the threat of the extreme left and right→

  6. The Ebert- Groener Agreement • “ The Supreme Army Command agreed to support the Government and to maintain law and order. In return for the promise PM Ebert promised to resist Bolshevism and to preserve authority of the officers” • Also an agreement between the employers and the trade unions • The Spartacist Rising in Jan. 1919 → crushed easily by Freikorps (irregular military-style groups)

  7. Did Ebert save Germany from Boshelvism? • Actually very few of workers´ councils fell under the rule of extreme left • The threat from the communists was grossly exaggerated • Reassessment of Ebert and SPD leadership: their reading of political situation was poor • Compromised with the forces of imperial G. ever though there was no need

  8. The Weimar Constitution • What difficulties might the Weimar Constitution create for the future Weimar governments? • http://alphahistory.com/weimarrepublic/weimar-constitution/

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