The Weimar RepublicFrom Democracy to Nazism

On the back…• Based upon what you know about

World War II, the Holocaust, and Adolf Hitler - how did he take over Germany?

“Stab in the Back”• Nov. 1918 - Weimar Republic formed • Nov. 1918 - Armistice signed by civilian

representatives• Versailles Treaty inflicted brutal

punishment

Weimar Constitution• President elected popularly• Chancellor appointed by President• Legislators elected through proportional

representation to Reichstag• Article 48 - Temporary dictatorship to

solve crises

Weimar Culture• Berlin became center of European

culture• Conservatives opposed changes• All Quiet banned

Early 1920’s• French occupy Ruhr• Far-left and right groups fight for control• Munich (Beer Hall) Putsch• Hyperinflation

Hyperinflation - 1923

Hyperinflation• Most workers were paid daily and given time to shop

before the value of their wages fell further.• Depositors received letters from their banks informing

them their life savings were worth less then the administrative costs of maintaining their accounts.

• Young women who had been setting aside money for their dowries saw their savings evaporate, thus making a traditional German marriage impossible.

• A concert pianist would be paid with a suitcase of bills for his performance and exchange half of the bills for several sausages.

Hyperinflation

Hyperinflation

Hyperinflation

Hyperinflation

Late 1920’s• Recovery based upon

American loans• 1929 Stock Market

crash, Depression• Taxes raised, wages and

social programs cut• 6 million unemployed

workers

Political Crisis• Coalitions collapse• Parties unwilling to compromise• President Hindenburg and Article 48• Extremists gain power• Paramilitary groups roam cities

Hitler and Nazi Party• As party leader, he

gave numerous speeches blaming Germany’s new found weakness on the current politicians, the French, the communists, and the Jews

Philosophy of Hitler • First outlined his political philosophy in Mein

Kampf– Versailles Treaty must be repealed, it had dismantled

the very nature of the Fatherland– All German-speaking people must be united in a

single nation which therefore needed additional “living space”

– Aryans are the highest form of life, must never intermingle with lesser races including Slavs and Jews; these groups must be separated from Aryans

Philosophy of Hitler • After prison, Hitler

reorganized Nazi party and developed a political platform that would utilize the democratic system to obtain power

National Socialist Platform• Stop all compliance with the Versailles

Treaty and punish those responsible for this “stab in the back”

• Rid Germany of corrupt non-Aryan influences, including the Jews who he said had an international plan to take over world

• Only allow people of German blood to be citizens

National Socialist Platform• Rebuild greatness of the German army;

build an unrivaled navy • Unify the German peoples• Rebuild the German economy without

foreign influences – protecting German workers and farmers

National Socialist Platform• Education in the name of the nation

should be available to everyone and the press should have limitations placed on it

• All citizens have equal access to pensions and medical care in their old age

1932• Four parties vying for power• Nazis receive 37% of vote - 2nd• Hitler demands to be appointed

Chancellor• President Hindenburg believes it would

keep him in check

1933-34• Feb. 1933, Reichstag

burned• Consolidates power• Nazis gain control • Hindenburg dies• Hitler declares himself

Fuhrer

"Comrades, we stand firmly together for Germany, and we must stand firmly together for Germany. I am handing you the new insignia, knowing I place it in the most loyal hands in Germany. In the past you have proven your loyalty to me a thousand times. In the future it cannot and will not be any different!"