Collapse of the Weimar Collapse of the Weimar Republic and the rise of the Republic and the rise of the

Nazi PartyNazi Party

The Weimar RepublicThe Weimar Republic

On Feb 1919 a new On Feb 1919 a new democratic democratic republic led by republic led by Friedrich Ebert Friedrich Ebert emerged from the emerged from the ashes of WW1ashes of WW1

Political weaknesses 1Political weaknesses 1

Treaty of Versailles Treaty of Versailles “illegitimate child of “illegitimate child of defeat”defeat”

Coalitions/proportional Coalitions/proportional representationrepresentation

Lack of law and orderLack of law and order No support from No support from

landowners, army, landowners, army, civil service and big civil service and big businessbusiness

Political weaknesses 2 Political weaknesses 2

Attacked by left Attacked by left wing parties wing parties German revolution German revolution 19191919

Attacked by right Attacked by right wing parties eg wing parties eg Kapp Putsche 1920Kapp Putsche 1920

Also Hitler’s Munich Also Hitler’s Munich Putsch of 1923Putsch of 1923

Political Weaknesses 3Political Weaknesses 3

““A republic without republicans” A republic without republicans” BookbinderBookbinder

““the stability of Weimar rested on the stability of Weimar rested on shaky foundations”shaky foundations”

BesselBessel

“ “ an accidental republic …….that few an accidental republic …….that few Germans understood or appreciated”Germans understood or appreciated”

FischerFischer

Economic Weaknesses 1Economic Weaknesses 1

Treaty of VersaillesTreaty of Versailles

>Iron>Iron

>coal>coal

>industry>industry

>reparations>reparations

Economic weaknesses 2Economic weaknesses 2

Hyperinflation 1923-Hyperinflation 1923-44

>savings of middle >savings of middle classes wiped out classes wiped out like “like “leaves in a leaves in a galegale””

Wall St. Crash in USA Wall St. Crash in USA effect on Germany effect on Germany 1931.1931.

>Unemployment>Unemployment>support for extremist >support for extremist

partiesparties

Economic Weaknesses 3Economic Weaknesses 3

““the slump had a the slump had a major effect on the major effect on the Weimar republic” Weimar republic” Hite and HintonHite and Hinton

The chances of The chances of Weimar democracy Weimar democracy surviving were surviving were virtually nil” Hite virtually nil” Hite and Hintonand Hinton

Attraction of Hitler and Nazis Attraction of Hitler and Nazis

Charismatic leaderCharismatic leader Simple message – Simple message –

Versailles, anti Versailles, anti semitism, anti semitism, anti communismcommunism

PropagandaPropaganda

Attraction of Hitler and the Nazis 2Attraction of Hitler and the Nazis 2

““the only party the only party cutting across the cutting across the political spectrum” political spectrum” MuhlbergerMuhlberger

““the Nazis could the Nazis could claim to be a claim to be a volkspartei”volkspartei”

ChildersChilders

Political IntriguePolitical Intrigue Groups like the army, Groups like the army,

landowners and big landowners and big business hoped to use Nazi business hoped to use Nazi support for their own endssupport for their own ends

Conservative politicians Conservative politicians miscalculated Hitler’s miscalculated Hitler’s ambitionsambitions

““sordid political intrigue”sordid political intrigue”

AJP TaylorAJP Taylor

““in two months time we will in two months time we will have pushed him….into have pushed him….into the corner”the corner”

Von PapenVon Papen