The Birth of the Weimar Republic 1918-1919

Germany was absolutely shattered after WWI - 11 million men fought and over half became casualties. The British naval blockade caused 750,000 Germans to starve, whilst government debt tripled to 150 billion marks. When the Kaiser abdicated in 1918, Germany needed a completely fresh start.

Friedrich Ebert stepped up to lead the new Weimar Republic, creating Germany's first proper democracy. The new constitution introduced proportional representation, meaning parties got seats based on their vote percentage. Sounds fair, right? Well, it also meant extremist parties could gain power more easily.

The constitution had some serious flaws though. Article 48 gave the president emergency powers during crises - and Ebert used this 136 times! This would later prove dangerous when democracy was already hanging by a thread.

Key Point: The Weimar Republic was born from defeat and crisis, making it vulnerable to attack from extremist groups who blamed it for Germany's problems.

Early Challenges: Treaties and Uprisings 1919-1923

The Treaty of Versailles was brutal for Germany. They lost 10% of their population, 13% of European territory, and had to pay £6.6 billion in reparations. Germans felt betrayed, calling politicians who signed it the "November Criminals" and spreading the Dolchstoss myth - claiming the army was "stabbed in the back" by politicians.

Two major uprisings tested the weak republic. The Spartacist Uprising (1919) saw communists try to overthrow the government, but the Freikorps $right-wing paramilitaries$ brutally crushed them, killing leaders Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht. The Kapp Putsch (1920) was a right-wing attempt that only failed when public services went on strike.

These uprisings revealed the government's weakness - it couldn't survive without the army and Freikorps. Worryingly, communists were treated far more harshly than right-wing rebels, showing where the real power lay.

Key Point: The government was caught between left and right-wing extremists, proving it lacked the strength to protect democracy on its own.

Crisis Year: 1923

Everything went wrong in 1923. When Germany couldn't pay reparations, French troops occupied the Ruhr valley - Germany's industrial heartland containing 80% of their remaining resources. The government's "passive resistance" failed miserably, leaving factories closed and workers unemployed.

Desperate for money, the government started printing cash, triggering hyperinflation so severe that people needed wheelbarrows of money to buy bread. Workers were paid twice daily because prices changed so rapidly. Anyone with savings was wiped out, though some businesses actually benefited by paying off debts with worthless money.

This chaos set the stage for Hitler's Munich Putsch - his failed attempt to copy Mussolini's march on Rome. Though it ended with Hitler in prison, the trial gave him national publicity and taught him he needed to gain power legally through elections rather than violence.

The crisis proved how fragile the republic was when faced with economic collapse and foreign pressure.

Key Point: The 1923 crisis of hyperinflation and French occupation nearly destroyed the Weimar Republic and gave extremist groups like the Nazis their first real opportunity.

The Golden Years: Recovery 1924-1929

Things actually got much better for a while! The Dawes Plan (1924) saw American loans of £25 billion help Germany pay reparations, whilst the new Rentenmark currency ended hyperinflation. Industrial production increased by 40%, unemployment fell, and wages rose by 25%.

Internationally, Germany was making friends again. The Locarno Pact (1925) secured Germany's borders, whilst joining the League of Nations (1926) restored their status as a "great power". The Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928) saw 61 countries, including Germany, promise not to use war for foreign policy.

Working-class people were delighted - better wages, shorter hours (50 to 46 hours per week), and unemployment insurance. Women gained new freedoms, cutting their hair short, smoking, and entering professions like teaching. Young people saw university places increase from 70,000 to 110,000.

However, big businesses felt threatened by higher wages and worker rights, leading some to support right-wing extremist groups. The recovery was also completely dependent on American loans - a dangerous weakness that would soon be exposed.

Key Point: The "Golden Years" showed the Weimar Republic could work when times were good, but this prosperity was built on shaky foundations of foreign loans.

Hitler's Early Rise 1920-1929

Hitler joined Anton Drexler's tiny German Workers' Party (DAP) as an army spy in 1919, but quickly took control. By 1921, he'd renamed it the Nazi Party (NSDAP) and made himself leader. His powerful speeches attracted crowds, whilst the SA brownshirts provided muscle against opponents.

The failed Munich Putsch (1923) taught Hitler crucial lessons. Instead of violent revolution, he'd gain power legally through elections. While in prison, he wrote Mein Kampf, outlining his racist ideology and plans for German expansion. His trial had already made him famous across Germany.

During the "lean years" (1924-1928), the Nazis struggled to gain support whilst Germany was prosperous. At the Bamberg Conference (1926), Hitler consolidated his control over the party, convincing propaganda chief Goebbels to abandon socialism and focus on nationalism instead.

By 1928, the party had 100,000 members but only won 2.6% of votes. People didn't want extremism when life was improving, employment was rising, and Germany was gaining international respect.

Key Point: Hitler learned that extremist parties only succeed during crisis - when people are desperate, they'll consider radical solutions they'd normally reject.

The Nazis Gain Support 1929-1932

The Wall Street Crash (1929) destroyed the German economy overnight. American banks demanded their loans back, German banks collapsed, and unemployment rocketed from 1.3 million to 6.6 million by 1933. People lost their savings again, became homeless, and violence increased by 24% in Berlin alone.

Chancellor Brüning's harsh response - raising taxes and cutting benefits - pleased nobody. The Reichstag met less and less (from 94 times in 1930 to just 13 in 1932), whilst presidential decrees increased to 66 in 1932. Democracy was clearly failing.

Both communist and Nazi support surged as desperate people turned to extremes. The Nazis went from 12 seats in 1928 to 230 in July 1932, becoming the largest party. Hitler's brilliant propaganda, led by Goebbels, used aeroplanes, radio broadcasts, and mass rallies to spread their message.

The SA (now 400,000 strong) made the Nazis look organised and powerful compared to the weak government. Hitler cleverly appealed to different groups - promising businesses protection from communism, workers "bread and work", and middle-class families a return to traditional values.

Key Point: Economic crisis gave the Nazis their chance - Hitler offered simple solutions to complex problems, whilst his propaganda machine made him seem like Germany's savior.

Hitler Becomes Chancellor 1932-1933

Political chaos in 1932 opened the door for Hitler. After Brüning resigned, von Papen became chancellor, believing he could control Hitler by giving the Nazis a few government positions. Big mistake! Hindenburg and other conservative politicians fatally underestimated Hitler's ambition and cunning.

In the July 1932 election, the Nazis won 38% - their highest vote share. Though this dropped to 33% in November, they remained the largest party. When von Schleicher also failed as chancellor, the desperate conservatives turned to Hitler in January 1933, making him chancellor with von Papen as vice-chancellor.

They thought they were using Hitler, but he was using them. Conservative politicians had fatally undermined democracy by constantly using Article 48 and excluding moderate parties from government. Their fear of communism blinded them to the Nazi threat.

Hindenberg, the war hero president, never truly believed in democracy anyway. By appointing Hitler chancellor, he handed power to someone determined to destroy the system from within.

Key Point: Hitler didn't seize power - he was given it by conservative politicians who thought they could control him, proving how dangerous it is to underestimate extremists.

Creating the Nazi Dictatorship 1933-1934

Once in power, Hitler moved fast to destroy democracy. The Reichstag Fire (February 1933) was perfect timing - a Dutch communist was caught and blamed, allowing Hitler to arrest communist leaders and ban their party. Many historians suspect the Nazis started the fire themselves.

The Enabling Act (March 1933) was the final nail in democracy's coffin. This law let Hitler pass laws without the Reichstag for four years. Opposition politicians were intimidated, banned from voting, or threatened into submission. With over 80% support (hardly surprising given the circumstances), Hitler had legal dictatorship.

By July 1933, all political parties except the Nazis were banned. Trade unions were destroyed, their leaders arrested, and local governments replaced with Nazi governors reporting directly to Hitler.

The Night of the Long Knives (1934) saw Hitler eliminate internal threats. Ernst Röhm and SA leaders were murdered when Hitler feared their power. The army, relieved to see the SA crushed, swore loyalty to Hitler personally.

When Hindenburg died in August 1934, Hitler combined the roles of chancellor and president, declaring himself "Führer". A rigged plebiscite gave 90% approval. The Weimar Republic was dead.

Key Point: Hitler used legal methods and manufactured crises to dismantle democracy step by step, showing how quickly democratic institutions can collapse under determined attack.

The Nazi Police State

Hitler controlled Germany through fear and surveillance. The SS replaced the SA as his personal army, controlling all police and security systems. Led by Himmler, they answered only to Hitler and could arrest, torture, or execute anyone they deemed a threat.

The Gestapo secret police spied on ordinary Germans, using a network of informers who could be anyone - neighbours, work colleagues, even family members. People reported "suspicious" behaviour like lacking enthusiasm for Hitler or making critical comments. This created a climate of paranoia where nobody could be trusted.

Concentration camps housed political prisoners, communists, socialists, and anyone who opposed the regime. The threat of being sent to these camps kept most Germans quiet, even if they disagreed with Nazi policies.

The police state was terrifyingly effective because it made resistance seem impossible. When anyone could be an informer and the Gestapo had unlimited powers, most people chose to keep their heads down and conform rather than risk their lives opposing the regime.

Key Point: The Nazi police state worked by making every German complicit in the system of surveillance and terror, destroying trust between people and making organized resistance almost impossible.