Early Challenges to the Weimar Republic

The Weimar Republic faced significant challenges in its early years, primarily stemming from the harsh terms of the Treaty of Versailles and economic crises.

Terms of the Treaty of Versailles

The Treaty of Versailles, signed in 1919, imposed severe penalties on Germany:

1. Germany was forced to accept blame for the war under Article 231, known as the "War Guilt Clause."

2. Germany lost significant territory:

   • 11 German colonies in Africa and the Far East were given to Allied powers
   • Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France
   • Eupen-Malmedy was given to Belgium

3. Military restrictions were imposed:

   • The German army was limited to 100,000 men
   • The navy was restricted to 6 battleships, 6 cruisers, 12 destroyers, and 12 torpedo boats
   • Submarines and air force were not allowed
   • The Rhineland was demilitarized

4. Germany had to pay £6.6 billion in reparations to the victorious Allies, which severely damaged the German economy.

Vocabulary: Reparations are compensation payments made from one country to another for war damage or other injuries.

The Ruhr Invasion - January 1923

In November 1922, Germany missed a reparations payment. In response:

1. France and Belgium sent troops into Germany's main industrial area, the Ruhr Valley.
2. The French confiscated raw materials and machinery.
3. The German government urged passive resistance, leading to strikes and some sabotage.
4. The French arrested workers and brought in their own laborers.
5. The occupation crippled the German economy, leading to increased unemployment, food shortages, and hyperinflation.

Hyperinflation

To pay striking workers and cope with reduced tax revenue, the German government printed more money. This led to hyperinflation:

1. The value of the German mark plummeted.
2. Prices rose astronomically (e.g., a loaf of bread went from 1 mark in 1919 to 200,000 billion marks in 1923).
3. Many people hoarded goods and sold them for large profits as prices went up.
4. Foreign suppliers refused to accept German money, leading to shortages of imported goods.

Example: During hyperinflation, some shops refused to take money at all and asked for payment by swapping goods instead.

While hyperinflation had some benefits (e.g., reducing the real value of debts), it caused significant hardship for most Germans and undermined faith in the Weimar government.

Early Development of the Nazi Party 1920-1922

The Nazi Party emerged in the early 1920s, with Adolf Hitler quickly rising to a leadership position and shaping the party's ideology and structure.

Hitler's Early Career

Adolf Hitler's involvement with what would become the Nazi Party began in September 1919:

1. Hitler joined the German Workers' Party (DAP) in September 1919.
2. He became the leader of the DAP in 1921 and reshaped it into the Nazi Party (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP).

The 25 Point Programme

In February 1920, when Hitler was head of party propaganda, he and Anton Drexler wrote the party's 25 Point Programme. This document outlined the core beliefs and goals of the Nazi Party:

1. The Treaty of Versailles should be abolished to create a strong Germany.
2. Only those of German blood could be citizens; Jews were to be excluded.
3. All non-German immigration should be stopped.
4. Big department stores should be broken up.
5. Old age pensions should be increased.
6. A strong central government for Germany should be established.

Highlight: The 25 Point Programme laid the foundation for Nazi ideology, combining nationalism, antisemitism, and populist economic policies.

This programme would remain the official party platform throughout the Nazi era, although Hitler and other leaders would sometimes de-emphasize or reinterpret certain points as political circumstances changed.

The Wall Street Crash - October 1929

The Wall Street Crash of October 1929 had significant implications for Germany and the rise of the Nazi Party:

1. It marked the beginning of the Great Depression, which hit Germany particularly hard.
2. American banks recalled their loans, causing many German businesses to collapse.
3. Unemployment in Germany rose dramatically, reaching 6 million by 1932.
4. The economic crisis undermined faith in the Weimar Republic and created opportunities for extremist parties like the Nazis to gain support.

Definition: The Wall Street Crash was a major American stock market crash that occurred in October 1929, marking the start of the Great Depression.

The economic turmoil following the Wall Street Crash would provide fertile ground for Hitler and the Nazi Party to expand their support base in the coming years.