1871 - Germany is united, Bismarck is chancellor and Wilhelm I is Kaiser
PRUSSIA: Controlled 2/3 of New German Empire
KAISER: Could dissolve Reichstag, command army + foreign policy
REICHSTAG: Elections every 3 years, gave consent to all laws, could not demand the dismissal of Kaiser.
BUNDESRAT: 58 reps from 25 state govs, had to approve new laws.
1873 - May Laws against Catholic Church in Prussia
Regulations to bring Catholic Church under control
- Catholic education under supervision
- Catholic orders dissolved
- Priests required to prove loyalty to state
OUTCOME: Catholics thrived - Zentrum success in 74’ election (Won 91 seats)
Ended by Bismarck: He favoured close alliance with Catholic Austria + after agriculture + industrial depressions of 1870s, B was anxious to abandon liberal policy of free trade.
1878 - Assassination attempt on Kaiser + Anti-Socialist Law passed
Law passed in October 78’
- B made attempt to curtail growth of German Social Democracy
- After attempts of Wilhelm’s life - B blamed the SPD
Law banned social democratic associations, meetings + newspapers
RESULTS = Hit SPD hard, 15,000 socialist activists imprisoned
- SPD broadened appeal as non-revolutionary party, SPD vote x2 (78-90’)
1888 - Wilhelm II becomes Kaiser after brief stint by Frederick
Within 2 years he broke with Bismarck
- He damaged his reputation by meddling in German foreign policy on basis of elections
- Also a no. of public blunders, e.g Telegraph affair (1908)
- Also hurt by Eulenburg affair (1907) when he was accused of being gay
- Most important contribution to German military expansion was commitment to create a navy to rival Britains
1890 - Bismarck dismissed + SPD becomes most popular party in Reichstag
Wilhelm clashed with Bismarck over foreign + domestic policy
- Many historians believe that Wilhelm’s aggressive foreign policy after he removed B was a major cause of WWI
1908 - Daily Telegraph Affair
Came at a time where Britain was already worried at the buildup of German navy
Kaisers talking points:
- The German people, in general do not care for the British, who are “mad as hares”
- German naval buildup would continue but wasn’t aimed at Brits
- Encourage opposition parties to attack Von Bulow for allowing letter to be sent
1912 - Social democrats become largest party in Reichstag
After the anti-socialist law ceased to exist in 1890, the SPD grew rapidly
- in 1912 the party won 110 seats, during WWI a group of members left to form the Independent Socialist Party (USPD)
1913 - Zaburn Affair produces protests against the military
In response to some local military bullying, the towns people protested
- lieutenant cut down shoemaker, was acquired for self-defence
- Led to vote with majority of 293 to 54 in attempt to put Chancellor out of office but it was defeated
- This close to WWI, shows how strong the democratic opposition to militarism was
1914 - Germany declared war on Russia, WWI begins
Event widely known to cause it was Franz Ferdinand shot to death by Bosnian
1918 - Kirk Mutiny & workers revolt; social distress
- German admiralty given order to instigate one last major North Sea battle
- (Oct 29th) Sailors abroad 2 major shops at Kiel failed to return
- (Nov 3rd) Sailors at Kiel, joined by city workers took control of shops & formed elected councils - echoing 14 point peace program by Woodrow Wilson
- Led to abdication of German royals, incl Wilhelm II
1919 - Spartacus uprising amidst chaos + Ebert become president + ToV signed + Weimar constitution
Defeated in WWI, humiliated, short of food + influenza epidemic - Germany was in critical state
- Newly formed gov by left-wing Ebert with policies many deemed too generous of R/Wing
- Luxembourg + Liebknecht were dissatisfied with actions of postwar SPD gov, promising reform over revolution
- L&L led Spartacus uprising to overthrow gov - ended by Freikorps
1920 - Kapp Putsch fails + communist risings in Ruhr + Hitler becomes Nazi leader
Kapp opposed all that Ebert stood for, especially after humiliation of ToV settlements.
- Kapp Putsch was direct threat to Weimar gov, assisted by Freikorps men, seized Berlin & proclaimed new right of centre nationalist party being established, w/ Kapp as chancellor
- Ebert had to leave Berlin, once again undermining his status & emphasising weak position in Germany
- Ebert called strike of Berlin, and ended it.
1923 -
French invaded Ruhr because of failure to honour terms of ToV
- Much to be gained from Ruhr, as it housed 3/4 of Germany’s steel & coal production.
- Weimar ordered ‘passive resistance’, general strike to freeze industrial production
- Not only sabotaged French but whole economy as gov promised to still pay workers
- Govs last resort was to pay these salaries by printing bank notes - fuelled hyperinflation in 23’
- Forced Weimar to extinction + led to Hitler instigating Munich Putsch (Nov 23’)
- H + 600 storm troopers forced Kahr + Lossow to agree to rebel, H went to Munich
1924
DAWES PLAN -
- 1st decision was to return Ruhr to control of Germans
- 2nd, reparation payments restructured, after yr 1 only 1bn, after that 2.5bn
- 3rd, restructuring of Weimar’s bank
- Americans agreed to loan Germany lots of money
- Main weaknesses: it was short term; hence 1929 Young Plan
- Also relied on Weimar economy rallying
- Any disaster would have knock on effects e.g 1929
1925
Hindenburg becomes president (25-34)
His terms were wracked by Political instability, economic depression, and the rise to power by Hitler
-(Locarno) Germany, France, Belgium, GB, Italy, agreed peace in Western Europe
-Germany accepted borders with France + Belgium
-Germany accepted Rhineland would be demilitarised
1926 - Germany joins LoN
Locarno treaty paved way for acceptance into LoN
- A move which recognised Germany’s power (& the leagues weaknesses)
- Credit to Stressmann
1929 - Young Plan + Stressmann dies + Wall Street crash
Young Plan: wars attempt to support gov of Weimar Germany
- Even after Dawes Plan, Germany were in no position to fulfil requirements
- Young Plan reduced reparations to 112bn, money set to be paid over 59 yrs, 473m paid each yr
- Prior to Wall Street Crash, been desire by US to see Weimar develop as an economic entity. US could become a valuable trading power with Germany
- After Wall Street Crash (June 31’) payments suspended
1930 - Bruning rules Germany by decree + Nazis = 2nd largest + street fighting with communists
Hindenburg appointed B in hope it would solve economic situation
- Bruning most feared social disorder by despair of economic depression
- Unemployment was rising, he feared people would take to the streets which would play into Nazi hands
1932 - 6m unemployed + Nazis gain 230 seats
By 32’, over 30% of workforce unemployed
1933 - Hitler appointed chancellor + Reichstag fire + Reichstag elections; Enabling Act + Boycott of Jewish shops
33’ elections, H promised to abolish unemployment. By the time he got into office, economy was picking up.
- Introduced the ‘people’s car’
- Reichstag fire by communist, H used this as a way of convincing public of an attempted communist revolt.
- Enabling Act allowed cabinet to introduce legislation without going through Reichsag
1933 - TU + political parties banned + GER leaves LoN
Hitler saw TU exercising more power over the workers he called
-Withdrew from LoN, claimed Germany were already disarmed
1934 - SA purged in NOTLK + Hindenburg dies
Even with enabling act, Hitler felt worried the army hadn’t given an oath of allegiance
- By summer 1934, SA had 2m men
- Rohm had spoken about taking over the regular army & absorbing it into the SA
- SS then became a feared force
1935 - Conscription introduced + Nuremberg Laws persecute Jews
Conscription enabled German Army to train 300,000 conscripts a year.
-By 38’ it had 36 infantry divisions of 600,000 men
-In 39’ the German Army had 98 divisions ready to invade Poland
NUREMBURG LAWS:
-Defined people with few relatives as Jews, then stripped them of citizenship + human rights
-Banned marriage of Jews & non-Jews
1936 - 4 yr plan + Himmler in charge of SS, SD + Gestapo
Berlin Olympics showed how Hitler could tone down racial discrimination
-4 year plan leading up to war included: increased Agric production, retain key sectors of work force, Gov regulation of imports & exports, to achieve self-sufficiency in production of raw materials
