Weimar Germany 1914-1929

-Political impact of WW1: All parties joined forces, trade unions promised not to strike, Reichstag granted war credits, Pan-German propoganda for Siegfriede (blessed peace of victory), anti-war movement increased 1916

-Political change and breakdown: silent dictatorship, calls for reform of the constitution and government (escalated after turnip winter), a split in the SPD (USPD formed), Bethman-Hollweg replaced, Fatherland party (Kapp and Turpitz), suggestions of an armistice 1918

-1918 revolution: revolution from above (Calls for abdication from parties, Ludendorff forced resignation, became a parliamentary monarchy), revolution from below (spartacist uprising, kiel mutiny, Revolutionary shop stewards striked, kaiser abdicated)

-Establishment of democratic constitution: elections shows favour of parties wanting a republic, Prussia and bavaria lost monarchies, president instead of Kaiser, all Germans considered equal before the law

- Post war political problems: provisional government formed, Ebert-Groener pact, armistice agreed 11 Nov, Stinnes-Leigen agreement, goverment officilas allowed to keep their posts, KPD created

- Attempted coups: Left opposition (Spartacist rebellion, strikes in Halle and Ruhr valley, Berlin general strike, USPD joined KPD, attempted communist rising, 22 political assinations) Right opposition (Freikorps units disbanded, Kapp Putsch, right wing nationalist leagues, extremist organistaions forced to disband)

- Occupation of Ruhr: Frecnh taking goods as reperations, 100,000 French troops in Ruhr, Inflation provoked by Ruhr, Munich Putsch against government

- Weimar strengths and weaknesses: vote in favour of moderate parties changed fast, SPD and DVP coalition, political stability undermined by economic situation

- Impact of the Ruhr invasion: Germans outraged, passive resistance unsuccessful and expensive, contributed to the collapse of the Mark, money not worth the paper it was printed on

- Leadership of Stresemann: ended passive resistance, reduced governmebt expenditure, Schacht as head of Reichsank, negotiation of Dawes plan, recommencement of reperations, Lorcarno treaties, Germany accepted to league of nations,

- Govermental change and opposition: left and right extremism declined, pro-republican parties votes increased, Hindenburg as president

- Impact of war: National debt grew, currency value fell, basic goods value tripled, goverment continued to borrow, Ruhr occupation worsened the economy

- Dawes and young plan: rentenmark introduced and backed by land resoures, government stopped offering credits, commitee of financial experts set up, reparation payments reduced, Reichsbank reorganised, loans received mainly from USA

- Industrial growth: 200 war materials corporations formed, new importance to scientists and technicians, industrial growth more than pre-war Germany, golden years of Weimar, cartels formed, heavy industry recovered partly, chemical industry advances made, electrical industry expanded, car and aeroplanes expanded, smaller industries performed less well

- Agriculture: suffered greatly during the war, failed to make as much of a recovery, 1927 farmers getting little in return of the farm running cost