Weimar Republic Instability 1919-1923

• After WW1 Geramny had a war debt of 144bn gold mark- couldn't afford- collapse imminent

Treaty of Versailles

• Loss of territorties eg Alsace Lorriane to France, Saar to Belgium
• Military setbacks- army limited to 100,000 men
• Colonial losses- German Esast Africa now British
• Reparations were agreed on May 1st 1921 in London by Repartions Committee
• Had to reparations of 132bn gold marks at 20,000mn gold marks per annum

• Germany did not pay so French invaded Ruhr with Belgian support in 1923
• Republic used passive resistance
• Passive resistance led to hyperinflation and unemployment which damaged economy even further
• "Stab in the Back" myth claimed the leaders of the Republic had betrayed German army by surrendering to the Allies

The left saw the Republic as anti-democratic, anti-Marxist and very authoritarian

Kapp Putsch: March 1920

• Led by Kapp with support from Lüttwitz: Wanted to overthrow the Republic
• Army were not deployed due to hostile attitude towards Republic
• Putsch was only stopped by striking workers called on by Ebert

Organisation Consul (OC)

• Group of ex-Friekorps members
• Carried out 354 political assassinations with only 22 on the left
• People killed included Erzberger and Rathenau

Munich Putsch: November 1923

• Led by Adolf Hitler of the NSDAP: Hated democracy and wanted to overthrow the Republic
• Hitler and 600 SA burst into a Munich Beer Hall and forced von Khar to agree to their plan
• On the way back the police killed 14 Nazis and Hitler was arrested and then imprisoned

Sparticist Uprising: January 1919

• Led by Luxemberg and Liebkhnecht in Berlin: Wanted Revolution like in Russia
• Rising crushed by Friekorps

Bavarian Soviet Republic Rising: March-May 1919

• Led by USPD members: Wanted a Soviet Germany
• Rising defeated by Friekorps

Red Rising in Ruhr: March 1920

• Communists uprising who were angry due to poor wages and working conditions 
• Overthrown by Army and Friekorps

German October: October 1923

• Held in Saxony who wanted a Revolution like Bolsheviks in Russia in 1917
• Crushed by the army