ATTEMPTS TO OVERTHROW THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC 1919 -23

ATTEMPTS TO OVERTHROW THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC, 1919 -23

OVERVIEW Between 1919 and 1923, there were a number of attempts to overthrow the Weimar government – but they all failed and the Republic survived …why ? Communists (Bavaria), late 1918 -early 1919 Spartacists, January 1919 Freikorps under Dr. Wolfgang Kapp, March 1920 Nazis, November 1923

THE START OF A REVOLUTION AND AN END TO THE WAR By 1918 the average German was living on 1000 calories a day---1/2 the amount needed for a normal diet Coal was in short supply, gas was non-existent, and electricity was nowhere to be found In many cities public buildings, cinemas and theatres were shut down

SPRAYING A killer virus, Spanish Influenza, swept across Europe during the summer of 1918. Weak from years of hunger, 400, 000 German civilians and 186, 000 soldiers died in less than a year.

HARD LABOR 29 october 1918 – rebellion in Kiel 7 November – Kaizer abducts Social Democrats ( voice of the workers) split over war cause and nature of democracy 9 november – German Republic proclaimed by SD member Scheidemann In 2 hours and 1 km away Free German Republic was proclaimed by Karl Liebknecht (Communist) WEIMAR REPUBLIC was proclaimed only after national assembly in January 1919

GERMANY LOOKS TO THE FUTURE The war was over, Kaiser Wilhelm had fled, a revolution had begun, and the people of Germany were now free to shape their own future. But nobody quite knew what should become of Germany.

WHAT TO DO? Freidrich Ebert, the new Socialist leader of Germany, tried to calm the situation. He promised no more censorship, freedom of religion, the eight hour day, support for the unemployed. Surely it was what the people wanted.

NOT THAT EASY The Socialists were split into groups which disagreed about Germany’s future. The Spartacists wanted Germany to be run by the councils which sailors and workers had set up The Social Democrats supported Ebert and wanted an elected parliament.

TREATY OF VERSAILLES – 28 JUNE 1918 The main points of the Treaty [BRAT] 1. Germany had to accept the Blame for starting the war 2. Germany paid Reparations for the damage done during the war.

I L L E S C O N T. . 3. Germany was forbidden to have submarines or an air force. She could have a navy of only six battleships, and an Army of just 100, 000 men.

VERSAILLES 4. Germany lost Territory (land) in Europe (see map). Germany’s colonies were given to Britain and France.

GUILTY CLAUSE Germany was the only one to blame for proclaiming the war Germany lost all her colonies not only in asia but also in europe 13% of land, 12% of population, almost half of coal iron production Reparation – 5 billion pounds (from 1921) – enormous sum – Germany were to pay all sum only to 1988

FORCED CHOICE Naturally treaty was seen as a disaster The Allies made ultimatum to accept all of treaty Fearing war would destroy country and lead to communist putsch Elbert had to agree No wonder average Germans didn’t feel treaty fair or needed to follow by.

VIOLENCE BREAKS OUT

FURTHER CHALLENGES TO THE WEIMAR The first five years in the life of the Weimar Republic were very violent ones. Almost every week there were strikes, riots and shootings. On several occasions there were attempts to overthrow the government. Many Germans were terrified of Communism and they believed that they were trying to organize a violent revolution. They also believed that the Socialists in power had betrayed Germany by stabbing it in the back in 1918 by making peace. They were now called the “November Criminals”. Germany had stopped listening to reason.

COMMUNISTS IN BAVARIA, 1919 Kurt Eisner

COMMUNISTS IN BAVARIA ? At the end of the War Bavaria, like the rest of Germany, underwent a revolution – she was declared a Republic by the newly elected Kurt Eisner (USDP) After his assassination (21 st February 1919) there was a wave of violence in Bavaria 6 th April 1919 – a ‘Raterepublik’ was proclaimed in Munich This communist government was destroyed by the Freikorps, ordered in by President Friederich Ebert A new government, loyal to Weimar, was installed before it too (1920) was overthrown by right-wingers led by Gustav von Kahr

Spartacist Uprising, January 1919

SPARTACIST UPRISING The Spartacus League, led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht wanted to make Germany a communist state like Russia Jan. 1919 – they tried to seize power in Berlin – they were seen as a threat by the Social Democrat government of Scheidemann and Ebert

SPARTACIST UPRISING, JAN 1919 3 rd Jan 1919 – Spartacists captured the office of the government newspaper and the telephone exchange – attempting to stage an armed revolution against Ebert’s government Other left-wing groups did not support the Spartacists, leaving them isolated By 10 th Jan – Freikorps units had taken the Spartacists’ headquarters 15 th Jan – the revolt was over, about 100 Spartacists were killed, and the leaders were brutally murdered

WHAT HAPPENED TO ROSA LUXEMBURG AND KARL LIEBNECHT ? Both were arrested, interrogated by the Freikorps, then taken away. Liebknecht was forced out of a car in the Tiergarten (Berlin) and shot while ‘trying to escape’ Luxemburg was shot and her body thrown in a canal where it remained until discovered in May 1919 Ebert was shocked by the murders and ordered an investigation – punishments did not fit the crimes

The Freikorps

WHO WERE THE FREIKORPS? When the war ended in November 1919, many junior officers and lower ranks had formed themselves into paramilitary bodies known as the Freikorps Often they were units that had not wanted to be demobilised after the war Often they were named after their commanders In 1919 and 1920 they were armed and used by Ebert’s government to put down uprisings

THE KAPP PUTSCH, MARCH 1920 The units had to be disbanded – under the terms of Versailles – also the government had little use for the Freikorps now the communist threat was over Several units tried to seize power, angry that a government they despised was trying to disband them They marched on Berlin, unhindered by the regular army The government was forced to flee to Dresden, calling on the people of Berlin to strike to cripple the Kapp putsch The coup collapsed within days as public services stopped working

Munich Beer-hall Putsch November 1923

What prompted the attempt ? • When, in Sept 1923 Stresemann (Chancellor) decided to give into the French over the Ruhr, Hitler and other right-wing politicians saw this a betrayal of the German people • Hitler was convinced that he could succeed where von Kahr had failed – and he expected that von Kahr and the Bavarian government would support his attempt to destroy Weimar • Perhaps Hitler also over-estimated the amount of support the Nazis had in Munich

What happened ? • Hitler and some SA men interrupted a public meeting led by the head of the Bavarian government Gustav von Kahr • Hitler declared that he was taking over the local government, and that there would be a march on Berlin to take over there too • 9 th Nov – Hitler and 3000 supporters were confronted by 100 armed policemen • 16 Nazis were killed, Hitler was wounded • The whole putsch (revolt) collapsed

Why did the Nazis fail ? • Hitler had expected support from other right-wing groups, including the Bavarian government of von Kahr • The Nazis had little public exposure – few outside Munich had ever heard of them

What were the results ? • When the Munich Putsch failed, Hitler was placed in jail • He used his trial to gain nationwide attention for his cause – helped by a sympathetic judge • Hitler served nine months of his 5 -year sentence in prison, where he wrote the famous Mein Kampf Hitler and supporters in Landsberg prison, 1924