Weimar Germany Timeline by Grant Scramlin

1918 - German Revolution of 1918 and Kaiser Wilhelm II resigns

kylecarraway4 — 2024-05-28 17:32:10 UTC

The German Revolution of 1918 led to the end of the monarchy and the start of the Weimar Republic. Along with this, facing the widespread unrest, Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated on November 9th, 19th, officially ending the German Empire.

1918 - Armistice ending WWI

kylecarraway4 — 2024-05-28 17:32:21 UTC

The Armistice ending WW1 was signed on November 11th, 1918, ending the conflict. This ultimately led to the Treaty of Versailles, which imposed harsh terms on Weimar Germany.

1919 - Formation of Weimar Republic/Constitution

kylecarraway4 — 2024-05-28 17:32:46 UTC

The Weimar Republic was established in Germany in 1919 after Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicted. The Weimar Constitution created a democratic parliamentary system with a president, a chancellor, and a Reichstag elected by proportional representation. It included Article 48, which allowed for presidential rule by decree in the case of emergencies.

1918 - Ebert-Groener Pact

kylecarraway4 — 2024-05-28 17:33:07 UTC

The Ebert-Groener Pact of 1918 was an agreement between Friedrich Ebert and General Wilhelm Groener, where the military pledged support for the Weimar Republic in exchange for maintaining its authority and structure. This helped stabilize Germany post-World War I.

1919 - Spartacist Revolt

kylecarraway4 — 2024-05-28 17:33:15 UTC

The Spartacist Uprising in January 1919 was a failed Marxist revolt in Berlin led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht. The Weimar government, using the Freikorps, violently suppressed the uprising, killing the leaders and strengthening the Republic's dependence on conservative forces.

1919 - Bavarian Soviet Republic

kylecarraway4 — 2024-05-28 17:33:32 UTC

The Savarian Soviet Republic was a short-lived, revolutionary socialist state that was established in 1919 in the Bavarian region of Germany during the upheaval following WWI and the collapse of the German Empire.

1919 - Treaty of Versailles and the results for Germany

kylecarraway4 — 2024-05-28 17:33:45 UTC

The Treaty of Versailles had imposed harsh reparations and territorial losses on Germany, leading to economic hardships and political instability, which overall contributed to the rise of extremist movements and the eventual collapse of the Weimar Republic

1920 - Kapp Putsch

kylecarraway4 — 2024-05-28 17:33:56 UTC

The Kapp Putsch was a failed coup attempt in 1920 by right-wing elements in Germany, led by Wolfgang Kapp and supported by parts of the military, they aimed to overthrow the Weimar Republic and establish an autocratic government.

Notes

gmanscram — 2024-05-28 17:34:05 UTC

Constitutional - Red

Political - Yellow

Social - Green

Economic - Purple

1920 - (Red) Ruhr Uprising

kylecarraway4 — 2024-05-28 17:34:08 UTC

The (red) Ruhr Uprising was a 1920 communist-led revolt in the Ruhr region of Germany, in response to the Kapp Putsch where workers established a "Red Army" to fight against right-wing paramilitary forces, ultimately resulting in a brutal suppression by the Weimar government.

1925 - Election of President von Hindenburg

gmanscram — 2024-05-28 17:52:41 UTC

Hindenburg was Elected in 1925 and reelected in 1932. In this reelection, Hindenburg beat Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party 53.05% to 36.77%.

This represents how Weimar Germany was constitutional as they carried out popular will and the will of the people rule the government. However, the president still had a large amount of power with little checks or balances.

1922- Rapallo Treaty

2024-05-29 12:13:18 UTC

This was signed April 16, 1922. It was for the political recognition of Soviet Russia by Germany, the established Diplomatic relations between them and expansive economic cooperation. Both Germany and the USSR wanted to rebuild their international presence.

1923- Occupation of the Ruhr by France and Belgium

2024-05-29 12:29:59 UTC

This occurred January 9, 1923. The French and Belgians occupied the Ruhr because of the lack of payment of reparations. The Ruhr had resources, like factories, that the French and Belgians wanted for the unpaid reparations that Germany failed to pay. The reason that Germany owed the French and Belgians was because of World War 1. They wanted Germany to cmpensate for the devastation wrought by the four-year conflict.

1923- Hyperinflation Crisis

2024-05-30 15:32:59 UTC

To pay the workers on strike, they had to print more money. This flood of money led to hyperinflation. The more money that was printed, the higher the prices of things were. For example, a loaf of bread cost 250 marks the January of 1923, which is $138.27 present in U.S. currency. By the November of 1923, prices rose to 200,000 million marks. Germany solved this issue with new currency called the Rentmark.

1923- Beer Hall Putsch

2024-05-30 15:43:40 UTC

This took place between November 8-9, 1923. Also known as the Munich Putsch, was a violent failed attempt by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party to take over the Bavarian local government. Hitler was arrested as a result. He was convicted of high treason in April 1924 and sentenced to 5 years in prison. He was released December that same year.

1923- Introduction of Rentenmark

2024-05-30 15:46:16 UTC

A new currency, the Rentenmark, was introduced on November 20, 1923, in strictly limited quantities. It was backed by a mortgage on the entire industrial and agricultural resources of the country.

1926 - Treaty of Berlin with Soviet Union

gmanscram — 2024-05-30 15:47:22 UTC

On April 24th, 1926, Stresemann and Krestinski both signed the document that agreed to nonaggression. In the event of a third party attack on either of the two nations, Germany and the USSR would not engage in the conflict.

This connects to the politics of Weimar Germany as they were able to establish diplomacy with other European powers, thus improving the political state of Germany.

1923 to 29- Weimar Golden Age

2024-05-30 15:51:38 UTC

This is a period where the economy boomed and cultural life flourished in Germany. They represented a period of comparative economic and social stability after the turmoil of the end of war, and the crippling hyperinflation crisis.

1924- Dawes Plan

2024-05-30 15:56:02 UTC

The Dawes Plan was an attempt to help solve Germany's financial troubles after World War I. The United States loans money to Germany in order to pay reparation debts to European Countries. The plan failed.

1926 - German entrance into League of Nations

gmanscram — 2024-05-30 15:56:57 UTC

In September 1926, Germany joined the League of Nations. This effort was led by Gustav Stresemann and entry into the League was necessary for the Locarno Pact to have an impact. Germany was given substantial power in the League, including the ability to veto other members.

This is a political success of Weimar Germany as they achieved diplomacy with a variety of European nations and they were able to better recover from the negative impacts of the treaty of Versailles.

1925- Locarno Treaty

2024-05-30 16:00:49 UTC

This took place December 1, 1925. It's aims were to secure borders of the nations of Europe after World War I, to begin negotiations to allow Germany in the League of Nations, and to ensure permanent demilitarization of the Rhineland.

1929 - Young Plan

gmanscram — 2024-05-30 17:26:56 UTC

The Young Plan, from February to June 1929, was designed to replace the 1924 Dawes plan. The plan was negotiated in Paris and it was under the leadership of American businessman and economist Owen D. Young. The plan came into effect on 17 May 1930, retroactive to 1 September 1929.

This connects to the economic problems faced by Germany as they were required to pay approximately two billion Reichsmarks annually. The Young Plan intended to help Germany continue to pay reparations. Around the same time, the French left the occupied Rhineland in 1930.

1929 - Grand Coalition of Weimar Germany

gmanscram — 2024-05-30 17:44:34 UTC

The Grand Coalition of Weimar Germany, also known as the "Great Coalition", was formed under Gustav Stresemann in 1923 with the backing of all four parties. It was a time of multiple crises for the Weimar Republic, and Stresemann intended to combat these crises.

Significant Individuals:

Gustav Stresemann
Hermann Müller

Dates:

13 August 1923 – 30 November 1923: 1st made by Stresemann
28 June 1928 – 27 March 1930: Often also viewed as a Grand Coalition made by Hermann Müller and his cabinet

This connects to the political unrest in Weimar Germany, as many viewed the Republic as unstable and many believed coalitions were necessary to run the government.

1929 - Start of Great Depression

gmanscram — 2024-05-30 17:59:55 UTC

With the start of the Great Depression, much of the US economic aid given to Germany was reduced. This led to programs like the Dawes plan and the Young plan being cut back, as the US required the aid for their internal problems.

Significant Individuals:

Stresemann - leader of Germany when Great Depression Started
Wilhelm Marx - took over after Stresemann, and he led though the economic struggle

Dates:

August 1929 - Start of the Great depression
October 3rd 1929 - Stresemann died, replaced by Wilhelm Marx

This connects to the economic problems that faced Weimar Germany as they were dependent on United States loans and were unable to stand on their own.

1933 - Von Papen’s deal with Hitler

gmanscram — 2024-05-30 18:12:35 UTC

Papen was determined to return to power in 1933, and he knew Hitler was an easy method to gain power. To benefit from this, Papen pressured Hindenburg to appoint Hitler as chancellor and Papen as vice-chancellor in 1933 in a cabinet that wasn't under Nazi Party domination, he would've been able to control Hitler's extreme ideals.

Significant Individuals:

President Paul von Hindenburg - President that appointed Hitler and Papen as chancellor and vice chancellor respectively
Franz von Papen - Vice chancellor appointed with Hitler, believed he could control him
Adolf Hitler - Chancellor appointed by Hindenburg, leader of the Nazi Party

Dates:

January 30th, 1933 - Hitler and Papen became Chancellor and Vice Chancellor

This displays the political instability of Weimar Germany as president Hindenburg feared a militaristic uprising by the Nazi party, so he let Hitler take power. This demonstrates how political instability led to the rise of the Nazi party.

1933 - Hitler becomes Chancellor

gmanscram — 2024-05-30 18:21:22 UTC

On January 30th, 1933, President Hindenburg appointed Adolf Hitler from the Nazi Party as Chancellor of Germany. From here, Weimar Germany ended as Nazi Germany took power.

Significant Individuals

Adolf Hitler - German Chancellor
Hindenburg - President that appointed Hitler as Chancellor
Papen - Vice Chancellor appointed with Hitler

Dates

January 30th, 1933 - Hitler and Papen appointed Chancellor and Vice Chancellor
August 2nd, 1934 - Hitler unites the roles of president and chancellor under the role of the Fuhrer

This connects to how Weimar Germany was politically unstable as an extremist group was able to take power and control the entire government. This also displays how Weimar Germany was not constitutional, as Hitler was able to dissolve Weimar Germany.