Timeline: Germany - 1920s + 30s by Nicole Gibson

Hitler's trial for treason: February 26, 1924

2023-03-14 02:22:56 UTC

Adolf Hitler's treason trial begins in Munich, using the opportunity to condemn the Weimar Republic and its leaders.

Rather than deny the charges, Hitler admitted wanting to overthrow the government and outlined his reasons, portraying himself as a German patriot and the democratic government itself, its founders and leaders, as the real criminals.

"I alone bear the responsibility. But I am not a criminal because of that. If today I stand here as a revolutionary, it is as a revolutionary against the revolution. There is no such thing as high treason against the traitors of 1918."

Kellogg-Briand Pact: August 27th 1928

2023-03-14 02:24:04 UTC

Germany becomes one of the first nations to sign the Kellogg-Briand Pact, a multilateral agreement to not use war to resolves disputes

1929 - Referendum

2023-03-14 02:27:41 UTC

Was an (unsuccessful) attempt by right wing political groups in Germany during the Weimar Republic to use popular legislation to annul the Young Plan agreement. Only approximately 15% of voters cast their vote, not enough to have effect.

Some historians argue it is significant that the right-wing nationalist parties in the Reichstag voted with the National Socialists (Nazi) party for the first time, arguably lending credibiilty to the Nazi party, which had few representatives in the Reichstag.

Chancellor Resigns: Jan 15th 1925

2023-03-14 02:27:42 UTC

Chancellor Wilhelm Marx resigns, after calling for further negotiation with the Allies over reparation and the Ruhr. Marx is replaced by cabinet member Hans Luther.

Rentenmark: 1923 Autumn

2023-03-14 02:28:16 UTC

The German mark is destroyed and the new Rentenmark is invented. Its value is closely related to gold, and because it is so valuable, it decreases inflation and reduces economic struggle in Germany

Stresemann's strategies 1923-1929

2023-03-14 02:30:35 UTC

A strategy that was set to try and reduce hyperinflation and recover economically after Germany's defeat in the war.

Stresemann's strategy involved:
1. creating a new currency,
2. having more time to pay off government debt and
3. temporarily reducing reparations.

Treaty of Locarno - 1925

2023-03-14 02:31:01 UTC

Signed between France, Germany, Belgium, Britain and Italy. The treaty guaranteed the French-German and the German-Belgian borders.

For the first time following the war, Germans had been treated as equal to the Allies. Stresemann led these negotiations for Germany.

Germany joined the League of Nations - 1926

It was not allowed to have any troops in the Rhineland (to remain a DMZ - demilitarised zone)

This gave the French a sense of security and added to Germany's security because the French would not occupy Germany territory as they had the Ruhr.

Germany was again able to build up its industry without being a threat to Western European countries.

The 'farmers revenge' - 1928

2023-03-14 02:32:37 UTC

The predicament of the German farmers, worsened due to global excess in grain and price slump in 1925/26. By 1928, the farmers committed small scale riots - dubbed the 'farmers revenge' protesting against the foreclosures and low market prices.

1929 - industry booming

2023-03-14 02:36:53 UTC

By 1929, Germany was producing 33 per cent more than before the war. Germany had regained its mantle as the second-highest producing industrial nation after the US.

Dawes Plan 1924 - Young Plan 1929

nicolegibson3 — 2023-03-19 00:59:36 UTC

Stresemann played a crucial role in bringing the French occupation of the Ruhr to an end. As Foreign Minister from 1924 he negotiated with international economists to find a solution to Germany's problems with making reparation payments.

Charles Dawes was a US Banker (also VP) who led the financing proposal, which worked in the short term, but was totally dependent on ongoing US loans.

Owen Young agreed to lengthen the period of reparation payments out to 1988 and reduce the amount of reparations, to make it more viable for Germany to repay.

Stresemann negotiated that Allied troops would be withdrawn from the Rhineland in 1930, five years ahead of time.

This was popular politically for the Weimar government.

1925: Paul Von Hindenberg - President

nicolegibson3 — 2023-03-19 01:22:14 UTC

WW1 Field Marshall in German Army - a well-known military leader
Elected President of Weimar German Republic in 1925 as an independent candidate. Deeply conservative, nationalistic.

Remains President until his death in 1934.

1924 Reichstag Elections: May and December

nicolegibson3 — 2023-03-19 01:29:41 UTC

Hyperinflation

nicolegibson3 — 2023-03-19 01:34:48 UTC

Hyperinflation describes situations where the prices of all goods and services rise uncontrollably as per Germany 1923.

October 1929: The Wall Street Crash

nicolegibson3 — 2023-03-19 01:42:29 UTC

Black Thursday, 24 October, was the beginning of the Wall Street Crash.

Many investors—both institutional and individual—had borrowed or leveraged heavily to buy stocks, and the crash that began on Black Thursday wiped them out financially, leading to widespread bank failures. That, in turn, became the catalyst that sent the United States, and the world, into the Great Depression of the 1930s.

After the crash, the Dow continued sliding for three more years, bottoming out on July 8, 1932, at 41.22. It had lost almost 90% of its value since its high on Sept. 3, 1929. In fact, it didn’t reach that high again for 25 years, until Nov. 23, 1954

The Great Depression

nicolegibson3 — 2023-03-19 01:51:06 UTC

Germany's experience of the Great Depression was exceptionally severe.

Between the summer of 1929 and early 1932, German unemployment rose from just under 1.3 million to over 6 million, corresponding to a rise in the unemployment rate from 4.5 percent of the labor force to 24 percent.

The rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party

nicolegibson3 — 2023-03-19 01:58:53 UTC

Reichstag fire- 27th of February 1933

2023-03-21 03:46:25 UTC

The origin of the Reichstag fire is still unknown, however, the Nazi party pointed the blame towards the Communist party. The following day, Hitler was able to convince President Hindenberg to change the Reichstag constitution section 48, giving Hitler the power to create and change any laws he wants without consulting parliament first.

The Enabling Act - March 23 1933

2023-03-21 03:46:40 UTC

Due to Hitlers determination to rule Germany without the restraints of the democratically elected parliament

The Enabling Act - allowed by the Weimar constitution that gave the chancellor the power to pass laws by decree - meant to only be used in emergencies.

Passing the Enabling Act required a 2/3 majority vote from the Reichstag - this was done by Nazi maneuvering

This Act gave Hitler's government dictatorial power for four years; it allowed the Reich government to issue laws without consent of Germany's parliament. This law was passed on March 23, 1933.

Implemented the Nazis' intentions

- anti-Jewish policies

- boycott of Jewish shops

- Nazi book burning

28 February 1933: Emergency decree

2023-03-21 03:47:04 UTC

President Hindenberg is persuaded by Hitler and the Nazi's to issue emergency decree invoking Article 48 of the Weimar Constitution - chancellor (Hitler) now has dictatorial power to protect the democratic order from being overthrown.

1934 - Death of Hindenburg

2023-03-21 03:47:20 UTC

President Hindenburg died on the 2nd of August 1934, opening up the position of President.
Hitler quickly abolished the role of President and combined the Chancellor and President roles to create the Fuhrer, assuming complete and total power. The german forces are required to swear allegiance to Hitler on the same day.
In August 1934, a plebiscite of the German population revealed that 90% of citizens supported Hitler's rise to absolute control - solidifying his legitimacy as Germany's dictator

Gleichschaltung: 1933-1934

2023-03-21 03:47:40 UTC

To control political and social life in Germany, Hitler initiated a policy of Gleichschaltung ('coordination'), meaning he wanted to bring all aspects of life into line with the ideologies of national socialism. Some key laws to implement this were:
- Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service (7 April 1933): Jews and political opponents of the regime were thrown out of civil service
- The abolition of the German trade union movement (2 May 1933): Trade unions were banned and replaced by the German Labour Front (DAF) -> controlled by the Nazis
- The abolition of all political parties except the Nazi party (14 July 1933): declared all other parties illegal
- Law for the Reconstruction of the German States (January 1934): abolished state governments in Germany, making the national government the only legitimate source of political authority
- Control of the legal system (April 1934): established the People's court to deal with crimes against the state like treason -> NO RIGHT TO APPEAL

Kristallnacht- night of the broken glass

2023-03-21 03:48:05 UTC

https://www.yadvashem.org/yv/en/exhibitions/kristallnacht/index.asp

1935-1938 Nuremberg Race Laws

2023-03-21 03:48:24 UTC

The intention of the Nuremberg Race Laws was to separate Jewish people from other Germans (those believed to be Aryan race) in order to protect and strengthen Germany. Some of these laws included; Jewish people only being able to be named inherently Jewish names, or having their passports marked with a "J" to identify them.

1941-45: The Final Solution

2023-03-21 03:49:46 UTC

The extermination of the Jews/minority groups through asphyxiation with poison gas or shooting.

Operation Heydrich:

Autumn 1941: General Globocnik came up with a plan to murder the Jewish population.

Plan: killing centres were established in Poland - Belzec, Sobibor and Treblinka with the sole purpose of the mass murder of Jews.

More camps were established - Majdanek, Chelmno, Auschwitz-Berkenau etc.

Wannsee Conference

20 January 1942

- German officials gathered to discuss how to implement "The Final Solution of the Jewish Question" and how it would happen.

- Approx. 11 million Jews would fall under the Final Solution

- Six million (two-thirds) of the Jews living in Europe were killed - men, women and children

Nuremberg race laws 15 September 1935

2023-03-21 03:52:50 UTC

anti-Semitic and racist laws created by the Nazi Party at a meeting at the Reichstag during the annual Nuremburg rally.

took away Jewish citizenship , forbade marriage between Jewish and non Jewish people. These were some of the first racist laws created by the Nazi's that culminated

The Final solution 1941-1945

2023-03-21 03:54:51 UTC

During 1941 as the Germans moved into Russia, 500,000 Russian Jews were shot and buried in mass graves. This gave Hitler a good idea of how to execute the Jews back in Germany. Late 1941 the decision was made to eliminate all Jews. The key part of the plan was to set up extermination camps in Nazi - occupied Poland. Various methods of mass murder were tried before the gas chambers to kill large numbers of people at once

1934-The night of the Long Knives

2023-03-21 03:57:03 UTC

- Over 150 people were murdered and hundreds were arrested
- Hitler feared that the S.A had become too powerful and ordered his guards to murder the organisation leaders, including Ernst Rohm.

Munich Conference 1932 "Peace in our time"

nicolegibson3 — 2023-03-21 04:02:07 UTC

Munich agreement, (1938)
Settlement reached by Germany, France, Britain, and Italy permitting German annexation of Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland.

Adolf Hitler’s threats to occupy the German-populated part of Czechoslovakia stemmed from his avowed broader goal of reuniting Europe’s German-populated areas. Though Czechoslovakia had defense treaties with France and the Soviet Union, both countries agreed that areas in the Sudetenland with majority German populations should be returned. Hitler demanded that all Czechoslovaks in those areas depart; when Czechoslovakia refused, Britain’s Neville Chamberlain negotiated an agreement permitting Germany to occupy the areas but promising that all future differences would be resolved through consultation. The agreement, which became synonymous with appeasement, was abrogated when Hitler annexed the rest of Czechoslovakia the next year.

Anchluss - annexation of Austria 1938

nicolegibson3 — 2023-03-21 04:02:33 UTC

Annexation of Czechoslovakia - 1938

nicolegibson3 — 2023-03-21 04:02:49 UTC