Early Problems for the Weimar

Republic, 1919-23

One of the main problems for

the Weimar government was
the right-wing
Dolchstosslegende - the claim
that the Army had been
'stabbed in the back' by the
government (whom the right
called 'the November
criminals').
 Early Problems

• 1923 was a pivotal year for the young

Weimar Republic – a number of problems
arrived which would determine if
democracy would survive, at least in the
short term
– French invasion of the Ruhr, Jan. 1923
– Hyper-inflation and economic meltdown
– Munich Beerhall Putsch, Nov. 1923
French & Belgian
Invasion of the
Ruhr,
January 1923
 Why did France and Belgium
invade ?
• Germany did not keep up her agreed
reparations payments
• France was prepared to make Germany
pay, if necessary by seizing raw materials
for themselves
• Perhaps there was fear that, as the
German economy was beginning to melt-
down, they might stop paying reparations
entirely
 What happened ?
• Jan. 1923 – French and Belgian troops invaded the Ruhr
to gather reparations payments
• The Germans responded with a passive resistance
movement – they refused to cooperate with the French
and stopped working
• The resistance movement also meant that the German
government lost what the Ruhr would normally produce –
accelerating hyper-inflation
• Violence marred the occupation – the French eventually
introduced their own workers to operate the
factories/mines
• Eventually the invaders left when Germany agreed to
reschedule her reparations payments
 What effects ?
• The loss of income from factories and mines and
heavy industry in the Ruhr forced the German
government to print more money
• This money, based on non-existent reserves,
resulted in monetary value dropping drastically
and prices rising fast
• Hyper-inflation led to middle-class families losing
businesses and savings, prices rising and
accelerating unemployment
• A change of government took place – a new
Chancellor Gustav Stresemann took charge of
the Republic’s financial response.
Hyper-inflation,
1923
What was the hyper-inflation ?
• After 1921 the German
economy was being
affected by the Allies
reparations demands –
this triggered
hyperinflation
• Businessmen also
speculated on the German
Mark – trying to make a
quick profit – this also had
a drastic effect on the
German economy
 What was the hyper-inflation ?
 July 1914   1.0 • As 1923 went on, the
 Jan 1919  2.6 German Mark became
 July 1919  3.4 worthless – the final
 Jan 1920  12.6 collapse was helped by
 Jan 1921  14.4 the French invasion of the
Ruhr
 July 1921  14.3
• The value of the Mark
 Jan 1922  36.7
decreased (table) – prices
 July 1922  100.6
rose, businesses went
 Jan 1923  2,785.0 bust, unemployment rose,
 July 1923  194,000.0 the Government lost
 Nov 1923  726,000,000,000.0 money, people lost their
savings
 What were the results ?
• The real losers were the middle classes who saw
their businesses and savings destroyed
• The new Finance minister Hans Luther issued a
new currency – Rentenmark – old banknotes
were recalled to be destroyed
• The American banker Dawes came up with a
rescue plan – lending Germany 800 million Marks
to invest in industry and commerce, and
spreading out the reparations payments over a
longer period
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
• 9th 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 time was ripe for
revolt – inflation,
invasion of Ruhr etc
 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
 Why had the Weimar republic
survived the events of 1923?
• Reorganisation of economy – currency, confidence, loans
& American investments, reparations rescheduling –
Stresemann !
• Strong & decisive leadership from Stresemann – as
opposed to the previous Chancellor Cuno
• Lack of support for violent upheaval and overthrow of the
government –people are prepared to give democracy a
chance – is there any alternative ?