The Great Depression

Elections after the Depression

There were five national elections (four Reichstag and one presidential) between 1929 and 1933. Voters turned to extremist parties on both the left and right wings and coalition government became all but impossible.

Difficulty of coalition government

Political parties in Müller's coalition government represented different interest groups with conflicting demands. Parties wanted to protect their voters from cuts in government spending.
Farmers wanted high food prices, workers wanted low. Businesses that exported wanted free trade, those supplying domestic markets wanted protectionism.
Müller could not get his finance bill through the Reichstag. He asked Hindenburg to use Article 48, but the President refused. Müller was forced to resign.

Use of presidential government

From March 1930 there was government using presidential decree.
Chancellor Brüning depended on Hindenburg's use of Article 48.
This reflects the inability of coalition government to agree on policies.

1928 and 1930 elections

May 1928:
- The Nazis saw the biggest increase from 2.6% of the vote in May 1928 to 18.3%. They were the second biggest party in the Reichstag.
September 1930:
- The KPD vote rose from 10.6% to 13.1%. The SPD vote fell from 29.8% to 24.5%. The DVP and DNVP saw their vote roughly halved.

1932 elections

July 1932:
- The Nazis saw a dramatic rise in support, becoming the largest single party in the Reichstag, with 37.4% of the vote.
- The KPD vote rose to 14.5%. The SPD vote fell about 25%. Apart from the Zentrum, all other parties saw their vote fall especially narrow interest parties.
November 1932:
- The KPD vote rose to 16.9%, the DNVP from 6.2% to 8.9% and the DVP from 1.2% to 1.9%.
- The Nazis’ vote fell to 33.1%.

1933 election

March 1933:
- Hitler was already Chancellor. All parties’ votes declined but the Nazi party whose vote was 43.9%. Anti-Weimar parties controlled the Reichstag.

Governments After the Depression

Müller and Brüning's coalition governments were fragile and the Chancellors struggled to get through their policies. Eventually, Article 48 became the only way to circumvent the internal divisions within the Weimar governments.

Müller's government

Political parties in Müller's coalition government represented different interest groups with conflicting demands. Parties wanted to protect their voters from cuts in government spending.
Farmers wanted high food prices, workers wanted low. Businesses that exported wanted free trade, those supplying domestic markets wanted protectionism.
Müller could not get his finance bill through the Reichstag. He asked Hindenburg to use Article 48, but the President refused. Müller was forced to resign.

Brüning's government

Brüning from the Zentrum Party succeeded Müller.
He was supported by the army and leading German industrialists.
Brüning used Article 48 to pass his finance bill.
Brüning continued in government, despite massive gains by the Nazi party in September 1930.

Historical assessment

Feuchtwanger (1995):
- ‘Brüning was the last chancellor to govern with any kind of constitutional legitimacy.’
Bracher:
- ‘[Brüning] was not … the last chancellor before the break-up of the Weimar Republic, but the first chancellor in the process of destroying German democracy.’
Hite and Hinton (2000) ‘Brüning lost office…because he had lost President Hindenburg’s support.’
Mommsen (1991) blames Brüning for deliberately worsening the economic crisis and thus creating the conditions that only Hitler understood to exploit.

Economic assessment

The economist Peter Temin (1991) argues that the German government did not handle the economy well after the Wall Street Crash.
- Chancellor Brüning's cabinet had 'deflationary impulses'. They tried to reduce government spending by raising taxes and cutting benefits.
- Reichsbank (German central bank) reserves fell below requirements and they couldn't borrow from any banks or central banks in the world. So, they raised interest rates. This worsened the economic situation as anyone with debt had to pay a higher rate of interest.

1Political & Governmental Change, 1918-1989

1.1Creation & Collapse of Weimar, 1918-1932

1.1.1Creation of a Republic

1.1.2Strengths & Weaknesses of Weimar Constitution

1.1.3Overcoming Challenges to the Constitution

1.1.4The Great Depression

1.1.5The Collapse of Democracy

1.1.6The Collapse of Democracy 2

1.1.7Hitler Becomes Chancellor

1.2Nazi Dictatorship, 1933-1945

1.2.1Establishing a Dictatorship

1.2.2Consolidating Power

1.2.3Nature of Government

1.2.4Government in Wartime

1.2.5Top Grade AO2/3 - Political & Governmental Change

1.3Return to Democratic Government, 1945-1989

1.3.1Creation of the FRG, 1945-1949

1.3.2Consolidation Under Adenauer

1.3.3Consolidation Under Erhard

1.3.4Maintaining Stability Under Brandt

1.3.5Maintaining Stability Under Schmidt

1.3.6Maintaining Stability Under Kohl

1.3.7Top Grade AO2/3 - Return to Democratic Government

2Opposition, Control & Consent 1918-1989

2.1Opposition to Government, 1918-1989

2.1.1Impact of Versailles

2.1.2Political Extremism & Crises, 1918-1932

2.1.3Opposition & Dissent in Nazi Germany, 1933-1945

2.1.4Political Dissent from the Left, 1949-1989

2.1.5Political Dissent from the Right, 1949-1989

2.1.6Top Grade AO2/3 - Opposition to Government 1918-89

2.2Controlling the People, 1918-1989

2.2.1Attempts to Control Extremism

2.2.2Repression, 1933-1945

2.2.3Censorship & Propaganda, 1933-1945

2.2.4De-Nazification Policies of Western Allies, 1945

2.2.5Constitutional & Legal Response to Extremism, 1949

2.3Popular Support, 1918-1989

2.3.1The Nature of Support for the Weimar Government

2.3.2Support for the Nazi Regime

2.3.3The Nature of Support for Democracy, 1945-1989

2.3.4Top Grade AO2/3 - Controlling the People

3Economic Developments & Policies, 1918-1989

3.1Reacting to Economic Challenges, 1918-1932

3.1.1Economic Crises & Government Response, 1918-1923

3.1.2Economic Loans, 1924-1928

3.1.3Policies for Recovery, 1924-1929

3.1.4The Great Depression

3.1.5Change in Living Standards

3.1.6Top Grade AO2/3 - Reacting to Economic Challenges

3.2Controlling the Economy, 1933-1945

3.2.1Attempting Economic Recovery

3.2.2Creating a Command Economy

3.2.3Change in Living Standards

3.2.4Impact of War

3.2.5Impact of War 2

3.2.6Top Grade AO2/3 - Controlling the Economy

3.3Creating the Social Market Economy, 1945-1989

3.3.1Economic Recovery, 1945-1955

3.3.2The Economic Miracle, 1955-1966

3.3.3Surviving the Recession, 1960-1969

3.3.4The Oil Crisis

3.3.5Integration into the European Economy

3.3.6Change in Living Standards

3.3.7Top Grade AO2/3 - Creating Social Market Economy

4Aspects of Life, 1918-1989

4.1Attitudes Towards Women, 1918-1989

4.1.1Role & Status of Women in the Weimar Republic

4.1.2Impact of Kinder, Küche, Kirche

4.1.3Impact of WW2 on Women

4.1.4Role & Status of Women in the FRG

4.1.5Top Grade AO2/3 - Attitudes Towards Women

4.2Education & Cultural Developments, 1918-1989

4.2.1Education in Weimar

4.2.2Cultural Experimentation in Weimar

4.2.3Education Under the Nazis

4.2.4Nazi Culture

4.2.5Education in the FRG

4.2.6Generational Conflict

4.2.7Top Grade AO2/3 - Education & Cultural Development

4.3Position of Ethnic Minorities, 19189-1989

4.3.1Ethnic Minorities in the Weimar Republic

4.3.2Nazi Racial Policies, 1933-1939

4.3.3Nazi Racial Policies During the War

4.3.4Ethnic Minorities in the FRG

4.3.5Top Grade AO2/3 - Position of Ethnic Minorities

5Historical Interpretations

5.1Influence of German History

5.1.1Influence of German History

5.2Hitler & Foreign Policy

5.2.1Hitler & Foreign Policy

5.3Contribution of Other Nations to WW2

5.3.1Weak Nations

5.3.2Appeasement

5.3.3The Rise of Fascism

5.4Reasons for Invading Poland

5.4.1Reasons for Invading Poland

5.4.2Top Grade AO2/3 - Historical Interpretation

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