Political Extremism & Crises, 1918-1932

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Left Wing Uprisings Between 1919 and 1923

Left wing extremist groups led a number of serious uprisings between 1919 and 1923.

Sparticist Revolt

Communist revolutionaries seized key parts of Berlin 9-15 January 1919. Ebert asked the Army and Freikorps to suppress the revolt.
The leaders, Luxemburg and Liebknecht, were shot by the Freikorps. Ebert’s request split the left-wing. The KPD never forgave him.

Soviet Republic of Bavaria

The Soviet Republic of Bavaria was declared in March 1919. It was brutally put down in May by 30,000 army and Freikorps troops and the Ehrhardt Brigade.
Anyone suspected of involvement in the Soviet was summarily executed.

The Hamburg Rising

In October 1923 the KPD ordered a rising. Only 300 took part, but local people supported them by building barricades and providing food.
The rebels left quietly after a few hours. Nevertheless, about 100 were shot dead, 300 wounded and 1,400 arrested.

Right Wing Uprisings Between 1919 and 1923

There were several major right wing uprisings in Germany between 1919 and 1923.

Assassinations

In 1921 the OC assassinated Erzberger. Erzberger had been attacked by the right-wing press for signing the Armistice and introducing tax reforms.
In 1922 there was the assassination of Rathenau. Walther Rathenau was German, Jewish, wealthy, a nationalist and also liberal and pro Republic. He founded the DDP.
Rathenau negotiated the Treaty of Rapallo with the USSR in 1922. Already a hate-figure for the right wing press, the OC assassinated him.

The Kapp Putsch 1920

The Kapp Putsch was led by Wolfgang Kapp, a Prussian civil servant, monarchist and nationalist; and General von Lüttwitz, a serving army officer.
12,000 Freikorps troops marched on Berlin.
The army refused to fire on the Freikorps. Ebert’s government fled Berlin. A new government led by Kapp was announced.
There was insufficient support for the putsch.
The left-wing SPD and trade unionists organised a general strike in Berlin and an uprising in the Ruhr.

Consequences of the Kapp Putsch

No action was taken against von Seeckt, who had refused to do as ordered by the government.
Participants in the Putsch were treated leniently – only one was punished. Over half were granted amnesty. Kapp died before he could be prosecuted.
Participants of the Ruhr uprising were illegally executed by the Freikorps. The leaders were tried and given death sentences.

The Küstrin Putsch 1923

As Stresemann brought passive resistance to and end, there was an attempted right-wing putsch at Küstrin, near Berlin.
Illegal paramilitary groups within the German Army, called the Black Reichswehr, aimed to replace Stresemann’s government with a dictatorship.
Other Reichswehr units prevented the Putsch. Its leaders were arrested for high treason and imprisoned. No-one else who took part was punished.

The Munich Putsch of 1923

The Munich Putsch was one of the most serious threats from the right to the Weimar Government.

Context of the putsch

Bavaria was a culturally distinct, independent-minded state that disliked both Prussia and the Weimar Republic.
In 1923 Bavaria had a right wing, nationalist, monarchist, anti-Weimar Republic government.
The Bavarian government opposed Stresemann’s ending of passive resistance in the Ruhr. It also thought his government too weak to tackle left wing threats.
At the end of September 1923, the Bavarian state government declared martial law because of the upheavals in Germany.

Plans for the putsch

Adolf Hitler and World War One hero, General von Ludendorff, planned to march on Berlin, overthrow the Weimar Republic and impose a new government on Germany.

8 November 1923

On the night of 8 November, Hitler and the SA took control of a right wing meeting run by Otto von Lossow and Gustav von Kahr in a Munich beer hall.
Under pressure, Lossow and Kahr promised loyalty to the Putsch and Ludendorff let them go. Meanwhile, the SA failed to seize the Munich army barracks.

9 November 1923

Ebert called a state of emergency.
Lossow and Kahr warned about, and denounced, the Putsch.
Ludendorff persuaded Hitler to march on Munich. He believed the army would support them because of Ludendorff's status and reputation.
The march on Munich went ahead.
Hitler, Ludendorff and 2,000 armed Nazis were met by soldiers and armed police.
16 Nazis and four police were killed.
Ludendorff and Hitler were arrested.

Consequences of the putsch

The leaders of the putsch were tried in February 1924 for treason.
Ludendorff was acquitted. Hitler was given a light sentence of five years, but was released in December 1924.
- This indicates how much support there was in Germany for right wing government.
The Nazi Party (NSDAP) was banned and Hitler banned from public speaking.
But in the 1924 elections, the NSDAP was the third largest party in Bavaria.

Hitler taking advantage of his trial

Hitler used this public platform to expound his views and gain national fame.
While Hitler was in prison, he wrote Mein Kampf. This would become a bestseller.

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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