3. Weimar Republic’s Collapse Flashcards
(13 cards)
What kind of impacts did the Great Depression have on Germany?
- economic impact
- political impact
- July 1931 banking crisis
what was the economic impact of the Great Depression?
- increase in unemployment (partially due to the cutting back of production)
> 1.8 mil in 1928 | 2.5 mil in 1929 | 6 mil in 1933*
> BY 1932: 1/3 of workers = unemployed - collapse of demands for German goods
- employees had to work shorter hours, and/or take pay cuts
- loans that Germany had relied on (esp. those from USA) had been recalled
- government income fell; the system had been designed to cope with only 800,000 unemployed
what was the political impact of the Great Depression?
- unemployed youth joined paramilitary groups for a sense of belonging & having something to do
- weakened the Great Coalition via disagreements over the unemployment insurance system
- resignation of cabinet due to failure for compromise within Coalition
- a divided Reichstag
- Nazis gained considerably from the 1930 elections; they offered simple solutions for the Depression
- growing dependence on extremist parties (Nazi Party, Communists)
what was the banking crisis of july 1931?
- collapse of an austrian bank
- more people began to withdraw their money from banks
- france stopped its loans to germany as a result but allowed 1 year suspension of reparations
- in 1932 a committee of international financial experts agreed that reparations should be cancelled
why did the weimar republic ultimately collapse?
- ECONOMIC INSTABILITY
- POLITICAL INSTABILITY
- RISE OF EXTREMISM
- ECONOMIC INSTABILITY
- Hyperinflation
- Great Depression
- Dependence on loans
- POLITICAL INSTABILITY
- weak coalition government: P.R. meant there were numerous small parties, and coalitions were subject to frequent change
- lack of confidence in democracy
- abuse of Article 48: Hindenburg often ruled by emergency decree, bypassing the Reichstag
- RISE OF EXTREMISM
- Nazi propaganda: exploited the political/economic crisis to gain popular support - promised to ‘restore order’
- public disillusionment from the failures of the republic: led to further reliance on extremist parties
- Hitler appointed as chancellor
Why did the Depression increase support for the Nazis?
- Weimar government appeared weak and unable to deal with the crisis
- nazis exploited the consequential rise of unemployment; they offered public works to reduce it.
Besides the Depression, what factors led to growing support for the Nazis?
- the promises made by the nazis:
jobs -> unemployed
restored profits -> businesses
higher prices for produce -> farmers -
propaganda to reinforce promises and hatred for communism
> promoted via radio, posters, parades, rallies - technology - 1932: hitler arrived at election meetings via plane
- increased organisation within the 1920; leaders were well trained
- images of hitler - portrayed as strong leader & was a powerful speaker
- opposition: weak & divided + undermined the nazi party
Germany’s progression through the 3 chancellors von Papen, von Schleicher, and Hitler from July 1932 - Jan 1933
- Papen won the July 1932 election, despite the Nazi Party becoming the largest party in the Reichstag
- the army was unwilling to support Papen; so the government was dismissed and and Schleicher was appointed as chancellor in December 1932 (5 months later)
- Schleicher was unable to gain a majority in the Reichstag
- this caused Hindenburg to lose confidence in Schleicher, and he withdrew his support
- Schleicher resigned in 28th Jan 1933
- Hindenburg appointed Hitler as chancellor in 30th Jan 1933, as he believed that the Nazis were in decline and would be easier to control
> idea further supported by only 3 Nazis being in the new cabinet
How was there an increase in street violence during Papen’s chancellorship?
by Papen ending the ban on the SA
What action did Papen take as a result of increasing violence in Hamburg?
What effect did this have?
he took over the Prussian state government (as it couldn’t maintain order anymore)
EFFECT:
destroyed the concept of the ‘federal principle’ — the idea that each state in Germany controlled different aspects of government / enforced centralisation of the state
What intentions did Papen have for the Reichstag and why so?
++ Why could he not act on them?
Papen wanted to dissolve the Reichstag and hold new elections, because he did not have a majority
He was unable to do this because the opposition passed a vote of no confidence
Why was Schleicher appointed as the next chancellor?
The army had refused to support Papen, and so his government was dismissed.
what failures did Schleicher have during his chancellorship?
- asked Nazis to join his government; Hitler blocked this
- tried to get the support of SPD and trade unions by promising them economic reforms — but this worried industrialists as they were now looking towards a von Papen-Hitler coalition
