Birth of the Weimar Republic

First World War:

1) First World War was fought between two groups: Allies and Central Powers.
2) Allies consists of England, France, Russia and USA (1917). Central Powers consist of Germany, Ottoman Turkey,
and Austria – Hungary.
3) The world war resulted in defeat of Imperial Germany.
After defeating of Imperial Germany:
1) Abdication of the emperor.
2) Parliamentary parties met at Weimar and formed National Assembly known as Weimar Republic.
3) They established a democratic constitution with a federal structure.
4) Deputies were elected on equal basis and universal votes in the German parliament or Reichstag.
However, Weimar republic was not welcomed by its own people.
 Weimar Republic accepted/signed the peace Treaty of Versailles.
 Many Germans held the new Weimar Republic was responsible for not only the defeated in the war but the
disgrace at Versailles.
Treaty of Versailles: Treaty of Versailles was a humiliating and harsh treaty. Germany was forced to sign this treaty
by the Allies. The treaty has following provisions:
 Germany lost its overseas colonies.
 One tenth of the population. 13 percent of its territories.
 75 percent of its iron and 26 percent of its coal to France,
Poland, Denmark and Lithuania.
 Allied power Demilitarized Germany.
 Under War Guilt Clause Germany was forced to pay
6 billion pounds.
 The Allied armies occupied the resource - rich Rhineland
for a long time.
The effect of the war:
 The war had a devastating impact both psychologically and
financially.
 The war turned Europe from Continent of creditors to continent of debtor.
 Weimar Republic and its supporters faced problems. They were also known as “November Criminals”.
 First World War had deep imprints on European Society.
 Trench life was glorified. However truth was different.
 Men were believed to be Aggressive, Strong and masculine.
 Aggressive war propaganda and national honour occupied Centre stage in public.
 Democracy became a young and fragile idea which could not survive the Instabilities of Interwar Europe.
 Support for conservative dictatorship grew.
Political Radicalism:
Spartacist League:
 This was the time when the Spartacist League revolution began to rise on the pattern of Bolshevik Revolution in
Russia.
 They Demanded Soviet – Style of Governance. Later founded communist party of Germany.
Weimar Republic:
 Weimar Republic opposed this. They crushed the uprising with help of free corps.
 They wanted to setup a democratic Republic.
 This developed clashes between Socialists and Communist.
Hitler took advantage of this irreconcilable conflicts prevailing in the Germany at that time.
Economic Crisis after World War:
Political radicalism along with economic crisis made the condition worse. These economic crisis were:
 Germany fought war largely on loans.
 Had to pay war reparations in gold.
 This depleted gold reserves at a time resources were scarce.
 Therefore, in 1923 Germany refused to pay the loan.
Germany refuse to pay war reparations:
 The French occupied its leading industrial area Ruhr, to claim their coal.
 Germany retaliated with passive resistance and printed paper currency recklessly.
 The value of German mark fell. Price of goods increased. This developed of situation of hyperinflation.
Intervention of America in Economic crisis of Germany:
 The Americans intervened and bailed Germany out of the crisis by introducing the Dawes Plan.
 Germany recovered using short term loan by U.S.A.
 Stability during 1924 to 1928 was built in sand.
 But, Wall Street Exchange (USA Stock market) crashed in 1929. People sold their share fearing the falling the
price.
 National Income of U.S.A. fell by half. This effect was felt worldwide.
Economic Crisis of 1929:
 Industrial production was reduced to 40 percent. [1932]
 Workers lost their jobs or were paid reduced wages. [Unemployed 6 million]
 This also resulted in increase of Criminal activity.
 Falling value Currency resulted in diminish of Income and saving of the people.
 Business got ruined, fall in the Agriculture price affected peasantry.
 Feeling of Proletarianisation (To become impoverished to the level of working class).
 Problems of economic depression had changed the political atmosphere of the Germany.
 Weimar Republic seemed to offer no solution to these problems.
 The Weimar constitution had some inherent defects such as:
o Proportional Representation: No party can achieve majority. Therefore, always ruled by coalitions.
o Article 48: Gave president the power to impose Emergency, Suspend civil rights and rule by decree.
 Therefore, there was vulnerability of dictatorship in Germany. Addtionaly, people lost confidence in democratic
parliamentary system.
Hitler’s Rise to power:
 Born in 1889 in Austria.
 Enrolled himself in Army during First World War.
 Became Corporal and earned medals for bravery.
 He was very disappointed with German defeat and treaty of Versailles.
 1919, Joined German Workers Party. He took over it and renamed it to the National Socialist German Workers
Party. This was came to be known as the Nazi Party.
Journey from politics to power:
 In 1923, He planned to seize control of Bavaria ad decided to march to Berlin and Capture power. But he failed.
 He was arrested for treason.
 After release he struggled for power. As in 1928 Election, Nazi party got 2.6 percent votes in Reichstag.
 During Great Depression Nazism became a mass movement. This also resulted in getting 37 percent votes in
Reichstag 1932. This is because of Nazi Propaganda and Promises which Hitler made.
Nazi propaganda and promises: Nazi propaganda and promises resulted in Hitler’s rise to power.
Nazi promises:
 Hitler was a powerful speaker.
 He promised to build a strong nation, undo the injustice of the Versailles Treaty and restore the dignity of the
German people.
 He promised employment for those looking for work, and a secure future for the youth.
 He promised to weed out all foreign influences and resist all foreign ‘conspiracies’ against Germany.
Nazi Propaganda:
 New style of politics.
 Using ritual and spectacle for mass mobilization.
 Massive rallies and public meeting.
 Red banner swastika, Nazi salute, the ritualized rounds of applause.
 This all was done skillfully to project Hitler as a messiah, a savior.
 This captured the imagination of people whose sense of dignity and pride had been shattered.
Therefore, the crisis in the economy, polity and society formed the background to Hitler’s rise to power.
The Destruction of Democracy:
30 January 1933, President Hindenburg offered chancellorship to Hitler. Hitler started Dismantling Democracy by
following steps:
 Mysterious fire in the German Parliament building.
 Fire Decree of 28, February 1933. Suspended civics rights such Freedom of Speech, Press and Assembly.
 Persecution of people at concentration camps.
 Finally, on 3 March 1933, the famous Enabling Act was passed. This Act established dictatorship in Germany. It
gave Hitler all powers to sideline Parliament and rule by decree.
People were not at all happy with this decision. They were controlled by Special Surveillance and Security Forces.
 Regular Police and SA [Storm Troopers] was setup.
 Gestapo [Secret State Police], the SS [Protection Squad], Criminal Police and the Security Service (SD).
 Organized Forces with extra constitutional powers made the Nazi state dreaded Criminal state.
Economic Reconstruction:
 It was believed Power comes with money. But Germany had no money.
 Therefore, Hitler assigned the responsibility of economic recovery to the economist Hjalmar Schacht.
 He aimed at full production and full employment through a state funded work - creation programme.
 Produced German Superhighways and people’s car, the Volkswagen.
Hitler acquired quick successes in his foreign policy.
 Pulled Germany out of League of Nations (organization set up after WW1 to avoid any further conflicts) [1933].
 Reoccupied the Rhineland in 1936.
 He integrated Austria and Germany in 1938 with the slogan “One people, can Empire and one Leader”.
 He captured German speaking Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia.
Why England and other powers were allowing all this?
Indirect support by not speaking anything against Hitler because the considered Versailles verdict too harsh.
Hitler chose war as the way to overcome Economic crisis:
 Hjalmar Schacht advised Hitler not to invest heavily rearmament. Because their Economy was running on deficit
Financing. But Hitler ignored him.
 Hitler believed that for resources there should be expansion of territory.
 Therefore, In September 1939, Germany invaded Poland. This started the Second World War.
Germany Invaded Poland:
 When Germany invaded Poland, France and England started War against Germany.
 In order to fight with them Tripartite pact of September 1940 was signed between Germany, Italy and Japan.
To ensure food supplies and living space for Germans:
 Hitler attack the Soviet Union in June 1941.
 From here the downfall of Nazi period began. This was a Historic blunder by Hitler.
 Germany was fighting war on two fronts.
 On western front Aerial Bombing by British. On eastern front full fight with Soviet Red Army.
 Japan bombed Pearl Harbor [U.S. Naval Base].
 Unwilling to enter, but U.S.A. also entered into war due to Japan. USA retaliated by dropping atom bombs on
Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
 With this Second World War ended.
The Nazi worldview: Nazi Germany was based on Nazi ideology.
They had a belief of racial hierarchy:
 According to this there was no equality between people, but only a racial hierarchy.
 In this view blond, blue-eyed, Nordic German Aryans were at the top, while Jews were located at the lowest
rung.
 All other colored people were placed in between depending upon their external features.
This idea of racism was borrowed from thinkers like:
1) Charles Darwin: Concept of evolution and Natural selection.
2) Herbert Spencer: Idea of survival of the fittest.
 This idea were used by Racist thinker and Politicians to justify imperial rule over conquered people. Ex: Used by
Nazis
 However we must remember that Darwin never advocated human intervention.
 Hitler’s Ideology related to the geopolitical concept of Lebensraum.
 Lebensraum: New territory should be acquired for settlement. [ attack on Poland ]
 This would enhance area of mother country. [More area for settlement]
 This would enhance the material resources and power of the German Nation.
 German boundaries were extended towards eastwards.
 Therefore, Poland become a laboratory for this experimentation.
Nazi’s wanted a society of “Pure and Healthy Nordic Aryan”. They started physically eliminating all these who were
seen as undesirables. Undesirables consisted of jaws, Gypsies, Poles and Russians.
Jews remained the worst sufferers:
 Traditional Christian hostility towards Jews.
 Stereotyped as killers of Christ and Usurers.
 Ghettoization and periodic organized violence.
 Hitler’s pseudoscientific theories of race.
 1933 to 1938: The Nazis terrorized, pauperized and segregated the Jews, compelling them to leave the country.
 1939 to 1945: Aimed at concentrating them in certain areas and eventually killing them in gas chambers in
Poland.
The Racial Utopia:
Genocide: Killing of people under the shadow of war.
 Poles were forced to leave their home and properties.
 They were moved in other parts called the General Government.
 Polish intelligentsia were murdered to keep people intellectually and spiritually servile.
 Polish children who looked like Aryan were snatched from their families.
 Aryan children were given to German Families.
Steps to Death (Page 64 and 65 from book)
Youth in Nazi Germany:
 Hitler was fanatically interested in youth of the country.
 Because youth can build a Strong Nazi Society. This can be done by providing Teachings of Nazi ideology to child.
 All schools were Cleansed and Purified. This means that children were segregated and ‘Undesirable children’
were thrown out of schools.
 Finally taken to the Gas Chambers.
 Teacher who were Jews or seen as ‘Politically unreliable’ were dismissed.
 Good German Subject to a process of Nazi schooling Ideology Training
Aspects of Nazi schooling:
They were mentally made to accept that whatever in happening under Nazism is right. The teachings of Nazi School
were:
 Textbooks were rewritten.
 Racial science were introduced to justify Nazi idea of race.
 Stereotype about Jews were created in schools.
 Children were taught to be loyal and submissive.
 Hate Jews and worship Hitler.
 Violent sports were promoted to make children iron hearted, strong and masculine.
Youth Organisation: These Organisation was setup to educate German youth ‘The spirit of National Socialism’.
Nazi youth Organisation Age Organisation
 This was founded in 1922, Four year later renamed as Hitler Youth. 10-14 years Jungvolk
 Where they learned to worship War, Glory aggression and Violence, 14-18 years Hitler Youth
Condemn Democracy and hate all undesirable. 18 and above Army
 All other Youth Organisation were systematically dissolved and finally banned.
The Nazi cult of Motherhood:
 Difference between Men and Women existed.
 Boys were believed to be Aggressive, Masculine and Brave hearted.
 Girls were believed to be Good mothers and rear pure blooded Aryan children. They were supposed to maintain
Army 18 and above
purity of race, distant themselves from Jews and Cherish Nazi Values.
In Nazi Germany not all mothers were treated equally.
 Women who bore racially undesirable children were punished and those who produced racially desirable
Jungvolk 10 - 14 Years
Organisation Age
children were awarded.
 Favored treatment in hospitals, concession in shops and theater ticket and railway ticket.
 Honoured Crosses were awarded. Bronze, silver and gold for four, six and eight children respectively.
Punishments:
 All Aryans women who deviated from the prescribed code of conduct were publicly condemned and severely
punished. Women who maintained Relations with Jews, Poles and Russian had to suffer.
 Their heads were shaved, faces were painted black and paraded through the town.
 Many received jail sentences and lost civic honour.
 This was considered as Criminal Offence.
 This was related with National Honour.
The Art of Propaganda:
 Playing with the words. Their practice were deceptive but words describing them Chilling.
 Mass killing was termed as special treatment, final solution [for the Jews] euthanasia (for the disabled).
 Gas Chambers were termed as ‘Disinfection Area’, taking people to Gas Chambers was known as Evacuation.
 Gas chambers looked like bathroom equipped with fake shower head.
Use of media in spreading Nazi propaganda:
 Nazi ideas were spread through visual image, films, radio, posters, catchy slogans and leaflets.
 Enemies of Germans were stereotyped.
 Socialist and Liberals [Represented as weak and degenerated, Malicious Foreign Agents].
 Use of movies to stereotype Jews e.g The Eternal Jew. They were treated as Vermin, rats and pests and
compared to rodents.
Nazism worked on the minds of the people and their emotions.
Ordinary people and the Crime against Humanity:
Supporter of Nazi:
 Nazi ideology was overruling their mind.
 Hatred and anger against those who looked like Jews.
 Houses of Jews were marked, suspicious neighbours reported.
 They believed that Nazism will bring prosperity and improve general well-being.
Non – Nazis:
 Organised active resistance against Nazism faced braving police repression and death.
 However many were passive onlookers and a pathetic witness. Who were too scared to act, to differ, to protest.
 Pastor Niemoller wrote against all this.
Feeling of Jews in Nazi Germany:
 Charlotte Beradt wrote in “Third Reich of Dreams” the problems Jews face.
 Jews themselves began believing in the Nazi stereotype about them.
 All the stereotype images published in Nazi press haunted the Jews. [Hooked nose, Black hair and eyes, Jews
looked and body movement].
 Jews died many deaths even before they reached the Gas chambers.
Knowing about the Holocaust
 Record of the genocide of the Jews during Second World War were known as holocaust.
 Most of the information about Nazi practices came out after the World War ended.
 Jews wanted the World to remember the atrocities and suffering they had endured during the Nazi killing
operations.
 Therefore, An indomitable spirit to bear witness and to preserve the documents can be seen among many Jews
and when the war seem to lost Nazi leaders tried to destroyed all evidences.
 Records such as diaries, notebooks and archives were carrying the cries of Jews.
Memory of the Holocaust “Are tribute to those who resisted, an embarrassing reminder to those who collaborated,
and a warning to those who watched in silence”.