Key dates Flashcards
Hitler came to power with his Nazi Party.
Jul 31, 1932
William was crowned emperor of the German Empire in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles.
18 January 1871
Minister President Otto von Bismarck of Prussia was appointed Chancellor of the German Empire.
21 March 1871
Kulturkampf begins: The School Supervision Act was passed, transferring all religious schools to state control.
1872
Berlin Conference organised by Bismarck formalised Germany’s involvement in colonial Scramble for Africa
1884
Karl Benz and Daimler begin independently producing Automobiles with gasoline-powered internal combustion engines
1886
Bismarck dismissed as chancellor by Wilhelm II
1890
Pan-German league established
1891
Diesel invents Diesel engine
1892
Wilhelm II sends Kruger telegram to South Africa, insulting Britain
1896
UK declares war on Germany and establishes a blockade of war material and foodstuffs bound for Germany
4 August 1914
Turnip winter
1916
Wilhelm II abdicates his title as German Emperor and King of Prussia due to revolution.
9 November 1918
The Council of the People’s Deputies introduced sweeping liberal reforms (e.g. tax and women’s suffrage.)
10 November 1918
Germany signed the Armistice promising an immediate cessation of hostilities, significant territorial concessions, and the surrender of Germany’s war materiel.
17 November 1918
Spartacist uprising
Jan 1919
German presidential election, Ebert (SPD) was elected president by the Weimar National Assembly
Feb 1919
Paris Peace Conference, The Treaty of Versailles signed,
June 1919
The Weimar Constitution came into force. The Weimar Republic succeeded the German Empire.
August 1919
Kappa Putsch and Ruhr uprising
13 March 1920
Military occupation of Ruhr by France
Jan 1923
Stresemann (liberals) was appointed chancellor and minister for foreign affairs.
Aug 1923
Beer Hall Putsch: Nazi Adolf Hitler led attempted coup to Munich
Nov 1923
Germany agreed to the Dawes Plan ending French and Belgian occupation of the Ruhr valley and the reparation payment schedule was restructured.
Aug 1924
Germany joined the League of Nations.
Sept 1926
Wall street crash where Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped twelve percent
1929
Results of Sept 1930 German federal election
The SPD retained 143 seats in the Reichstag. The Nazi Party gained ninety-five seats.
Hitler was appointed chancellor at the head of a Nazi-DNVP coalition.
Jan 1933
Reichstag fire, allegedly by communists, triggered emergency decree suspending civil liberties.
Feb 1933
The Enabling Act signed
March 1933
Night of the long knives killed 85+ political threats.
30 June 1934
President Hindenburg died
Aug 1934
German rearmament was announced in violation of the Treaty of Versailles
March 1935
Kristallnacht: A pogrom took place in which SA paramilitaries and German civilians destroyed Jewish businesses and at least ninety-one were killed.
November 1938
Germany invasion of Poland
September 1939
Wannsee Conference to discuss the implementation of the Final Solution.
January 1942
Hitler commits suicide.
April 1945
Potsdam Conference: borders return to 1937 and divided between Western and Soviet zones.
August 1945
Erdhard (economic director) introduces the Deutsche Mark
June 1948
Berlin Blockade
June 1948 - May 1949
West Germany founded
May 1949
East Germany founded
October 1949
Construction of Berlin wall begins
August 1961
NDP (political neo nazi group) starts
Nov 1964
Benno Ohnesorg shot
June 1967
Emergency Acts passed
May 1968
Voting age lowered to 18
June 1970
East and West recognise each others sovereignty in the Basic Treaty
Dec 1972
