Key Question 4: The Crisis Of The Weimar Republic (1929-1933) Flashcards
What is the impact of world economic crises?
- USA Wall Street crash = pulling loans (Germany’s source of survival) - asking for repayment
- decline in prices of food, raw materials as nations reduced their imports - Germany industry couldn’t pay its way
(1) Impact of World Economic Crisis: Trade
- slump in world trade, demand for exports fell eg: steel, machinery and chemicals
- exports fell 55%, 1929 £630 million to £280 million 1932
(1) Impact of World Economic Crisis: Employment
5.6 million 1932 to 6.5 million in 1933
(1) Impact of World Economic Crisis: Industry
1928 100 to 58 in 1932 of businesses gone
(1) Impact of World Economic Crisis: Agriculture
Wages/income fell - farms sold off, 1927 = 138 to 1932 = 77
(1) Impact of World Economic Crisis: Finance
- banking lost confidence
- 5 major banks collapsed in 1931
- 50,000 businesses bankrupt
(1) Impact of World Economic Crisis: Economy Before Crash
- still recovering after WW1
- balance of trade was bad
- unemployment 1.9 million in 1929
- falling income since 1927
- gov finances from 1925 was run in deficit
- “final blow that wrecked the Weimar economy, not the fundamental cause of its crash”
(2) Breakdown of Parliamentary Government: The Collapse of Muller’s Grand Coalition
- withstood attack of national opposition
- couldn’t deal with internal divisions
- he struggled to hold coalition together but it was an issue of finance which brought down he gov in March 1930
- doll was implemented to help
(2) Breakdown of Parliamentary Government: The Appointment of Heinrich Bruning
- manoeuvred into office by selecting a circle of political intrigues
~ Otto Meissner, the president’s state secretary
~ Oskar Von Hindenburg, President’s son
~ Major General Kurt Von Schleicher, leading general
(2) Breakdown of Parliamentary Government: Nazi Breakthrough
- increased from 810,000 to 6,409,600 votes
- 107 seats and 18.3%
- left wing parties increased in KPD 10.8% to 13.1%
- deliberately directed propaganda at rural and middle-class/lower middle class audiences
- extremists, nazis and communists were popular
- electorate had grown by 1.8 million since previous election (baby boom after war) - lowered voting to 17
~ increased 75.6% to 82%
(2) Breakdown of Parliamentary Government: Social Impacts of the Great Depression
- 1929 to 1930 unemployment rose above 2 million
- 1932 6.1 million unemployed and didn’t fall until 1933
- most likely more who are unregistered where unemployed
- unemployment camps were set up
- people trying to feed families but there was no free healthcare
- humiliation of being kicked out of your homes
(2) Breakdown of Parliamentary Government: political impacts of the great depression
- national opposition and impact
~ drafted a law against enslavement of German people
~ led by Alfred Hugenburg
~ denounce payments of reparations and punish ministers agreeing
~ hated Daws and Young Plan - collapse of Muller’s grand coalition
~ they could not agree on how to tackle depression - appointment of Bruning
~ ZP member
~ used article 48 to pass new budget to avoid inflation
~ caused re-election - Nazi breakthrough
~ 810,000 to 6,409,600 votes
~ extremists, communists and Nazi popular (due to economic decline)
(3) Heinrich Bruning’s Presidential Government: Government
- 29 March 1930 appointed
- apart of the ZP which was the second biggest party at the time
- his plan of reinforcement from ZP was unsuccessful
- faced committed opposition from left and right
~ SPD tolerated him - semi-dictator by using Article 48
~ 1930 5 decrees raised to 66 in 1932
(3) Heinrich Bruning’s Presidential Government: Political Crisis
- his appointment led to 1930 election
- nazis were able to raise seats from 12 to 107
- showing gains of extreme parties against pro-democratic parties
(3) Heinrich Bruning’s Presidential Government: Appointed to Office
- response to economic crisis led to political crisis
- wanted to balance the budget and avoid reviving inflation (256 votes say no)
- Reichstag disagreed so Bruning used Article 48
~ outraged
~ voted for a withdrawal
~ election called in September of 1930
(3) Heinrich Bruning’s Presidential Government: Economic Politics
- major aims where balancing budget, prevent more inflation, get rid of Germany reparations
- main measures where to cut spending and raise taxes
- lowering demand, large increase in number of unemployment - decline in welfare state provisions
~ Hungar chancellor - worsened situations so nazis could swoop in
- failure to introduce economic measures in 1931, could have lessoned effects in 1932
~ already weak
(3) Heinrich Bruning’s Presidential Government: Fall From Power
- committed to secure old man’s re-election, gaining 19.3 million votes (53%) compared to Hitlers 36.8%
~ negative victory - hitler still doubled nazi vote (powerful personal image) - Hindenburg forced him to resign, in May 1932, refusing to sign any more of Bruning’s emergency decree
- many historians condemned Bruning’s economic regime as seriously worsening the situation
- others argue Bruning had no real alternative due to circumstance of depression (he could never save the economy)
(4) From Bruning to Papen: Papen as a leader
- Papen had no political experience but had influence with Hindenburg (romantic relationship?)
- good connections in high society (Von) - catholic member of the centre party but very right wing views
- part of a non-party gov with national connections or cabinet of Barons Club (not members of Reichstag)
- wanted political support from the Nazis and Hitler agreed in return for dissolution of reichstag + new election and ban ended on SA and SS
~ NSDAP had 230 seats
~ ZP and KPD also grew in popularity
(4) From Bruning to Papen: Corrupt Papen
- removed Prussia state of gov and appointed himself as commissioner of Prussia
- dismissed in Nov/Dec 1932
- vice chancellor was Hitler 1933
- Backroom deal with Hitler to form a coalition
~ 1932 Nazis becoming bankrupt and losing support due to slightly better economy
(5) Death of Weimar Republic: The End
- 30th January 1933
- Hostility of Germany vested interests
~ elites - key figures in German society and business rejected democracy
~ worked against Weimar - ongoing economic problems
~ enormous cost of WW1 followed by Burden of Post war constructions
~ dramatic consequence with onset of world economic crisis 1929 - limited in popular support and people where never fully confident in it as it was associated with humiliations and defeat - damaging of 1922-1933
(6) Nazi Road to Dictatorship
• 1932 July Reichstag Election
• 1932 September vote of no confidence to paper
• 1932 November Narivotes dropped to 33.1%
• 1932 December papen, replaced by schreiches
• 1933 January Schleicher dismissed, Hitles replaced : 1933 Febuary Reichstag Fire (communists)
• 1933 March Final election
• 1933 21 March: Day of Potsdam
• 1933 23 March Enabled laco passed
Who Voted for the Nazi Party?
- middle class, white collar workers, teachers
- unittelstand - Craftsmen
- peasants and farmers
- province of Silesia (catholic)
- Protestant countryside such as north, north east, Pomerania, Schleswig - Holstein
- artisans
- young people
- gov officials
What was the ‘Politics of Anxiéty’ and how did it increase Nazi votes?
• lack of faith and don’t identify with Weimar system
• traditional role and status in society was under threat
• Hitler exploited feelings and promised and escape to former days
Why did the Youth vote for/join the Nazi Party?
• even with good qualifications people couldn’t find jobs
• 41.3% who joined before 1933 were born between 1904 and 1913
* 20-30 year old members joined Nazis filled 61%
* filled SA gave them something to do
