German History

The NSDAP

***The NSDAP (National Socialist German Worker's Party) was founded in Munich in 1919. -At first, it favored the violent overthrow of the Weimar Republic. -But after the failed Putsch of 1923 it adopted a legal approach to achieving power. -The onset of the Great Depression and the economic chaos of the 1930s greatly aided its rise. -It came to national prominence in 1930 when it won 18% of the vote -By 1932 it was the largest party in the Reichstag. ***Based on your reading of the 25-Point Program of the NSDAP, what were the aims of the Nazis before 1923= The main focus of the 25-Point Program was to put into place the laws and demands of the Nazi Party as they attempt to gain power in Germany, focusing on trying to rebuild and reestablish specifically the German people and their power by denouncing the Treaty of Versailles and retaking land and territories for the people. It is a program that specifically focuses on people who are of "German Blood" and who are Christian, denouncing the Jewish people several times throughout and making any press that condemns the views of the Nazis and Germany forbidden. It also included things like the ending of child labor, better health care for the elderly and women, and the establishment of a more centralized government all in an effort to gain the support of the German people as a whole. -Right-wing groups continue to thrive in Bavaria, e.g. the NSDAP (the Nazis) -The coup failed, Hitler was arrested and put on trial; the NSDAP was outlawed. -Especially the anti-democratic right-wing, spearheaded by the resurgent NSDAP, was now ready to launch an all-out attack on the Republic the NSDAP attracted all those who were embittered or disappointed by the Weimar democracy e.g. anti-communists, Versailles revisionists, militant nationalists, etc.) - the Nazi party structure was hierarchical yet flexible enough to embrace large numbers of new members - the party program was vague enough to appeal to a variety of social groups (e.g. the lower middle class, university students, farmers, manual workers, etc.) -Hitler had completely reorganized the NSDAP after his release from jail (1925): - he benefited from very lenient treatment by the judiciary after his failed Beer-Hall- Putsch (served only 9 months) - there was no other charismatic leader among the German right-wingers and vőlkisch groups - he decided to abandon the idea of seizing power by overthrowing the government - instead, he transformed the Nazi party into a nationwide organization, aimed at coming to power legally - the NSDAP was based entirely on Hitler's charismatic leadership, structured like a feudal system; Hitler had reined in the party apparatus and the S.A. paramilitary the organization, his authority was unquestioned - Hitler's speeches and propaganda were psychologically very effective, striking a a chord with many people's emotions of fear and uncertainty - People were looking for scapegoats and expecting a messianic savior - Hitler sharply attacked the Weimar democracy and promised a utopian, heroic, warlike "racial community," free of social tensions and political conflict -Financial contributions from big business to Hitler before Sep. 1930 were not particularly significant, but afterward, several prominent industrialists and bankers sought contact with the NSDAP. Big business financial support was still not large enough to be decisive, but it gave Hitler more respectability, and most important of all, connections and influence directly up to President Hindenburg. -A German banking crisis in 1931 eventually led the U.S. to agree to the cancellation of reparations (Lausanne Conference, July 1932), but Brüning's time in office was soon finished anyway as opposition to him grew on the right (the Harzburg Front, an alliance of DNVP, Stahlhelm, and NSDAP) Schleicher intended to "tame" Hitler and exploit the NSDAP for his own goals -In the Reichstag election of July 1932 the NSDAP received 13.8 million votes but still had no absolute majority. -In December, Hindenburg instead appointed Schleicher as ChancellorSchleicher then tried a new approach: offer the vice-chancellorship to the ------NSDAP's second in command, Gregor Strasser, which Hitler rejected. -With the NSDAP, the S.A. and S.S. he had a loyal and ruthless organization behind him to accomplish these goals. social fears and economic crisis resulted in a boost to right-wing extremism and turned the NSDAP into a mass movement

The SPD

***The SPD (Social Democrats) were a moderate socialist party and the largest of the parties committed to the Republic. -It was strongly anti-communist. ***Social Democrats -Moderate left wing -supported the Weimar Republic -Supported by workers and middle classes ***The Political Spectrum(from left to right) • Spartacists / KPD (Communist Revolutionaries) • USPD (Independent Social Democrats) • SPD (Social Democratic Party) • DDP (German Democratic Party) • Center Party (Catholic Party) • DVP (German People's Party) • DNVP (German National People's Party) ***The Election of January 1919 -4 days after the end of Spartacist Uprising -SPD wins 38% of the vote -Coalition government with Center Party and DDP -National Assembly convened in Weimar -President: Friedrich Ebert (SPD) -Chancellor: -P. Scheidemann (SPD) 4 days after the end of Spartacist Uprising -SPD wins 38% of the vote -Coalition government with Center Party and DDP -National Assembly convened in Weimar -President: Friedrich Ebert (SPD) -Chancellor: -P. Scheidemann (SPD) -President Ebert, 1919-1925 **SPD (Social Democratic Party): rejected revolution, wanted to maintain as much of the civil service and unity of the Reich as possible, favored co-operation with army, bureaucracy, and elites; focused on preparation for the general election -SPD was the dominant presence at this stage (ca. 66% of the vote) but there were strong disagreements with the USPD, which withdrew its support for the SPD. ***A coalition government of SPD, Center, and DDP was formed: Feb. 1919 -The National Assembly convened in WEIMAR to avoid potential trouble in Berlin -F. Ebert became President, P. Scheidemann becomes Chancellor -SPD sought co-operation with officer corps, bureaucracy, and bourgeois parties ***The Freikorps often put down disturbances; the SPD continued to lose support (disillusioned party members defected to the USPD) -The Left was frustrated by revolutionary failure and denounced the Weimar Republic as a bourgeois state -The Right primarily wanted the Empire back -Both were willing to use violent means **Conclusion: The Weimar Republic was a fragile alliance of the workers' movement and the democratic middle class; it was an improvised parliamentary republic in a state of near civil war. ---Consolidation would only be possible if the majority of the population would accept the Weimar Republic. ***Challenges to the government of the Weimar Republic: -The Weimar Republic's unpopularity meant it faced violent uprisings from both sides of the political spectrum during 1919 and 1920. ***The threat from the Left: The Spartacist Uprising -During 5 - 12 January 1919, 50,000 members of the post-World War One Communist Party, known as the Spartacists, rebelled in Berlin, led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht. -The government was saved when, through the army, it armed bands of ex-soldiers, known as the Freikorps, who defeated the Spartacist rebels. -In the aftermath, communist workers' councils seized power all over Germany, and a Communist People's Government took power in Bavaria. -Liebknecht and Luxemburg were killed by the Freikorps after being arrested on the 15th. Luxemburg's body was dumped in a canal. -By May 1919 the Freikorps had crushed all of these uprisings.

The Weimar Constitution

***The new republic faced a host of problems. These included: _Over two and half million Germans had died in the war and four million were wounded. -The army and many other Nationalist groups in German society were unhappy that the Kaiser had been forced to abdicate. -Some of these owed a very shaky allegiance to the new republic. -Many were completely hostile and viewed the government with contempt. -Economic problems were serious, including rising prices, unemployment and a continued Allied blockade. -Germany faced the prospect of a harsh treaty that was being negotiated in Paris. ***Ratified in August 1919 -Created a federal state with 16 Reich districts -Proportional representation -Allowed for plebiscites and referendums -"The world's most perfect democracy - at least on paper" ***The Weimar Republic: A makeshift democracy? -Not much democratic experience in German history • Fragile alliance of workers' movement and democratic middle class -Continued chaos and instability, e.g. strikes, attempted overthrows of government, political violence • Opposition to the Republic from the left and the right **Finalized July/Aug 1919, reflected the bourgeoisie's distrust of the democratic parliamentary system - strong presidential authority (directly elected for a 7-year term, appointed chancellor; Article 48) - federal state with 16 Reich districts (Länder) - proportional representation - provision for plebiscites and referendums - comprehensive list of basic civil rights **Continued chaos and instability throughout 1919, e.g. strikes, overthrows of local governments, armed clashes, the rise of extremism and radicalization. -The Freikorps often put down disturbances; the SPD continued to lose support (disillusioned party members defected to the USPD) -The Left was frustrated by revolutionary failure and denounced the Weimar Republic as a bourgeois state -The Right primarily wanted the Empire back -Both were willing to use violent means **Conclusion: The Weimar Republic was a fragile alliance of the workers' movement and the democratic middle class; it was an improvised parliamentary republic in a state of near civil war. Consolidation would only be possible if the majority of the population would accept the Weimar Republic. **Hindenburg's presidency was a serious setback for the Weimar Republic - there was no sudden shift to the right, but a gradual shift towards presidential power and rule by decree - Hindenburg's views and preferences increasingly played more of an important role (e.g. he wanted to keep the SPD out of government) - He invoked Article 48 of the Weimar constitution and claimed unlimited dictatorial powers - Claimed that attempts to limit presidential powers would endanger the security of the state - Hindenburg used the general government crisis as an opportunity to ignore the Reichstag and favor the nationalists **In July 1930 Article 48 (the constitutional emergency decree) was invoked in order to push through financial reforms against the opposition of parliament - Parliament was then dissolved and new elections scheduled (Sep. 1930) - The Weimar Republic was now effectively a presidential dictatorship, emergency decrees were used more and more frequently - Chancellor Brüning secretly planned to use the economic crisis to try and liberate Germany from reparations payments, and then to restore the monarchy - Very little was done to actually address the economic crisis and unemployment, the Reichstag was only in session for short periods ***The Weimar Republic was set up as a representative democracy which tried to give genuine power to all German adults. However, it had major flaws that contributed to its downfall in 1933-34. Strengths and weaknesses of the new Weimar constitution -The Republic was meant to be a representative democracy that looked after the interests of all Germans. -But there was a problem - many Germans did not like the idea of democracy, and the constitution contained two major flaws. ***Strengths: A genuine democracy - Elections for parliament and president took place every four years and all Germans over 20 could vote. The power of theReichstag - The Reichstag appointed the government and made all laws. This was very different from its powers before the war under the Kaiser. A Bill of Rights - This guaranteed every German citizen freedom of speech and religion, and equality under the law. ***Weaknesses Proportional representation - Each party got the same percentage of seats in parliament as the percentage of votes it received in an election. This meant there were lots of small parties in Parliament making it difficult to pass laws and led to weak and often short-lived governments. Article 48- This gave the president the power to act without the parliament's approval in an emergency. However, it did not clearly define what an 'emergency' was, so the power was overused, which weakened Germans' confidence in democracy

The Stab-in-the-Back-Legend

**The stab in the back myth was an antisemitic conspiracy theory. -The belief that the German army was betrayed by the Jewish and those that overthrew the Hohenzollern monarchy in 1918-19. -According to some historians, the stab in the back myth can be traced back to February 3, 1918, nine months before World War 1 had ended. -When Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933, the stab in the back myth became an integral part of their history. -Nazi propaganda depicted the Weimar Republic as a national humiliation and as the work of the -"November criminals" that turned their backs on the nation. **What was the so-called Stab-in-the-Back conspiracy theory and in what ways did it undermine the Weimar Republic?The Stab-in-the-back conspiracy theory was a myth that suggested that around 1918, Germany was on the verge of winning WWI until an alliance of social democrats, communists, war profiteers, and Jews betrayed the German army from within by starting the German revolution in the midst of war. -It was a betrayal because the revolution revolted against the empire and created the Weimar Republic. -It is widely challenged that this was not the case at all and that Germany was in fact not close to winning. -The theory fits some framework of what was actually happening and so the right-wing group in Germany believed this theory and hence opposed the Weimar Republic. -They saw the republic as an illegitimate operation run by betrayers and enemies of Germany. -It still amazes and frightens me how susceptible people are to propaganda when it absolves them of responsibility. I think this is important because it shows how one side can use misinformation to strengthen itself. It is not a new concept, and it is not a concept I see disappearing. **The right-wing (and some prominent figures such as Paul von Hindenburg) eagerly promoted the Stab-in-the-Back-Legend: - i.e. denial of Germany's war guilt and laying the blame for the defeat on the leftist revolution and Weimar leaders. -A lot of people even refused to accept the fact that Germany had been defeated in World War I. - the main scapegoat was M. Erzberger (Center Party), who had signed the armistice - in hindsight, the Stab-in-the-Back-Legend actually stabbed the Weimar Republic in the back

Wilson's 14 Points

-Americas aims Implement Wilson's "Fourteen Points" (e.g. national self-determination, reduction of armaments, abolition of secret diplomacy) ***Throughout Wilson's "14 Points," there is a heavy emphasis on the equity and reassurance that all nations should have freedoms and the ability to govern the area under their control as they see fit, so long as it does not impede upon other nations or the freedoms of others and they agree to the terms of the points. -There are also several references and points that showcase an understanding that there have been wrongdoings on both sides of the war, and Wilson suggests that one of the most important steps in the wake of the war is to attempt to restore these areas and right these wrongs. ***I think under the circumstances, Wilson was pretty wise to assert that "all nations should have freedoms and the ability to govern the area under their control as they see fit, so long as it does not impede upon other nations or the freedoms of others and they agree to the terms of the points." This seems ideal as each country could do what is best for them if it is fitting. Welp he defiantly had them fooled because the terms for peace for Germany was not lenient ***U.S.: had been publicized by Woodrow Wilson in his "14 Points;" concentrated on promoting a L32eague of Nations and the idea of collective security. -The League of Nations took on former German and Ottoman territories as mandates, but it was not very successful in maintaining international peace and stability in the inter-war years; biggest problem: the U.S. never joined!

Dada

-Anti-war and anti-art movement started in Switzerland in 1916 -Origin of the name is unclear -Rejection of bourgeois values and artistic standards -Anarchic and nihilistic -Founding members were Tristan Tzara, Hugo Ball, -Hans Arp, Richard Huelsenbeck -Other notable figures: Hannah Höch, Emmy Hennings, John Heartfield (a.k.a. Helmut Herzfeld) -Focus on visual arts (e.g. photomontages, collages), sculptures, poetry, manifestos, and theater -The Dadaist movement fell apart by about 1924 -"The highest art will be the art which has been visibly shattered by the explosions of last week, which is forever trying to collect itself after yesterday's crash." -First German Dada Manifesto in 1918 ***DADA POETRY: HUGO BALL, GADJI BERI BIMBA, HANS ARP KASPAR IS DEAD, EVE BLOSSOM, KIRT SCHWITTERS ***After World War I a new phase of experimentation began, drawing on the influences of Cubism, Dadaism, Futurism, and Constructivism - Artists continued to reject the existing social order and bourgeois ideals by using aggressive anti-aestheticism and hyper-abstraction - The expressionist movement had a strong internationalist character ***Dada. The Dada movement started in Zurich during World War One. It was a protest against the traditional conventions of art and western culture, in which the war had begun. Its output included photography, sculpture, poetry, painting and collage. Artists included Marcel Duchamp and Hans Arp.

Surrealism

-Movement founded by André Breton around 1921 -Greatly influenced by Dadaism -Focus on dreams and subconscious experiences as a source of inspiration, especially for paintings and movies -Anarchic, left-wing revolutionary political orientation -Surrealism thrived in the 1930s -Many internationally renowned artists (e.g. Salvador Dali, René Magritte, Luis Bunuel, Man Ray)

UFA

-The movie industry was monopolized by three companies: UFA, Tobis, and Terra - UFA was founded in 1917 (initially for war propaganda): it produced many films of high artistic quality between 1919 and 1924, especially expressionist films such as Robert Wiene's "Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" (1920), Fritz Lang's "Dr. Mabuse," and F.W. Murnau's "Nosferatu" - However, after 1924, the movie industry experienced increasing financial problems and greater international competition (especially Charlie Chaplin movies) - By the mid 1920s, the "New Objectivity" resulted in documentary-style movies such as "Berlin - Symphony of a Great City" - In 1927 UFA was taken over by Hugenberg's media empire - In the late 1920, the advent of talking pictures revived the German film industry (e.g. "The Blue Angel" with Marlene Dietrich and Emil Jannings) but theater actors and musicians now suffered high unemployment

The Schlieffen Plan

1914 ► Failure of the Schlieffen Plan ► Russian invasion of East Prussia ► Trench Warfare on the Western Front ► British Naval Blockade ***The Schlieffen Plan was a battle plan proposed in 1905 -The purpose behind this attack was for Germany to have a successful strategy for victory even though they had to fight on two fronts (France and Russia). --The battle plan included striking without warning, traveling through Belgium to take Paris and the rest of France from there -As well as keeping the Russians in check long enough to conquer France. -The plan strategist, "Alfred Graf Von Schlieffen" estimated it would take around 6 weeks to complete. ***Further down the line, Germany violated Belgium's neutrality pact and invaded Luxemburg on their way to France while then invaded Belgium as a whole two days later. -I found the "Encirclement Paranoia" to be really interesting. The fact that they were so worried about being surrounded by their enemies--Russia, France, and Britain--that they thought this Schlieffen Plan up so far in advance and seemed to have intentions of future conflicts rather than thinking of ways to make peace with their neighboring countries. I suppose this aligns with the glorification of war at the time as well. ***The Schlieffen Plan was actually modified a few times since its original inception in 1905, and a crucial decision was to scale back the number of troops in the attack on Belgium and France, -in order to have a greater number of soldiers left to defend the Franco-German border, in case the French would counter attack. -The plan of course failed almost immediately when war broke out in 1914, however, the Nazis reused it again in 1940 and managed to defeat France in 6 weeks. ****European alliances turned the local conflict into a major war because Germany had a series of plans that just failed and did not work at all. -It was like a series of dominoes falling and it started with the Schlieffen plan not working. -Then Germany started to invade Belgium but they couldn't stop Germany so then France was invaded. -The Russians then attacked east German territory while they were invading Belgium and France. -They then had to pull the troops out of Belgium and France to send them to fight Russia. -This was the beginning of why it ended up becoming a major war. ***The Schlieffen plan is an ambitious plan conceived by German General Alfred Von Schlieffen to have a fight against France and Russia. -It is also considering a surprise attack on France. -The plan failed within in few days of implementation. -First, the German did not keep up the pace when matching into Belgium. -After Belgium was invaded by the German, they decided to put up a resistance, they were stronger than expected. Which that slowed the Germans down. -If the German were ever continuing, the German will have more lost. -Second, the plan was changed, Von Moltke was withdrawn from forces from the right-wing of the German army to strengthen the left. -He sent some battalions to the Eastern Front with Russia. -Which this slowed the German down once again and there were unable to push forward surrounding Pairs from the west. -Third, the British sent an expeditionary force to Belgium, since the German were slowed it later gave France time to fight back, which signified the end of the Schlieffen plan.

The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

1918 - The Final Year of the War ***General Ludendorff -Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (March) -Failure of German Spring Offensive -Surrender of Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire -Sep. 1918: General Ludendorff realizes the war can't be won; hopes for a lenient "Wilsonian Peace" (i.e. based on Wilson's Fourteen Points) **The Armistice: November 11, 1918 Terms: -Evacuate all occupied territory and left bank of Rhine -Hand over ships and locomotives -Release Allied POWs -Annul Treaty of Brest-Litovsk ***What happened on November 9, 1918= During the final year of the war when the failure of the German Spring offensive crashes and its allies Austria Hungría and the Ottoman Empire surrender. -The Germans are losing and a widespread number of people are suffering. -The people were getting lied to the whole time about who was actually winning the war and Max von Baden became Chancellor in October and requested an armistice. A revolution broke out on November 9th 1918 -Kaiser Wilhelm also fled to Berlin and abdicated. -After his exile, the Republic was proclaimed. -The treaty of Brest-Litovsk was annulled on November 11th 1918 and terms were set in place. -Germany was left with economic chaos. **The treaty of Brest-Litovsk helped Germany get the Lands that Russia give up, which helped shape Germany. -This was also the day in which the German Empire began to break up into free states. ***I would add that what led to the revolution and "fall of the empire" on this day was not only the revelation that they were actually losing the war but also the fact that naval commanders ordered their fleet on a final suicide mission which led to mutiny breaking out and spreading across the nation.

The New Constitution-The Weimar Constitution

Although a considerable number of deputies (German MPs) voted against it, the new constitution was eventually approved and signed in August 1919. This government eventually became known as the 'Weimar Republic'. Despite the Spartacus revolt, the majority of Germans voted for parties in January 1919 that favoured the new democratic republic. -These parties were the SPD, the liberal DDP and the Catholic Centre Party. -The constituent assembly met at Weimar in February 1919 and Ebert was chosen as president. -The new constitution was very democratic. -Germany was to be a Federal state with the states or Lander retaining considerable control over their own affairs. -The parliament (Reichstag) was to be elected every four years with a system of proportional representation that meant it was impossible for one party to get an overall majority. -All people over the age of twenty could vote. -The Reichstag dealt with issues such as tax, trade, defense, and foreign affairs. -As there were a large number of political parties, there were many coalition governments. -During the fourteen years of the Weimar Republic, there were twenty separate coalitions. - The longest government lasted two years. -This political chaos caused many to lose faith in the new democratic system. -The head of state was to be the president who was elected every seven years. The president was the commander of the armed forces and was designed to a largely figurehead position. -He did have the power to dissolve the Reichstag and to nominate the Chancellor who was to enjoy the support of the Reichstag. -Crucially under Article 48, the president could declare a state of emergency and rule by decree -He could also veto laws passed by the Reichstag that he did not like.

Expressionism

Define the artistic style of Expressionism= Expressionism is, at its core, an attempt to capture the world purely from the subjective viewpoint of the artist. It differs from other forms of art in that, rather than attempting to capture the world from an objective angle, it aims to show others how one might view the world through a very specific lens. A point of view that is unique to the artist. Mechanically, this involves greater use of intense coloration, distorted figures and environments, and overall a much greater emphasis on abstract imagery. The goal is typically to evoke strong emotions in the viewer and inviting them to see the world from another's point of view. The end result of many expressionist paintings being depictions of people and objects in a way that made them uncanny, or daresay ugly in some cases. Also, not really a topic for the question at hand, but I think it's interesting the amount of vitriol and hatred Hitler had for Expressionist art, even going so far as to label it as 'degenerate art'. Perhaps he saw the more grounded and negative depictions as an obstacle to the vision of a perfect, nationalistic German utopia he wished to put forth to the world. Or it could have been simple jealousy at their success, where his own art had failed. -Originated around 1900 and was characterized by revolutionary discontent and radical rejection of bourgeois values, as well as utopian ideas and a love of experimentation (e.g. painters such as Cézanne, Gauguin, van Gogh). - In Germany and Austria groups such as Der Blaue Reiter and Die Brücke, as well as individual artists such as Ernst Kirchner, Erich Heckel, Max Pechstein, Oskar Kokoschka, and Max Beckmann saw themselves as anti-bourgeois rebels, seeking to shock and defy social conventions. - They rejected existing aesthetic standards and conventional modes of expression - They used aggressive coloration and stylized forms - After World War I a new phase of experimentation began, drawing on the influences of Cubism, Dadaism, Futurism, and Constructivism - Artists continued to reject the existing social order and bourgeois ideals by using aggressive anti-aestheticism and hyper-abstraction - The expressionist movement had a strong internationalist character ***New Objectivity. The New Objectivity movement started in Germany in the aftermath of World War One. It challenged its predecessor, Expressionism, which was a more idealistic and romantic movement. Artists returned to a more realistic way of painting, reflecting the harsh reality of war. Artists included Otto Dix and George Grosz.An 'expressionist' style became common in films. They often had unrealistic sets and exaggerated acting techniquesExpressionist film-makers favoured darker storylines and themes, including horror and crime.Experimentation in German art came to an end when the Nazis came to power in 1933. Hitler rejected modern art as morally corrupt and many of the best German artists such as Max Beckmann, Max Ernst and Paul Klee fled abroad.

The Spartacus Revolt

Even before the constitution had been drawn up there was a serious challenge from the left. -Many hoped to see a Russian style revolution in Germany. -The left-wing Spartacus movement led by Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg began a revolt in Berlin in January 1919. -They seized buildings throughout the city. The government fled the city. ***Many feared the "red plague" and the defense minister Gustav Noske used the army and the Freikorps to crush the revolt. -The Freikorps was a volunteer militia made up of ex-army men set up to defend the borders of Germany. --It was strongly anti-communist and took brutal steps to restore order with summary executions becoming commonplace. -Liebknecht and Luxemburg were shot and the revolt was crushed. -In Bavaria, another Communist revolt was defeated with Freikorp's help in May. -Political violence had marred the foundation of the new state. **Communists launched the Spartacus Revolt / January Uprising 1919 in Berlin: a half-hearted and disorganized attempt to seize power -which was brutally put down by Reichswehr troops and the Freikorps (i.e. militias made up of nationalistic war veterans). -The leaders of the uprising, R. Luxemburg and K. Liebknecht were murdered Jan 15. -SPD sought co-operation with officer corps, bureaucracy, and bourgeois parties ****In January 1919, elections had given the SPD party the most power. Shortly after, Friedrich Ebert, leader of the SPD became the first democratically chosen President. He and his party (which had won a majority of seats in election) started to draw up a new constitution for Germany. They met in the town of Weimar as Berlin was deemed too unsafe after the Spartacist uprising earlier in the month.

Friedrich Ebert

Friedrich Ebert (SPD) proclaimed himself Chancellor and called for elections, hoping to create a broad social democratic coalition as provisional government, but his colleague Philip Scheidemann had already proclaimed the Republic.

Erich Ludendorff

General Erich von Ludendorff hoped for more lenient peace based on Wilson's 14 Points and looking to pass blame/responsibility on a civilian administration BUT Germany was in a very weak position to negotiate ***General Ludendorff • Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (March) • Failure of German Spring Offensive • Surrender of Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire • Sep. 1918: General Ludendorff realizes the war can't be won; hopes for a lenient "Wilsonian Peace" (i.e. based on Wilson's Fourteen Points)

Adolf Hitler

HITLERS BACKGROUND -Born in 1889 (Braunau am Inn, Austria), son of Alois Hitler and Klara Pӧlzl 1903: Father dies 1905: Hitler drops out of high school 1907: Mother dies 1907 - 1913: Down and out in Vienna 1913: Moves to Munich 1914 - 1918: Volunteers for the German army, serves as a runner on the Western Front HITLERS ART 1910-1914 RISE OF HITLER 1919: Hitler becomes political instructor for the Reichswehr -Joins German Workers' Party 1920: renamed National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) -Formation of the SA (storm troopers) 1921: Hitler becomes Führer of the NSDAP 1923: Hitler and Ludendorff stage Beer Hall Putsch -Hitler is arrested and put on trial -Writes "Mein Kampf" in prison -Reorganization of the Nazi party after 1925 **How did Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party first gain nationwide attention in 1923? Around 1919 he joined the German worker's party (the party promoted German pride and anti-Semitism) Hitler soon became a well-liked public speaker talking about the Master race and how they could end Germany's problems if they took care of the people who started them. Long story short at the beer hall Putsch he failed to take over the government and while in prison he wrote a political autobiographical book called the Mein Kampf and he became a superstar after jail and his buddies gain nationwide attention in 1923 and started winning all these elections. **When and where did Hitler first encounter the ideas of anti-Semitism and Social Darwinism, and how did they shape his outlook?Hitler's first encounter with anti-Semitism and social Darwinism was while he was in Vienna during the years of 1907-1913. During that time, anti-Semitism was extremely widespread across large parts of Europe. It influenced him because anti-Semitism did not look at Jewish people as only a religious group, and instead as a distinctive race of people. It became an obsession with him from that point. Social Darwinism was also widespread during that time. Social Darwinism promoted the concept of a racial hierarchy that the white population was superior because they were more revolutionary advanced than darker-skinned people. Hitler began to use anti-Semitism as an excuse for his personal failures. **When Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933, the stab in the back myth became an integral part of their history. -Nazi propaganda depicted the Weimar Republic as a national humiliation and as the work of the "November criminals" that turned their backs on the nation. **The Nazi program and propaganda had evolved since 1923:- Hitler's Weltanschauung ("worldview") consisted of: Social-Darwinist racial ideology and anti-Semitism, coupled with Lebensraum ("living space") ambitions (i.e. military conquest of Eastern Europe). -Hitler had completely reorganized the NSDAP after his release from jail (1925): - he benefited from very lenient treatment by the judiciary after his failed Beer-Hall- Putsch (served only 9 months) - there was no other charismatic leader among the German right-wingers and vőlkisch groups - he decided to abandon the idea of seizing power by overthrowing the government - instead, he transformed the Nazi party into a nationwide organization, aimed at coming to power legally - the NSDAP was based entirely on Hitler's charismatic leadership, structured like a feudal system; Hitler had reined in the party apparatus and the S.A. paramilitary the organization, his authority was unquestioned - Hitler's speeches and propaganda were psychologically very effective, striking a a chord with many people's emotions of fear and uncertainty - People were looking for scapegoats and expecting a messianic savior - Hitler sharply attacked the Weimar democracy and promised a utopian, heroic, warlike "racial community," free of social tensions and political conflict -However, the Nazi party did not grow substantially until the Great Depression hit GermanySubsequently: - Nazi youth organizations played an important role in recruiting alienated students - other professional Nazi organizations were formed - party membership grew to 100,000 by mid-1932 - the Nazis co-operated with and/or infiltrated the networks of another nationalist party organizations (e.g. the Reichslandbund) -Electoral success for the NSDAP before 1930 was negligible (only 2.6% of the vote) -But Hitler was able to raise his profile during the widespread controversy surrounding the Young Plan: -he allied himself with other right-wingers such as Alfred Hugenberg and got a lot of free publicity -The Great Depression hit Germany particularly hard: Unemployment statistics: **Financial contributions from big business to Hitler before Sep. 1930 were not particularly significant, but afterward, several prominent industrialists and bankers sought contact with the NSDAP. -Big business financial support was still not large enough to be decisive, but it gave Hitler more respectability and most important, connections and influence directly up to President Hindenburg. **However, regardless of their donations to the Nazis, German employers in general never liked the parliamentary democracy and much-preferred authoritarianism, thus in many ways paving the way for Hitler's rise to power. -Hitler was not voted into power! -Despite their popularity, the Nazis did not have a parliamentary majority. -The main reason why Hitler ultimately became Chancellor was that the political system had disintegrated so much by 1932-33 that President Hindenburg believed he had no choice other than to declare a state of emergency or appoint Hitler. **The Presidential Election of 1932 Hindenburg (now 85 years old) wanted to be confirmed by referendum for another 7 year term, but Hitler and Hugenberg opposed that idea, and Hitler decided to run against Hindenburg. -In the first ballot Hindenburg missed an absolute majority: he got 49.6% of the vote, Hitler got 30.1%, -Ernst Thälmann (KPD) got 13.2% and the Stahlhelm leader Düsterberg got 6.8% -In the following run-off Hindenburg got 53%, Hitler 36.8%, and Thälmann 10.2% **Schleicher's intrigues eventually brought down the Brüning government. - Schleicher intended to "tame" Hitler and exploit the NSDAP for his own goals - He made a deal with Hitler: the ban on the S.A. and S.S. would be lifted, the Reichstag dissolved and a new one elected, if Hitler promised not to oppose a nationalist presidential government - The "Barons' Cabinet" was appointed with Franz von Papen as Chancellor - The state government of Prussia was also toppled **In the Reichstag election of July 1932 the NSDAP received 13.8 million votes but still had no absolute majority. -Hitler immediately entered into negotiations with Schleicher and demanded a completely reformed government with Hitler in charge, but he was rebuffed by Hindenburg. -Hindenburg wanted to continue with von Papen, but the Reichstag responded with an overwhelming vote of no confidence. -The Reichstag has dissolved again and new elections scheduled for November 1932. **Hitler now pursued a high stakes "all or nothing" strategy and kept demanding to be made Chancellor. -A group of industrial leaders headed by Hjalmar Schacht tried to persuade Hindenburg to make Hitler Chancellor - Hindenburg still refused. -In December, Hindenburg instead appointed Schleicher as Chancellor -Schleicher then tried a new approach: offer the vice-chancellorship to the NSDAP's second in command, Gregor Strasser, which Hitler rejected. -Franz von Papen now began to conspire against his former friend, Schleicher -Papen tried to forge an alliance with Hitler, and the DNVP. --The President's son Oskar von Hindenburg played an important role as an intermediary; along with agrarian lobbyists, he was eventually able to persuade the old man to appoint Hitler as Chancellor on January 30, 1933. -Hitler as Chancellor, January 30, 1933The cabinet consisted of 3 Nazis and 9 conservatives, with von Papen as vice-chancellor. -The idea was that Hitler was supposed to be "fenced in" However, Hitler was determined to destroy what was left of the Weimar Republic, to abolish democracy, and to suppress and persecute all his political opponents. -With the NSDAP, the S.A., and S.S. he had a loyal and ruthless organization behind him to accomplish these goals. ***Was the Nazi seizure of power inevitable? Not necessarily, because support for the Nazis had already begun to wane before 1933 but: - the democratic parties showed little skill in dealing with the political crisis - most people seem to have underestimated Hitler - the labor movement / left-wing was hopelessly divided and unable to oppose the Nazis effectively - most importantly, the unscrupulous actions of nationalist and authoritarian opponents of the Weimar Republic made it possible for Hitler to come to power.

The French Occupation of the Ruhr

In 1921 the Allied Reparations Commission presented the government with a bill for reparations of £6.6 Billion. -The Germans could not pay the amount owed and over the Christmas and New Year, 1922-3, they defaulted on their payments. -Seventy thousand French and Belgian troops occupied the Ruhr. -They intended to use the produce of Germany's industrial heartland as payment in kind for reparations. -The German government began a policy of passive resistance and called a general strike. -Some began a low-level terrorist campaign. -The French reacted brutally with aggressive house searches, hostage-taking and shooting over a hundred Germans. -The economic effects of the occupation were catastrophic. -The loss of production in the Ruhr caused a fall in production elsewhere and unemployment rose from 2% to 23%. -Prices rose out of control as tax revenues collapsed and the government-financed its activities through the printing of money -By November prices were a billion times their pre-war levels. -The hyperinflation of this period can be seen from the following table: -The rise in prices hit the middle classes and those on fixed income very hard. Many who had saved money found that their saving were worthless. ***(January 1923 to July 1925): -Germany was defaulting on deliveries of timber and coal. -Supported by Italy and Belgium, French Prime Minister R. Poincaré marched 100,000 troops into the Ruhr to extract reparation payments by force; but he also had ulterior motives (e.g. to push back Germany's border to the Rhine and to permanently weaken Germany). -This provoked massive national indignation in Germany and created an albeit temporary spirit of unity. -The Weimar government ordered the suspension of all reparations and encouraged "passive resistance" (i.e. a nationwide general strike -This had very serious economic consequences: · - then German currency lost its value · - tax revenues dried up · - coal production stopped entirely (coal had to import- at high cost) · - in order to continue paying civil servants, the government simply printed more and more money, leading to skyrocketing inflation: -By September 1923 a new great coalition government led by Chancellor Gustav Stresemann gave up on passive resistance and initiated currency reform (Rentenmark) -There were also several attempted local coups (e.g. in Saxony by the KPD) leading to the declaration of a state of emergency and the outlawing of the Communist Party. ***French and Belgian occupation of the Ruhr: -In November 1922 Germany defaulted on its reparations payment as scheduled. The first reparations payment had taken all she could afford to pay. The French believed Germany could make the repayment but were choosing not to, however the German government argued they could not afford to pay. -In response, France and Belgium sent troops into Germany's main industrial area, the Ruhr Valley. Their aim was to confiscate industrial goods as reparations payments as they didn't believe Germany was unable to pay the second installment. They occupied coal mines, railways, steelworks and factories - all things that were important to Germany's economy. -The German government ordered workers to follow a policy of 'passive resistance' - refusing to work or co-operate with the foreign troops and in return, the government continued to pay their wages. -The French responded firmly - in the Krupp steelworks, workers refusing to take orders were shot at. Other people were expelled from the Ruhr region altogether. Overall, 132 were killed and approximately 150,000 expelled from the area. -The immediate consequences of the occupation were not good for the Weimar government - they decided to print more money to pay the workers in the region, contributing to hyperinflation. A general strike (when all the workers in the country stopped work) was called, and political instability was rife. -The Ruhr invasion would have added to the German government's unpopularity, despite the fact that it was the French who killed people.

The Beer-Hall-Putsch

In what sense was Hitler "lucky" after his failed Beer-Hall-Putsch in 1923= Hitler was lucky in a number of ways after his failed Beer Hall Putsch. First, the judge that was assigned to him during his trial was a sympathizer of his antisemitism/Social Darwinist ideas. The judge basically gave Hitler a chance to make a speech that would then be reported in the news all around the country. Also, the judge gave Hitler a light 5-year sentence in which he only served 9 months behind bars because he was moved to a low-security prison. -Hitler's Beer-Hall-Putsch (Nov. 9, 1923 )Inspired by Mussolini's "March on Rome" Led by Adolf Hitler and General Ludendorff; attempted to take over the Bavarian government. Nazi storm troopers (SA) stage a shoot-out with Bavarian police, several Nazis are "martyred."The coup failed, Hitler was arrested and put on trial; the NSDAP was outlawed. By the end of 1923, the Weimar Republic had survived the attacks from left and right, inflation had been brought under control, international conflicts were being resolved, and the situation in Germany began to calm down. The extreme left (KPD) had been permanently weakened, but there was still great potential for right-wing trouble.

The Years of Turmoil, 1919-1923

The Republic As the First World War drew to a close, morale in the army and at home collapsed. A series of defeats led to strikes throughout Germany. The Sailors at the Kiel naval base mutinied rather than sail to for a final showdown with the British fleet. Soldiers, sailors and workers formed councils or soviets with echoes of events in Communist Russia.

Hyperinflation

The hyperinflation crisis, 1923: -The Weimar government's main crisis occurred in 1923 after the Germans missed a reparations payment late in 1922. -This set off a chain of events that included occupation, hyperinflation and rebellions. -Germany was already suffering from high levels of inflation due to the effects of the war and the increasing government debt. -'Passive resistance' meant that whilst the workers were on strike fewer industrial goods were being produced, which weakened the economy still further. -In order to pay the striking workers the government simply printed more money. This flood of money led to hyperinflation as the more money was printed, the more prices rose. -Prices ran out of control, for example, a loaf of bread, which cost 250 marks in January 1923, had risen to 200,000 million marks in November 1923. -By autumn 1923 it cost more to print a note than the note was worth. -During the crisis, workers were often paid twice per day because prices rose so fast their wages were virtually worthless by lunchtime. ***Hyperinflation winners: -Borrowers, such as businessmen, landowners and those with mortgages, found they were able to pay back their loans easily with worthless money. -People on wages were relatively safe, because they renegotiated their wages every day. However, even their wages eventually failed to keep up with prices. -Farmers coped well since their products remained in demand and they received more money for them as prices spiraled. ***Hyperinflation losers: -People on fixed incomes, like students, pensioners, or the sick, found their incomes did not keep up with prices. -People with savings and those who had lent money, for example to the government, were the most badly hit as their money became worthless. ***Prices rose out of control as tax revenues collapsed and the government-financed its activities through the printing of money -By November prices were a billion times their pre-war levels. -The hyperinflation of this period can be seen from the following table -The rise in prices hit the middle classes and those on fixed income very hard. Many who had saved money found that their saving was worthless. **What caused the Hyperinflation of 1923 in Weimar Germany= During the great war, Germany decided to use bonds to the people of Germany to fund the war. They believed that when they won the war, they would be able to pay back everyone by using the rich resources of the land they would have conquered. They lost the war, and could not pay back everyone which made them in dept. After this, they started printing money to pay back the people of Germany. This of course devalued the currency and made it to near worthless. And with things getting worse, after they lost the war they had to pay the "London payment plan" to which they had to pay for reparations. Going further devaluing the mark, was that they bought foreign currency to which just devalued it even more. · The French occupation of the Ruhr(a huge economic section of Germany) also lead to this hyperinflation because workers refused to work since the French were just taking resources, leading to less for Germany to build their economy. Hyperinflation in 1923 created quite a lot of chaos. In current politics, a huge issue is preserving the middle class and I think that 1923 Germany is a good reason as to why this is. Pensions were gone, investments went sour, and the daily life of the middle class was severely impacted. I knew a little about this time before this class and this reading, but not much. **Who profited from the Hyperinflation in Weimar Germany. How= The ones who profited the most from the hyperinflation were farmers, business owners, or producers of manufacturing companies. Even though the prices of money changed, the value of the products didn't. And with the high demand for crops and other products, it fared very well for them. Those who had large debts were also considered to be lucky during this period because they were able to pay off their debts easily with no trouble. Those who didn't do well, however, were those of middle-class standing, and the working class. It amazes me how much the hyperinflation changed things. A loaf of bread would normally cost 200 marks, but then once the hyperinflation occurred, it rose to 200,000 marks. And those who have had a lot of marks in savings would have been worthless to them during that period, for the cost of necessities would have risen dramatically. The rich profited from hyperinflation while lower and middle classes struggled to survive. The rich thought that they could avoid high taxes from the government by spending their money. This not only boosted the class dive but painted the picture of rare and extravagant lifestyles only enjoyed by the 1%. People who mainly profited from this had businesses or ties to contraband goods or did not keep accounts in general. The government themselves initially profited from hyperinflation as well as they were able to control their citizens through propaganda. This hid the increasing inflation rates and current stock prices from the publics' eyes for a short-lived period of time. This allowed Germany to persuade and swindle patriots to invest in their own government.

The Treaty of Versailles

The main terms of the treaty were as follows (remember BRAT): -Blame - Germany was forced to accept the blame for starting the war under article 231 of the treaty, known as the War Guilt Clause. -Reparations - This was the name given to the money Germany had to pay for the damage suffered by Britain and France during the war. In 1922 the amount to be paid was set at £6.6 billion. -Armed Forces - Germany's army and navy were significantly reduced in size and its air force abolished. This meant that a maximum of 100,000 troops were allowed in the army and conscription (compulsory service) and tanks were banned. Germany's navy was reduced to 15,000 personnel, allowed only 6 battleships and no submarines. -Territory - Germany lost land on all sides of its borders as well as its overseas colonies (other countries under Germany's control). In Europe: -Alsace-Lorraine went back to France. -Eupen-Malmedy was recognized as Belgian. -France also took the coal from the Saar region, which became a League of Nations protectorate for 15 years. --Eventually the Ruhr would also be occupied by the French. -Some Upper Silesia went to the newly formed Czechoslovakia, and some to Poland - both of which Germany had to recognize as independent countries -Posen was given to Poland, as was Danzig and area nearby so they would have access to the sea - the 'Polish corridor'. -East Prussia essentially was cut off from the rest of Germany by Poland in the middle. -The Rhineland was demilitarized - this would provide France with an extra 'buffer zone' of protection. -The agreements that had been made when Russia left the war in 1917 under the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk were overturned. -Land that Germany would have taken from Russia now became the independent Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Some land also went to Poland. -Anchluß' - Anschluss - the union of Germany and Austria - was forbidden. ***The news of the treaty came as a complete shock to the new government and to the German people. -Virtually all sections of German opinion denounced the treaty. -It was known as the Diktat as Germany had been forced to sign the treaty. - On the day it was signed, Germany's Protestant churches declared a day of national mourning. -Germans were outraged at the loss of her colonies and her territory and population to France, Belgium, and Poland. -She also resented the limitations placed on the size of her army and navy, the ban on an air force and tanks, and the demilitarisation of the Rhineland. -She felt that the principle of self-determination had been ignored in the case of the Germans of Austria and the Sudetenland. -She believed that the War Guilt Clause and the reparations payments were unjust. -One effect of the Treaty was an immediate lack of confidence in the politicians that had signed it. -This was reflected in the poor performance of the parties that supported the republic in the elections of 1920. ***June 28, 1919 ***Hall of Mirrors ***Territorial adjustments: -Alsace-Lorraine to France -Eupen-Malmedy to Belgium -West Prussia and Upper Silesia to Poland -Danzig: free city under international administration -Sudetenland to Czechoslovakia -Memel to Lithuania -North Schleswig to Denmark -Colonies placed under British or French mandate -Plebiscite to held in Saarland ***Other terms of the treaty: -Disarmament -Reparations -Article 231 ("War Guilt Clause") -Demilitarization of the Rhineland -Plebiscite to be held in Saarland -Kaiser Wilhelm II declared war criminal -Future unification with Austria forbidden ***What was the main term of the Treaty of Versailles regarding German territory= The Treaty of Versailles painted the picture that Germany was fully responsible for starting World War I. -In Woodrow Wilson's 14 points it was stated that German must "restore Russian territories and freedom". -Furthermore, Germany was required to surrender an estimated 10% of its territories all of its overseas possessions. -Germany was not limited to these territorial requirements as they were also required to demilitarization the Rhineland. -They were also forced to fully accept the fact that they were the ones who started World War I. ***What were the main terms of the Treaty of Versailles regarding the German military= The Treaty of Versailles effectively crippled the German military. -Provisions in the treaty required Germany to reduce its armed forces to a paltry 100,000 troops. A far cry from the former 1.9 million it previously stood at. -They also placed limitations on how Germany could recruit soldiers, stating that conscription would no longer be an option. All future soldiers would have to be volunteers. -The treaty also reduced Germany's naval capabilities, as well as completely abolishing their once feared submarine division. -Germany was prohibited from having an air force, save for a mere 100 seaplanes. -They were also given a hard cap on the amount of ammunition and military supplies they could possess at any one time. -They could only manufacture new wartime essentials in specific factories, with the strict approval of the Allies required. -In short, the Treaty of Versailles was meant to punish and subjugate Germany in an effort to hold it accountable for Allied losses over the course of WWI, with the hope that it would make it all the more unlikely that Germany would be able to perform an act of military aggression in the near future. ***Article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles, otherwise known as the "War Guilt Clause", was included in the opening article to give Germany full responsibility for causing World War I. -It was used as a legal precedent in order to layout the reparations Germany was required to pay, and it caused national embarrassment. -It is debated whether this was totally justifiable, as other countries were involved leading up to the outbreak of war, but there was enough evidence to give blame to Germany. ***Why is the Treaty of Versailles generally regarded as a failure by historians? The treaty of Versailles was generally considered a failure by historians because the allies (U.S, France, Great Britain, Russia, Italy) could not agree on how to treat Germany. -Another factor was that Germany refused to accept the terms of reparations (they had to pay 132 Billion gold marks or £6,600 million) and the 'war guilt' clause (stipulated that Germany started WWI). -All of these conditions led to growing German resentment and nationalism. -The Germans hated the loss of land as well as the fact that they were unable to participate in the treaty conference. -The Germans felt that this was unfair and that the large sum of money they now owed would cripple and starve their economy. -Basically the treaty of Versailles which was supposed to bring peace failed. -I think they could have all shared the blame and help repay for damages because everyone participated in the war instead of blaming only Germany. I feel like that was very unfair of them to do that. They made it seem like Germany was the sole bad guy when both allies and other axis powers were a part of the war too. The resentment and hate that Germany had felt, I believe bled into them starting WW2. I also agree that Germany may have started the war out of some rage and animosity. The damages that were made should not have been put on Germany only. ***The Paris Peace Conference and especially the Treaty of Versailles are universally regarded as a failure and very unpopular. -4 years of total war and propaganda had obviously clouded everyone's vision. -The situation in 1918: - the Central Powers had been totally defeated - Germany was in no position to negotiate - There was no neutral state able to exert any kind of moderating influence ***Germany had no part in the discussions but still hoped for a lenient "Wilsonian" peace; therefore the harshness of the treaty was a great shock and caused much dismay in May 1919. -The German government protested but ultimately had no choice but to comply. -The Versailles Treaty was signed on June 28, 1919 in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. - Also: Treaties of St. Germain (with Austria), Neuilly (with Bulgaria), Trianon (with Hungary) and Sevres (with the Ottoman Empire) ***Was the treaty of Versailles too harsh or not harsh enough? - it caused almost universal resentment in Germany and placed a heavy burden on the young German democracy - BUT it didn't weaken Germany that significantly in the long run - Germany remained a great European power - It could have even been a good opportunity for Germany to gain influence in southeast and central Europe, as well as long-term stability, because Russia's position in eastern Europe had been so significantly weakened - BUT ultimately blind hatred of Versailles promoted a vengeful, antagonistic, and violent long-term outlook instead.

Wilhelm II

WIilhelm II on the other hand, thought of imperialism as a matter of life and death for the nation and demanded " a place in the sun" for Germany, i.e. more colonies. -After the death of Bismarck;Kaiser Wilhelm II has taken over the emperor in 1888 -He is also the last German emperor Wilhelm II was Emperor from 1888 to 1918. -He took over the throne when Bismarck was still Chancellor (Bismarck didn't die until 1898). -He has become the Emperor when he was 29 years old, but due to his birth difficulty, he is suffering from brain-damaged and birth defects, which cause him to have a short left arm. -This then causes him to be self-conscious and has a very short attention span. -It has also caused him to be racist, anti-Semitic, and anti-democratic. -Over political disagreement on the domestic challenges of Germany, he dismissed Bismarck in 1890. -After he dismissed Bismarck, he worked on Weltpolitik which is an aggressive way to make Germany more powerful in the world. -Lastly, during the rivalry between Germany and the British empire he has isolated Germany in the beginning of 1914, close to War World I. ***A small detail with is left arm that he tried really hard to conceal the the arm in many photographs he was in my putting his coat jacket in his pocket and putting a glove where his jacket end to have an allusion of a longer arm. ***Though William ll Prussia's King wanted the territorial gains from war and Bismarck wanted to be less aggressive to have partner in the future everything worked out in the end. ***The name of the disability that Kaiser Wilhelm had was called Erb's Palsy which paralyzes the arm due to injury in the arms nerves. -It's suspected that this disability is what affected his emotional development. Wilhelm II was definitely a troubled individual. , but his complexes apparently go a lot deeper than that. -He constantly wanted to be the center of attention, he was arrogant and envious, and worst of all, he often opened his mouth before switching on his brain, causing many diplomatic impasses and randomly offending people (sounds almost like Trump...). -After he dismissed Bismarck, his aggressive foreign policy began to isolate Germany more and more. -I did not realize that Kaiser Wilhelm II would be the last emperor of Germany, however after seeing how it turned out with Wilhelm II it is not surprising Germany did not have another emperor. ***Based on the quotes in the document, I would describe Wilhelm II's personality as extremely ambitious. -This ambition also seems to be combined with a ton of aggression. -In my opinion, he has a very big ego and just wants everyone to do any and everything that he says. It was very outlandish of him to make all of the claims that he did about the government and how the military should act but he's never read the constitution and is not educated about what it says. After learning that he was born with defects, it makes complete sense that he would behave and speak in this manner to overcompensate for his physical insecurities. I Would also say that this man has extreme pride in himself in what he was able to accomplish despite his defects and traumatizing childhood. If he wasn't so crazy and angry it would be admirable because after all he did rise to power despite all he had against him.· It's crazy to think that if he wasn't such a hothead then a lot could have been avoided. I think his future decisions for Germany were also based on the idea that he wanted to rise to #1 since he had other family members in Great Britain who were a part of the #1 country at the time. Wilhelm II was definitely a troubled individual. His over-compensating for his disability, his racism, autocratic tendencies, frequent verbal gaffes etc. reveal a very unstable personality. But he was the Kaiser and nobody dared to criticize him. My favorite anecdote about him is when after the completion of a canal connecting the North Sea with the Baltic, he insisted on driving the first ship through the canal. Since he had no experience with that but wouldn't take no for an answer, the ship's crew secretly set up a fake steering wheel for him, while the helmsman piloted the ship under deck. ***Kaiser Wilhelm II had decided as he came into power that Germany needed more land to help empower the country. -This became a conflict between himself and Bismarck as Bismarck saw no real purpose in Germany having occupation over other regions. -This coupled with Bismarck making attempts throughout his time in power to oppose the German parties of the masses lead to his loss of support within the other German leaders and eventually to the dismissal of Bismarck in 1890. ***It also felt as though he wanted to be in power to compensate because he was self-conscious about his withered arm. ·-Wilhelm II and Bismarck basically did not get along well, neither politically nor on a personal level (in his memoirs Bismarck called Wilhelm and idiot and an embarrassment for the royal family...). -In foreign policy Wilhelm wanted Germany to be the dominant world power, while Bismarck was more concerned with preserving the European balance of power. -Domestically, the conservative Bismarck wanted to keep suppressing Socialism, while Wilhelm was actually somewhat more liberal minded. ***"Gunboat diplomacy?"= It was a policy of pushing other countries into giving up on territories -Wilhelm would use the german navy and military for it. -This was definitely a very aggressive and belligerent tactic Wilhelm II was using in order to try and expand Germany's overseas empire. -This policy created more and more tensions in the build-up to World War I. ***What was so problematic about Wilhelm II's decision to build up the German navy= Wilhelm II's was put in charge of this task as he introduced this naval race to the world. -In 1906, Germany completed the build of three large ships. -Germany would then go on to produce four ships annually. -Britain, keeping a close eye on German, took note of this. -The issue that arose here was that because this race was known to the public on both sides, press, politics, and economics all revolved around this topic. -This inevitably lead to Britain proving superior to Germany and would foreshadow the War of 1914. -The naval arms race with Britain began in the 1890s and led to the construction of not only more battleships but ever larger ones as well, the so-called dreadnoughts. These were huge ships with enormous cannons and large crews. -Wilhelm II placed a lot of emphasis on trying to overtake Britain as the number one naval power in the world, but ironically in World War I, most of these German battleships were going to be blockaded in their ports and hardly saw any use. ***The Kaiser, William II abdicated and went into exile in Holland. - A republic was proclaimed with the SPD leader Frederich Ebert as Chancellor (Prime Minster). -The first act of the new government was to sign the armistice with the Allies. -Many including Adolf Hitler saw this as an act of treason and the men who agreed to surrender became known as the "November Criminals."