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Weimar Germany, 1924-1929 - OCR AThe establishment of the Weimar Republic

Germany鈥檚 post World War One experience was turbulent, but by 1925 Weimar had achieved temporary stability. However, weaknesses in its constitution meant it was always vulnerable to a new crisis.

Part of HistoryGermany

The establishment of the Weimar Republic

In November 1918 Germany surrendered and World War One was lost. A revolution followed in which Germany became a and a . This timeline sets out the major events in the new republic鈥檚 early life, up to the beginning of 1925:

1918:

  • 9 November 鈥 the ruling monarch, Kaiser Wilhelm II, and Germany became a republic.
  • 11 November 鈥 World War One ended when an was agreed with the Allies (Britain, France and the USA) and Germany surrendered.
Photo of the Spartacist uprising (january uprising) in Berlin - demonstration of armed spartacists in the Jerusalemer Stra脽e
Figure caption,
The Spartacist uprising in Berlin - demonstration of armed spartacists in the Jerusalemer Stra脽e

1919:

  • 5-12 January 鈥 the Spartacist Uprising occurred when 50,000 members of the German Communist Party, known as the , rebelled in Berlin, led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht.
  • Late January 鈥 a group of members elected to represent the German people, a National Assembly, met to draw up a new constitution (a set of rules and laws) for Germany.
  • 28 June 鈥 the new German government was forced to sign a peace settlement called the .
  • 31 July 鈥 a new constitution was agreed by the National Assembly and Ebert was appointed Germany鈥檚 first President.
Photo showing Putschists marching with the Imperial War Flag at Pariser Platz Square.
Figure caption,
Putschists marching with the Imperial War flag at Pariser Platz Square

1920:

  • 13-17 March 鈥 the right-wing Dr Wolfgang Kapp led an attempted (the Kapp Putsch) in Berlin. The government was only saved when the workers of Berlin went on strike.
  • June - the first elections in what became known as the Weimar Republic took place.
Photo of Adolf Hitler, Alfred Rosenberg (left) and Dr Friedrich Weber of the Freikorps Oberland (Oberland Free Corps), during the Munich Putsch
Figure caption,
Adolf Hitler, Alfred Rosenberg (left) and Dr Friedrich Weber of the Freikorps Oberland, during the Munich Putsch

1921:

  • May 鈥 the amount of Germany had to pay was set at 拢6.6 billion.

1922:

  • November 鈥 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.

1923:

  • January 鈥 in response, France and Belgium sent troops into Germany鈥檚 main industrial area, the Valley. Their aim was to confiscate industrial goods as reparations payments. The German response 鈥 鈥 led to .
  • August 鈥 with bank notes costing more to print than they were worth, Chancellor Stresemann introduced a new currency called the Rentenmark. This ended the hyperinflation crisis.
  • 8 November 鈥 The fledgling Nazi Party attempted to gain power in the Munich Putsch.

1924:

  • August 鈥 The Dawes Plan, rescheduling Germany鈥檚 reparations payments, was agreed.

Excerpt from the Treaty of Versailles, 1919