Post-WWI Germany

How the `peace treaty` of Versailles helped sow the seeds of WWII

Germany Accepts a “Humiliating” Peace• By 1918, the German army was being defeated

and pushed back towards Germany.• The German Kaiser (king) abdicated and the

government was then left to civilians.• To avoid invasion and occupation and total

defeat, the German government requested an armistice (cease fire).

• They created a new, democratic government known as the Weimar Republic (named because it met in the town of Weimar)

• It was this new German gov`t who was forced to accept the Treaty of Versailles (along with the anger of the German people for its harsh terms)

• No Allied soldiers ever invaded Germany and the vast majority of German civilians saw almost nothing of the fighting in WWI

• Gov`t propaganda had spoken of `victories` and the success of the army, even as it was in retreat

• Most Germans were surprised by the government`s, seemingly, sudden surrender

• The army High Command claimed that they were technically undefeated and that the loss of WWI was the fault of `traitors, cowards and the Weimar gov’t.

• The army claimed they had been `stabbed in the back` by the Weimar Gov`t –a popular idea for a German public who felt beaten and demoralized

Problems in Post-WWI Germany

How did the Treaty of Versailles worsen, or even help create,

these problems?

Economic Problems

Germany hadhuge debts from WWI

They also hadlarge reparation payments to make

In order to pay their debts and the reparations, the government had to send massive amounts of money and resources out of the country

Large amounts of new bills (currency) had to be printed

Economic Problems

Since there was little to help create wealth (German industry was floundering) to back thecurrency this caused massive inflation

The price of goods/services skyrocketed while the buying power of the mark

(German currency) fell rapidly

Economic Problems

• In 1922, 300 Marks was equal to $1 US• By 1923, $1 US cost 50 000 Marks• Germans now needed millions of marks

simply to buy bread or other simple goods.

Economic Problems

• People would have to carry bags of currency in order to do their shopping

• The mark’s value kept dropping and peoples’ life savings became worthless overnight.

• Meanwhile, Germany could not keep up with its debt or reparation payments

When people are desperate...

• All of these issues collided to create a endless stream of problems in Germany

• The Weimar Gov`t was paralyzed by division, squabbling and fear (of Communist revolution)

• Conditions were terrible and the German public were willing to listen to anyone who offered hope and promised them solutions

….they do desperate things.

• The conditions in Germany were perfect for the rise of a strong-willed manipulator who could use fear, prejudice and violence to achieve his goals.

• The frightened and beleaguered German people would turn to a power-hungry thug to save them, a man whose goal was to restart the very madness that had brought Germany to this low point, war.

• That man was Adolph Hitler

National Socialists (Nazis)National Socialists (Nazis)• Led by Adolph Hitler• Main political ideas:

-gov’t should be run by the army and certain, successful people (usually wealthy)

-industry should be privately owned (but state-directed)

-military power should be increased-democracy was a failed system and should be outlawed-Communism, unions, etc. must be destroyed-German lands should be regained-Jews and foreigners must be severely restricted-The German people were part of the “Master Race” and racially superior to all others

• The Nazis offered the German people simple answers to difficult questions

• They blamed the economic problems on Communists and Jews• They blamed the German defeat in WWI on the Jews and on a weak German gov’t that “betrayed” the common soldier

My Struggle by Adolf Hitler

• The Nazis promised the beleaguered German people that the country would be restored to its former glory

The Rise of Adolph Hitler and the Nazi Party