Germany1918-39Paper3:Sources&interpretations

Starter:

MakealistofasmanythingsasyoucanaboutwhatyouknowaboutNaziGermany

WW1&GermanyAim:ToestablishwhatweknowaboutGermanyandsummarise theimpactofWWIonGermanyandtheGermanpeople.

KaiserWilhelmII

FriedrichEbert

WWIimpact:

War & defeat

Death & injury

The Home Front

DiscontentGermany’s

military dictators

The Ludendorff offensive

The German Surrender

Death&Injury:

• 10.7millionconscripts• 60%casualties• 2milliondeaths• 2.7millionpermanentlydisabled• 500,000widows• 1millionorphans

TheHomefront:

• Absenceofmenplacedahugeburdenonwomenandyoungleftbehind• By1917,mostfarmsrunbywomen• Rapidlyrisingprices,causedbyshortagesoffoodandothergoods• Weeklywageincreased2x,butpricesincreased4X• Rationingintroducedin1915,butamountsoffoodreducedrapidly• 1916potatoharvestfailed,causinggreatersuffering• Debtof150billionmarks• BritishNavyblockadedGermanports=750,000deathsofstarvation

Discontent:TheGermanRevolution:

• Germanystartedtocrumblefromwithin• April1917300,000Berlinworkerswentonstrikeoveracutinbreadrations

• Othercitiesfollowedtheirexample• July1917GermanReichstag(parliament)votedforimmediatepeace(armistice)withAllies

• ItwasclearthattheKaiserhadtogo!

Germany’sdictators:

• Powerwasinhandsofmilitaryleaders,HindenburgandLudendorff

• Germanycontinuedtofight• April1917Americajoinedwar

Hindenburg

Ludendorff

LudendorffOffensive:

• 1917RussianRevolution• LudendorfflaunchedmassiveattackagainstAllieson21March1918

• GermanynearlytookParis,butsuffered800,000casualties• Desertionsincreaseddramatically• July1918Allies,strengthenedby1millionAmericantroopscounter-attacked

KEYEVENT– WHY?

GermanSurrender:

• Germany’sallies(Austria-Hungary,Bulgaria&OttomanEmpire)suffereddefeatsinautumn1918

• Kaiserappointedacivilian(insteadofmilitary)government• LudendorfffledtoSwedenwearingafalsebeard• GermannavymadelastditchattackonBritishnavy• KaiserWilhelmIIhadlostthesupportofhisarmy

GermanSurrender:

• Germantownsandcitiesbegantorulethemselves• Sailors&soldierscontinuedtodesertormutiny(Kiel)• 9th November1918:KaiserWilhelmabdicated• 10th November1918:LeaderofSocialistPartyFriedrichEbertappointedheadofnewgovernment(republic)

• 11November1918,Germanarmedforcessurrendered,EbertsignedtheArmistice– Notpopular

Interpretation:

“Inthefaceofsuchpressure,existingordervirtuallycollapsed.TherapidspreadthroughoutGermanyofworkers’andsoldiers’councilsconfirmedthatpeoplewereattractedtotheprospectoffar-reachingpoliticalchange”.

1. Whatistheviewofinterpretation1?

2. WhatcanyouinferfromthissourceaboutGermanyduringWorldWarI?

Thisiswhat50%ofyourGermanypaperwillbebasedonSourcesandInterpretations.

REPUBLIC:WEIMARAcountrythatisNOT ruledbyakingorqueen(monarchy)

Keyword:AbdicateGovernmentReichstagPutschDolchstoss

1919-1933

1918

Armistice11.11.18

Revolution:Kaiserabdicates

1919WeimarRep.setup

SpartacistUprising1st January1919

TreatyofVersailles:June28th 1919WR- UNPOPULAR

1920NaziPartySetup

Kapp PutschMarch1920

1921HitlerbecomesleaderofNazis

1923FrenchoccupytheRuhr

Hyperinflation

MunichPutschNovember1923

EarlyyearsfollowingWWI