Week 8Revolution & Counterrevolution

Karl Liebknecht addressing crowd in Berlin, 6 November 1918

The Birth of the Weimar Republic

Did 1918 mark a break from the 19th century? Was 1918 a revolutionary moment?

What compromises allowed the Weimar Republic to be created?

What changes did the Republic signal?

Starting Points

• Punitive Peace Treaty

• Compromised Social Revolution

• Civil War

• Anti-Republican Elites

• Dissatisfaction with the Republic

• Post-war economic stagnation

In the Face of Failure…Supreme Command placed the burden of

defeat onto a civilian govt. headed by Prince Max von Baden.

Social Democrat Philipp Scheidemann became first SPD minister of newly formed cabinet.

3 October: Max von Baden sued for peace and set in motion October reforms

October Reforms• Brought together coalition of SPD,

Center Party, and liberals• Abolition of Prussian three-class

electoral system• Army brought under parliamentary

control / Kaiser’s authority over army and appts. curtailed

• The Chancellor and the Government made accountable to the Reichstag

November 1918

Sailors at Kiel

Revolution in Bavaria

Kurt Eisner (1867-1919), the leader of theBavarian Revolution;

And his assassin, the 22 year old Anton Grafvon Arco auf Valley (1897-1945)

Friedrich Ebert, SPD

• First president of the Weimar Republic

• Saddle maker by profession

Weimar Constitution• Proportional Representation• Extended the vote to women and lowered the

voting age• Called for the direct election of the Reich

President• Maintained a federal system although

education and religion were centralized • The Chancellor and Cabinet were appointed

by the President, but required parliamentary support to pass legislation.

• Established fundamental civil rights

Weimar Constitution

Source: J. Traynor, Europe 1890-1990

Political Parties• Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (German Social

Democratic Party, SPD).• Unabhängige Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands

(Independent German Social Democratic Party, USPD).• Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands (Communist Party of

Germany, KPD).• Deutsche Demokratische Partei (German Democratic Party,

DDP).• Zentrumspartei (Centre Party).• Deutsche Volkspartei (German People’s Party, DVP).• Deutschenationale Volkspartei (German National People’s

Party, DNVP).• Various smaller parties including the Bayerische Volkspartei

(Bavarian People’s Party, BVP) and the Nationalsozialistische Partei Deutschlands (NSDAP).

Split on the Left

Death announcement of Liebknecht & Luxemburg

Founding Compromises

• Ebert-Groener Pact

• Stinnes-Legien Agreement

What was SPD’s vision?

• For the majority of the SPD, a return to order in fulfillment of its historical objective to improve the general welfare

• Fear of the Bolshevik breakdown of order and apparent collapse of domestic and foreign policy

• Striving to re-establish a stable if not stronger position

Civil War, 1919-1920

Groups:

• Army

• Demobilized Freikorps supported by former Supreme Command Ludendorff and Hindenburg

• Spartacists

• Worker’s & Räte Movement

Civil War

Call for Freikorp Volunteers

Street Fighting in the Capital

Revolution in Bavaria

The Revolutionary leaders Ernst Toller(above left) and Eugene Levine (aboveRight).

Right: Freikorps entering Munich, May 1919

Kapp Putsch

Wolfgang Kapp

Ruhr Uprising, March 1920

Versailles Treaty, 1919

Article 231: “War Guilt Clause”

Officially blamed Germany for causing the war and exacted high reparations set initially at $33,000,000,000 in 1921

Versailles Treaty• Germany lost portions of Poland and Denmark, overseas

colonies, as well as Alsace-Lorraine• Creation of German speaking mini-states in Danzig,

Memel & the Saar• But, also the creation of many smaller states based on

the notion of “self-determination”, i.e. Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Yugoslavia, and Hungary

• Reduction of armed forces to 100,000 professional soldiers; massive restrictions on armaments

• Occupation of the Rhineland for 15 years

World War I

Financial Costs:

Germany spent 36 million Marks/day at the beginning of the war; jumped to 146 million Marks/day by early 1918

Germany’s total expenditure: approx. 150,000,000,000 Marks

DolchstoßlegendeStab in the Back Legend

Philipp Scheidemann and Matthias Erzberger betray the troops.

Matthias Erzberger, 1875-1921 Killed on holiday in Black Forest

• Centre Party Leader• Proponent of self-

determination• Supported Armistice

and signed Versailles Treaty

• 1919-1920: Vice Chancellor & Finance Minister

Walter Rathenau Murdered en route

to office in 1922

• Foreign Minister• Signee of Rapallo

Treaty• Proponent of Jewish

assimilation

World Haunted by Compromises