Political, Economic and Social Problems - 1918 - 23
German people lost faith - only increased by democracy
Economy battered and food scarce
Gap between the rich and the poor widened
Division between classes increased
Currency lost 3/ 4 of it's value
Bitter resentment was felt towards thos runing the black market
White collar workers experienced an increase in living costs
Strikes were frequent
US President Wilson insisted that peace could only be discussed between dmocracies --? Germany became a democracy; "born with a hole in it's heart" - forced to be associated with the resented Treaty of Versallies - "Diktat"
"War Guilt Clause" - Germany was to accept all the blame for the way and pay reparations to fund the rebuilding of France- through money and industy - thus som of German citizens were objected to the Weimar Republic
Political partis which supported democracy --> Social Democratic Party (SDP) threatened to withdraw support from the govenment unless the Kaiser abdicated --> Kaiser did so on 9th November 1918
Signing or armistice led to a violent class struggle. January 1919: Spartacists - the Communist Party (KPD) rejected any form of democracy and rushed fo a working class revolution --> leaders were murdered, causing a permanent split in the working class polical movement
Establishment of terrorist group, FREIKORPS - group of anti - communist ment - terrorise the Spartacists and ended November Revoluction
"STAB IN THE BACK legend (Dolchstosslegende) - belief that German army had not been defeated in the war but betrayed --> sense of hopelessness
Weimar constitution- propotional representation (Article 22) --> encouraged the establishment of many minor parties, making it difficult to form strong government. Article 48 - "In the event that public order and security are seriously disturbed or endangered, the Reich President may take the measures necessary for their restoration, intervening, if necessary, with the aid of armed forces" --> extensive power to the President.
1920: Kapp Putsch- attempt by a Prussian official to seize power, supported by General bon Lutwitz, commander of the FREIKORPS. Government fled Berlin - no opposition
