Germany 1918-45

By Juliet.c

  • Navy Mutiny

    Naval commanders at Kiel order sailers to fight. This causes a mutiny as the sailors don't want to fight as they know it will be pointless and cause their death.

  • Weimar Republic

    The Weimar Republic was set up and run by the SD. Part of the agreement to end the war was that Germany would no longer have a kaiser and become a democracy. The first president of the Weimar Republic was Friedrich Ebert.

  • Kaiser goes into exile

    Part of the TOV was that the Kaiser was to adticate the throne and leave germnay.
  • Period: to

    Weimar Republic

  • Armistice Signed

  • German Worker's Party Founded

    The party was founded by Anton Drexler and would later be led by Hitler. The group believed in:
    democracy was weak and a powerful leader was needed to make Germany strong
    Jews were to blame for making Germany weak
    Communists and Socialists had caused the fall of the Kaiser
    Socialist Weimar politicians had betrayed Germany by signing TOV

  • Spartacist Uprising

    Revolutionaries didn't trust the Social Democrats to keep the interest of the people. Spartacists attempted an uprising and captured the government’s newspaper headquarters and telegraph bureau. They were defeated by the Freikorps on 10th. 100 Spartacists were killed including Roza Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht, only 15 Freikorps died. The SD had given power to the Freikorps and could trust them to be loyal.

  • Rosa Luxemburg Killed

    Rosa Luxemburg was a socialist. She had been givin teh nickname 'red rosa' and had a reputation as a brilliant public speaker. She was a crtic of the war and had been imprisoned for distrabuiting anti-war propaganda. When she was realesed from prison she went to lead the Spartisists.

  • Treaty of Versailles

    The TOV was signed on 28/6/1919. Many Germans hated the treaty and saw it as an insult to Germany and humiliating. President Wilson said that they should be too harsh on Germany while France wanted to hurt them. Germany wasn't allowed to the talks.
    Article 231- Germany was to blame for the war
    Reparations 10% industry, 15% agriculture land
    Loss of land - 13%
    Air force was disbanded and the army was restricted
    Germany barred from Rineland and occupied by Allies

  • Kapp Putsch

    The Allies didn't like the Freikorps as they exceeded the 100,000 men limit. When the German government tried to shut it down they stormed Berlin and declared a new national government. They were led by Wolfgang Kapp. The army didn't stop the Freikorps. When the politicians realized the army wouldn't help they turned to the workers to "shut down the economy" saying that they would lead to the "return of Kaiser Wilhelm the second”. Those who took part were never punished as they had army support.

  • The League of Nations

    The League of Nations was formed after WW1 to allow countries to discuss issues. The idea came from President Wilson but the US didn't join the League. Germany and other defeated countries were not invited to join.
    Part of the Locarno Pact allowed Germany to join the League. But many Germans saw the League as a symbol of the TOV and wanted nothing to do with it. Other moderates saw it as Germany being accepted into the 'internation family'.

  • Hitler becomes leader of the National Socialist German Workers' Party

    Hitler was originally sent to spy on the group but he found himself agreeing with their ideas. Hitler joined the group in September 1919. He was put in charge of propaganda in Febuary 1920 and he rewrote the aims of the party and renamed it. In 1921 Hitler became the leader and the aims were kept vague to appeal to many groups.
    End of the TOV
    Only those of German blood could be citizens
    Land and Territory

  • Hitler Creates the SA

    Hitler had attracted many people to the NSDAP and by the end of 1920 membership had increased to 1100. The group purchased a newspaper called the People's Observer. Hitler decided the party should have a military. Many ex-soldiers such as the Freikorps were attracted to Hitler's ideas. The SA were brownshirts and were often called that. Hitler demanded obedience to him from the SA despite Ernest Rohm being the leader. People were impressed by the power and organisation of the SA.

  • Occupation of the Ruhr

    The French thought that Germany was taking to long to pay back the reparations so French and Belgium troops marched into the Ruhr which was Germany's most important industrial area. The German workers responded with passive resistance and refused to work. This caused Germany to lose money. The passive resistance was called off by Stresemenn and many thought he gave into the French. It was linked to Hyperinflation.

  • Hyperinflation

    The German government didn't have enough money to pay the reparations so they printed more money. This caused the value to go down. At the start of the year 7000, DM was equal to $1 by November 130,000 Million. The Dawes plan was put in place by Stresemann and Charles Dawes. The US would loan money to Germany so that it could repair its industry & trade. They scraped the old currency and used Rentenmark. People lost their saving and blamed the Weimar Republic instead of the Kaiser's government.

  • The Great Coalition

    Due to proportional representation, the Reichstag was extremely divided and weren't able to come to decisions easily. Stresemann formed a coalition of different party's to be able to run the government. He became chancellor in 1923 and had the role for 4 months before becoming Foreign Secretary which he kept until his death.

  • Munich Putsch

    The Munich Putsch was a failed attempt at a government takeover staged by Hitler and the NSDAP. Hitler was arrested for treason and got 5 years but served only 9 months. He wrote Mein Kampf during this time. The trial was a stage for Hitler to share his ideas with Germans, it flung the party into the national spotlight

  • The Reichsmark

    A temporary currency had been put in place to stop the hyperinflation called the Rentenmark In 1924 the Reichsbank was given control of the new currency and replaced it with the Reichsmark in the same year. The Reichsmark was permanent and the German people and other countries could rely on it. The replacement of the currency was vital in allowing Germany's economy to grow.

  • The Dawes Plan

    Dawes advised Stresemann on creating the Reichsbank. The Plan helped fix germany's economy. Key points:
    US loaned Germany 800 gold marks
    Reparations were lowered to 1000 million marks for the first 5 years and then raised to 2500 million.
    The payment rate would be reviewed for Germany's economic situation
    The French would withdraw from the Ruhr
    The Allies were given some control over the Reichsbank and railways

  • Hitler's Trial and Imprisonment

    Hitler used the trial as his stage. He made speeches that attacked the government and claimed that the leaders of the WR were the traitors. Hitler was seen as standing up for German rights. He was sentenced to 5 years of which he served 9 months. The Nazi party was banned. The light punishment showed that many powerful people disliked the WR. Hitler wrote Mein Kampf in prison with the help of Rudolf Hess who later became a deputy leader of the NAzis.

  • The Locarno Pact

    Germany accepted its new borders and countries (France, Belgium, Italy, Britain etc) in the pact agreed not to use violence except in self-defense. All parties agreed to sort issues by 'peaceful means' in the League of Nations. Germany gave Alsace-Lorraine to the French and the French agreed not to occupy the Ruhr. Many Germans disliked the pact as they saw it as accepting the TOV. It did improve the relations between germany and other countries.

  • Hitler Youth Founded

    Before 1933 there were many youth groups whichh were often run by churchs and political parties. In 1926 the Nazis founded Hitler youth but its membership was small.

  • Kellogg-Briand Pact

    62 countries including Germany, France, and the US signed the pact. The aim was to prevent future war by promising not to use military force to settle disputes. The US wasn't in the LON and saw this as a way to be involved in building peace. It showed that Germany was among the main powers again and that the WR was respected. Gave the German public more confidence in moderate parties. Did not help to end the harted of TOV

  • Wall Street Crash

    In October 1929 prices collapsed due to investors losing confidence and selling. Because of this American business were destroyed and triggered a downturn in the US economy. The US recalled the loans made to Germany causing a financial crisis in Germany as they couldn't pay it back. Business were forced to close and unemployment rates went. Taxes were increased to pay unemployment benefits.

  • Stresemann Dies

    Stresemann dies due to a stroke causing a serious setback for the WR.

  • The Young Plan

    The Young Plan was set up to allow Germany to pay the reparations easier. The total amount was reduced to $8 billion. Germany was to pay $473 million per year but only had to pay a third of the annual sum and only was to pay the rest if they could. The French agreed to leave the Rhineland in 1930, 5 years early. The government could lower taxes and use funds to boost the industry and create jobs. Most germans didn't like the plan but only 14% voted against it.
  • Period: to

    Great Depression

    The wall street crash caused the great depression, American banks stopped loaning Germany money. By 1933 over half of Germans aged 16-30 were unemployed and 60% of graduates were unable to get a job. The government cut unemployment checks, wages, and increased taxes as they were scared of a hyperinflation. Political violence increased. Nazi and communist supports fought requalerly and 500 were killed or injured in 7 weeks during the 1932 election.

  • Nazis became largest party in the Reichstag

  • 1932 Elections and the Fall of Bruning

    July 1932 - Nazis were the largest party in the Reichstag. Hitler ran for president but lost to Hindenburg. Despite his defeat, he became a major political figure. In the same month, Brüning tried to use a presidential decree to ban the SS & SA. However, Kurt von Schleicher removed Brüning and replaced him with a coalition of army officers, rich landowners and industrialists. Von Schleichher persuaded Hindenburg to fire Büning as chancellor.

  • Hitler Banned all other Political Parties

  • March 1933 Election

    Hitler called for another election after the Reichstag fire. Before the election
    He claimed that it was proof of a communist threat
    Goering replaced police with Nazi supporters and 50000 SA became 'police auxiliaries.
    1000s of communists and SD were arrested
    SA broke up political meetings
    Anti-nazi newspapers were closed
    Got funds from industrialists
    Propaganda
    Threatened voters
    Despite his efforts the Nazi party did not have a majority.

  • Youth Groups except for Hitler Youth are banned

    The Nazis banned all youth groups except for Hitler Youth. At first those under the Catholic Church were allowed but there were banned later.

  • The Law for Encouragement of Marriage

    This law provided loans for young couples to marry but only if the women gave up working. The loan could be paid back by having children as the more children they had the less of the loan they needed to pay back.

  • Protestant Church Reorganised

    Hitler organized the different parts of the Protestant church into one organization called the Reich Church. Ludwig Müller a supporter of the Nazis was made Bishop. Under pressure of teh German Christians (a group that combined Nazi and church beliefs and customs, they called themselves the 'SA of teh church') 18 pastors lost their jobs because they didn't declare their support of Nazi views.

  • Sterilisation Law Passed

    This law allowed Nazis to sterilize people with illnesses such as 'simple-mindedness' (mental illnesses). From September 1933 tramps and beggers were also sterilized. Up to 700,000 people were sterilized.

  • Boycott of Jewish Businesses

    Nazi government organized a nationwide boycott of Jewish businesses. SA would stand outside Jewish businesses and stop people from entering. In the same year Jews were banned from goverment employment, medicine, teaching and journalism.

  • Strength Through Joy (KDF)

    This scheme was made to run activities for workers during leisure time. The intention was to create satisfied workers who would work harder. Rewards were given to the hardest workers such as subsided cruises and holidays, cheap tickets or free courses at the German Adult Education Office. The programme was run by the German Labour Front (DAF)

  • The Enabling Act

    The act allowed Hitler to make decisions without the Reichstag. He used this power to get rid of opposition. Hitler targeted local government, trade unions, and other political parties. Trade unions had communist sympathies and Hitler wanted to win the favor of big businesses.
    hitler closed the state parliaments and organized them to have Nazi majority. 1934, abolished state parliaments.
    nazis arrested trade union leaders and created germans workers front.
    1933 - SD & communist were suspended.

  • Hitler Become Chancellor

    Von Schleicher asked Hindenburg to make Hitler chancellor but Hindenburg made him chancellor instead. As Chancellor von Schleicher asked Hindenburg to make him the head of a military dictatorship, he claimed Hitler and von Papen were leading a conspiracy against him. His request was leaked and he lost support. Von Papen believed he could control Hitler and had Hindenburg make him vice chancellor and Hitler Chancellor. Hindenburg reluctently agreed.

  • The Reichstag Fire

    Marinus van der Lubbe, a Dutch communist, was found on site with matches and lighters. he confessed to starting the fire and was put on trial with 4 other men. Lubbe insisted that he had acted alone and was found guilty and executed on 9/1/1934. Goering said that Lubbe had been part of a communist anti-government plot and that Nazis should use this to destroy communists. 4000 communist leaders were arrested that night. 28 February - "Decree for the protection of the people and state' was passed.

  • Confessional Church set up

    In 1934 Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Martin Niemoller set up the Confessional Church. It objected to Nazis interfering with religious faith. The Chruch grew to 5000 members and could rival the Reich Church. Niemoller and hundreds of other Protestant clergy were sent to concentration camps. Bonhoeffer was hanged.

  • Beauty of labour (SDA)

    This scheme was made to improve working conditions. It encouraged employers to provide hot meals and, sport and leisure facilities. Many employers did provide these facilities but they expected the workers to build them in their free time and took contributions towards their running costs from employees' wages. It was also set up by the German labour Front (DAF)

  • State Parliament Dissolved

  • Night of the Long Knives

    Hitler wanted to reduce the SA's power, Röhm, the leader of the SA could rival Hitler and was gay. Himmler resented the SA's influence. SA members were a frequent embarrassment to Hitler. Röhm's views were very different. The SA wanted to take te place of the army and Hitler needed to stop them.
    The SS arressted 200 SA officers, around 90 were executed. Hitler also targeted enemies such as von kahr and Schleicher, and rival Gregor Strasser. Hitler claimed he was defending Germany.

  • Hitler Becomes Fuhrer

    On 2/8/1934 Hindenburg dies. Hitler uses this to increase his power by joining the role of the Chancellor and President and declared himself Fuhrer. The army loyalty oath was now made to him instead of Germany meaning they would support him in a power struggle. After a huge propaganda campaign, Hitler held a plebiscite (public vote on an issue) to have the public agree to the changes. Hitler gained 90% of the public vote.

  • Intermarriage between Germans and Gypsies banned

  • Marriage between black people and Aryans banned

  • Jews are banned from public places and the army

  • Nuremberg Laws

    The Reich Law for the protection of German Blood and Honour stated that Jews and Aryans couldn't marry. Aryans who were already married were encouraged to get a divorce or be treated as Jews.
    The Reich LAw on Citizenship stated only people of German blood were german. Jews could no longer hold a german passport or vote.

  • National Labour Service (RAD)

    This group was set up to organize unemployed men to do manual labor. Single men had to serve 6 months in this service as Hitler believed that this would instill discipline. After 1935 unemployed men were forced to join and were no longer counted as unemployed. They would build autobahns and public building projects.

  • The Olympic Games

    The Olympic games were held in Berlin. The Nazis used as a chance to show the world the supremacy of the Aryan race. German schools at this time focused on teh importance of sport. Germany won more medals then any other country. To Hitler's disapointment Jesse Owens, a black American, won four gold medals and was the star of the olympics.

  • Juvenile delinquents, tramps, homosexuals and Jews are to be sent to Concentration Camps

  • Four Year Plan

    This four year plan was overseen by Hermann Goering and it was to make Germany ready for war. Germany was to become self-suffcient in oil, steel, and rubber so it didn't need to worry about losing resources. Propganda was made to have people only buy German made stuff. There were frequent food shortages and rationing. In 1939 Germany had to import 1/3 of its raw materials.

  • Hitler Youth Law Passed

    In 1936 the Hitler Youth Law was passed, under this law, all eligible youth had to belong to a Nazi youth group although there were no punishments for not doing so. In 1939 the law became stricter and it became compulsory. The learned about how Hitler had saved them, racial purity, military drills, political ideas. Girls learned crafts and childcare as well.
    Young German folk - Boys 10-14
    German Young Girls - girls 10-14
    Hitler Youth - boys 14-18
    League of German Maidens - girls 14-18
    8 million

  • Pope Pius XI Stands Against Hitler's Actions Towards the Church

    Hitler and the Church had tried to cooperate at first, the church would not take part in politics and Hitler would give them freedom of worship and youth groups. Hitler broke this promise. The Pope had priests read a statement attacking Hitler.
    Membership of the Catholic league was made illegal
    State funding was cut and some property was seized
    Gestapo and SS began to spy
    Catholic schools were turned into community ones
    Priests were arrested, some were held in concentration camps.

  • Gypsies are sent to Concentration Camps

    Althhough there were only 30000 gypsies in germany the NAzis didn't want them to mix with the Aryan race.

  • Decree for the 'Struggle against the Gypsy Plague'

    This decree forced gypsies to register with the state.

  • Situation for Jews worsened

    All possessions had to be registered with the government. This meant the government knew exactly what people owned and could take whatever they wanted. Jews had to carry identity cards and shown them if a Nazi official asked. Jewish docotors and lawyers among other proffesions could no longer serve non-jews.

  • Night of Broken Glass

    The German official was murdered by a Jewish man and gave the Nazis an excuse to launch a campaign of terror and murder aimed at Jews. Over 800 Jewish shops were destroyed. 191 synagogues were vandalized or set on fire. Many Jewish homes were attacked and property was damaged/stolen. 91 Jews were killed and 30000 arrested. The Nazis presented this as done by ordinary Germans but they had planned the attacks. Much of the property damaged was owned by Germans so the Nazis finned jews $1 billion.

  • Nazis began killing those with Mental Illnesses

    Nazis belived that mental illness was hereditary. They started by sterilizing those with mental illnesses. Form 1939 onwards they began to put them to death. First by starvation or lethhal injection and then by using gas chambers.

  • Reich Office for Jewish Emigration set up

    Many Jews chose to leave Germany instead of face persecution. The Reich Office for Jewish Emigration was set up to speed up the prosses of Jew emigrating to different countries. By the time emigration was banned in 1941 two thirds of the Jews in Germany had been able to leave Germany. This still left 160000 Jews in Germany.

  • Rationing

    The first rationing included bread, meat, dairy, soap, and later clothing. Food stamps were given out theft of food stamps had a punishment of being sent to a labor camp. At restaurants you had to pay in food stamps as well. There were many shortages.

  • Nazis abandon policy of killing those with mental illness due to public outcry

    Over 70000 people had already been killed by the time they abandoned the polcy.

  • Emigration Banned

  • Death Squads

    Germany invaded the Soviet Union, they quickly conquered most of the west. Thousands more Jews came under Germanys control. Death Squads followed the German army and would put Jews to death. They would round up Jews, communist leaders, and gypsies. They would confiscate valuables, force them to strip and march them to fields or forests. They were then shot/gassed and thrown into mass graves.

  • Final Solution

    Concentration camps were built in eastern Poland. Jews were sent there for forced labor. At a conference in Wannsee, the Nazis decided to convert some of these into extermination camps. Over the next 4 years almost 6 million Jews were killed. A estimated 5 million more non-Jews also died. They kept it secert and used propaganda showing that camps were labor camps and people were treated well.

  • Operation Barbarossa

    Operation Barbarossa was the invasion of the Soviet Union. At first, they advanced rapidly threating Moscow, Leningrad, and Kiev. In Late November, temperatures drooped and the German advance halted. Soldiers didn't have winter equipment and supplies. The Soviets had a scorched earth policy as they retreated. Germany found themselves stuck in a prolonged battle which over 2 million soldiers died in. Germany declared total war.

  • Policy of Ghettoisation

    Jews were forced to live in Ghettos. The Germans called them Jewish Quarters. The Ghettos were walled in areas where Jews were forced into poor housing. Food was restricted and starvation was common. Diseases such as typhus spread easily. The wall around the Jewish Ghetto in Warsaw was 3.5 meters topped with brabed wire and broken glass. It was built by a Germany company but the Jewish community was forced to pay for it. Between 1/1941 and 7/1942 4000 Jews died each month.

  • Jews were 'Resettled'

    In July 1942 after the introduction of the Final Solution the Nazis annonced that the Warsaw Jews were to be 'resettled' in east Poland. 250000 Jews were transported to camps in eastern Poland were most of them were put to death.

  • Warsaw Uprising

    Eventually Jews figured out what was happenung. There was an uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto agsinst transportation. After a month of fightung the remaining 56000 Jews were arrested. 7000 were shot and the rest were sent to the camps.

  • Total War

    Goebbels told the German people it was total war
    workers were recruited from occupied countries. Russian prisoners were used as slave labor.
    All men aged 16-65 and women 17-45 had to register as available to work. Small non-essential businesses were closed nad employees were drafted or put in war work.
    Ban on holidays
    60 hour work
    1943 labour shortage forced Hitler to let women work
    professional sport teams and entertainment were closed
    Home gurad was formed with boys as young as 12

  • The Bomb Plot

    Many in the army supported Hitler however there were a few who did not. As germany began to lose the war they decided to act. Von Stauffenberg took a bomb in a briefcase into a meeting at Hitler's military headquarters in East Prussia. He then left the room. Another army leader moved the briefcase. When the bomb when off 4 people died but Hitler survived.

  • End of the Third Reich

    By 1945 Germany was close to defeat, allies were advancing from the west and the Soviets from the east. Allies had increased their bombing. More soldiers died in the last 4 months than in 1942-3. Huge numbers of refugees fled cities, up to a million civilians died from hunger, disease, and cold. Hitler killed himself on 30 April 1945. Admiral Doenitz was left in control. He surrendered on 7 May 1945.