Why did the Kaiser

abdicate?
Germany 1918-39

Today we will
Describe the events
of Kaisers abdication
Identify the reasons
behind the abdication
and its consequences

I can
Complete two
homework questions
on the events of the
Kaisers abdication

 Kaiser Wilhelm II
German Emperor 15
June 1888 to 9
November 1918
Queen Victorias
grandson
Aggressive,
authoritarian

Events
On 9 November 1918 the
Kaiser abdicated (gave up the
throne)
On 11 November the armistice
was signed by the new
politicians who had little
experience of running Germany
Germany had become a very
violent place at the end of
WWI people were fighting
over how the country should be
run

 Friedrich Ebert was the

leader of the new
government after the
Kaiser abdicated
He would be very
unpopular due to
surrendering too soon
and signing the Treaty of
Versailles
They were the November
criminals

If you wont abdicate, the

best thing for you to do is
shoot yourself!

General Groener

 The Kaiser became an

exile in the neutral
Netherlands
David Lloyd George had
proposed to hang the
Kaiser!
The Kaiser hoped the
Nazis might reinstate
him when they were
becoming more
powerful
He died in 1941 from a
blocked artery

Why did he abdicate?

Britain, France and America would not
negotiate a peace with the hated Kaiser. He
would have to go.
The German Navy mutinied (went on strike) at
Kiel Naval Base
This started revolutionary activity, where
workers and sailors took control of other naval
bases
Many German people blamed the Kaiser for
Germanys military defeats in WWI
Many people had died of starvation (750,000)
due to shortages and they blamed him

Mutiny at Wilmshaven
Naval base

What did it mean for

Germany?

It meant lots of violence and unrest as

Germany as different groups tried to take
power
It left Germany without a leader so
elections had to be called and a new
government elected
German people had never had elections and
politicians before they were very
confused by democracy
Some German people were loyal to the
Kaiser - whoever replaced him would
probably be unpopular

Homework The Kaisers

Abdication
1. Why did the Kaiser
abdicate in 1918?
marks

2.What problems did that

create for Germany?
4 marks