THE COLLAPSED OF

WEIMAR REPUBLIC
OBJECTIVES:
After the report, we will be able to:
• Understand the German history after Word War I.
• Know the Weimar Constitution
• Understand the reason of the collapsed of Weimar
Republic.
• Discuss how Weimar Republic stand back from
hyperinflation and fallout.
• Narrate the effects of Great Depression to Germany.
• Describe the Article 48.
 VOCABULARY
HYPERINFLATION
is a term to describe rapid, excessive, and out-of-control general price increases
in an economy. While inflation is a measure of the pace of rising prices for
goods and services, hyperinflation is rapidly rising inflation, typically
measuring more than 50% per month.

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GREAT DEPRESSION
worldwide economic downturn that began in 1929 and lasted until about 1939. It was the
longest and most severe depression ever experienced by the industrialized Western world,
sparking fundamental changes in economic institutions, macroeconomic policy, and
economic theory. Although it originated in the United States, the Great Depression caused
drastic declines in output, severe unemployment, and acute deflation in almost every country
of the world.

ECONOMIC MELTDOWN
An economic collapse is a breakdown of a national, regional, or territorial economy
that typically follows a time of crisis. An economic collapse occurs at the onset of a
severe version of an economic contraction, depression, or recession and can last any
number of years depending on the severity of the circumstances.
WEIMAR
REPUBLIC
• Germany’s government from 1919-1933.

• The period after WWI until the rise of Nazi

Germany.

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• Named after the town of Weimar where
Germany’s new government was formed by a
national assembly after Kaiser Wilhelm II
abdicated.

• Experienced enough chaos to position

Germany for the rise of Adolf Hitler and the
Nazi Party.
 WEIMAR REPUBLIC
TIMELINE NAZI PARTY, ADOLF
KAISER WILHEM HITLER AND
ABDICATION ARTICLE 48

HYPERINFLATION DAWES PLAN

1930

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1918 1919 1921 1924 1929
1923 1933

1929

FORMATION OF THE GREAT

WEIMAR DEPRESSION
COALITION AND
THE SIGNED
TREATY OF
VERSAILLES
 1918: GERMANY AFTER WW1
Troubling economic and social disorder. November 9, 1918.

Kaiser Wilhelm II lost the support of his

Mutinies by German sailors and soldiers. military and the German people, and he was
forced to abdicate on November 9, 1918 and
flee Germany for Holland

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The German Army was limited to 100,000 soldiers, and the navy
was limited to 15,000 sailors.

Germany lost 13% of its land and 48% of this land was Germany's
iron production and a large proportion of its coal productions

Lost 12% of its population to the Allies.

 WEIMAR REPUBLIC
TIMELINE NAZI PARTY, ADOLF
KAISER WILHEM HITLER AND
ABDICATION ARTICLE 48

HYPERINFLATION DAWES PLAN

1930

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1918 1919 1921 1924 1929
1923 1933

1929

FORMATION OF THE GREAT

WEIMAR DEPRESSION
COALITION AND
THE SIGNED
TREATY OF
VERSAILLES
 The Treaty of
The Treaty of Versailles was the primary treaty produced
by the Paris Peace Conference at the end of World War I. It
was signed on June 28, 1919, by the Allied and associated
powers and by Germany in the Hall of Mirrors in the
Palace of Versailles and went into effect on January 10,
1920. The treaty gave some German territories to
Versailles
The final draft of the treaty imposed on Germany the
neighbouring countries and placed other German following:
territories under international supervision.
• Accept full responsibility for the war
• Pay reparations (over 30 year period; sum of what
would be about $390 billion in current dollars)
• Cede all colonial territories
• Significant portions of former “German” empire
• Limits on army:
 100,000 soldiers
 no conscription
• Limits on navy:
• 6 battleships, 6 light cruisers, 12 torpedo
boats, 12 destroys
• No submarines
15,000 sailors
• Surrender any and all ships not in German
ports at that time.
 1919: FORMATION OF WEIMAR REPUBLIC
In Germany, a constitutional
convention meeting in the town of
Weimar drafts the first democratic
constitution of a united Germany, in
1919

On August 11, 1919, the Weimar Constitution

was signed into law by President Ebert. The
law faced venomous opposition from the
military and the radical left. The Constitution
contained 181 articles and covered everything
from the structure of the German state (Reich)
and the rights of the German people to
religious freedom and how laws should be
enacted.
SEE: OLD SYSTEM BEFORE
WEIMAR
SEE: DOWNSIDE OF WEIMR
• All Germans are equal and have the same civil rights and
responsibilities.
• All Germans have the right to freedom of expression.
• All Germans have the right to peaceful assembly.
• All Germans have the right to freedom of religion; there is no state
church.
• State-run, public education is free and mandatory for children.
• All Germans have the right of private property.
• All Germans have the right to equal opportunity and earnings in the
workplace.
 WEIMAR REPUBLIC
TIMELINE NAZI PARTY, ADOLF
KAISER WILHEM HITLER AND
ABDICATION ARTICLE 48

HYPERINFLATION DAWES PLAN

1930

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1918 1919 1921 1924 1929
1923 1933

1929

FORMATION OF THE GREAT

WEIMAR DEPRESSION
COALITION AND
THE SIGNED
TREATY OF
VERSAILLES
 HYPERINFLATION

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 WEIMAR REPUBLIC
TIMELINE NAZI PARTY, ADOLF
KAISER WILHEM HITLER AND
ABDICATION ARTICLE 48

HYPERINFLATION DAWES PLAN

1930

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1918 1919 1921 1924 1929
1923 1933

1929

FORMATION OF THE GREAT

WEIMAR DEPRESSION
COALITION AND
THE SIGNED
TREATY OF
VERSAILLES
 1924
DAWES PLAN The Dawes Plan of 1924

The Dawes Plan of 1924 was formulated to

take Weimar Germany out of hyperinflation
and to return Weimar’s economy to some form
of stability. The Dawes Plan got its name as the
man who headed the committee was an
American called Charles Dawes.

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Germany elected Gustav Stresemann as their
new chancellor in 1923. He ordered Ruhr
workers back to the factories and replaced the
Mark with a new currency, the American-
backed Retenmark.

The Dawes Plan and Stresemann’s leadership

helped stabilize the Weimar Republic and
energize its economy. In
 WEIMAR REPUBLIC
TIMELINE NAZI PARTY, ADOLF
KAISER WILHEM HITLER AND
ABDICATION ARTICLE 48

HYPERINFLATION DAWES PLAN

1930

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1918 1919 1921 1924 1929
1923 1933

1929

FORMATION OF THE GREAT

WEIMAR DEPRESSION
COALITION AND
THE SIGNED
TREATY OF
VERSAILLES
 1929: THE GREAT DEPRESSION

Stock Market on Wall St crashes on Tuesday,

October 29, 1929

In October 1929, share prices began to fall on the Wall

Street Stock exchange

Falling shares meant people’s investments fell in value

Worried about losing money, people rushed to sell their shares before
their value fell any further On ‘Black Tuesday’, 24 October 1929, 13
million shares were sold

This panic selling made things worse, and sent prices even lower
Shares worth $20,000 in the morning were worth $1000 by the
end of the day’s trading Within a week, investors had lost over
$4000million
 1929: THE GREAT DEPRESSION

• Germany economy was very dependent on foreign trade and was built upon
foreign capital.

• Market for German exports comes to a halt.

• Since production levels declined, German workers were laid off.

• Inflation happened soon after, and many middle class families could not
purchase expensive necessities with their devalued money.
• Many German citizens fell into poverty.
 WEIMAR REPUBLIC
TIMELINE NAZI PARTY, ADOLF
KAISER WILHEM HITLER AND
ABDICATION ARTICLE 48

HYPERINFLATION DAWES PLAN

1930

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1918 1919 1921 1924 1929
1923 1933

1929

FORMATION OF THE GREAT

WEIMAR DEPRESSION
COALITION AND
THE SIGNED
TREATY OF
VERSAILLES
1930 to 1933
 HITLER, NAZI PARTY, ARTICLE 48 & ENABLING ACT
The National Socialist German Workers’ Party, or Nazi
Party, grew into a mass movement and ruled Germany
through totalitarian means from 1933 to 1945 under the
leadership of Adolf Hitler (1889-1945). Founded in 1919
as the German Workers’ Party, the group promoted The Enabling Act
German pride and anti-Semitism, and expressed • On the 23rd of March 1933, the Enabling Act was passed by the
dissatisfaction with the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, Reichstag 441 votes to 94.
the 1919 peace settlement that ended World War I (1914-
1918) and required Germany to make numerous • This Act gave Hitler the right to make laws without the Reichstag’s
concessions and reparations. Hitler joined the party the approval for the next four years.
year it was founded and became its leader in 1921. In

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1933, he became chancellor of Germany and his Nazi
• Arguably this was the most critical event during this period. It gave
government soon assumed dictatorial powers.
Hitler absolute power to make laws, which enabled him to destroy all
opposition to his rule.

• This Act removed the Reichstag as a source of opposition. The Reichstag

rarely met for the remainder of Hitler’s time in power.

SEE
PICTURES
DOWNSIDE OF WEIMAR CONSTITUTION
NAZI PARTY, ADOLF HITLER AND
ENABLING ACT OF 1933
 LESSON LEARNED
Economic insecurity and hardship persuade people that
The president’s family can be dangerous.
any regime must be better than the current one.

Under extreme economic conditions, proportional An insurgent group does not need to have an overall majority
representation (PR) can make matters worse. to control politics, even in a PR system.

Incumbents can survive by buying off a discontented populace

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Constitution does not necessarily protect the system.
for some time, but not forever.

Business lobbyists can play a baleful behind-the-scenes role If Weimar did not collapsed, Hitler and Naziz may
in undermining agreement between parliamentary factions. not have the power.

Political culture in which leaders demonize their World Peace is essential.

opponents erodes democracy. a
Thank You