German Reaction to the Treaty

TLDR

• Hitler hated it.

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• the government that led Germany to war in 1914 had been ==overthrown== by a revolution
• the Kaiser had abdicated his throne and left for the Netherlands
• 👤 Friedrich Ebert became the new leader of the Republic of Germany
• Ebert signed an armistice^[a formal agreement to stop fighing] with the Allies
• Started a new country called the Weimar Republic

German criticisms

• Transclude of 1919-Treaty-of-Versailles#^6c6f76

  • the blame should be shared
  • it was unfair that Germany was supposed to pay for all the damage caused by the war in a weakend German economy

• Transclude of 1919-Treaty-of-Versailles#^19de1

  • 10% of its European land
  • all of its overseas colonies
  • 12.5% of its population
  • 16% of coalfields, and almost half the iron and steel industry
  • this was a major blow to the German economy and their pride

• Transclude of 1919-Treaty-of-Versailles#^acbd31

  • Germany felt this was unfair
    • They signed the armistice for peace, not to have the ToV forced upon them

• Transclude of 1919-Treaty-of-Versailles#^427c67

  • The military was a source of national pride for Germans
    • this explains why Germany became militaristic later on

German Consequences of the 1919 Treaty of Versailles

Economic

Conflict in the Ruhr

• Ruhr Valley is a major industrial and mining region
• 1921: first 50 million was paid
• 1922: nothing was paid. Negotiations failed
• 1923: 🇫🇷 French and 🇧🇪 Belgian soldiers enter the Ruhr to take whatever was owed in the form of raw materials and goods
  • The Weimar Government told the Ruhr workers to go on strike instead of helping the French
    • The workers were harshly punished. Thousands were killed and/or injured.

Hyperinflation

• The government responded to the economic crisis by ==printing more money==
• Some people benefited
  • The government paid off huge debts in worthless marks
• Others suffered, making them unhappy with the government
  • Prosperous middle class families who could buy a house with their savings in 1921 couldn’t buy a loaf of bread with the same amount in 1923

Political Violence

• The Weimar Republic had parties spanning a broad political spectrum in elections, from Communists on the left to National Socialists (Nazis) on the far right
• The government lacked strong support from the people and faced violent opposition from both the right and the left

Kapp Putsch (1920)

• Right wing opponents attempted a coup d'etat to overthrow the Weimar government

Munich Putsch (1923)

• Attempted rebellion led by Adolf Hitler
  • more in TB page 253
• Hitler was thrown into jail for this
  • but let off very easily, showing how many Germans hated ToV