SHARE WITH FRIENDS:
Germany in 1918-1939.
PLAN.
-
The consequences of the First World War for Germany.
-
Weimar Republic.
-
The Dawes Plan
-
The rise of fascism.
-
The essence of fascism.
-
The internal politics of the Nazis.
Germany and its allies were defeated in the First World War. Germany lost 2 million in the war. The total loss was 7,5 mln. established a person.
The German revolution began on November 1918, 3. On this day, the sailors stationed in Kiel revolted against the continuation of the war. Clay workers supported the uprising and declared a general strike. Soviets of workers and soldiers were established in the city. The wave of the revolution reached Berlin on November 9, and it spread throughout Germany.
The new government formed on November 10 was headed by F. Ebert, one of the leading figures of the German Social Democratic Party. This government declared Germany a Republic and signed a preliminary peace agreement with the Entente on November 11.
The Constituent Assembly began its work peacefully in the city of Weimar. That is why the Constitution adopted by the Constituent Assembly and the Republic formed on its basis entered the history of Germany under the name Weimar Constitution and Weimar Republic.
The constitution declared Germany to be a federal republic with strong presidential power. At the moment, it was established that the government is responsible not to the president, but to the parliament. Friedrich Ebert was elected the first president of Germany. The constitution stated that private property was sacred and inviolable, and universal suffrage was granted to men and women from the age of 20.
Although the Prime Minister (Chancellor) was appointed by the President, he was accountable to the Reichstag. Legislative power consisting of two chambers was established. The lower house was elected by universal suffrage throughout Germany. The upper chamber would consist of representatives of the country and regions according to the established norms. The Reichsrat had veto power.
The US also did not want Germany to be completely weakened. Because the complete weakening of Germany would have strengthened the permanent rivals of the United States, Great Britain and France. In addition, the United States needed a powerful Germany to contain its new rival, the Soviet state.
The USA decided to provide economic and financial support to Germany. This relief plan went down in history under the name "Dawes Plan". Ultimately, this plan served as a basis for the rapid development of the German economy and the restoration of its military power.
If France agreed to the adoption of the "Dawes Plan", the United States was obliged to forgive France's debts. That is why he accepted the "DAUES Plan" and withdrew his troops from the Ruhr region in 1925.
Germany made great strides in economic development, and by 1927-1928, the country had returned to pre-war levels in terms of industrial production and foreign trade. And the year 1929 exceeded it. In industrial development, it left behind Great Britain and France. In 1929, the Dawes Plan was replaced by the Jung Plan.
The commander-in-chief of the German armed forces was Field Marshal P. Hindenburg (1874-1934). In 1925, he was elected to the post of the country's president. During his presidency, the German army began to rearm.
Germany now went on the path of open - open denial of the Treaty of Versailles. In particular, the number of the army was increased to 350 thousand people.
In 1925, Germany signed the Rhine Pact in Locarno. According to it, the existing border of Germany with France and Belgium was recognized. Meanwhile, France and Germany pledged never to attack each other. Great Britain and Italy are designated as international guarantors of this pact.
The world economic crisis that occurred in 1929 put Germany in a dire situation. For three years, production has been steadily declining. The reason for this was the dependence of the economy on foreign financial aid, the withdrawal of foreign investment during the crisis, the narrowness of the domestic market, the payment of compensation to the former Entente states, the lack of colonies as a source of material resources.
The sharp destabilization of the economy also made a political crisis inevitable. In the elections to the Reichstag in 1928, no political party could get an absolute majority of votes. Therefore, a coalition government consisting of representatives of the GSDP, the Catholic Center Party (with 78 seats) and the German National Party (with 73 seats) was formed and began to operate under the patronage of the grand coalition. However, the coalition broke up in March 1930. G. Mueller's government was forced to resign.
President Hindenburg appointed G. Brüning, a figure of the Catholic Center Party, as chancellor. However, after the CSDP went into opposition, the government of G. Brewin was unable to act actively. As a result, the extraordinary decrees of the President of the country began to be administered by force. This, in turn, discredited the Reichstag. In 1932, he adopted only 5 laws.
The majority of the population began to look at the republican system of governance as the source of all problems. At the same time, sympathy for the totalitarian regime, capable of establishing a strong order, grew in their minds. In their eyes, the fascist party led by A. Hitler began to be embodied as a force capable of establishing such an order.
At the same time, the Nazis began to forcefully inculcate the ideas of the ruling nation, racial superiority, anti-Semitism, and worshiping power into the public mind. In their opinion, only the German nation deserved to rule the world.
Investors saw in Hitler a person who would carry out their intentions. After that, they called A. Hitler a Führer, that is, a genius, and started fighting very hard for Hitler to come to power.
On January 1933, 30, Hindenburg appointed A. Hitler as the Reich Chancellor of Germany. Actually, in 1933, in Germany, one (bourgeois democratic) form of government was replaced by another form, i.e. totalitarian dictatorship.
Fascism is a terrorist totalitarian form of government, a current that represents the interests of the most reactionary and aggressive forces of the ruling circles. It first appeared in Europe (Italy). The term "fascism" is derived from the word "fashio", which means "gang", "assembly".
The following signs clearly describe the essence of fascism. Its first sign is extreme nationalism. Another sign of fascism is its extreme aggressiveness.
When fascism came to power, A. Hitler's government first began to destroy political democracy. In order to put an end to the activities of political parties, on February 1933, 23, he organized the arson of the Reichstag building and tried the Bulgarian G. Dimitrov, blaming the communists.
All political parties except the Nazi Party were banned. A. Hitler accused the social democrats of having caused a revolution during the First World War when the fate of Germany was being decided, and accused the communists of trying to establish a "red dictatorship" and being spies of the Soviets.
President Hindenberg died on August 1934, 2. A. Hitler also took the post of president. Thus, all power was concentrated in the hands of A. Hitler. Now he abolished the status of the federal state of Germany, the heads of administrative bodies at all levels were appointed. Elections to the Reichstag were canceled and the function of legislative power was transferred to the government.
In order to educate the future of fascism, a youth organization called "Hitleryugen" was created.
-
Hitler became the sole ruler of Germany, the leader of the party, the Führer, that is, the genius of the German people with unlimited rights. Soon, the Nazis created the main penal office - security squads (guard troops) - Ss. It was headed by A. Hitler's confidant G. Gimmler.
The task of the SS detachments was to persecute dissenters, organize mass extermination, burn them in ovens, and poison them in gas chambers.
The Gestapo (secret police) and SD (intelligence and counterintelligence) were part of the SS. Their main task was to eliminate on the spot any opposition that arose against the existing regime. At the same time, they were also charged with mass extermination of Jews.
Nazis built 15 death camps for mass extermination of dissidents, representatives of democratic organizations and prisoners of war, 10 million people were killed in these camps. About XNUMX people were killed.
There was a shortage of food in the country, and an order was given to exterminate all people incapable of creative work, the elderly, insane, mentally ill, and patients suffering from epilepsy. 275 thousand inhabitants of Germany were killed.
In the summer of 1936, the 4-year plan to transfer the economy to the military direction was officially approved. In these 4 years, the most powerful modern army in the world had to be established. Over the years, military spending has increased 10 times. By 1939, Great Britain's military expenditure reached 5 billion. Germany's military expenses are 2,3 billion, while France's is 18 billion marks. established the brand.
Thus, between the two world wars, Germany was restored and developed with the help of Western countries. Germany, eager to subjugate the world, has completed preparations for war.
Control questions.
-
What was the result of the revolution of 1918?
-
What was the intended purpose of the Dawes Plan?
-
What is the meaning of fascism?
-
A. When did Hitler come to power?
-
How did Germany prepare for World War II?