Germany 1918-1923

By Izzy.12222

  • A German republic is proclaimed

    Under the leadership of Friedrich Ebert, after the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II.

  • Armistice is signed

  • The formation of the first unit of Freikorps

  • Communist revolutionaries try to seize Berlin

    Defeated by Freikorps troops.

  • German government relocates to Weimar

    Because of violence in Berlin

  • SPD wins 38 per cent of the votes

    In elections for the new national assembly

  • Friedrich Ebert elected as first president

  • The Treaty of Versailles is ratified

  • The Treaty of Versailles is signed

    By all parties

  • Proclamation of the new Weimar constitution,

  • DAP, renames itself NSDAP

    The National Socialist German Workers’ Party

  • NSDAP publishes its political manifesto

    A 25-point statement listing its beliefs, value and agenda.

  • The Kapp putsch

    An attempt to seize Berlin launched by a small group of ex-soldiers and nationalists, fails.

  • Elections for the national Reichstag

    Socialist parties win almost 40 per cent of votes and seats.

  • NSDAP obtains its first newspaper

    Voelkischer Beobachter.

  • Hitler is arrested for disturbing the peace

    After gate-crashing a meeting of a rival political group.

  • Hitler serves a month in prison

    For his for his disturbing the peace offence of September 1921.

  • Walter Rathenau is murdered

    The german forest minister
    Murdered by Organisation Consul, a right-wing terrorist group.

  • French troops occupy the Ruhr region

    After Germany defaults on several reparations payments.

  • Hyperinflation grips Germany

    After the government orders massive print runs of banknotes. Prices rise by huge amounts every day, while many Germans lose their savings and cash investments.

  • German government grants a high-interest loan

    300 million marks to the Soviet Union.

  • The NSDAP launches the Beer Hall Putsch

    An attempt to seize control of the Bavarian government.

  • The beer hall putsch is defeated

    By police and army units. Adolf Hitler, Ernst Rohm and others are arrested.

  • Hjalmar Schacht appointed president of the Reichsbank.

    A supporter of hitler

  • Die Reichsbanner Schwartz Rot Gold is formed

    (‘The German Banner, Black Red Gold’) is formed by SPD and liberal politicians, as a republican form of the Freikorps. Its objective was to protect the Republic from political extremism.

  • Adolf Hitler’s treason trial begins in Munich.

    Given considerable freedom by the trial judges, Hitler uses the hearing as an opportunity to deliver a political speech, condemning the Weimar Republic and its leaders.

  • Hitler is sentenced

    Five years in prison and a fine of 200 marks.

  • National elections produce significant gains

    For the German National People’s Party (DNVP, up 24 seats to 95) and the Communist Party (KPD, up 58 seats to 62). NSDAP members, running as the National Socialist Freedom Movement (NSFB), win a total of 32 seats.

  • The DNVP proposes one of its Reichstag members as a candidate for the chancellorship

    World War I admiral Alfred von Tirpitz

  • Chancellor Wilhelm Marx retains the chancellorship

    With a new cabinet still made up of political liberals and moderates.

  • The German Reichstag ratifies the Dawes Plan

    Which is scheduled to come into effect in September.

  • President Ebert dissolves the Reichstag

    Following a month of inaction, stalemate and division over the Dawes Plan.

  • The second Reichstag election for the year

    Produces an increase for the SPD (131 seats).

  • Adolf Hitler is released from prison

    After serving less than nine months of his five-year sentence.

  • The government lifts a ban on the NSDAP newspaper

  • Chancellor Wilhelm Marx resigns

    After calling for further negotiation with the Allies over reparation and the Ruhr. Marx is replaced by cabinet member Hans Luther.

  • President Friedrich Ebert becomes seriously ill

    From influenza and appendicitis. He dies five days later.

  • The NSDAP holds a ceremony to ‘re-launch’ the party

    With hitler as "member number 1"

  • The Bavarian government bans Hitler from making public speeches

    To non-NSDAP members for 2 years

  • Elections for the presidency produce no absolute winner.

  • The second round of presidential elections

    Sees new nominee Paul von Hindenburg (48 per cent of the vote) defeat Wilhelm Marx (45 per cent).

  • Hindenburg is sworn in as the second president of the Weimar Republic.

  • France begins withdrawing its troops from the Ruhr

    The withdrawal is complete by the following month.

  • The first volume of Mein Kampf is published

    Around 10,000 copies are sold in the first year.

  • Germany granted membership of the League of Nations.

  • The Locarno Treaties are signed in Switzerland

    These treaties secure Germany’s borders and improve relations with other European states.

  • Chancellor Hans Luther is forced to reconstruct his cabinet

  • Hans Luther forced to resign as chancellor

    The Reichstag passes a vote of no confidence in Hans Luther, forcing him to resign as chancellor. The catalyst for this was Luther’s decision to give the old German imperial flag equal status with the new republican flag.

  • Germany and Soviet Union sign the Treaty of Berlin

    A five-year non-aggression pact.

  • Wilhelm Marx is returned as chancellor.

  • The Reichstag passes the Unemployment Insurance Law

    Providing welfare support funded by employer and employee contributions.

  • German government grants a high-interest loan to the Soviet Union.

    of 300 million marks

  • The Reichstag passes the Law for the Protection of Youth from Trash and Filth Writings

    allowing certain books, art works and films to be prohibited. This law contradicted the Weimar constitution, which explicitly prohibits censorship.

  • Chancellor Wilhelm Marx re-forms his cabinet

    Bringing in four nationalists as ministers.

  • The Reichstag passes the Unemployment Insurance Law,

    Providing welfare support funded by employer and employee contributions.

  • President Paul von Hindenburg provokes international outrage

    With a speech asserting that Germany was not responsible for causing World War I.

  • Wilhelm Groener is appointed as defence minister.

    Former military chief Wilhelm Groener is appointed to the Weimar cabinet as defence minister. He retains this position for more than four years.

  • Another federal election produces a significant gain for the SPD

    (up 22 Reichstag seats to 153) and a loss for the nationalist DNVP (down 30 seats to 73). The NSDAP wins 12 seats, dropping two from the previous election.

  • Collapse of another Reichstag coalition and the resignation of Chancellor Wilhelm Marx.

    The May election causes the collapse of another Reichstag coalition and the resignation of Chancellor Wilhelm Marx.

  • The formation of another ‘Great Coalition’ government,

    With SPD politician Hermann Muller as chancellor. This government lasts almost two years.

  • Germany becomes one of the first nations to sign the Kellogg-Briand Pact,

    A multilateral agreement not to use war to resolve disputes or conflicts.