Post-WWI Germany: Versailles Treaty and Rise of Nazism
Treaty of Versailles: Harsh Peace Terms
The Treaty of Versailles, signed in 1919, officially ended World War I between Germany and the Allied powers. It imposed harsh terms on Germany:
- Armies and fleets were prohibited.
- Germany lost its colonial empire.
- Some territories were ceded to other countries.
- Germany had to pay for the damages of the war.
- Germany lost around 48% of its iron production to France.
- Half of its coal production was no longer sent to Germany.
The Weimar Republic Established
Following the war, Kaiser Wilhelm II had to abdicate, and the Weimar Republic was created. This system was based on liberal democracy, involving political parties, a president, and a chancellor.
Early Political Groups
DAP (Deutsche Arbeit Partei)
The DAP, meaning German Workers’ Party, was made up of communists and anarchists who avoided creating a formal party structure, as that would require following democratic procedures. Many parties appeared at this time without clear ideologies. This group was created in the Hofbräuhaus.
SA (Sturmabteilung)
The SA, or Sturmabteilung, was an attack troupe, similar to the Blackshirts in Italy. Known as the “brownshirts,” they responded to Ernst Röhm and fought against the Red Biennium.
Ernst Röhm
A former soldier who did not abandon his uniform after the war. He was the leader of the SA and was later killed by the SS during the Night of the Long Knives.
NSDAP (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeit Partei)
Hitler took control and decided to give the DAP a new identity, creating the NSDAP (National Socialist Party). He introduced a new symbol and changed the name. This party was promoted as the good and most German way to be socialists.
Munich Putsch (1923)
The Munich Putsch was a coup d’état attempted by Hitler against the governor in Munich, trying to imitate Mussolini. He intended to march to the governor’s palace to replace him. However, the governor was warned beforehand, and the army was waiting to stop them. Although this coup failed, it benefited Hitler as he gained public attention in the newspapers. During his trial, he chose to defend himself to gain a voice, which created favorable public opinion. An amnesty was declared after he served 11 months in prison.
Key Ideological Concepts
Lebensraum
In Spanish, this means “vital space.” It refers to the necessity for the superior race (Aryan) to rule. The theory held that a nation needed to expand to obtain the resources and territory necessary to prosper. This idea was later used by Nazi Germany in a racial sense as justification for conquest, ultimately leading to WWII.
Führerprinzip
This means the “principle of the Leader.” It is a concept presented by Hitler defending that the oral rules and the will expressed by the Führer are superior to any other law, as a totalitarian system is based entirely on the leader’s pronouncements.
The SS and Key Nazi Figures
SS (Schutzstaffel)
The SS, or Schutzstaffel, represented the ideal German man and the perfect society according to Hitler: a white, blond man with perfect education. Hitler established this group to gain control of a military force. Unlike the SA, the SS members were not perceived as criminals, drunks, or rapists; they were highly educated and represented the perfect German society.
Heinrich Himmler
Top Nazi leader and head of the SS. He was the main architect of Nazi racial policies and organized the Holocaust, overseeing concentration and extermination camps like Auschwitz.
Joseph Goebbels
Nazi Germany’s Minister of Propaganda. He was responsible for creating marketing and propaganda. Public money was used to finance movies and directors on the condition that they promoted Nazi ideology and Hitler, aiming to manipulate public opinion.
Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda
The government office led by Goebbels that controlled all media, culture, and information in Germany to ensure only Nazi-approved ideas reached the public.