Nazi Rise to Power: Chronological Framework

1871 German Unification

1914 - 1918 World War I

• Germany allied with Austria-Hungary
• 1917 – Russian Revolution
• American enters the war

1919 Treaty of Versailles

• Reorganization of Austria-Hungarian empire (Eastern Europe) into independent states
• Germany forced to accept responsibility for the war
• War reparations set up
• New German government – the Weimar Republic – set up after Germany's loss and the abdication of the Kaiser
• All German colonial territories lost to French and British
• First act of Weimar Republic is to sign the treaty of Versailles

1919 - 1933 Weimar Republic

• To pay war reparations, Republic begins printing excess money.
• Formation of Nazi Party (National Socialist German Workers' Party)

1919 Spartacus coup – attempt to establish Soviet-style revolution.
1920 Kapp putsch: right wing coup attempts to overthrow Weimar; fear of communism.

1923 French occupation of the Ruhr, for failure to pay war reparations

• Hyperinflation: 4 trillion marks = 1 dollar.
• Many political parties, social unrest, street gangs.
• Nazi Beer Hall Putsch; Hitler imprisoned; writes Mein Kampf

1924

• Currency reform.
• Dawes Plan of economic recovery; gradual decline of Nazi Party.
• Unemployment brought down to 10%.
• Participation in government by formerly marginalized groups: women, Jews.

1929

• American stock market crash;
• Dawes plan tied Germany to American economic woes. Middle class wiped out.
• By 1932, 33% unemployment.
• Communist and Fascist parties offer more extreme solutions.
• Fascists appeal to anti-communist fears.
• Violent street fights and demonstrations.
• Right-wing breakup of communist political meetings.
• Re-emergence of Nazi party to prominence under Hitler's plan for "Work, Freedom and Bread".

1932 Nazis make huge gains in Reichstag (parliament);
1933 Hitler becomes chancellor. Burning of Reichstag blamed on communists. Hitler suspends civil rights and seizes power – end of Weimar Republic