on this page     Browse down the page or just click one of these sections....   □  Weimar Overview 1. Background events before 1919 Impact of World War 1 Impact of the Russian Revolution 2. Birth of the Weimar Republic, 1919-21 Formation of the Republic Political ideologies of the left 3. Early Problems, 1921-4 Treaty of Versailles Inflation 4. Emergence of the NSDAP Ideas behind National Socialism 5. Weimar 1925-6: Stresemann 6. Collapse, & Rise of Hitler, 1929-1933 Wall Street Crash Growing Extremism 1933 7. Art & Culture 8. Weimar General Sites       also! see our main Third Reich sites for:          (click a section to go directly there:)   Hitler's Germany Living in the Nazi State   other related casahistoria sites   Weimar Germany & Rise of Hitler · Hitler ·   Single Party States · Ideologies of left & right · Women in Totalitarian States · Mussolini ·        Site Map - Single Party States microsite

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Weimar Overview                                               

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Chronology 1920-1929  By Prof. Raffael Scheck, Colby College, Maine. Weimar Republic excellent cross-referenced site from Spartacus with pages on. Start here for general narrative background linked to source material German Revolution, Spartakist Rising, Kapp Putsch, Bavarian Republic, Freikorps, Unemployment Treaty of Versailles Reparations, Ruhr Occupation, Inflation, Beer Hall Putsch, Dawes Plan, Young Plan Locarno Treaty, League of Nations, Treaty of Rapallo casahistoria home                            visit caféhistoria for updates and current topic news 1. Background events before 1919       Impact of World War 1 Impact of World War 1 This is the link to the "interviews" page of the PBS site on World War 1. Excellent sets of concise articles by leading historians. Good to browse and cross reference through. Many relate to Germany. Includes articles by: Bernd Huppauf, New York University:   Germany Before the War   The Kaiser as a Construction   "The Blind War" - A War With No Direction   The Effects of War - Mutilated Soldier From Victory to Defeat and Revolution: 1918. Includes sections on Political origins of the revolution; Social origins of the revolution; The "incomplete" revolution. Online lecture notes by Prof. Raffael Scheck, Colby College, Maine. Extracted from his useful  Germany & Europe 1871-1945 Conditions of an Armistice with Germany Terms of the cease-fire, 11/11/1918 Impact of the Russian Revolution The Russian background: A good, concise introduction to the events of 1917 in Russia (also from the PBS site) which formed part of the background to the setting up Weimar Germany.  Includes articles by : Orlando Figes, Cambridge University:   The Battle of Tannenberg   The Russian Revolution   Rasputin   Bread Riot   Kerensky   Storming the Winter Palace   The Tsar's General Staff Robert Wohl, University of California: Socialism and the War Norman Stone, Oxford University:   The Revolutionaries   Rasputin   Nicholas and Alexandra   Russia   See also casahistoria Russian Revolution  and World War 1 links   casahistoria home                            visit caféhistoria for updates and current topic news 2. The Birth of the Republic     Formation of the Republic The German Revolution of 1918 Article by Professor Gerhard Rempel, Western New England College. From his series of lectures: History of Modern Germany Online lecture notes by Prof. Raffael Scheck, Colby College, Maine. Extracted from his useful  Germany & Europe 1871-1945 Germany's First Democratic Constitution Includes sections on Weimar's failure in historical perspective; The chaotic winter months 1918-1919; The elections to the National Assembly; The Constitution The Republic Besieged, 1918-1923 The Spartacist uprising; Revolution in Munich; Right-wing putschism The Weimar Constitution Selected key articles Freidrich Ebert Straightforward biography from the historylearning site The political parties from Spartacus. Well supported brief outlines of key points. Independent Socialist Party, German Communist Party, German Worker's Party, Spartacus League, Social Democratic Party Catholic Centre Party (BVP) Nationalist Party (DNVP), Nazi Party (NSDAP) Election Results This table lists the results of each general election between 1919 and 1933, giving the number of deputies voted in from each of the major parties. Political ideologies of the left Communist Manifesto The Karl Marx and Frederick Engels classic, online in full. Left-Wing Lingo, Ideologies and History  Many links are now dead but still a good place to see explanations of the differences between Communism, Socialism, Trotskyism, Democratic Marxism, and many other "-isms." Encyclopedia of Marxism An excellent resource - divided into glossaries of people, places, events, organizations, terms, and periodicals dealing with Marxism. Internet Modern History Sourcebook: Socialism. Excellent guide to source materials. Marxism Made Simple An interesting, visually zippy overview of Marxism, with a Marxist slant and an inclusion of different contemporary views of Marxism with modern analogies. However, the site may bombard you with ads and requests to download other programmes .... Marxism and capitalism?? The Museum of Communism. An anti communist site set up by the University of George Mason, Virginia. It does have interesting entries on: Czarist Origins of Communism Marxist Origins of Communism Lenin and the First Communist Revolutions Rosa Luxemburg Library Left wing, but a useful resource to the life and work of the revolutionary. Excellent documentary materials Rosa Luxemburg Detailed biography. No authorship credited but a largely objective account.   See also casahistoria Single Party States for links to sites on the ideologies of left & right. casahistoria home                            visit caféhistoria for updates and current topic news 3. Early Problems, 1921-4     Treaty of Versailles President Wilson's Fourteen Points The points, from the site of Professor Joseph V. O'Brien, Department of History, John Jay College of Criminal Justice. The Peace Treaty of Versailles The full treaty terms. Well supported with maps. A German View of the Treaty of Versailles response of Brockdorff-Rantzau [German Foreign Minister] to the allies. Source as above. Versailles Treaty - From the German point of view article by Wolfgang Mommsen  from the PBS Great War site. The Versailles Treaty - A Grand Bazaar concise analytical article by Jay Winter from the PBS Great War site. Legacy of Versailles and World War I German Culpability Articles by Professor Gerhard Rempel, Western New England College. From his series of lectures: History of Modern Germany Versailles and German expectations A personal evaluation of the Treaty by Prof. Raffael Scheck. Extracted from his useful online lecture notes, Germany & Europe 1871-1945 The Treaty of Versailles: Mirror of Europe's Postwar Agony Interesting and academic 1989 article by Hans A. Schmitt which presents the Versailles treaty not as success or failure, but the last in a long history of multilateral peace conferences drawn up to end multi national wars in Europe which extended from 1648. Like these Schmitt argues Versailles presented the idea of much effort to solve perceived issues, but was then succeeded by major failures leading to the next war..... Alistair Cooke on the Treaty podcast. The broadcaster writes a pen portrait of the drafting of the Treaty at Versailles. (Needs Real Audio: 13 mins) Versailles: a map  Fed up with drawing the map of German losses? Click here for an interactive map of losses and other terms with reference to German territory. Basic BBC Bitesize revision map Inflation The Weimar Republic: Economic and Political Problems Article by Professor Gerhard Rempel, Western New England College. From his series of lectures: History of Modern Germany Loads of money Millenium article from the Economist on the German inflation of 1923 Joel's Coins Pictures of the money as it inflated..... Hyperinflation commentary Well written and detailed essay from the US PBS by George J. W. Goodman. There is also a Video  from the PBS TV programme but it is slow to load .... A Case of Inflation Article by R Schenk The Nightmare German Inflation Written for USA Gold, a financial magazine in October 1994 this looks at the inflation in an interesting way, giving particular note to its long term financial & political origins as well as its impact on specific areas of the economy. casahistoria home                            visit caféhistoria for updates and current topic news 4. Emergence of NSDAP      Click on these casahistoria units from the casahistoria Hitler site:  Hitler - General links   Hitler - Early Background  Hitler - Ideas  Nazi Origins Very thorough lecture article by Professor Gerhard Rempel,  Western New England College. Thorough examination of the early years before Hitler and the impact he made on the party before 1923. From his series of lectures: History of Modern Germany The Rise of the Nazis and Communists Clear online lecture notes by Prof. Raffael Scheck, Colby College, Maine. Includes sections on: The Communists; The DNVP (German National People's Party); The NSDAP (German National Socialist Worker's Party). Extracted from his useful  Germany & Europe 1871-1945 The Twenty-Five Points (1920) Founding points of NSDAP The Nazi Party The Nazi Party: Admission Requirements The Rise of Hitler Index Narrative account from History Place in 24 sections Begin with Hitler joins the German Workers Party This then links on to accounts for the early history of the Nazi party and takes you to 1933 (and beyond if you wish...). Germany and Hitler in the Twenties Lengthy involved article surveying the 1920's by by Frank E. Smitha Nazi Propaganda: Pre-1933 Material Propaganda was central to Nazi Germany. This section is a collection of English translations of Nazi propaganda for the period before 1933, and is part of an excellent larger site on German propaganda. The goal is to help people understand the great totalitarian systems of the 20th Century by giving them access to the primary material. The archive is substantial. Political Ideology of the Right: Ideas behind National Socialism   See also casahistoria Single Party States for links to sites on the ideologies of left & right. Nazi Fascism and the Modern Totalitarian State A useful (teacher's) Guide to Nazi Fascism and the Modern Totalitarian State. Hitler's Book Mein Kampf Is Published The History Place. A synopsis of Mein Kampf and details about its publication. Adolf Hitler's Thoughts on the End of World War I Jennifer Rosenberg. Excerpt from Mein Kampf Adolf Hitler's First Anti-Semitic Writing, 1919 Letter from Hitler to Adolf Gemlich regarding the "Jewish question," written Sept. 16, 1919 Hitler's Racial Ideology Content and Occult Sources by Jackson Spielvogel and David Redles. A complex article published by the Wiesenthal centre drawing attention to some of the key concepts and influences on Hitlers racial ideas. §  Proverbial Manipulation in Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf Wolfgang Mieder / De Proverbio. Thorough analysis of Hitler's use of proverbs in Nazi propaganda, using examples from Mein Kampf as well as select speeches and other texts. § Lebensraum This page will give background to the concept The peculiar characteristics of German Nationalism  and Anti-Semitism and Racism From Omnipotent Government: The Rise of the Total State and Total War by Ludwig von Mises (1944). Not an easy read, but interesting given the provenance. This treatise on Nazism and the total state was published by Yale University (New Haven, CT) in 1944 and reprinted by Arlington House (New Rochelle, NY) in 1969. Read the Entire Text in PDF Edition Fascism Fascism This grid is an excellent place to start. Visually it might answer all your questions. Produced by Trinity College Western Australia Fascism A clear and concise account of the origins and development of Fascism by Dr C Jazwinski. The original site is now offline. This is a copy. Fascism in Europe: Documents and articles Excellent selection from the Mosaic Perspectives on western civilisation site  § Trotsky on Fascism - What It Is and How To Fight It Discover Leo Trotsky's attitude towards fascism through a pamphlet he wrote in the 1930's. Read his definition of the movement. Race and Visualism Interesting look at impact of fascism (and other influences) on how society has visualised itself. By William Washabaugh (This is the 2004 version. Later versions are less applicable here)  § casahistoria home                            visit caféhistoria for updates and current topic news 5. Weimar 1926-29: The Stresemann Years & Prosperity       The Good Years of the Weimar Republic  Article by Professor Gerhard Rempel, Western New England College. From his series of lectures: History of Modern Germany   Gustav Stresemann A detailed biography of Stresemann, 1926 Nobel Peace Prize winner. However, beware this account is the official Nobel site and makes little attempt at a critical evaluation. Stresemann, Gustav  Detailed, good account. This article was written by Rudolf Morsey, Professor of Modern History at the Postgraduate School for Administrative Sciences, Speyer, Germany. He is the author of Die deutsche Zentrumspartei, 1917-1923 (1966). Stresemann Spartacus biography with documentary support Paul von Hindenburg This biography from the BBC discusses Hindenburg, famous Field Marshall who became the Weimar Republic’s second president from 1925 – 1934; he appointed Hitler as Chancellor. Foreign policy Weimar Republic: Foreign Policy problems  Article by Professor Gerhard Rempel, Western New England College. From his series of lectures: History of Modern Germany   Hitler, Stresemann and the Discontinuity of German Foreign Policy  A useful examination of the controversial issue of change and continuity in the foreign policies of the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany by E Feuchtwanger. Examines the links between the high Weimar period and the FP of Hitler. casahistoria home                            visit caféhistoria for updates and current topic news 6. Collapse, 1929-1933 & rise of Hitler       Fall of the Weimar Republic Chronology of the key stages in the collapse of the Republic Collapse of the Republic Article by Professor Gerhard Rempel, Western New England College. From his series of lectures: History of Modern Germany.  See also: The Great Depression: Parliamentary Paralysis and Presidential Government From Weimar to Hitler: The Rise and Fall of the first German Democracy by Dr E.J. Feuchtwanger in New Perspective,1995. Gives an overview of the Republic set out in clear headings. The Weimar Republic and its collapse From Omnipotent Government: The Rise of the Total State and Total War by Ludwig von Mises (1944). Not an easy read, but interesting given the provenance. This treatise on Nazism and the total state was published by Yale University (New Haven, CT) in 1944 and reprinted by Arlington House (New Rochelle, NY) in 1969. Read the Entire Text in PDF Edition Weimar-Voting  (unfortunately, currently unavailable) Good for seeing the rapid polarisation of left and right in Weimar politics. This is a superb site detailing the voting habits of the Weimar era, including information on political parties, voting districts, and socio-economic factors. Move down the page to the start button! Although the information is complicated, the presentation is modern, and includes a series of excellent 3D maps. This project intends to visualize selected details of the voting behavior in the German Reich between 1924 and 1933. Also in: The Wall Street Crash Crashing Hopes: The Great Depression Novel class notes on the US Crash by Stanley K. Schultz, Professor of History, University of Wisconsin. Good for background. Timeline of Crash and US depression From PBS "Riding the Rails" series Growing Extremism Paramilitary Groups Focus is on the emergence in the 1920's, early 1930's of SS and SA. Prof. Rempel from his series of lectures: History of Modern Germany. Road to Power Looks at the events and machinations of 1932 and leading up to the appointment in January 1933 of Hitler as chancellor. Another useful lecture by Prof. Rempel from his series of lectures: History of Modern Germany. 1933 Seizure of Power Very detailed lecture article on the events of January 1933 by Prof Rempel, based on  Martin Broszat, Hitler and the Collapse of the Weimar Republic (New York: St. Martin Press, 1987). From the History of Modern Germany lecture series. Reichstag Fire  Account based heavily on The Hundred Days to Hitler by Roger Manvell and Heinrich Frankel The Breakdown of the Republic, 1930-1933 Clear online lecture notes by Prof. Raffael Scheck, Colby College, Maine. Includes sections on: Central questions; The role of women in the Nazi success; Explanations for the failure of the Republic; Concluding remarks. Extracted from his useful Germany & Europe 1871-1945 For extensive links to Hitler's Germany go to the casahistoria Hitler site  casahistoria home                            visit caféhistoria for updates and current topic news 7. Weimar Art & Culture       Weimar Culture Short introductory piece by Prof. Raffael Scheck, Colby College, Maine. Extracted from his useful Germany & Europe 1871-1945 Cultural Life in the Republic Essay with focus on Architecture and Philosophy. Professor Rempel, Western New England College. From his series of lectures: History of Modern Germany Modernism Web site of the V&A exhibition in London (May-July '06) the V&A. Very useful site bringing together a mass of exhibits, drawings and photos it looks at the development of the movement in the interwar period. The focus is rightly on developments in central & eastern Europe and index can be centred on countries individually. Cinema Weimar Cinema – Between Classical Cinema and Avant-Garde. very detailed, well linked and illustrated site to all aspects of Weimar cinema - expressionism, rivalry with Hollywood, perceptions of films of such as those of Fritz Lang over time. German Film Institute. This is the English version which is thorough, however the German site is more detailed still: Hollywood in Berlin: American Cinema and Weimar Germany The setting is 1920s Berlin, cultural heart of Europe and the era's only serious cinematic rival to Hollywood. Thomas Saunders explores an outstanding example of one of the most important cultural developments of this century: global Americanization through the motion picture. (University of California Press, 1994) Literature Weimar Culture/Kafka's Prague: Intellectual historian Bruce Thompson outlines Weimar Germany's historical, cultural and literary traditions, and then fits Kafka's output into the context of the times. International Brecht Society Use the index on the left to find what you need. Architecture Bauhaus school of architecture Excellent site with sections on: History Ideologies Achievements Typography  Visual Arts German Art  from Spartacus. Covers entire interwar period. Der Blaue Reiter: Paintings by artists from the Blue Rider art movement are found here along with additional biographical articles. The site is in German but most of the linked biographies are in English. Ernst Barlach Link to the Barlach Museum. Excellent site to the artist and sculptor. In German, but easily navigable for the many images George Grosz Artist associated with the Dada movement in Berlin Born 26 July 1893 in Berlin, died 6 July 1959 in Berlin. Click here for images of his best known works Otto Dix (1891-1969),  German Expressionist, was famous for his unique and grotesque style. Although Hitler's Nazi regime destroyed many of Otto Dix's works, the majority of his paintings can still be seen in museums throughout Germany. This is a guide to the best known Otto Dix: A biography of Dix is found here along with excerpts from interviews, critics' judgments, and additional information. Unfortunately, there are only a few examples of Dix's work, but overall the site is worth visiting. Käthe Kollwitz Link to the Kollwitz Museum in Cologne for this powerful expressionist artist of the period. Well set out as an interactive tour. Also in  German. See also the (English language) site of the private Käthe-Kollwitz-Museum in Berlin. Kathe Kollwitz - Symbol of Letting Go "Kathe Kollwitz had a long talk with her son, Peter, when he decided to volunteer in 1914; and she gave him her blessing, and regretted it for the rest of her life. Jay Winter looks at one aspect of the impact of World War 1 on the artist. Cabaret The German Cabaret Good site, looks at cabaret from its Munich roots to the Berlin Cabaret familiar to many through the hit musical Cabaret, Bob Fosse's highly atmospheric film, images of smoke-filled clubs, semi-naked women, and Marlene Dietrich as femme fatale Lola Lola in The Blue Angel. Information on German Cabaret and related areas Many links from Wisconsin.... casahistoria home                            visit caféhistoria for updates and current topic news 8. General links to the Weimar period     Germany 1919–1939 School site from johndclare.net Looks at the Weimar/Hitler period in very structured way (but navigation can be difficult). Many subsidiary links in the format of the current guided learning UK style textbooks with each section having a basic outline narrative text, then documents and exercises. (includes the exercises used by the school - good practice). Worthwhile as a basic starter for structure Weimar Republic Basic, but well detailed and linked outline from the LearningSite. Brief Weimar Timeline Part of a college history course, this page contains a very basic timeline of Weimar Germany, and a short crib-sheet on economic, political and Nazi problems which continues here.  § The Weimar Republic A detailed and analytical examination of the Weimar era in seven parts. Navigation is less than easy - use the link at the bottom of the page to advance. Useful links within the site to documents. The discussion begins with an in-depth look at how the Treaty of Versailles treated Germany, and moves on to consider the constitution (and its apparent failure), as well as uprisings and culture. The site includes a timeline The Weimar Republic and the Third Reich A chronology casahistoria home                            visit caféhistoria for updates and current topic news       and finally: fed up looking at this screen? Try a book instead!           Use casahistoria's list of recommended reads to curl up with ...   These have all been read and are recommended by casahistoria   For a longer(!) list including several novels & fuller crits/descriptions go to              casahistoria home                              visit caféhistoria for updates and current topic news   v08.11

 

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