Germany 1918-45 Timeline
1918
1918
- KAISER WILHELM II forced to abdicate
- An ARMISTICE is signed to end the Great War until a treaty is drawn up
- WEIMAR REPUBLIC is elected as new parliament
- The SPARTACIST RISING: They wanted a Communist revolution to improve the lives of workers
- Weimar Republic signs the TREATY OF VERSAILLES
- New CONSTITUTION published, giving new rights and changing how Germany was governed
- The KAPP PUTSCH: The government tried to disband the Freikorps units so Freikorps units marched to Berlin
- The RED RISING IN THE RUHR. First attempt to overthrow the Weimar Republic by force
- FRENCH INVASION OF THE RUHR happens because reparations have not been paid
- HYPER-INFLATION: Germany prints more money to pay France so money becomes worthless
- STRESEMANN becomes chancellor
- The MUNICH PUTSCH: Nazis take control of beer hall containing important politicians
- END to passive resistance; introduction of the RENTENMARK
- HITLER serves 5 months in prison and writes MEIN KAMPF
- DAWES PLAN: Lower reparation payments agreed, and large USA loans to Germany
- HINDENBURG is elected
- LOCARNO TREATIES: Germany improves foreign relations by promising not to attack Belgium or France
- Germany admitted to the LEAGUE OF NATIONS
- Unemployment Insurance Act
- The YOUNG PLAN: Lowering the reparations that must be paid
- WALL STREET CRASH: Share prices in USA collapse so American companies ask for loans to be repaid
- The GREAT DEPRESSION: Unemployment very high and people are poor and hungry
- The ELECTIONS: Nazis the largest party in the Reichstag but did not have the majority of the vote
- Hindenburg tries to appoint TWO CHANCELLORS which both FAIL: Papen and Schleicher
- Hindenburg appoints Hitler as CHANCELLOR after Papen makes a deal with Hitler. Hitler still does not have the majority to Germany remains a democracy
- The REICHSTAG FIRE: Parliament was set on fire and Communists were blamed
- The ELECTIONS: Nazis put pressure on political opponents
- The ENABLING LAW: This law gave Hitler the power to pass laws without consent from the Reichstag or President
- The BOYCOTT of JEWISH BUSINESS'
- The TRADE UNIONS were taken over and merged in to the new GERMAN LABOUR FRONT
- All POLITICAL PARTIES BANNED so that no one could challenge the Nazis
- Establishment of the 'REICH CHURCH'
- Introduction of MARRIAGE LOAN SCHEME
- Opening of the 'BATTLE FOR WORK'
- NIGHT of the LONG KNIVES: SA leader Rohm was murdered along with many other SA leaders, to secure Hitler's power
- Hindenburg died and HITLER appointed himself PRESIDENT as well as CHANCELLOR
- Schacht's 'NEW PLAN
- NUREMBERG LAWS: All Jews lost German citizenship
- Germany joins the LEAGUE OF NATIONS and is welcomed back into international community
- HITLER YOUTH is made compulsory
- Launching of the 'FOUR YEAR PLAN' under Goering's direction
- Schacht's RESIGNATION as Minister of Economics
- KRISTALLNACHT: Triggered by a Jew killing a German Embassy Official in Paris. Jewish stores are burned, homes ransacked, Jews killed, 30,000 men taken to Concentration camps
- Germany INVADED Poland
- Operation Barbossa launched: USA's ENTRY into WAR
- THE FINAL SOLUTION: Millions of Jews and other minority groups were murdered at Concentration and Death camps in gas chambers or just by severe malnutrition and overwork
- Speer appointed ARMAMENTS Minister
- German SURRENDER at Stalingrad
- Allied invasion of France
- INVASION of Germany
- SUICIDE of Hitler, Goebbels and Himmler