IGCSE REVISION - GERMANY: THE YEARS OF UNREST. Defeat in 1918 led to the Kaiser’s abdication, a republic and a new constitution. The new Germany faced huge problems up to 1924, not least those caused by its punishment in the Treaty of Versailles.

1. DEPTH STUDY
REVISION GERMANY
THE YEARS
OF UNREST
02

2. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY – MR. D
INTRODUCTION
• Germany faced all sorts of problems in the years following the First
World War.

3. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY – MR. D
REASONS FOR DISCONTENT
• Thousands of people were poor and starving.
• An influenza pandemic has killed thousands.
• Many Germans denied they had lost the war and blamed the
“November Criminals” who had agreed to the Armistice and the
Treaty of Versailles.
• Others blamed for losing the war included the communists, the
government and the Jews.
• The government was seen as weak and ineffective – the Treaty of
Versailles had made living conditions worse in Germany.

4. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY – MR. D
RIOTS AND REBELLIONS
• In 1919, the communists led by Karl Liebknecht and Rosa
Luxemburg tried to take over Berlin in the Spartacist Revolt – but
they were defeated by the Freikorps.
• In 1920, some of the right-wing Freikorps themselves took part in
the Kapp Putsch (Kapp revolt) – led by Wolfgang Kapp.
• They took over Berlin to form another government.
• The workers staged a General Strike and Kapp gave up.
• The Government didn’t punish the rebels, because many judges
sympathised with people like Kapp.
• In 1922 Walter Rathenau was assassinated. He was the Foreign
minister who signed a peace treaty with Russia after the war.

5. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY – MR. D
1923 – NO REPARATIONS WERE PAID
• France and Belgium occupied the Ruhr – the richest industrial part
of Germany, to take resources instead.
• This led to fury in Germany, while workers in the Ruhr refused to
work.
• German industry was devastated again, plunging the economy
into hyperinflation.
• Hyperinflation happens when production can’t keep up with the
amount of money there is, so the money keeps losing its value.

6. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY – MR. D

7. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY – MR. D
HYPERINFLATION – MAJOR RESULTS
1) Wages were paid twice a day before prices went up again.
2) The middle classes lost out as bank savings became worthless.
3) The German Mark became worthless.

8. CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – DEPTH STUDY: GERMANY – MR. D
HOMEWORK 722
The discontent in Germany got worse when the economy went
wrong – but there were lots of other factors too.
WRITE A LIST OF REASONS WHY THERE WAS SO MUCH
DISCONTENT.