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Biographies
Adenauer, Konrad
Bauer, Gustav
Bernstorf
Bock, Fedor von
Braun, Otto
Brockdorff-Rantzau, Ulrich Graf von
Bruening, Heinrich
Cuno, Wilhelm Carl Josef
Ebert, Friedrich
Eisner, Kurt
Erzberger, Mathias
Fehrenbach, Konstantin
Frick, Wilhelm
Groener, Karl Eduard Wilhelm
Hess, Rudolph
Hilferding, Rudolf
Hindenburg, Paul Ludwig Hans von
Hitler, Adolf
Kahr, Gustav Ritter von
Knilling, Eugen von
Kohl, Helmut
Krosigk, Lutz Graf Schwerin von
Liebknecht, Karl
Lossow, Otto von
Ludendorf, Erich von
Luther, Hans
Marx, Wihelm
Maximilian of Baden
Mueller, Alfred
Mueller, Herman
Muller, Hermann
Nadolny, Rudolf
Neurath, Constantin Freiher von
Noske, Gustav
Papen, Franz von
Preuss, Hugo
Rahn, Rudolf
Rathenau, Walter
Rundstedt, Karl Rudolf von
Schacht, Horace Greeley Hjalmar
Scheidemann, Philip
Scheidemann, Phillip
Schleicher, Kurt von
Schmitt, Kurt
Schoerner, Ferdinand
Seeckt, Hans von
Stressman, Gustav
Wessel, Horst
Wilhelm II
Wirth, Karl Joseph
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Republic
History of Germany

              

1862
Kahr, Gustav Ritter von
29th Nov Wesenburg Birth of Gustav Ritter von Kahr
1879
Papen, Franz von
29th Oct Werl Birth of Franz von Papen, Werl, Westphalia to a wealthy noble family
1882
Schleicher, Kurt von
7th April Brandenburg Birth of Kurt von Schleicher
1890
Kahr, Gustav Ritter von
Marries Ella Schubeck
1918
Ebert, Friedrich
Berlin The new model Reichswehr armed forces, limited by the Treaty of Versailles to 100,000 army soldiers and 15,000 seamen, remains fully under the control of the German officer class despite its nominal re-organisation
31st July Berlin the 1871 constitution is amended to make the Reich a parliamentary democracy, which the government had refused for half a century, the Chancellor is henceforth responsible to Parliament, the Reichstag, and no longer to the Kaiser
31st July Berlin The plan to transform Germany into a constitutional monarchy similar to Britain quickly becomes obsolete as the country slid into a state of near-total chaos
31st July Berlin The Weimar Republic is adopted
29th Oct Berlin Rebellion breaks out when the military command, without consultation with the government, orders the German High Seas Fleet to sortie
29th Oct Berlin The crews of two ships in Wilhelmshaven mutiny, when the military arrest about 1,000 seamen and have them transported to Kiel, the Wilhelmshaven mutiny turns into a general rebellion that quickly swept over most of Germany
7th Nov Berlin The revolution had reaches Munich, causing King Ludwig III of Bavaria to flee
9th Nov Berlin In a legally questionable act, Reichskanzler Prince Max of Baden transfers his powers to Friedrich Ebert, leader of the MSPD, who, shattered by the monarchy's fall, reluctantly accepts
1918
Eisner, Kurt
Bavaria Eisner is assassinated & Bavaria joins the Weimar Republic
1918
Liebknecht, Karl
9th Nov Berlin A Soviet republic was proclaimed, at the Berliner Stadtschloss by a left-wing radical named Karl Liebknecht
1918
Maximilian of Baden
3rd Oct Berlin Appointed Chancellor of Germany
3rd Oct Appointed Foreign Minister
22nd Oct Berlin The Reichstag votes for equal suffrage
28th Oct Berlin The Kaiser signs amended constitution
4th Nov Kiel 1st day of the Kiel Mutiny
5th Nov Berlin The first day of the General Strike in Berlin
7th Nov Berlin Bavaria is declared a republic
7th Nov Berlin In a legally questionable act, Reichskanzler Prince Max of Baden transfers his powers to Friedrich Ebert, leader of the MSPD, who, shattered by the monarchy's fall, reluctantly accepts
7th Nov Cologne Sailors capture Cologne
7th Nov Berlin The Demobilization office is setup
7th Nov Berlin The Red flag is raised over the Imperial Palace in Berlin
8th Nov Revolutionaries sieze 11 major cities
9th Nov Berlin Resigns as Chancellor & Foreign Secretary
9th Nov Berlin The Kaiser abdicates
9th Nov Berlin Wilhelm II refuses to abdicate, Prince Max of Baden simply announces that he had done so and frantically attempts to establish a regency under another member of the House of Hohenzollern
1918
Scheidemann, Phillip
9th Nov Berlin Proclaims the new "Free German Republic" without any Party or Government authorization
9th Nov Berlin Scheidemann, concerned in the face of a possible workers' revolution in Berlin, proclaims the Republic from a balcony in the Reichstag building, without consulting any of his colleagues
9th Nov Berlin The Weimar Republic is proclaimed by Philipp Scheidemann at the Reichstag building in Berlin, to the fury of the Reichskanzler, who still hoped to preserve the monarchy
1918
Wilhelm II
7th Nov "Majority Social Democrats" (MSPD, who support a parliamentary system) put themselves at the front of the revolutionary movement & demand that Emperor Wilhelm II abdicate
1919
Bauer, Gustav
Berlin Appointed Chancellor of Germany
20th June Versailles Bauer's cabinet approves the Treaty of Versailles to avoid an Allied invasion
28th June Alsace Lorraine Alsace-Lorraine is ceded to France
28th June Versailles German colonies are divided between the Allies
28th June Versailles Germany is to accept war guilt & pay reparations to the Allies
28th June Rhineland Included in the Treaty is the demilitarization of the Rhineland
28th June Posen Posen is ceded to Poland
28th June Prussia Prussia is ceded to Poland
28th June Versailles The treaty of Versailles is signed
28th June Saarland Under the Treaty of Versailles the Saar is to be administered by the League of Nations
7th July Berlin The Treaty of Versailles is ratified by Germany
12th July North Sea The Blockade of Germany by the Allies is lifted
1919
Brockdorff-Rantzau, Ulrich Graf von
Feb Appointed Foreign Minister
1919
Ebert, Friedrich
Armed attempts at establishing communism, known as the Spartacist uprising, by the Spartacist League and others in the streets of Berlin were put down by paramilitary Freikorps units consisting of volunteer soldiers
Jan Weimar The Weimar Constitution creates a republic under a semi-presidential system with the Reichstag elected by proportional representation
15th Jan Bloody street fights culminated in the beating and shooting deaths of Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht after their arrests
19th Jan Elections are held for the National Constitutional Assembly
19th Jan The National Assembly elections took place, the radical left-wing parties, including the USPD and KPD, are barely able to get themselves organized, leading to a solid majority of seats for the MSPD moderate forces
19th Jan The Socialist and (Non-Socialist) Democratic parties obtained a solid 80 per cent of the vote
19th Jan Weimar To avoid the ongoing fights in Berlin, the National Assembly convenes in the city of Weimar, giving the future Republic its unofficial name
11th Feb Berlin Appointed Commander-in-Chief
11th Feb Appointed Provisional Reich President by the National Constitutional Assembly
11th Aug Weimar The Republic's first Reichspr„sident ("Reich President"), Friedrich Ebert of the SPD, signs the new German constitution into law
1919
Erzberger, Mathias
Appointed Minister of Finance
1919
Fehrenbach, Konstantin
Appointed President of the National Assembly
1919
Nadolny, Rudolf
Berlin Appointed first Secretary to the President of the Weimar Republic
1919
Neurath, Constantin Freiher von
Copenhagen Envoy to Copenhagen
1919
Noske, Gustav
Appointed Minister of Defense
1919
Preuss, Hugo
Appointed Minister of the interior by Scheidemann
Berlin A President can invoke article 48 to suspend civil rights & assume dictatorial power
Berlin Drafts the new German Constitution
Berlin Germany is to be headed by a popularly elected President
Berlin The state will consist of the Reichstag, elected Parliament & Reichsrat
11th Aug Berlin The Republic's first Reichspr„sident ("Reich President"), Friedrich Ebert of the SPD, signs the new German constitution into law
11th Aug Berlin The Weimar constitution is accepted by the National Assembly & signed by the President
1919
Scheidemann, Philip
The first Prime Minister, forms the "Weimar coalition" of SPD, Centre Party & DDP
1919
Scheidemann, Phillip
Feb Berlin 1st Chancellor of the new Republic
Feb Berlin Appointed Chancellor of Germany
Feb Berlin Scheidemann becomes Chancellor, in the Weimar Coalition with the German Democratic Party and the Catholic Center Party
June Berlin Scheidemann resignes along with the DDP owing to disagreement with the Treaty of Versailles
1st June Rhineland The Rhineland Republic is declared with the support of France
19th June Versailles Refuses to sign the treaty of Versailles
20th June Berlin Resigns rather than sign the treaty of Versailles
20th June Berlin Says "may the hand wither that signs such a treaty"
1920
Erzberger, Mathias
Berlin Forced to resign after accusations of financial misdealing
26th Aug Berlin Assassinated by rightist extremists, a symbol of "defeatism"
26th Aug Berlin Death of Mathias Erxberger, assassinated
1920
Fehrenbach, Konstantin
A coalition of the Centre, German Democratic Party & the German Peoples Party
Berlin Appointed Chancellor of Germany
10th Jan Berlin The Treaty of Versailles comes into effect
1920
Groener, Karl Eduard Wilhelm
Appointed Minister of Transport
1920
Noske, Gustav
Appointed President of the Hanover Province
Berlin Resigns after the Kapp Putsch
1920
Rathenau, Walter
10th May Joseph Wirth and Walter Rathenau announce their "Policy of Fulfillment"
1920
Scheidemann, Phillip
Kassel Appointed Mayor of Kassel
1920
Seeckt, Hans von
13th Mar Berlin Informs Noske the army will not fire on the free corps, Noske resigns
1920
Wirth, Karl Joseph
Appointed Minister of Finance
10th May Joseph Wirth and Walter Rathenau announce their "Policy of Fulfillment"
1921
Bernstorf
Berlin Appointed Deputy in the Reichstag
1921
Papen, Franz von
Berlin Appointed Deputy of the Prussian Landtag
1921
Rathenau, Walter
Appointed Minister of Reconstruction
1921
Wirth, Karl Joseph
Berlin Appointed Chancellor of Germany, 1st term
Berlin Appointed Chancellor of Germany, 2nd term
National Disarmament Law takes effect, disbands civil guards
Silesia The League of Nations announces Poland will have Upper Silesia with 4/5 of mines
24th Jan Paris The Paris Conference fixes German war reparations
1st Mar The Allies enter Germany to enforce reparations
21st Mar Silesia Allied Plebiscite Commission rejects vote, draws boundary anyway; takes section of mines, mills and furnaces and 350,000 Germans and puts them under Polish rule
21st Mar Silesia Plebiscite in Upper Silesia, they vote to remain part of Germany
April Reparations payments are to be made in cash or by such in-kind commodities as steel and coal
April The reparations bill is tallied when the Reparations Commission determines that damages caused by Germany amount to $33 billion or 133 billion gold marks
27th April Allied Reparations Committee levels 33 billion war reparations debt onto Germany; commands the handing over of 26% of all exports for 42 years and puts the Germans immediately into 12 billion in arrears
3rd May Silesia Polish forces under Wojciech Korfantry invade Upper Silesia
5th May The London Ultimatum sets the total sum of the war indemnity at 132 billion marks
23rd May Silesia German Freikorps smash Polish forces at St Annaberg
24th May St Annaberg Under Allied pressure, all Freikorps units are outlawed
Sep An economic crisis grips Germany which causes runaway inflation and ends additional reparations installments
Sep An initial payment of $250 million reparations is made
26th Oct Berlin Appointed Chancellor of Germany, 2nd term, Joseph Wirth (Center) forms 2nd cabinet
4th Nov German currency begins to collapse
1922
Cuno, Wilhelm Carl Josef
Allied governments grant Germany a temporary moratorium on reparations payments in the hope that their economy would recover and enable the resumption of regular installment payments, France bitterly opposes the moratorium
15th June Berlin Appointed Chancellor of Germany
1922
Ebert, Friedrich
20th Mar Rhineland President Harding orders the US. troops back from the Rhineland
16th April A German-Russia treaty is signed in Italy, recognizes the Soviet Union
Oct Appointed Reich President, 2nd term
Oct France is willing to accept raw material instead of currency for German reparations
1922
Rathenau, Walter
Appointed Foreign Minister
Rapallo Germany signed a treaty - the Treaty of Rapallo - with Russia, and disarmament ss brought to a halt
Cannes Represents Germany at the Cannes Conference
Genoa Represents Germany at the Genoa Conference as part time Foreign Minister
Rapallo Russia & Germany resume relations
Cannes Secures a reduction of reparation payments
Rapallo Signs the treaty, Russia & Germany agree not to claim reparations from each other
6th Jan Cannes Represents Germany at the Cannes Conference
4th June Berlin After the assassination the President issues "the decree to protect the Republic"
4th June Berlin Caused by extremist reaction to the establishmment of the Weimar Republic
4th June Berlin Death of Walter Rathenau, assassinated
1922
Wirth, Karl Joseph
Berlin Passes the Law for the Protection of the Republic after the assassination of Rathenau
22nd Nov Dr. Wirth leaves office
1923
Bock, Fedor von
30th Sep Thuringia Major Fedor von Bock crushes a coup attempt by the Black Reichswehr
1923
Cuno, Wilhelm Carl Josef
13th Jan Ruhr German Chancellor Cuno declares "passive resistance", strikes, riots and bloody clashes of the occupation troops with workers are common
22nd June Berlin 622,000 Marks to the pound sterling, halved in value in one month
12th Aug Berlin Resigns due to the collapse of the German economy
13th Aug Wilhelm Cuno (No party affiliation) leaves office
1923
Ebert, Friedrich
Ruhr Occupation of the Ruhr leads to hyper-inflation
Ruhr The Republic claimed it could no longer afford the reparations payments required by the Versailles treaty, and the government defaulted on some payments, in response, French and Belgium troops occupied the Ruhr
Ruhr The Ruhr is occupied by the French & Belgiums after non-payment of reparations
15th Nov Ruhr A new currency, the Rentenmark, is introduced at the rate of 1 trillion (1,000,000,000,000) Papiermark for 1 Rentenmark. At that time, 1 U.S. dollar was equal to 4.2 Rentenmark
1923
Hilferding, Rudolf
Appointed Minister of Finance, 1st term
1923
Kahr, Gustav Ritter von
Berlin Appointed Reichcommissioner in Bavaria during a stae of emergency
8th Nov Munich Holds a meeting of Nationalists to mark the 5th anniversary of the WW1 armistice
1923
Knilling, Eugen von
26th Sep Bavaria Declares a state of emergency in Bavaria
1923
Lossow, Otto von
20th Oct Bavaria General Otto von Lossow in Bavaria is relieved of command by Berlin; he refuses.
1923
Ludendorf, Erich von
Berlin Arrested for his part in the Munich Beer Hall putsch
9th Nov Munich Arrives in the Burgerbraukeller in support of the putsch to take control of the Army
9th Nov Munich Proposes the march through Munich which gives the NAZI's their 1st martyrs, 14 killed
1923
Marx, Wihelm
Berlin Appointed Chancellor of Germany, 1st term
Ruhr The Republic claimed it could no longer afford the reparations payments required by the Versailles treaty, and the government defaulted on some payments, in response, French and Belgium troops occupied the Ruhr
Jan Ruhr At the end of the reparations moratorium, Germany cannot resume payments and defaults, France, accompanied by a token Belgium force, marches into the Ruhr Valley and sets up a military occupation
1923
Mueller, Alfred
20th Oct Saxony General Alfred Mueller marches on Saxony to prevent a communist takeover
1923
Schacht, Horace Greeley Hjalmar
Appointed President of the Reichsbank, 1st term
12th Nov Berlin Dr Hjalmar Horace Greeley Schacht is named ''Reichswaehrungskommissar''
1923
Schoerner, Ferdinand
Munich Helps suppress the Beer-Hall Putsch in Munich
1923
Stressman, Gustav
Appointed Foreign Minister
Thuringia Puts down a communist rebellion in Thuringia
Munich Restores order after the Munich Beer Hall Putcsh
Aug To further stabilise the economy Stressman reduces spending and bureaucracy while increasing taxes
13th Aug Berlin Appointed Chancellor in the "Great Coalition"
13th Aug Heads a coalition government
13th Aug Six days after the Munich putch a reform of the German currency takes place and the Rentenmark is introduced, this effectively ends inflation
13th Aug Stresemann issues the Rentenmark, to halt the extreme hyperinflation crippling German society and the economy. It was successful because Stresemann refused to issue more currency, the cause of the inflationary spiral
24th Sep Ruhr Chancellor Stresemann ends the passive resistance in the Ruhr
26th Sep Berlin Declares an end to passive resistance in the Ruhr
26th Sep Berlin Declares resumption of reparations payments & a state of emergency
26th Sep New Chancellor Gustav Streseman ends the passive resistance during French occupation of the Ruhr
30th Sep Thuringia Major Fedor von Bock crushes a coup attempt by the Black Reichswehr
Oct Hamburg Bloody street riots in Hamburg between communists and the police
Oct Inflation reaches an all time high, 1 US-Dollar costs 40 Billion Marks
Oct Saxony In Saxony and Thuringia the coalition-governments of KPD and SPD protest against the prohibition of the communist and socialist press, the Reichwehr forces these governments to resign
Oct Bavaria The Bavarian government takes direct control over the local parts of the Reichswehr
Oct War bonds (which are rated by Reichsmark, not Goldmark like the reparations) can be paid back without problems, savings on banks (or in war bonds) are lost, leading to widespread poverty
6th Oct Berlin Dr Gustav Stresemann (People's) forms 2nd cabinet
20th Oct Saxony General Alfred Mueller marches on Saxony to prevent a communist takeover