Chronology: Key Events in Germany, 1919-45

1919: The Spartacist Revolt (1). Creation of Weimar Republic. Treaty of Versailles.

1920: The Kapp Putsch (2). The German Workers' Party becomes the National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nazis) under Hitler.

1921: Reparations fixed at £6,600 million (3).

1922: Germany defaults on its reparation instalment.

1923: Invasion of the Ruhr. Hyperinflation. Stresemann becomes Chancellor. Munich Putsch (4).

1924: Dawes Plan (reduces reparation instalments, coupled with a massive foreign loan to Germany). Hitler writes Mein Kampf whilst in prison.

1925: The Locarno Pact (Germany accepts its western frontiers as laid down in the Treaty of Versailles).

1926: Germany joins the League of Nations.

1928: Election: Nazis win just 12 seats (under 3% of vote) (5), Communists 54 (11% of vote).

1929: Young Plan. Death of Stresemann. Wall Street Crash.

1930: Break-up of the 'Grand Coalition'. Election: Nazi breakthrough - 107 seats (18% of vote), Communists 77 (13% of vote).

1932: Election (July): Nazis become largest party with 230 seats (37% of vote), Communists 89 (14% of vote). Election (November): Nazis 196 seats (33% of vote), Communists 100 (17% of vote).

1933 January: Hitler appointed chancellor.
February: Reichstag Fire.
March: Election - Nazis win 288 seats (44% of vote). Enabling Law (6).

1. The Spartacist Revolt is the most famous of a number of communist risings in the period 1919-23. Like others, it was put down by the army and the Freikorps (nationalist ex-soldiers). Such risings made communism appear a very real threat to many Germans.
2. Wolfgang Kapp led this right-wing attempt to seize power in March 1920. Right-wing nationalists resented the Treaty of Versailles and the democratic politicians they blamed for signing it. In particular they resented the division of Germany by the Polish Corridor. In this case the army did not intervene (indicating the right-wing sympathies of much of the establishment) and the putsch was defeated by the action of the trade unions, who organised a general strike.
3. Reparations were to remain a major cause of resentment in Germany, despite the renegotiation of the terms of payment in the Dawes and Young Plans. Hitler and the Nazis, like other right-wing parties, used the reparations issue to help secure support in their election campaign of 1930.
4. This was the botched attempt by Hitler to seize power in Munich prior to a 'march on Berlin' (Mussolini had gained power with a 'march on Rome' the previous year). Hitler's trial for treason gave him national prominence. Hitler decided after the failure that the Nazis must 'hold their noses' and seek to gain power through the ballot box.
5. The 1928 election was a disappointment for the Nazis who had, by then, set up a national organisation. The ray of hope for them was the support they secured in poor rural areas in northern Germany.
6. The Enabling Law gave Hitler and his cabinet the power to enact laws without the Reichstag's permission for four years. It effectively marked the end of parliamentary government (which in practice had not really existed since 1930 as chancellors had governed through the emergency powers granted under Article 48 of the constitution). It effectively ended the Weimar Republic.