Chapter 9 The Resolution of the Weimar Republic

Over the years, Germany has been in turmoil almost all the time!

Not to mention, since the birth of the Weimar Republic in 1919, it has also experienced severe tests again and again.

The republic had just been born and was in crisis: the left accused the SPD of betraying the interests of the workers by preventing the communist revolution; the right opposed democracy and insisted that Germany should return to its former monarchy.

In the eyes of the left, the Weimar government was a traitor to the revolution by suppressing the workers' uprising and killing well-known left-wing leaders such as Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg.

In the eyes of the rightists, the Weimar government forced the Kaiser to abdicate and signed a peace treaty with the Allied Powers during the November Revolution, and it was a traitor to the nation!

Subversion continued, and by 1920, the Free Corps staged a Karp coup, occupied Berlin and elected right-wing journalist Wolfgang Karp as chancellor. The Weimar government retreats to Stuttgart.

In 1921, communist uprisings took place in both Saxony and Hamburg, which were successfully suppressed.

Just earlier this year, French and Belgian armies occupied the Ruhr region, Germany's richest industrial town, and took control of local mines and manufacturing companies, because the republic could not pay the war reparations stipulated in the Treaty of Versailles.

Due to a series of needs, the German conquest had to print a lot of money, leading to domestic hyperinflation.

How bad is inflation? Just in August this year, the mark against the US dollar fell from 4.2 yuan to one million yuan! In this month, it has dropped to 4.2 trillion yuan!

Domestic economic and political issues in Germany are all entangled and entangled, and the prestige of the Weimar government has long since been reduced to the lowest level!

The success of Hitler's beer hall coup must not be analyzed individually, but must be placed in the context of the entire country, even the international context!

And now, with the leader of the party, government and army in control of Bavaria, Hitler's beer hall coup has evolved into a big threat enough to destroy the Weimar Republic!

The Munich uprising just hit the soft underbelly of the Weimar government! Now, with the rapid devaluation of the currency, the anger of the populace over the French occupation of Germany's Ruhr industrial area is about to explode!

When the news reached Berlin, Friedrich Ebert, the right-wing leader of the German Social Democratic Party and the first president of the Weimar Republic, convened an emergency meeting.

Albert is now in his fifties. He has not lived a stable day since he became president. Germany has always been in turmoil, and now, the problem of the Ruhr industrial area has not been solved, and Munich has There's a rebellion!

"Hitler's conspiracy must not be allowed to succeed. The entire Workers' Party is crazy. If they are allowed to come to power, they will bring the entire German nation to the cliff!" Albert said worriedly.

"Yes, we must maintain our German democracy and legal system. I suggest sending troops immediately to suppress it!"

Gustav Stresemann, the German chancellor who just took office this year, also fully agreed with Albert's judgment at this time.

This group of rebels is not for the interests of the Republic at all. They are constantly making promises to the people that are impossible to achieve. They are only trying to seize the power of Germany!

"We can send troops, but what will we decide?" Defense Minister Otto Karl Gessler asked the two of them.

What's your decision? The news that comes now is not very optimistic.

This group of rebels launched Ludendorff to be the spiritual leader. At the same time, they also controlled the Bavarian garrison commander Losov and the Bavarian state governor Karl, while the other leader, Seysel, had died in the riot!

These Bavarian officials were taken hostage, and a large number of people were bewitched! It is conceivable that when such people flow to Berlin, they will reach tens of thousands!

If we send troops to suppress the rebellion, we must confront these people. If they push out the hostages such as Losov, should we take into account the safety of these hostages?

If there is a conflict, will the army's guns be aimed at the bewitched people? Once serious bloodshed occurs, will the Weimar government lose its prestige in the country?

Gessler can send troops, but he has foreseen the possible consequences, he must make it clear.

"Everyone who comes to Berlin is a rebel. We must resolutely suppress it! We must not let the Roman invasion of Italy happen in our Germany!" Albert said firmly.

Italy, Rome marches! All of this was done by the fascist leader of Italy, Mussolini, who was dissatisfied with the fascist party's 535 seats in the 1921 Italian parliamentary election, which only won 105 seats and called for 30,000 supporters to enter Rome.

This riot successfully led the then Italian King Emmanuel III to appoint Mussolini as prime minister. From then on the fascists in Italy came to power!

Why did Hitler carry out the current beer hall coup? In fact, he wanted to go the Italian way, and Mussolini's success was inspiring him!

It's a pity that he still doesn't know that history can't be replicated.

Just as the October Revolution could bury the Russian Tsar, but could not ignite the land of China, Mussolini's success could not be repeated for Hitler!

Because, the Weimar government is not a weak Italian king!

As long as those who come to Berlin to make trouble are rebels, they are trampling on the legal system of the Republic. We must not be soft on such people! Albert is determined.

This is also related to Albert's style. After all, if you want to save Germany, you must use force!

As early as 1918, Albert ordered the Wehrmacht to suppress the riots in Berlin, and at that time, there was almost a river of blood!

The Weimar government will not bow its head in front of the rebels!

"In my opinion, it is better to let the Freedom Corps be dispatched, and then we will end up." Streseman said.

Freedom Corps! As a defeated country, Germany, after withdrawing from World War I, was greatly restricted according to the Treaty of Versailles. The number of their army was 100,000 and the number of navy was 15,000.

In this way, there will be a large number of soldiers who need to retire, and many of these soldiers will form a semi-military organization, the Freedom Corps!

It's not official anyway, not within the limits of the Treaty of Versailles. In Germany, there are many such organizations. For example, Hitler's stormtroopers were also organized by such civilian military.

The Freedom Corps is also very capable of fighting. For example, in 1919, they suppressed the workers' uprising in Berlin. Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht were all killed by them!

After the incident, Albert gave special approval and handed it over to a military court for punishment.

This kind of dirty work, it's better for the Freedom Corps to be dispatched!