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World War I
28 July 1914 World War I
– triggered by the assassination in Sarajevo (28 June)
– 28 July: Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia
– 1 August: The German Reich declares war on Russia
– 3 August: The German Reich declares war on France
– 5 August: Great Britain declares war on Germany after
German troops invade Belgium -
Period: to
Die Geschichte Deutschland von 1914 dis 1990
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Submarine Warfare
Submarine warfare
As from 1915, the German Reich repeatedly responds
to the British blockade of the Atlantic with submarine
attacks on enemy ships. The USA protest when a
German submarine sinks a British passenger ship
killing 139 American passengers. Following a temporary
lull, the German Reich resumes unrestricted submarine
warfare in 1917, which leads to the entry of the United
States into the war. -
Revolution in Russia
Revolution in Russia
Mutinous troops occupy strategic locations in St. Petersburg
on 25 October (according to the Russian calendar).
The government is overthrown and replaced by a Council of
People’s Commissars under Lenin’s leadership. A bloody
civil war rages until the Bolsheviks gain victory with the help
of their militia, the Red Army. -
Declaration of the Republic in Germany
On his own initiative, the chancellor Max von Baden announces the abdication of Kaiser
Wilhelm II. At 2 p.m. Philipp Scheidemann (SPD) declares the “Democratic Republic” from a
window of the Reichstag. Shortly afterwards, Karl Liebknecht (later KPD) announces the
“Socialist Republic” from the Berlin City Palace. Wilhelm II offi cially abdicates on 28 November -
Weimar Constitution
The Constitutional Convention
adopts a democratic constitution.
It enters into force on 14 August.
On 11 February, Friedrich Ebert
is elected president in Weimar.
The political parties SPD, DDP
and the Centre Party form the
so-called “Weimar Coalition” -
Treaty of Versailles
World War I is offi cially over, and the Treaty of Versailles enters into force.
The German Reich and its allies are made solely responsible for the
outbreak of the war; Germany is forced to concede territory and make
reparation payments. To promote world peace, the treaty stipulates the
founding of an international League of Nations. -
Period: to
1923 Hyperinfl ation
The value of the Mark falls as the government continues to print
money. Prices explode and supplies become scarce.
On 1 November, one loaf of bread costs 192,000,000,000 Mark
in the city of Kassel. The introduction of the “Debt Security Mark”
on 15 November breaks the cycle of infl ation. -
Beer Hall Putsch
Adolf Hitler and Erich Ludendorff declare a
“national revolution” in Munich and plan to
organise a march on Berlin. Local police
quickly subdue the uprising. Hitler is later
arrested and sentenced to prison, but is
released after nine months for “good conduct”. -
A new president
Paul von Hindenburg is elected president
in a run-off election after the death of
Friedrich Ebert. In 1932, he is re-elected
against Adolf Hitler. Hindenburg is a
monarchist who commanded the German
forces during World War I. He believes in
the “stab-in-the-back legend”, which
believes that lack of political support at
home was responsible for the defeat of
German forces. -
Treaty of Locarno
The Treaty of Locarno marks the fi rst steps
towards the normalisation of relations between
Germany and the Allies. All parties agree to
respect national borders. In 1926, Germany is
admitted to the League of Nations (which was
founded in 1920), an international organisation
that aims to maintain world peace. -
Nazis assume power
Adolf Hitler is appointed chancellor by President Hindenburg.
At dusk, National Socialists celebrate by marching through the
Brandenburg Gate in a torchlight parade. The NSDAP became
the strongest parliamentary party in 1932. When Hindenburg
dies in 1934, Hitler assumes the presidency as well.
The Constitutional Convention
adopts a democratic constitution.
It enters into force on 14 August.
11 February, Friedrich Ebert
is elected president in Weimar.
1934, Hitler assumes the presidency as well. -
Olympic Games
From 1 August until 16 August, Berlin
plays host to the Summer Olympic
Games. The Nazi regime uses the
event to present itself to the world
as an open and peaceful country.
The African-American sprinter
Jesse Owens becomes the most
successful athlete in Berlin. Later that
year, the fi rst German Winter Olympics
are held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. -
Attack on Poland
The guarantor states France and
Britain respond to the German
invasion of Poland with a declaration of war, which marks the
beginning of World War ll. On
22 June 1941, Hitler attacks the
Soviet Union. The German defeat
in Stalingrad in 1943 marks
a decisive turning point
in the war. -
Fanta is invented
The ingredients for the Coca Cola recipe are scarce
during wartime. A German chemist develops Fanta,
an orange-fl avoured whey drink. Since the 1950s,
Fanta has been produced in other countries as
well, albeit with a diff erent recipe. -
Pearl Harbor
The Japanese attack on the US base Pearl Harbor in
Hawaii precipitates the entry of the United States into
World War II. More than 2,600 Americans die during the
attack. Germany declares war on the United States on
11 December 1941. The situation for the Allies improves
signifi cantly after the American entry into the war. -
D-Day
Allied forces land in Normandy and open a second front against Nazi Germany.
Around 150,000 soldiers break through the German defences along the French Atlantic
coast. By the end of June, the Allies have more than one million soldiers on French soil. -
German surrender
The German Wehrmacht unconditionally
surrenders to the allied forces. World War II
in Europe is over. Japan surrenders on
2 September, after the explosions of two
atomic bombs in Hiroshima (6 August) and
Nagasaki (9 August). World War II resulted
in an estimated death toll of 50 to 70 million
worldwide. -
German Constitution
he “Grundgesetz”, the West German constitution, comes into
force. It was drafted by the Parliamentary Council (65 electoral
members, including four women) with the backing of the three
Western allies. Theodor Heuss is sworn into offi ce as German
president on 12 September. Three days later, Konrad Adenauer
becomes the fi rst German chancellor. -
NATO membership
The Federal Republic of Germany
becomes a member of NATO.
The military and defence alliance
was founded in 1949 and today
includes 30 members in North
America and Europe. The Eastern
counterpart was the Warsaw
Alliance ***, which was established
in 1955 and included the GDR. -
First man in space
Yuri Gagarin from the Soviet Union becomes the fi rst man in space.
His capsule orbits earth for 106 minutes. The fi rst satellite (Sputnik)
had been successfully launched in 1957. In 1969, American
Neil Armstrong becomes the fi rst man to set foot on the moon
during the Apollo 11 mission.