Garrett Peterson's Tension For The Country Of Germany

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Garrett Peterson

The late 19th and early 20th century was a time of high tension for the country of Germany. The late 1800s saw the country grow into a unified country under the leadership of Otto von Bismarck and Kaiser Willhelm II. Their relationship was far from perfect and Bismarck eventually ended up resigning from his position in the year 1890. Unfortunately this did not solve the country’s problems and the overall tension in society continued through World War I into the Weimar Republic. Throughout this entire period of German history there are numerous examples of the people of Germany clashing against one another over all aspects of life. The tension seen in German society during the late 19th and early 20th century was significantly

The looming threat of World War I caused the government of Germany to realize the need for agreement. This resulted in the creation of the Burgfrieden, which was essentially a truce amongst the competing political parties of the time. The question at the time was if the SPD was going to go against their anti-war beliefs in order to support the country. As Stippe argues, this did not last long and the various parties were once again in conflict by 1915. The conflict amongst the political parties during the war was heavily influenced by the actions of the government. Both sides of politics fought over who would influence the future of the country after the war, as well as the decisions being made during the war. This was highlighted through the reactions in the media towards specific political leaders and their actions. One such example was a flysheet circulating in Berlin and Munich in 1916 which read: “The Kaiser is completely surrounded by Jews. His most powerful advisors are the Israelites Ballin, Rathenau, v. Mendelssohn, Arnold, James, Simon, v. Bleichroder, Goldschmidt-Rothschild, Carow, Kappel and others, who as members of an international plutocracy take full advantage of the fact that their relatives sit in high places in all the governments of foreign lands…The kaiser is visibly in close alliance with the Jews… while the exclusion of the Germanic element

The effects of total war proved to continue to destroy the society of Germany after the war had ended. Shortages in food were one of the primary causes of tension in German society. The number of German citizens suffering from starvation continued to grow in big cities especially after the war was over because of the high populations. The dreary living conditions led to an increase in infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, as well as a shortage in housing (Stippe, 106). These negative living conditions experienced by a large number of civilians continued to widen the gap between classes and ultimately distance the population from the government. Not only were the living conditions horrible in big cities, but there were also no available jobs for the unemployed. Large populations of men and women were unable to find a job to support their families when the men returned home. This was in part due to the influx of workers, but also from the negative impacts of the World War. Germany was unable to cope with the needs of its people, while also facing punishment from the world powers. The internal and external effects seen in German society following World War I were significantly influenced by total war and the effects that it has on