Reichswehr

The Reichswehr was Germany’s small, professional armed force under the Weimar Republic, established after World War I and restricted by the Treaty of Versailles.

Treaty of Versailles: The 1919 peace treaty that imposed territorial, military, and financial restrictions on Germany after World War I. Its military clauses capped Reichswehr personnel and barred conscription, tanks, military aircraft, and submarines.
German Revolution of 1918–1919: The upheaval that ended the German Empire and established a republic after World War I. The revolution created the political setting in which the new armed forces were organized.
Hans von Seeckt: A German general who led the Reichswehr from 1920 to 1926 and shaped its professional doctrine. As chief of the army command, he established its organizational priorities and political posture.
Kapp Putsch: A failed right-wing coup attempt in Berlin in March 1920 against the Weimar Republic. The Reichswehr leadership refused to suppress the coup, exposing limits on civilian control.
Reichswehr Ministry: The Weimar Republic’s central government department responsible for the armed forces. It directed the army and navy while formal civilian authority remained politically contested.
Armistice of 11 November 1918: The agreement that ended fighting between the Allies and Germany in World War I. Demobilization after the armistice left Germany needing a reduced force.
Wilhelm Groener: A German general and politician who helped manage the transition from imperial rule to the Weimar Republic. His 1918 agreement with Friedrich Ebert preserved army cooperation with the new government.
Beer Hall Putsch: Adolf Hitler’s failed coup attempt in Munich on 8–9 November 1923. The Reichswehr helped defeat the putsch, illustrating its role in responding to political revolt.
Truppenamt: The German Army office that performed General Staff functions after the Treaty of Versailles abolished the General Staff. It preserved military planning expertise under a different name.
Freikorps: Volunteer paramilitary formations that emerged in Germany after World War I, often led by former imperial officers. Freikorps units supplied personnel and methods during the Reichswehr’s early formation.

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