Yossra Hamza
7. Consider the government of Heinrich Bruning in 1930-32. Evaluate the justifications for Layton’s assessment that “It is hard to escape the conclusion that this chancellorship was a dismal failure.”
I. Introduction: In March 1930, Heinrich Bruning was appointed Chancellor in hopes that he could solve Germany’s economic situation. Bruning lacked major support in the Reichstag and consistently relied on Article 48 to rule. Historians argue that Bruning’s chancellorship was a failure due to his poor management of the economy. However, some historians argue that Bruning was confronted with multiple economic crises that he had attempted to fix but his policies were unpopular with the Reichstag and with the German people. This essay will assess if Layton’s assessment of Bruning’s chancellorship was a failure or not during the years 1930-32.
II. Heinrich Bruning’s Chancellorship Was A Failure
a. Bruning tried to rule the Reichstag by arranging ad hoc alliances to back each legislation.
i. This proved to be time consuming and made effective day to day government impossible.
b. July 1930: Bruning proposed tax increases and reduction in government expenditures to save the economy after the Wall Street Crash.
i. The Reichstag rejected this proposal which led Bruning to act on Article 48.
c. Bruning was too dependent on Hindenburg with Article 48 to rule the government.
i. Hindenburg dissolved the Reichstag based on Bruning’s urges due to the SPD’s motion to withdraw Article 48.
1. Due to this, extremist parties on the Left and Right wing now had a foothold in the Reichstag.
ii. Layton claims that Bruning’s appointment marked a major shift away from parliamentary democracy.
iii. Layton argues that Bruning was an arch conservative and monarchist prepared to use Article 48 to control the government.
d. The German people viewed Bruning as the “Hunger Chancellor,” due to the economic crises.
i. People disapproved Bruning’s poor management of the economy.
ii. Bruning had poor economic policies which brought poor results.
1. Nearly six million were unemployed in major cities.
2. Bruning reduced wages and cut welfare increased unemployment.
e. Bruning tried to form an Austro-German Customs Union in 1931 to strengthen his coalition government but it failed due to French opposition.
f. Layton argued that Bruning aimed to exploit the economic crisis in Germany to prove to Europe that she was unable to pay the reparations to cancel the reparations which only worsened Germany’s economic situation.
III. Heinrich Bruning’s Chancellorship Was Not a Failure
a. Bruning implemented a program to crack down on political violence.
i. April 1932: Bruning placed a ban on the SA.
b. Bruning proposed a plan of breaking up vast landed estates in Prussia and give them to families to work on.
i. This plan would have made a difference by reducing the chance of a social upheaval, take people of out cities and reduce unemployment.
ii. However, Prussian Junkers opposed his policies and denounced him as an “Agro-Bolshevik.”
iii. The Junkers was powerful and influenced Hindenburg to ask Bruning to step down.
c. Bruning was able to win over some of the chief powers of Europe to support the abolition of Repartions.
d. To an extent, Bruning had strong qualities of being a chancellor but he was put in a severe economic crisis with a fragmented Reichstag which brought upon difficulties for Bruning to implement economic policies.
IV. Conclusion: In conclusion, Bruning had many attempts in which he tried to reduce unemployment and abolish the Reparations imposed. However, during his chancellorship Bruning’s failures outweighed his successes. Bruning had been appointed chancellor during an economic crisis that he himself could not have solved without a cohesive Reichstag. Therefore, Layton’s assessment on Bruning is justified for the reason that Bruning had poor management of the economy, was unable to diplomatically cancel Reparations and during his chancellorship unemployment and significantly increased which consequently led to his unpopularity and dismissal in 1932.