{"id":1930,"date":"2018-01-20T15:30:07","date_gmt":"2018-01-20T15:30:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/schoolshistory.org.uk\/topics\/?page_id=1930"},"modified":"2026-05-06T15:40:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T15:40:00","slug":"german-society-second-reich","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/schoolshistory.org.uk\/topics\/european-history\/weimar-nazi-germany\/german-society-second-reich\/","title":{"rendered":"German Society during the Second Reich"},"content":{"rendered":"

German Society during the Second Reich was dominated by the middle classes and the aristocracy. Whilst there was Universal Suffrage for men aged above 25 the real political power was very firmly in the hands of the nobility.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Urbanisation and it’s impact on German Society in the Second Reich<\/h3>\n

Economic prosperity and growth led to increased urbanisation within Germany, 60% of the populace lived in towns and cities by 1910. This led to the emergence of a stronger socialist movement during the latter stages of the 19th century, though this was controlled initially by Bismarck via the introduction of welfare legislation and later through anti-socialist legislation<\/a>. Much of Germany could be considered to have a military tradition at this time. The Military was of great importance to the Second Reich throughout its inception and was much loved by many of those with political power, particularly the Prussian aristocracy.<\/p>\n

German Election Results in the Second Reich<\/h3>\n

Generally speaking, the Second Reich was therefore a conservative society, as illustrated by these electoral results:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Party<\/td>\n1887<\/td>\n1890<\/td>\n1893<\/td>\n1898<\/td>\n1903<\/td>\n1907<\/td>\n1912<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
German conservatives<\/td>\n80<\/td>\n73<\/td>\n72<\/td>\n56<\/td>\n54<\/td>\n60<\/td>\n43<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Free conservatives<\/td>\n41<\/td>\n20<\/td>\n28<\/td>\n23<\/td>\n21<\/td>\n24<\/td>\n14<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
National Liberals<\/td>\n99<\/td>\n42<\/td>\n53<\/td>\n46<\/td>\n51<\/td>\n54<\/td>\n45<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Centre<\/td>\n98<\/td>\n106<\/td>\n96<\/td>\n102<\/td>\n100<\/td>\n105<\/td>\n91<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Left Liberals<\/td>\n32<\/td>\n76<\/td>\n48<\/td>\n49<\/td>\n36<\/td>\n49<\/td>\n42<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Social Democrats<\/td>\n11<\/td>\n35<\/td>\n44<\/td>\n56<\/td>\n81<\/td>\n43<\/td>\n110<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Minorities<\/td>\n33<\/td>\n38<\/td>\n35<\/td>\n34<\/td>\n32<\/td>\n29<\/td>\n33<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Right Wing Splinter Parties<\/td>\n3<\/td>\n7<\/td>\n21<\/td>\n31<\/td>\n22<\/td>\n33<\/td>\n19<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Total<\/td>\n397<\/td>\n397<\/td>\n397<\/td>\n397<\/td>\n397<\/td>\n397<\/td>\n397<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Source: European History for AS Level, Edited by Steve Lancaster, Causeway Press.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Germany 1919 – 1945 Links<\/h2>\n

The Second Reich<\/h3>\n

Unification of Germany<\/a> – Political systems within the Second Reich<\/a> – German Society during the Second Reich<\/a> – Collapse of the Second Reich<\/a><\/p>\n

Weimar Republic<\/h3>\n

Interim Government<\/a> –\u00a0Founding of the Weimar Republic<\/a> –\u00a0Impact of the First World War on Germany<\/a> –\u00a0The Treaty of Versailles and its impact on Germany<\/a> –\u00a0Weimar Constitution<\/a>1919-1923: Years of Crisis?<\/a> –\u00a0Spartacist Uprising<\/a> –\u00a0Kapp Putsch<\/a> – Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold<\/a> – Reparations<\/a> –\u00a0Hyperinflation in Germany, 1923<\/a> –\u00a01924-1928: A Golden Era?<\/a> – 1925 Presidential Election<\/a> – Gustav Stresemann<\/a> –\u00a0German Foreign Relations 1919-1932<\/a> –\u00a0Germany in the Great Depression<\/a> \u00a0–\u00a0Failings of the Weimar Republic<\/a> – Dada Movement<\/a><\/p>\n

Rise of the Nazi Party<\/h3>\n

The Munich Putsch<\/a> –\u00a0Did the Economic Crisis of 1923 help the Nazi’s?<\/a> –\u00a0Origins of the Nazi Party<\/a> –\u00a0Rise of the Nazi Party<\/a><\/p>\n

Nazi Germany<\/h3>\n

Totalitarian Regime in Nazi Germany<\/a> –\u00a0How did Hitler consolidate power?<\/a> –\u00a0Mein Kampf<\/a> –\u00a0Nazi methods of control<\/a> –\u00a0Opposition to the Nazi Regime<\/a> –\u00a0Organisation of the Nazi Party<\/a> –\u00a0Fuhrerprinzip<\/a> –\u00a0Kristallnacht<\/a> –\u00a0Youth and Education<\/a> –\u00a0Goering and the 2nd 4 Year Plan<\/a> –\u00a0Anti-Jewish Boycott, 1933<\/a> –\u00a0Nazi Anti-Semitism<\/a> –\u00a0DAF (The German Labour Front)<\/a> –\u00a0Propaganda in Germany 1919-39<\/a> –\u00a0Economic Policy of the Nazi Party<\/a> – Kreisau Circle<\/a> – The Confessing Church<\/a> – Catholic Church<\/a> – Edelweiss Pirates<\/a><\/p>\n

Biographies<\/h3>\n

Ludwig Beck<\/a> – Dietrich Bonhoeffer<\/a> – Bishop Clemens von Galen<\/a> – Carl Goerdeler<\/a> – Robert Ley<\/a> – Helmuth von Moltke<\/a> – Martin Niemoller<\/a> – Erwin Rommel<\/a>\u00a0– Hjalmar Schacht<\/a> – Sophie Scholl<\/a> – Albert Speer<\/a> – Claus von Stauffenberg<\/a> –\u00a0Fritz Todt<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

German Society during the Second Reich was dominated by the middle classes and the aristocracy. Whilst there was Universal Suffrage for men aged above 25 the real political power was very firmly in the hands of the nobility. Urbanisation and it’s impact on German Society in the Second Reich Economic prosperity and growth led to… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":13,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"off","neve_meta_content_width":100,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1930","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t