First President of Germany, Friedrich Ebert. French occupation of the Ruhr district for unpaid reparations post WW1, 192

The video discusses the spread of a dangerous theory blaming politicians, particularly President Ebert, for Germany's post-WWI misfortunes, claiming they betrayed the military by signing the Treaty of Versailles. In reality, the military pushed politicians to negotiate due to their defeat. The Allies refused to negotiate with the old regime. Five years after the war, Germany faced economic collapse and defaulted on reparations, leading to the French and Belgian occupation of the Rhineland in 1923. The German population responded with passive resistance, strikes, and sabotage, escalating into violent clashes in the Ruhr area, resulting in deaths and the emergence of martyrs.

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