How would a 1930s restored German Empire looks like?

On a non nazi scenario that results with the DNVP seizing power after Hindenburg dies and Wilhelm III being crowned as the German Emperor, how would the German monarchy looks like? Would they restore the 1871 constitution or make a new one? Would Wilhelm III have a nationalist empire since he was a member of the Stahlhelm? Could Wilhelm III, or if the power is centralized on the Chancellor, Hugenberg, still cause a global war? While the DNVP was a conservative party, it had many proto fascist things like a youth (the bismarckjugend), could the DNVP install a fascist monarchy like Italy?
 
Under the scenario given by you? Not at all.

The DNVP had already said goodbye to the restoration of the monarchy in the mid-1920s. Since then, the party had been more oriented towards Italian fascism and the idea of a presidential dictatorship. If the DNVP had come to power, they would certainly have invited the Hohenzollern back to Germany. But they certainly would not have reinstated William II or his son.

Moreover, even in a scenario in which the NSDAP does not become a mass party for various reasons, the DNVP would have come to power only through a civil war (excluding the possibility of a coalition government). The party simply lacked support within the more urban and proletarian population. The NSDAP was not able to score disproportionately there, but at least it had the "revolutionary" propaganda with which it scored points there (below average, but nevertheless).
 
Under the scenario given by you? Not at all.

The DNVP had already said goodbye to the restoration of the monarchy in the mid-1920s. Since then, the party had been more oriented towards Italian fascism and the idea of a presidential dictatorship. If the DNVP had come to power, they would certainly have invited the Hohenzollern back to Germany. But they certainly would not have reinstated William II or his son.

Moreover, even in a scenario in which the NSDAP does not become a mass party for various reasons, the DNVP would have come to power only through a civil war (excluding the possibility of a coalition government). The party simply lacked support within the more urban and proletarian population. The NSDAP was not able to score disproportionately there, but at least it had the "revolutionary" propaganda with which it scored points there (below average, but nevertheless).

And a Chancellor dictatorship with Wilhelm III or one of his brothers as a figurehead?
 
And a Chancellor dictatorship with Wilhelm III or one of his brothers as a figurehead?
Why would they try do do that? Wilhelm II had threatened his son in 1932 to expel him from the family and disinherit if he would compete for the "red Ebert throne" (ie the office of President). At that time, Wilhelm of Prussia had considered being the candidate of a "united right" of DNVP and NSDAP. His father's threat stifled this idea in the bud.

In addition, they would have to change the constitution for this: The President was not less influential than the emperor, which is why the office was also called "replacement emperor". When Hindenburg decided to run for office in 1925, he read the new constitution for the first time: It is said that he marked the passages that he liked. It was above all the passages in which the power of the Reich President was established. Hindenburg said that the power of the Reich President would be a good starting point for an autocratic-conservative transformation. Realistically, in the case of a civil war won by the German Conservatives, the Reich President would permanently receive dictatorial powers and the Chancellor would depend only on his mercy.

If you are looking for a point to restore the Hohenzollern monarchy, you probably will not get around on a successful July 20, 1944: Many conspirators planned to use Louis Ferdinand of Prussia as the new emperor. Similar to Spain after the death of Franco.
 
Istr that there was some difference between father and son.

The Kaiser thought in terms of a full-blown restoration, ie with all the other princely houses restored at the same time. The Kronprinz had apparently noticed that the Weimar Constitution gave the Reichprasident powers in some ways greater than the Kaisers had had, so would have been reasonably happy to keep it, but with an hereditary Emperor replacing the President, What the grandsons thought I'm not certain.
 
Istr that there was some difference between father and son.

The Kaiser thought in terms of a full-blown restoration, ie with all the other princely houses restored at the same time. The Kronprinz had apparently noticed that the Weimar Constitution gave the Reichprasident powers in some ways greater than the Kaisers had had, so would have been reasonably happy to keep it, but with an hereditary Emperor replacing the President, What the grandsons thought I'm not certain.
Correct. The son of Wilhelm II thought about replacing the office of Reich President with that of the Emperor in a coup d'état. But I doubt whether he would ultimately have the power to do so: Most of the german Right that supported him would not have done so out of a yearning for monarchical restoration, but because he was their means to an end.
 
Would such a state be more reticent about annexing Austria and the Sudetenland and focus its irredentist efforts on territory lost in the east to Poland?
 
Would such a state be more reticent about annexing Austria and the Sudetenland and focus its irredentist efforts on territory lost in the east to Poland?

I can't really see them going very far with that - Poland had a relatively large and relatively modern army and thus would almost certainly be immediately defended by France (and maybe UK) against any German claims. And without Czech/Austrian industry/gold I can't see Germany rearming rapidly enough to be able to defeat France, Poland, probably with some UK support, maybe Romania, and (rather unlikely but still on the table) Czechoslovakia simultaneously. And if the Soviets don't actively support Germany it's hard to see Italy doing so either.

Actually depending on how soon Germany starts pressing their claims on Poland they might just die while trying to remilitarize the Rhineland, if Poland agrees to jump them with France.
 
I can't really see them going very far with that - Poland had a relatively large and relatively modern army and thus would almost certainly be immediately defended by France (and maybe UK) against any German claims. And without Czech/Austrian industry/gold I can't see Germany rearming rapidly enough to be able to defeat France, Poland, probably with some UK support, maybe Romania, and (rather unlikely but still on the table) Czechoslovakia simultaneously. And if the Soviets don't actively support Germany it's hard to see Italy doing so either.

Actually depending on how soon Ge rmany starts pressing their claims on Poland they might just die while trying to remilitarize the Rhineland, if Poland agrees to jump them with France.


In a letter to the ex-Kronprinz in 1925 Stresemann included the union with Austria, though he considered it "in the background" compared to other issues.

The following year, in a letter t the German Foreign Office approved by General Von Seeckt Joachim Von Stulpnagel also included the Anschluss in a list of aims.
So it seems clear that the Grman Right expected to acquire Austria at some point though it wasn't there highest priority.

Both letters are quoted in JCG Rohl From Bismarck to Hitler, Ch V.
 
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So it seems clear that the Grman Right expected to acquire Austria at some point though it wasn't there highest priority.

And I'd argue that by itself is the issue. Any scenario in which Germany annexes Austria later would imply WWII starts later, and the later it starts the more prepared France and the UK will be. It's certainly possible this Germany builds up its army slowly then annexes Austria, which France deems to be not worth getting dragged into war over, and then just stops there since they aren't gambling on ruining their economy for a more rapid militarization.

So the TL;DR here is if this Germany takes Poland as its top priority it would (in my view) lose pretty quickly. So either it can go as OTL or build up its military slower than OTL and stop after Austria (or maybe Czechoslovakia), or continue on and start a war with rather unfavorable odds (prepared France + UK).
 
And I'd argue that by itself is the issue. Any scenario in which Germany annexes Austria later would imply WWII starts later, and the later it starts the more prepared France and the UK will be. It's certainly possible this Germany builds up its army slowly then annexes Austria, which France deems to be not worth getting dragged into war over, and then just stops there since they aren't gambling on ruining their economy for a more rapid militarization.

So the TL;DR here is if this Germany takes Poland as its top priority it would (in my view) lose pretty quickly. So either it can go as OTL or build up its military slower than OTL and stop after Austria (or maybe Czechoslovakia), or continue on and start a war with rather unfavorable odds (prepared France + UK).

There is a reason if the OTL sequence was what it was, and it isn't simply geography (though that counts too). Start with the lowest hanging fruit and turn it into a stepping stone (sorry for mixing metaphors) to the next one.

Just one thing: France and Britain were behind on the rearmament curve, but they were on that curve at all because Germany had become once again the bull in the European china shop. Had Germany been less aggressive and slower, I wouldn't bet the French and British preparations would have had the same pace as in OTL; meaning that they might be behind in such an ATL, too.
 
@HelloThere I just noticed one thing, re-reading your comment.

In Portugal after the 1926 the royal family and the conservatives tough that the monarchy was restored, so they (and the clergy) support Carmona's junta, but at the end they made the dictatorship of the portuguese New State with Salazar.

Hugenberg would try to do something similar, then?
 
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