1.2 National Constituent Assembly, Treaty of Versailles, and the Weimar Republic Flashcards
(26 cards)
Where was the National Constituent Assembly located?
Weimar, Saxony
What did the National Constituent Assembly do?
Officially elected Friedrich Ebert as president
Accepted the Treaty of Versailles in 1919
Drew up the Weimar Constitution
Restored a parliament (Reichstag) to Berlin
How did most Germans view the Treaty of Versailles?
“Unfair humiliation”, widely despised
Viewed as a dictated peace that would be the death of German democracy
How were Wilson’s 14 Points set aside in the Treaty of Versailles?
The right to self-determination was not applied; 12% of the population was left outside Germany
What was the War Guilt Clause?
Germany was to take sole responsibility for the outbreak of WW1
What were armed forces reduced to in the Treaty of Versailles?
100,000 (disarmament); nationalists believed this left Germany vulnerable
How much did Germany have to pay in reparations?
126,000 million marks (1926)
What were the economic impacts of the Treaty of Versailles?
Reparations contributed to hyperinflation in 1923
Loans from the USA were recalled in 1923
What did Germany lose economically due to the Treaty of Versailles?
13% of land
16% of coal production
48% of iron ore
Why was proportional representation a strength of the Weimar Constitution?
It gave minor parties influence and all Germans over 20 could vote
Why was proportional representation a weakness of the Weimar Constitution?
It meant no party had majority and all governments were coalitions
What did the Bill of Rights guarantee?
Individual rights
Freedom of speech, workers could belong to a union, equality of all people by law, limited welfare provision, and protection of labor
How did the Weimar Constitution limit the power of leading politicians?
The Chancellor could only rule with majority vote in the Reichstag and had to be elected every 5 years
President had to be elected every 7 years and had to defend the constitution
What was Article 48?
A law stating Chancellors/Presidents could rule by decree (emergency powers), suspending democracy
How many times was Article 48 used by 1932?
100 issues
What did the Weimar Constitution fail to do?
Reform traditional institutions - the army, judicial system, and civil service were independent/not loyal to the constitution
What did the Weimar Constitution limit?
Welfare provisions, particularly unemployment benefits
What were the causes of hyperinflation?
Food shortages caused by poor harvests/WW1
Loss of resources in Treaty of Versailles
Unable to pay reparations - Chancellors resorted to printing more money, decreasing mark value
When was the invasion of the Ruhr?
January 1923
Why did the French invade the Ruhr?
Germany could not pay its second reparations installment, so France aimed to take it in the form of resources
How did the German government combat the invasion of the Ruhr?
Called on workers to carry out passive resistance
How did the invasion of the Ruhr contribute to inflation?
The Ruhr was a key industrial center of Germany. When production halted due to passive resistance, the government still had to pay workers’ wages, despite the loss of resources.
More money was printed in response.
What was the mark worth in 1919 compared in 1923?
1919 - £1 equals 20 marks
1923 - £1 equals 20,000 marks
What type of economy did Germany become as a result of the hyperinflation crisis?
A barter economy
