Summary 4 : A Golden era? (2) Flashcards

1
Q

which years were calmer politically?

A

1924-1929

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2
Q

what did the Reichstag elections show?

A

much more support for pro-weimar republic parties but right wing anti republican DNVP was still significant

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3
Q

how many coalition governments were their between Nov 23 and March 1930?

A

6,only 2 had the majority support in the Reichstag
- shows the lack of improvement of a stable government and governments did little to plan for the long term, the problem being the no. of workable combinations of partier being limited (eg SPD and DNVP would not serve in the same cabinet)

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4
Q

what was the Grand Coalition?

A

Under Muller (SPD) lasted from June 28 to Sept 1930 and was one of the few to have a majority,best potential for stable government
- but this took over 6 months to agree on overall govt.mpolicies and numerous disputes over foreign policy and the budget

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5
Q

what were the political issues during 1924-1929?

A
  • PR system meant there was no direct connection between deputies and constituencies, do politicians not influence local areas
  • deputies controlled by parties in the Reichstag and expected to tow the line, again little connection to ordinary voter
  • party leaders tended to act in interests of the part or their own narrow interest group rather than the wider national interest
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6
Q

SPD?(1924-1929)

A
  • largest party in the Reichstag
  • leading role in establishing the WR but only participated in one of the six coalitions
  • its revolutionary LW action made it inflexible and unwilling to compromise a prerequisite for participation in coalition govt.
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7
Q

Centre Party Z ?(1924-1929)

A
  • strong links to Catholic Church and so had cross class appeal
  • participated in all coalitions
  • in 1928 began to drift more to the right with leadership of Burning (less committed to democracy)
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8
Q

DDP ?(1924-1929)

A
  • liberal party in decline by mid 20s as it had internal disputes and failed to articulate what it stood for
  • tended to be popular with academics and professionals
    committed to democracy and participated in all coalitions
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9
Q

DVP ?(1924-1929)

A
  • conservative (mild RW)
  • committed to democracy and participated in all coalitions
  • main support from industrialists
    -Stressemans party but after his death in 1929 increasingly drifted to RW,becomming party of narrow big business interests
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10
Q

DNVP?(1924-1929)

A
  • anti democratic and nationalist
  • main RW party of 20s
  • wanted to restore monarchy and dismantle T OF V
  • refused to join coalitions but change in 1925 + 27 (important)
  • appealed to landowners/middle class/professionals
  • after election of Hindenburg as leader in 1928 drifted to right and returned to anti-democracy
  • allied with Nazis in campaign against Young Plan
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11
Q

NSDAP ?(1924-1929)

A
  • period of decline after Munich Putsch but also reorganisation
  • When Hitler was released from prison Nzis hampered by ban on SA and Hitler speaking
  • took Hitler time to reorganise the party
  • signs of revival by 1928 after decision to focus on rural protestant areas
  • nationally overall low vote but in rural areas as high as 18%
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12
Q

KPD ?(1924-1929)

A
  • key support from working class in industrial areas
  • dedicated to overthrow democracy but had a notable presence int eh Reichstag throughout
  • received instructions from Moscow who insisted KPD focused on attacking SPD meant they did not focus on countering the Nazis who had growing working class support
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13
Q

presidential election 1925?

A

Feb 1925 : Ebert died, new constitution required election of new president
round 1 : 7 candidates incl. Nazis and KPD - no one won the required 50% so second round had to be held
round 2 : von Hindenburg stood for right,Wilhelm Marx for the SPD,Thalmann for the KPD so LEFT WING VOTE SPLIT resulting in Hindenburg winning 48% to Marx’s 45 % ( if left worked together would have won)

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14
Q

impact of Hindenburgs election?

A
  • positive sing because he could potentially bring more right-wing support for the regime
  • an ominous sign because he was uncommitted to democracy and could become a focus for powerful groups determined to undermine democracy
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15
Q

Political evidence of a Golden age?

A
  • elections (May 24,Dec 24,May28) showed increasing or steady support for moderate centre (democratic) parties (SPD/Z) whilst extremist made little gains : KPD attracted around 10% of vote,NSDAP 3%
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16
Q

Political evidence of not a Golden age?

A
  • 6 coalition govt. - only two had majority and many short-lived (the German people saw weak and ineffective government)
  • political violence continued - frequent flights between the Nazi SA and KPD red fighting league (50 killed)
  • loss of some centre group - decline of DDP and Z party moved to right by end of period
  • DNVP returns to anti-democratic position after 1927 and new leadership of Hugenburg
  • continued division of the left
  • PR meant voters voted for a list not an individual candidate - no close relation between voter and deputy
  • growth of national interest parties (eg party for compensation from looser of hyperinflation) which resulted in more fragmented reichstag
  • argument over new Weimar flag illustrated how weimar govt failed to create emotive symbols/heroes
  • antidemocratic Hindenburg elected in 1925
17
Q

what does fulfilment mean?

A

conciliation with the Allies and mild pressure for change - Germany would fulfil the term of the Treaty but encourage its revision

18
Q

what were Stresemans’ foreign policy aims?

A
  • restore Germany’s great power status
  • achieve revisions to the Treaty,through a pragmatic policy of co-operation,comnciliation and mild pressure on other powers - especially Germany’s economical potential was to be used as a means of pressuring the allies for concessions
19
Q

were was the particular focus for foreign policy?

A
  • reparations
  • military occupation (Ruhr and Rhineland)
  • borders in the east
20
Q

what were the reparations result?

A
21
Q

what was the impact of the Locarno pact in 1925?

A

A series of treaties signed with Britain,France,Beligum and Italy.Importantly Germany negotiated as an equal rather than having the treaty dictated
- Germany accepted the Western borders which gave France security as there border with Germany was now agreed to keep troops out of the Rhineland
- France was reassured by guaranteed borders and Britan and agreed to intervene if Germany was attacked
- BUT germany only agreed to not alter her Eastern border by force (effectively leaving a door open to negotiate those borders via diplomacy)

22
Q

impact of Germany joining the league of nations?

A

In 1926 Germany was allowed to join the league of nations and was given great power status with a seat on the League council
- this was a major victory in restoring Germany’s great power status (no longer an international outcast)
- Streseman received the Nobel peace prize for negotiating Locarno and Germanys entry into the league of nations)

23
Q

impact of the Treaty of Berlin 1926?

A

In 1922,G and R had signed the Treaty of Rapallo which resumed economic and trade co-operation between the two outcasts of Europe
- diplomatic relations were restored
- the treaty also implied that R and G both saw Poland as a threat to their security and France was angered by the suggestions that neither Germany nor Russia were guaranteeing their Polish borders
- The treaty of Berlin added to the German-Russian relationship as G promised to remain neutral if R was involved in a war which hinted that Germany would not resist revisions to Polish borders

24
Q

what was the impact of allied occupation?

A

By calling off passive resistance in the Ruhr, Stresemans persuaded the French to withdraw during 1924-4
- after Locarno the allies left part of the Ruhr, as parts of the Young Plan in 1929, the allies agreed to end their occupation early (finally evacuated in 1930)

25
Q

what was the impact of the Disarmament?

A
  • Streseman pushed for widespread disarmament (so other countries would reduce their militaries closer to the level of Germany’s)
  • little agreement on the issue
  • Germany secretly rearm beyond the restrictions of the T of V
  • submarines were built in Spain and tanks in Sweden
  • this allowed G to at least keep on top of the technology (did not lead to major build of arms)
  • the army made sure there were plenty of well trained reservists (not full time military) and the army even had close ties with parliamentary group
26
Q

was the aim of the Great Power status fulfilled?

A
  • Locarno, Germany negotiated as equal leads to …
  • Security Council seat at League and close cooperation between USA/Ger/Br/Fr- gained Germany prestige and international goodwill (and G could not play a part in influencing events)
  • Kellog Briand - symbolic
  • Dawes (negotiation not ultimatum)
  • treaty of Berlin successfully put pressure on the West to concede - or see Germany become too close to Russia
27
Q

was the aim of treaty of Versailles revised (reparations/military occupation/eastern borders)?

A
  • Dawes (rescheduled payment) + Young (total reduced by 2/3rds)
  • ends Fr+Belg occupation of the Ruhr, early withdrawal Rhineland Zone 1
  • Locarno, Germany lost nothing by signing it (claim to Alsace Lorraine was very weak) but in return won the evacuation of the Rhineland the removal of ‘outcast status’ and a place on the L of N council
    = foreign policy success
28
Q

evidence of weakness/problems?

A
  • very little of the hated T of Versailles was actually revised (occupation/reparations)
  • no territorial changes achieved or relaxation of military restrictions
  • foreign policy victories did not win greater support for the Weimar Regime, right saw fulfilment as a policy of capitulation, they did not want G to have anything to do with league and saw Locarno as benefitting the F only, right saw G still occupied and disarmed,Young Plan actively opposed as Stresemann was accepting that Germany had to pay reparations
  • Young plan referendum forced by the Right may have seen only 14% reject the plan but ht campaign gave important publicity to Hitler, his fierce condemnation of the Young Plan gave him national prominence and helped secure an increased share of the vote for the Nazis in 1930
  • silent majoirty of Germans remained unimpressed (Streseman’s achievements too stubtle!)
    =➡️ foreign policy success not appreciated at home