Chapter 8: Government and opposition, 1914-1924 Flashcards
Who were the Friekorps?
- volunteer military units mostly made up of ex-soldiers and officers
- had right wing nationalist sympathies (many later joined the SA)
What was the **Elbert-Groener pact **and why was it passed?
What were some of the consequences?
- Elbert made a deal with the right-wing army - **Groener agrees to tackle revolutionary activity **- as long as the the military can retain its state within state status and command remains with the officer corps
- agreement allowed the government to** tackle opposition from the left**
- Consequences - **socialist groups viewed this as a betrayal **
What was the** Stinnes-Legien agreement?**
What were some of the consequences?
- employers agreed to recognise the unions and agreed to introduce an 8 hour work day
- unions agree to maintain production and end unofficial strikes
- Consequences - critisised by socialist groups - accused of working with the elites and going against socialist principles
What did Elbert do with key individuals (civil servants, judges, teachers) from the military regimes?
allowed most to keep their posts despite anti-republican views
What was the **Spartacist uprising **and what were the consequences ?
How many died during the uprising?
When was this?
* left wing demonstration broke out aimed to overthrow the SPD government before a new election
* General strike - key buildings siezed
* friekorps sent in to deal with the crisis - violent fighting - **100 workers killed - Luxemburg and Liebknecht were arrested and killed
* left wing felt betrayed by the SPD** - felt the new government was too ready to compromise with the right
january 1919
What was the general strike in Berlin and what were the consequences?
huge strike which results in the end of Kapp Putsch
What was the Ruhr red army incident?
- 50,000-80,000 workers go on strike (demand the right to arm themselves) and take control of the Ruhr
- army and Friekorps are sent in - 1000 workers killed
What were the main centres of strike action?
saxony and Hamburg
How many political assassinations were carried out by the left wing?
How many assassins were caught?
22
-10 assassins were caught and sentenced to death
Who were the Reichswehr?
the regular German army
What was the Kapp Putsch?
What were the consequences?
What was the reaction of right wing judges to this?
Failed coup by right wing nationalists (led by Kapp and the military) - angry about the terms of the TOV
* Luttwitz and his unit refuse to disband (Gov is trying to reduce the army - terms of TOV) - government ordered his arrest
* Friekorps march to Berlin and Kapp proclains himself chancellor - Eberts government flee to Berlin - **army refuse to fight former comrades **
* workers create a general strike and the Putsch collapses
* showed that the army could not be relied on and that the workers has the ability to cause major disruption
lenient response - right wing influence
How many right wing political assassinations occurred?
Give two examples
**354 assassinations **- mostly committed by members of anti-republican paramilitary groups
* Hugo Hasse (USPD member) - shot in front of the Reichstag
* Walther Rathenau (foreign minister - involved in signing the armistice) was assassinated by a right wing terrorist league (1922)
What law was passed by the government to limit the number of assassinations?
How much impact did it have?
- law outlawed extremist organisations and severe penalties placed on those involved in conspiracy to murder
- limited impact - judges had right wing sympathies - most assassins unpunished
When was the french occupation of the Ruhr and how did germany respond?
January 1923
- government ordered passive resistance
What was the social impact of the Ruhr occupation?
reduced army meant Germany could not fight back - french shot civilians and took hostages
- 150,000 were expelled from the area
