2 Opposition control and consent Flashcards
(57 cards)
Why did many Germans see the Weimar government as traitors after the Treaty of Versailles?
Because they blamed the government for signing the armistice and accepting the Treaty, which was seen as a national humiliation. This “stab-in-the-back” myth portrayed politicians as betraying a military that could have won the war, reinforcing widespread resentment.
How did misinformation affect German perceptions of the Treaty of Versailles?
The public had been kept unaware of Germany’s military failures, so many believed propaganda claiming Germany was betrayed, not defeated. This made the Treaty—and those who signed it—a powerful focus for political opposition.
How did the Treaty of Versailles fuel long-term political opposition in Weimar Germany?
It became a central criticism used by right-wing groups and nationalists, who saw the Treaty as proof that the democratic government was weak, illegitimate, and unpatriotic. This undermined support for democracy from the start.
What role did reparations play in sustaining opposition to the Treaty of Versailles?
Even though reparations were later reduced and U.S. loans outweighed payments, the very existence of reparations was symbolic of Germany’s defeat and humiliation. This kept anti-Weimar and anti-Treaty sentiment alive.
Did the Dawes and Young Plans reduce public resentment over the Treaty?
No — despite easing Germany’s economic burden, public anger remained because these plans did not erase reparations entirely. The Treaty was still seen as unjust, and its political damage persisted regardless of practical changes.
Why was early Weimar Germany vulnerable to political extremism?
Post-WWI Germany was unstable, with many ex-soldiers unemployed and forming private militias like the Freikorps. These groups supported political violence, and the new Weimar government lacked popular legitimacy due to its association with Germany’s defeat and the Treaty of Versailles.
What sparked the Spartacist Uprising in January 1919 and how did it end?
The dismissal of radical police chief Emil Eichhorn triggered left-wing outrage. Spartacists and other workers seized buildings in Berlin, aiming for revolution. The uprising was crushed by the Freikorps; its leaders, including Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht, were executed.
What were the main features and outcome of the Kapp Putsch (March 1920)?
Right-wing figures like Wolfgang Kapp and Freikorps leaders briefly took over Berlin and declared a new government. The army refused to act, but a general strike by workers collapsed the putsch within four days. It showed both army bias and the power of mass protest.
Why was the Munich Putsch (November 1923) significant for Hitler despite its failure?
Hitler’s armed revolt in Munich failed after state officials escaped and police resisted. However, his trial gave him national attention. His lenient sentence (5 years, served only 9 months) allowed him to write Mein Kampf and realise he must gain power legally through elections.
How did right-wing extremism threaten the Weimar Republic?
Right-wing groups, including monarchists, industrialists, and parts of the army, aimed to dismantle democracy and restore authoritarian rule. The government and judiciary often treated them leniently, unlike left-wing rebels, weakening the Republic’s authority.
How did both left- and right-wing opposition view the Treaty of Versailles?
Both sides saw the Treaty as a betrayal. Left-wing critics saw it as imperialist punishment; right-wing extremists used it to label the Weimar government traitorous, further polarising politics and fuelling violent uprisings.
Why did the military and civil service undermine Weimar democracy?
Many elites in the army, judiciary, and schools opposed democracy and remained loyal to conservative or imperial ideals. The government failed to win them over, especially teachers, meaning young Germans were often not taught the values of the new republic.
Why was political opposition in Nazi Germany so difficult after 1933?
All opposition parties were banned by August 1933; SPD and KPD members were exiled, imprisoned, or sent to concentration camps. The Nazis controlled public meetings, media, and used the Gestapo to suppress dissent, making resistance dangerous and often seen as futile.
How did the SPD and KPD resist Nazi rule in the early 1930s?
They printed anti-Nazi literature, like the Red Shock Troop newspaper. However, Gestapo surveillance quickly dismantled these groups. By 1938, resistance relied on word of mouth. After 1941, communist resistance revived with groups like the Uhrig and the Red Orchestra.
What forms of sabotage did German workers use to oppose the Nazis?
Workers held lightning strikes, slowed production, damaged machinery, and faked illness. These acts were often tolerated due to labour shortages, but organised efforts, like those by the Anti-Fascist Workers’ Group, were met with arrests, especially during wartime.
How did youth groups like the Edelweiss Pirates and White Rose resist Nazism?
The Edelweiss Pirates (working-class) spread anti-Nazi messages, avoided Hitler Youth, and sometimes helped resistance efforts. The White Rose Group (students) distributed leaflets calling for non-violent resistance and exposing Nazi crimes. Both groups faced executions if caught.
What role did ordinary Germans play in helping those persecuted by the Nazis?
Many helped Jews, political opponents, and POWs escape arrest—some alone, others through organised escape lines like those run by the Protestant Church. Hans von Dohnanyi and Dietrich Bonhoeffer helped smuggle people out and were later arrested and imprisoned.
What was the July Plot of 1944 and its outcome?
A failed attempt by army officers (led by Claus von Stauffenberg) to assassinate Hitler and negotiate peace with the Allies. A bomb was planted at Hitler’s meeting, but he survived. The failed plot led to the execution of over 200 conspirators, including Fromme, who betrayed them.
How did young people resist the Nazi cultural regime without direct politics?
Middle-class youths avoided the Hitler Youth, listened to swing and jazz, wore Western fashion, and joined swing clubs. Though not openly political, they were still seen as non-conformists and some were arrested when the clubs were banned in 1940.
How did the Nazi regime handle church opposition?
Initially, Hitler made a Concordat with the Catholic Church and created the Nazi-aligned “People’s Church.” In response to its Nazification, the Confessing Church formed in 1934, condemning Nazi influence. Many Confessing Church members were arrested or executed.
What was the effect of spontaneous protests on Nazi actions?
Though rare, mass public protests could influence Nazi policy. For example, protests in 1934 forced the release of two imprisoned bishops. Similarly, public indifference in 1938 discouraged Hitler from invading Czechoslovakia immediately, prompting negotiation at the Munich Conference.
How did the Basic Law of the FRG support political dissent after 1949?
The Basic Law guaranteed free speech, press freedom, and no censorship. Unlike Nazi Germany, opposition was allowed as long as it did not threaten the democratic order.
Why was there limited political dissent in the 1950s in the FRG?
The focus was on rebuilding the country, establishing democracy, economic recovery, and avoiding past Weimar instability. Voters preferred moderate parties, and the SPD, while in opposition, voiced dissent against Adenauer’s “year zero” approach and alignment with the West.
How did the FRG government use the Basic Law to suppress extremist parties?
Parties deemed a threat to democracy could be banned. The Socialist Reich Party (far-right) was banned in 1952, and the communist KPD was later banned as well due to violent protests, like the 1953 Munich demonstration of 6,000 communists.
