3. The Weimar Republic: Opposition and Support KNOWLEDGE CARDS

Question 1

Name three key uprisings against the Weimar Republic (include dates & political leaning) which took place between 1919 and 1923.

Answer 1

1. The Spartacist Uprising (January 1919) - left-wing
2. The Kapp Putsch (March 1920) - right-wing
3. The Munich Putsch (November 1923) - right wing

Question 2

How many political assassinations were there in Germany between 1919 and 1922?

Answer 2

376 assassinations

Question 3

What happened in Bavaria, Saxony and Thuringia during the early years of the republic?

Answer 3

Communist uprisings took place, which saw the establishment of communist governments in these regions.

Question 4

How did the Weimar government guarantee the support of the German army (the Reichswehr) in November 1918?

Answer 4

They signed the Ebert-Groener Pact. The army agreed to support the government as long as it opposed left-wing ideas of parties in the Reichstag.

Question 5

What uprisings did the German army help the Weimar government to put down?

Answer 5

The communist uprisings

Question 6

If the army refused to restore order, what private paramilitary groups did the government turn to to restore order?

Answer 6

The Freikorps

Question 7

What uprising against the Weimar government did the Freikorps put down?

Answer 7

The Spartacist Uprising (Jan 1919)

Question 8

How did the Weimar government guarantee the support of the trade unions in November 1918?

Answer 8

They signed the Stinnes-Legien Agreement. For the unions support, Friedrich Ebert offered legislation (laws) on hours of work and union representation in the workplace.

Question 9

How did the trade unions help the Weimar government to overcome opposition?

Answer 9

The Kapp Putsch failed after the trade unions called a general strike, demanding an end to the putsch attempt and a government under the leadership of the SPD. The general strike was widespread and brought Berlin to a standstill. After four days of strike action, the Kapp government fell.

Question 10

What was Reichsexekution, and when was it used by the Weimar government?

Answer 10

The removal of a local government which was a threat to the Weimar government. This meant putting in place a military government to restore order. This was used to put down the communist uprisings.

Question 11

How many uprisings and political assassinations took place between 1924 and 1929?

Answer 11

None

Question 12

On average, how many people turned out to vote in Reichstag elections from 1919 to November 1932?

Answer 12

Between 75% and 85%

Question 13

What happened to the number of votes pro-constitution parties parties received in the elections after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles (1920 election) and hyperinflation (1924 election)?

Answer 13

The number of votes dropped.

1919 election: 80.5% voted for pro-constitution parties
1920 election: 57.5%
1924 election: 48.8%

Question 14

In the 1928 election, how many people voted for pro-constitution parties?

Answer 14

57.7%

Question 15

What evidence is there that politicians in Weimar Germany supported the democratic regime (two examples)?

Answer 15

1. The creation of the Grand Coalition (1928).
2. Despite his authoritarian past and right-wing leanings, President Hindenburg upheld the constitution and appointed an SPD chancellor in 1928.

Question 16

Identify two pieces of evidence which suggest a lack of support for democracy.

Answer 16

1. President Paul von Hindenburg was elected President in 1925 by the people. He was a former commander of the German army during the WW1 and held right-wing, authoritarian views.
2. In times of political stability, extremist anti-constitution parties still received a high proportion of votes (27.4% in the 1928 election).
3. Even in times of stability, forming stable coalition governments proved difficult for political parties.

Question 17

How did the German people in Saxony respond to communist uprisings and takeovers in the early-1920s?

Answer 17

In 1923, the people of Saxony welcomed the removal of a communist government, which had not been elected but had imposed itself on the region.