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AS Level > German History (Weimar) > Flashcards

German History (Weimar) Flashcards

1
Q

What happened in 1914?

A

War broke out

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2
Q

What happened in 1916-17?

Give specific numbers on deaths

A

food/fuel shortages
‘Turnip winter’- severe food shortages (relied on turnips)
Civilian deaths rose from 121,000 in 1916 to 293,000 in 1918.
Number of child deaths increased 50%.

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3
Q

Why did Ludendorff support constitutional reform? ‘October reform’

A

Ludendorff wanted to change Germany’s autocracy into a constitutional reform to secure the best possible peace terms (Allies would be more sympathetic to them) and hoped it would prevent revolutionary disturbances.
Shift blame from conservative forces/military leadership and put it on new leadership (origins of stab-i9n-back myth)
resulted in Kiel Mutiny, left wing-movment, spartisicst revolt

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4
Q

When was the new weimar constitution drawn up?

A

Nov 1918

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5
Q

When was the National Assembly called?

A

Feb 1919

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6
Q

What is proportional representation?

A

allocating parlimentary seats to the proportion of total number of votes

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7
Q

What is federal structure?

A

Central and regional governments work together (share power)

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8
Q

What were the powers of the President?

A
  • picked every 7 years
  • appointed the Chancellor (generally the leader of the largest partry in the Reichstag)
  • Had to work with leaders of other parties to form workable coalition parties
  • Had the power to declare a National emergency and oversee the Reichstag
  • Supreme Commander of Armed Forces
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9
Q

What was the Reichstag?

A

Law-making part of Pariliment
Elected every 4 years on proportional representation sustem
Elected from an official list of candidates
60,000 votes for 1 member in an electoral district.

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10
Q

What was the Reichstat?

A

less important/had representatives from 17 states

  • responsibilities at a local level like education
  • could only initiate/delay proposals- Reichstag could always overrule it
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11
Q

Bill of Rights?

A

outlines personal freedoms:
censorship forbidden
equality first
religious freedom

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12
Q

And social rights?

A
  • welfare provision (housing , orphans)

- protection of labour

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13
Q

Fsilure of proportional representation?

A

encouraged the formation of lot’s of splinter parties
meant to reflect different political/social views
negotiations/comprmies in forming coalitions contributedn to instability
(1 paarty couldn’t form a majority governemnt so coalitions of 3/4 had to form one)
(Britian/USA- 2 partiesm to vote- worked better
economic/political crisi of 1929-33 system of PR encouraged extremists
However, difficlut to see how an alternative voting system wouold work
PR- only fair way of representing different views (area) issue of splinter parties was relatyively minor
argument it encouraged extremism- people’s opinion was too volatile to be predicted(first past-post-model could have resulted in Nazis)

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14
Q

Balance of power between Reichstag and President?

A

Wanted to limit power of Parliment (Reichstag)- didn’t want the Right to be too strong
By doing this the President basiclaly acts as an Emperor
GIve more power to the Reichstag they might become too strong
Struggled in a fair balance where did the real authority lie?

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15
Q

Article 48?

A

This gave the President powers to suspend civil rights in an emergency to restore la and order (meant to allow the governement to work efficently)
too much power?

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16
Q

Keeping of Traditiions?

A

Army maintaining its infleunce changed- >1918, their infleunce was only in military capacity
Conservative judges want traditiion- favoured the Right - used their power to exert great infleunce over Weimar daily life
Harsher to the left (wanted a modern democratic society)
Universities generally kept old rules

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17
Q

Strenths of the new constituion?

A

great improvement on the previosu autocratic constitution of Imperial Germany

  • large favoured majority (most adanced democracy at its time)
  • made good use of pofessional skills and educated institutions of the state
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18
Q

Weaknesses of the new constitution?

A

The Weimar constituion couldn’t control the cirmcumstances/conditions it was in e.g. the Treaty of Versailles, its socio-economic problems

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19
Q

It wasn’t fatally flawed but..

A

Itn had fundamental, already existant problems that mad eit very unlikely to succeed

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20
Q

Why was Weimar united in their fellings towatrds the Treaty of Versailles?

A

All hated it- thought it was unfair (Diktat)
(weren’t included)
- Unfair that Wilson’t 14 points (self-determination) didn’t include Austria, Upper Silesia, Saar ect
- Didn’t give it to other colnies either, just mandates put under British/French control

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21
Q

Why didn’t they accept sole responsibility?

A

Didn’t believe it was their fault (thought it was the Allies’ encirclement of 1914 that caused it

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22
Q

Why did Germans hate reparations?

A

Weren’t told originasl sum ‘blank cheque’ unfair

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23
Q

why did they hate disarmament?

A

Wilson’s 14 points- universal disarmamnet
Germany was unilaterally disarmed
Britian/France stayed hgihly armed

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24
Q

Why did they hate L of N

A

annoyed at treatment by Allies
weren’t allowed to join L of N but ahd to accept it
Believed it was a tool used by the Allies (not genuinely designed to keep peace)

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25
Q

What did Germany lose?

A
  • lost all overseas colonies
  • lost income, production, population from Upper Silesia, Saar, Rhineland
  • Anschluss- forbiden to unite with Austria
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26
Q

What did the Allies do until the Treaty was signed?

A

Maintained a military blockade till they signed the Treaty
had consequences in Germany like increasing food shortages
threated further military action if didn’t sign

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27
Q

Was the treaty really unfair? What was the situation like when they had to make it?

A

Situations created by the war, not just anti-German feeling that shaped the terms.
Aims/objectives of the Big three varied so they had to compromise
Other countries to deal with (like Bulgaria- had to sign seperae treaty)

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28
Q

Problems in other countries?

A
  • Collapse of the Turkish Empire (result of war)

- Worried about the threat of Communism from USSR

29
Q

Was it a compromise?

A

yes, it wasn’t based on Wilson 14 points but it wasn’t as harsh as it could have been
e.g. French demands for Rhineland idneendance

30
Q

Was self-determination attempted?

A

Plebicites were held in Silesia and Prussia so people could decide their future.
- Alsace-Lorraine would have voted to return top France anyway
Danzig’s new status was a rsulst of ‘polish access to the sea’ in Wisons 14 ppints
West Prussia- mixture of Germana dn Poles living there- harder to draw clear, frontier lines (harder to try for self-determination)

31
Q

Was Germany physically occupied?

A

It easnt so the real damage was done to French/Belgium soil anyway

32
Q

Treaty of Brest-Litovisk

A

Germany were much harsher with the Russians in the treaty of Brest-Litovisk
- annexed large areas of Poland and the baltic states

33
Q

Did it hurt Germany economically?

A

Worrie it would fundamentally weaken Germany’s economy>effect on the whole of Europe
Germany still had potentially the strongest economy in Europe
sill had extensive industry/resources
Weimar’s economic problems can’t be blamed on reparartions alone
(Kaiser’s plan of taxing defeated states- debt)
By 1932, Germany had taken more money from the Dawes Plab than given in reparations

34
Q

Did the T of V hurt Germany politically?

A

No, in som ways Germany was actually sterogner than in 1914. Empires of Turkey, Russia, Austria-Hingar were gone creatign a power vacum in heart of Europe

  • could’t be filled by weak/ isolated USSR
  • Germany could have with cautious diplomacy
35
Q

Was the T of V the cause? Was it fair on the current Germans that had to deal with it?

A

Problem ws that nationilist proganda had shaped German views (deeply shocked by defest)
T of V closely linked with ‘stab in the back’ myth (Germany hadn’t lost the war whcih a lot believed)- November criminakls were Weimar
Although the war had been persued by Imperial Germany, Weimar had to deal with blame

36
Q

Did it affect the resuklting Weimar democracy?

A

yes, even for sympathetoc democrats like Huge Preuss the gaisn of the revolution of Weimar were beign undone by the constant reminder of the T of V
weakened democracy- fuelledt the Republic’s opponennts propaganda for years.

37
Q

overall ,did it contribute?

A

Yes, overall, although not the ony cause, the T of V did contribut to the internal political and econmic difficulties of Weimar.

38
Q

What did the extrmem right united in? [5 things]

A

Anti-Weimar (democracy was weak)
Anti-Marxist (communism destroyed tradition e.g. state ownership of property)
Authoritiarisanism- wanted to get back autocratic constitution (type of governemtn hadn’t been established in early 1920s
Nationilist- believed German pride had been hurt by T of V (e.g. loss of land) - wanted to restore it
conservative-nationilist propaganda: reinforced ‘stab in the back’ - Germany hadn’t lost the war but had been betrayed> found scapegoats like Weimar democrats, Jews to take blame
November criminals- prepared to overthrow the monarchy to establisha republic>acceped a shameful peace>blame should be on them not imperial Germany

39
Q

DNVP?

A

German National People’s Party
conservative/nationilist/imperial
extremist/racist elements
mainly landowners/industrialists(middle-class appeal)
largest party in Reichstag(15.1% votes in 1920 election)

40
Q

Racist nationislism

A

increased after war
70 small nationilsit parties (Nazi one of them)- common in Bavaria
Adolf Hitler- leader of German Worker’s Party
political differnences between groups divided them/attmepts to unite failed
1923- Munich Beer Hall Putsch- failed
NSDAP- Hitler united them(mad it powerful_

41
Q

Freikorps

A

brutal German militry/dembolisation of the armed forces
committed to autocracy
used by the government to supress extreme left thrreat
White Terror, violence

42
Q

Assasinations by Freikorps?

A

Weimar tried to conrtol them
1919-22(376 political muders)
22(left) and 354 (right)

43
Q

Who was responsible for the assasinations?

A

Consul Orgainsaion- murdered ket politicians
e.g. Fiance minister- catholic/zp
forign minister- jew/democrat
leader of USPD- committed socialist

44
Q

Kapp putsch

A 
Freikorps annyoed (disarmament)
demands for 2 brigades to be disarmed in Berlin> wolfgang kapp and General Ludwitz encouraged 12,000 tropps to march on Berlin (take contorl of buildings/install a governemtn)
45
Q

what did the army do in kapp outsch?

A

army didn’t resit

didn’t join them but didn’t support legitmiate governemtn (follow Ebert and Chancellor)

46
Q

Did the Kapp Putsch work?

A

No, it failed, just before SPD left, told BErlin workers to go on strike>paralysed the capital (weren’t making any money) >after 4 days Kapp left (had no real authority)

47
Q

Was the Kapp Outsch successful?

A

-retain backing of Berlin people (6 days)
withstand the uprising
However:
- showed the army’s rejection of democracy
-government faield to adress this issue months after
-unreliabiltity of army leaders
-Seecht appointed chief of army command but ignore d that he aslo didn’t suprot the republic

48
Q

What happened to the army after Kapp Putsch?

A

army was remodelled
less Freikorps
didn’t disarm
kept independance from government
many within the army believed army had a higher puropose, within their right to intefere without regard to obligation to governement
failure to reform the army’state within a state’
Judiciary- old, traditional values (imoprial)
biased towards right
1/705 involved in the putsch went to prison
Political assinations
28/354 (right)- went to prison (non executed)
10/22 (left) were executed

49
Q

What was the Munich Beer Hall putsch?

A

Von Kahr and General Von Lossow plotted with Hitler to take contol of Berlin (blamed democartic governemtn in Berlin for Germany’s problems)
23rd Nov- Lossow backed out
8th Nov -Hitler went in anyway and declared a ‘national revoltuion’ at a rally
Kahr and Lossow followed
Lost their nerve when Seecht commanded army to resit
Hitler had insuficent supoport- 14 Nazis killed/Hitler arrested.

50
Q

Was it a success?

A 
Yes:
withstood dangerous threat
army supported democratic governement
No:
Hitler- only given  years (out after 10 months)
Ludendorff accquited
51
Q

long-term causes of the Great inflation

4 years of total war had seriously dislocated the economy

A

Kaiser’s plan to pay for war costs by selling loads iof war bonds to the public planned to pay ti back once they won the war)
- proved insufficent from 1916- national debt grew masively
During ww1 emplyment had been concentrated on armament production but this didn’t satisfy civilian needs so food prices shot up (high demand)

52
Q

medium -term causes of the great inflation

A

raise money for social reform, reparartions
raise taxes>raise income
reduce governemnt expenditure
would alienate people
Erzberger did increase taxes on profits but didn’t balance te budget

53
Q

Why did Erzberger follow a plan of deficit fiancing, meaning INFLATION WOULD CONTINUE?

A

Decided to reduce taxes>increase demand>increase employment>vercome problem of returning troops>give soldiern work>less debt
aims: maintain demand, reduce national debt,

54
Q

Consequences of Great Inflation

A

mainyl middle-class affected (so voted Nazi in 1923)
impact on whole of society questioned
depends on amount saved and debt

55
Q

Real winners?

A

Those who payed off mortgages/debts with inflated, wothless money
THose who bought property off fianicaly desperate
those who invested cheaply in industries
mainly homeowners/businessmen in middle lass
e.g. hugo stinnes- controlled 20% of german industry by 1923
exporter- sell to foreign countries (exchange rate was cheap)

56
Q

Poor

A

Interest rates on savings eroded
war bonds lost everything (worth nothing)
pensions- fixed savings (any increase wiped out by inflation)
Fixed Income (decreased dramitcally)
Depended o charrity- didn’t have donations/payments fell behind inflation rate

57
Q

Were reparations a main cause of inflation?

A

No they were only a contributing factor
Still, they had to pay them in har currency like gold> had to seelinflated German marks to get the hard currency > value of the mark decreased even more>inflation increased

58
Q

Short-term causes?

A
  • July 1922 Germany asked for ANOTHER posponement of reparation payments
    Dec 1922- French/Belgium soldiers occuped the RUhr
  • Cuno (governent in Ruhr) policy of ‘pasiv eresistance
    -told workers to go on strike/still paid them
    -couldn’t colelct taxes from them
    French prevented coal to rest of Germany
    They had to import it using marks
    Marks value declined to nothing
    Reichsbank- had to sue newspaper presses to print sufficent money
59
Q

Peasents in the Great Inflation?

A

fairly well off: self-sufficent in food and food was in high demand 9sold a lot)

60
Q

Mittlestand?

A

nLower middle-class (small businessmen like shopkeepers)

Fairly wel- expolit demands of market (had the necessary essentials people needed)

61
Q

Industrial Workers

A

Worker’s real wage/standard of living improved until 1922
1923- trade unions couldnt negotiate wage- decline took place
fewer savings - lost less those those living on saved income

62
Q

Civil Servants?

A 
unemplyment increased 1914-1920
made gains in 1921-22
Fixed incomes (decreased dramitcally)
Some paid off mortgages
War bonds- lost out
63
Q

Retired?

A

Generally they relied on fixed incomes and savings (decreased loads)

64
Q

Businessmen?

A

Did well : bought property off poor, paid off debts, made sales to foreign countries

65
Q

Other social effects?

A

health levels dropped/oedema reappeard (watery diet), food poisioning (eating spoiled foods), increase in suicide, increase in mortality rate (1920-1 it was 12.6%) to 13.4% (1921-22)

66
Q

Change in behavior?

A
  • decline in law/order
  • decline in morality e.g. prostitution
  • increase in crime
  • more blaming the situation on scapegoats like Jews
67
Q

January 1919 election results?

A

86.0% (high turnout suggested faith in democracy)
76.1%- pro-Weimar parties (SPD DDP ZP)
extremist parties -10.3% for DNVP- right
- 7.6% for USPD (later KPD)- left

68
Q

June 1920 election results?

A

combined support for pro-democratic parties declined dramatically: 76.1%>48%
support for extremist parties increased: DNVP- from 10.3%>15.1%
7.6%>20.0%

AS Level (74 decks)

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