Political and governmental change 1918 onward Flashcards
What impact did the Treaty of Versailles have on Germany?
It was signed on the 28th June 1918. It cast a shadow over German politics for the next 21 years. The terms of the treaty were as follows.
Germany lost land and they were:
All land gained from the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
Upper Silesia
Alsace and Lorraine [ on its border with France]
Eupen and Malmedy [ on its border with Belgium]
European land taken from Germany included areas rich in coal and iron. Germany was forbidden to unite with Austria, even if both sides wished to.
The Rhineland became a demilitarized “ buffer zone” for France ; it remained German, but German troops could not enter it.
German army limited to 100,00 troops that could not leave Germany. it was not allowed tanks or heavy artillery.
Germany had to pay 132,000 million gold marks as reparations.
Who were the Spartacists?
A communist group led by Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg that wanted a workers revolution in Germany.
What happened in the Spartacist Revolt?
KPD was a new party set up in December 1918. Many Germans were scared of the “Red Plague” of communism spreading from Russia, and the Freikorps had units specially recruited to fight the east against possible communist invasion. KPD political meetings came under attack from the private armies of other political parties. The Friekorps were asked to deal with the Spartacists leaders. Both Luxemburg and Liekbknecht were captured, beaten, then murdered, and the rising collapsed.
Who were the Friekorps?
Friekorps translated to “ Free Corps” and they were a private army made up of ex soldiers, unemployed youths and other discontents. They were led by ex officers and other former military personnel. They were first formed in December 1918.
Name the parties and what they wanted?
- German National People’s Party [ DNVP] created from older conservative parties. Was conservative, nationalist and monarchist. Did not want social reforms and disliked the idea of a Republic. Supported the army and members were wealthy landowners and were anti Semitic.
- Germans People party [DVP] moderately conservative, party reconstructed from older National Liberals under leadership of Gustav Stresemann. Accepted the republic. Members wealthy industrial middle class. Not in favour of social reforms but wanted economy fixed quick to get business started, supported the army and was nationalist.
- Centre party, long established party and defended the church.
- German Democrats [ DDP] Liberals, educated professionals who supported the republic and a more represented consituition. Believed in social reforms and reforming the army.
- Social Democrats [ SPD] largest party in Reichstag from 1919- 29. Was republican and believed in social reforms but not a revolution.
- Independent Social Democrats [USPD] split from SPD in 1917. Wanted a more radical system that a republic.
- German communist party [KPD] was set up in 1919. Wanted a workers revolution and an establishment of a communist state with abolition of private ownership. Attracted the young, poor and unemployed.
When was Ebert elected the first president of the Republic and by how many votes?
11 February 1919 and by 277 votes to 51
What challenges were there for the constitution?
- There were TOO MANY parties in the Reichstag for it to work effectively. On average there were 29 different parties during the 1920’s.
- Another problem was that members moved between parties and some parties split which confused voters.
- The method of proportion representation made it feel that there were a lot of politician but non specifically interested in them
Who were the Sturmabteilung [SA] ?
“Stormtroopers” They were the Nazi’s private army, members were also called “ Brownshirts” due to there uniform. They protected Nazi political meetings and attacked the meetings of other parties. When Hitler first became chancellor , the SA was a useful addition to the police.
What was the Weimar Republic?
The Weimar Republic was the newly declared democratic state of Germany.
What new election system did the Weimar Republic create?
Germany was divided into 17 regional states, the people of which would vote for a national president (the head of state) every seven years. The elected president would work as a counterbalance to the other political force the parliament, named the Reichstag, which was made up of elected
representatives from political parties. In theory, the party with the majority of the votes would become a government that would create laws and policies to put forward to be debated and voted for in the Reichstag.
