Left Wing Rebellions

Question 1

Why did the new system of government become known as the Weimar Republic?

Answer 1

After WWI, Berlin was too dangerous to establish a government. So the town of Weimar was used instead.

Question 2

Who was the leader of the new German Republic?

Answer 2

Freidrich Ebert, a Social Democrat

Question 3

Apart from the Kaiser’s abdication, what did the Allies demand Germany do politically?

Answer 3

Become more democratic. Replace the old, autocratic system of government (one with a single, all-powerful leader), with a more democratic system….

Question 4

How was the new ‘democratic’ Germany greeted?

Answer 4

Unenthusiastically, particularly by those on the right-wing (conservative, traditional people) and those on the left (usually workers)

Question 5

Which groups made up the right-wing of German society?

Answer 5

• The army - The civil service - The judiciary (judges) - Industry bosses (e.g. big business)

Question 6

What did the right-wing of Germany society want to see?

Answer 6

The Kaiser restored to power. (Generally, right-wing people do not like change.)

Question 7

What did the left-wing groups want?

Answer 7

Left-wing groups - mostly Communists - believed it was time for a revolution in Germany (like in Russia in 1917)

Question 8

What was the most famous left-wing group?

Answer 8

The Spartacists (SPART-A-CISTS)

Question 9

Who led the Spartacists?

Answer 9

Karl Liebknecht (LIEB-KNECHT) and Rosa Luxemburg

Question 10

When did the Spartacists attempt their uprising?

Answer 10

January 6, 1919

Question 11

Who crushed the Spartacist Uprising?

Answer 11

The Freikorps

Question 12

Who were the Freikorps

Answer 12

Ex-soldiers who had formed paramilitary groups (i.e. armed groups not controlled by the government) around Germany

Question 13

Which groups did the Freikorps hate?

Answer 13

The Communists

Question 14

How many Spartacists were killed in the uprising?

Answer 14

100

Question 15

How many Freikorps died in the crushing of the Spartacist uprising?

Answer 15

13 (unlucky for some)

Question 16

What happened to Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknect and why was this important?

Answer 16

They were executed - depriving the Communists of leadership

Question 17

What happened in Bavaria shortly after the Spartacist Uprising?

Answer 17

The leader, Kurt Eisner, was murdered. Communists in Bavaria - at the time, independent from Germany - seized power and declared it a soviet republic.

Question 18

How did Ebert deal with the declaration of a ‘socialist republic’ in Bavaria?

Answer 18

He again used the Freikorps, who crushed the revolt in May 1919. Around 600 Communists were killed.

Question 19

What happened in the Ruhr in 1920?

Answer 19

Communists protested against the government.

Question 20

How did Ebert deal with the protests in the Ruhr in 1920?

Answer 20

The police, army and Freikorps were used to deal with the Communists

Question 21

Overall, how successful was Ebert during this period?

Answer 21

Pros: - He avoided a civil war/revolution (as had happened in Russia) Cons: - He looked weak because he had had to rely on the Friekorps - He lost the support of many working class people, who thought Ebert had acted ruthlessly

Question 22

The revolution began in ____ _______ ___ _____ _______ when…

Answer 22

late October and early November

sailors in the ports of Wilhelmshaven and Kiel were ordered out to sea to fight the British

(The sailors knew this was a suicide mission and refused to obey orders. The mutiny spread to other ports, with soldiers and workers joining in too. It then spread to the rest of Germany with workers and soldiers taking control of Hamburg, Berlin, Hanover, Cologne, Leipzig and Frankfurt.)

Question 23

what did the independant socialists set up in the provinces of Bavaria and Saxony

Answer 23

republics

Question 24

waht did the kaiser decide to do as the country was descending to chaos

Answer 24

Kaiser decided to abdicate and flee to Holland.

Question 25

what happened on november 11

Answer 25

The leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Friedrich Ebert, took control and decided to agree to an armistice with the Allies on November 11.

Question 26

The Social Democratic Party

Answer 26

Leader: Friedrich Ebert

Aims: to improve workers’ conditions, Give democratic rights to all Germans

Methods: to use parliament to change laws

Question 27

Independent Socialists:

Answer 27

Leader: Hugo Haase

Aims: improve workers’ conditions. Give democratic rights to all Germans

Methods: to force reforms on the government by organising strikes

Question 28

The Spartacists:

Answer 28

Leaders: Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg

Aims: to set up a workers’ state with councils or “soviets”

Methods: to overthrow the government in a revolution.

Question 29

when did the radical Spartacists begin to plan an uprising.

Answer 29

On New Year’s Ev

Question 30

what did the radical spartasists rename themselves as

Answer 30

German Communist Party