Creation and Early Years of the Weimar Republic 1918-24 Flashcards
(15 cards)
What was classed as the begining of the Republic?
The abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II on 9th of November 1918
Evidence: Phillip Scheidemann declared the new repulic on the reichstag steps
What was the purpose of the Ebert-Groener Pact on 10th November 1918?
To ensure the loyalty of the army to the new republic in exchange for action against left-wing upsrisings.
Why did the Sparticist uprising in Jan 1919 fail?
It was suppressed by the army and Freikorps who brutally crushed the revolt.
Evidence: Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht were murdered after the uprising failed.
What were the main weaknesses of the Weimar Constitution
Proportional representation led to fragmented parliaments
Article 47 allowed rule by decree
Evidence: Allowed Ebert and Hindenburg to bypass Reichstag
What were the main terms of the treaty of Versailles 1919?
War guilt clause
6.6 billion in reparations
loss of colonies
military restrictions
Treaty led to widepsread resentment across Germany
What was the Kapp Putsch in March 1920
A right-wing coup attempt by Wolfgang Kapp and Freikorps, aimed at overthrowing the Republic.
The coup failed due to a general strike called Ebert and SPD trade unions
Why did France and Belgium occupy the Ruhr in Jan 1923?
Germany defaulted on reparation payments, prompting military occupation.
This led to passive resistance and worsened the economy
What economic crisis hit Germany in 1923?
Hyperinflation caused by excessice printing of money to pay striking Ruhr workers
A loaf of bread cost 200 billion marks by November 1923
How did the Weimar government respond to hyperinflation?
Introduction of the Rentenmark in November 1923 by Stresemann’s governement.
The new currency helped stabilise the economy temporarily
What was the Munich Putsh of November 1923?
A failed Nazi attempt to seize power in Bavaria
Hitler was arrested and sentenced to five years but served only nine months
What did Hitler achieve during his imprisonment in 1924?
He wrote Mein Kampf and refocused on gaining power through legal means
How did the political system create instability from 1919-24?
A frequent changes of chancellors and coalition governments hindered decisive action.
No government held power for more than two years during this period
How did the Reichstag election results in the early years reflect division?
Extremist parties like the USPD and DNVP gained support while moderate parties struggled
In the 1920 election, USPD gained 17.9% of the vote, showing disillusionment
What impact impact did reparations have on germany’s economy?
They had to dudget deficits, increasing foreign debt and inflation
Evidence: Germany paid the first instalment in 1921, but defaulted in 1922, leading to the Ruhr crisis.
What does the Ebert-Groener Pact reveal about the Republic’s foundation?
It shows the Weimar leaders relied on conservativeelites rather than revolutionary support.
Evidence: the army remained a “state within a state” and never fully supported democracy
