DS1 Flashcards
(21 cards)
1
Q
What was the political situation in Germany at the end of the First World War
A
- the Kaiser abdicated and fled the country
- Germany became republic
- the new republic was democratic
- the Spartacists were suppressed
- elections were held for a National Assembly which would draw up a new constitution
- as there was unrest in Berlin, the National Assembly met at Weimar
- the constitution drawn up was called the Weimar constitution
2
Q
Impact of WW1 on Germany
A
- Germany was depressed and humiliated
- the proud German army had been defeated
- there were severe food shortages
- the war left 600,000 widows and 2 million fatherless children
- about 1/3 of the state budget went on war pensions
- industrial production had dropped to about 2/3 of 1913 levels
- many people despised the new leaders of the Weimar Republic, believing the army had been betrayed by them
- German society was divided
3
Q
How did German people and politicians react to the new Weimar Republic
A
- ebert was opposed b right wing politicians whom hoped for a return of the kaiser
- many believed that ebert had stabbed Germany in the back by signing the armistice
- also opposed by communists who argued that Germany needed a communist revolution like the one that had taken place in Russia 1917
- nevertheless ebert still won the free elections ad became the first president of the Weimar constitution
4
Q
What were the main features of the Weimar constitution
A
- proportional representation
- all Germans over 20 were allowed to vote for members of the Reichstag
- the chancellor who was appointed by the president, was head of the government but he needed the support of half of the Reichstag
5
Q
What were the weaknesses of the Weimar constitution
A
- the German people were not used to the democratic method of governing
- proportional representation meant it was difficult for any party to maintain a workable parliamentary majority
- a succession of coalition governments was inevitable
- the president could dismiss the chancellor
- the president under article 48 could suspend civil liberties and even use force
6
Q
Why did some political groups oppose the Weimar Republic
A
- they weren’t used to coalition governments
- the republic was associated with the treaty of Versailles
- the right wanted a strong one-party government
- the left water a communist style government
7
Q
The Spartacists 1919
A
- communist party
- led by Karl liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg
- a general strike was organised and there were barricades in the street and armed street fighting
- they wanted a Germany ruled by workers councils or soviets. They set up Soviets in many towns
- ebert sent the friekorps (a group of ex-soldiers opposed o communism) so get. Rid of the Spartacists
- the friekorps won the fighting and Karl and Rosa were executed
8
Q
Kapp putsch
A
- 1920
- dr. Kapp led an attempt to take power
- his followers were friekorps
- they were unhappy with the Weimar Republic and wanted strong leadership
- the army refused to attack the friekrops
- the German people declared a general strike which brought the capital to a halt
- after a few days, Kapp realised he could not succeed and fled the country
9
Q
What threats did the Weimar Republic face from the right wing
A
- 1920 Kapp putsch
- 1922 foreign minister Walther Rathenau assassinated by right wing extremist
- 1923 Munich putsch
10
Q
Why was the new Weimar government unstable up to 1923
A
- communist threats (Spartacist uprising)
- ebert and Weimar government were blamed for ToV
- Kapp putsch
- change from traditional German system to a new democratic system
- economic problems: Ruhr crisis
11
Q
Why did Germany find it hard t recover economically in the years up to 1923
A
- WW1 was very expensive
- reparations were high from ToV which affected the economy
- there was nothing with which to trade
- Germany had hoped to pay for the war by imposing huge penalties on other countries, but they lost so they couldn’t
12
Q
What events contributed to the crisis year of 1923
A
- Ruhr crisis
- hyperinflation
- Munich putsch
13
Q
French occupation of Ruhr
A
- large quantities of goods were set to Belgium and France: as a result there weren’t enough goods for Germany and so prices rose, making inflation worse
- France lost patience with Germany
- in late 1922, Germany failed to make a required payment
- the french felt it was right to invade and take the value of the missing payments in goods. They invaded the Ruhr with the Belgians because it was an area rich in coal and iron
- the french were also under pressure from the Americans to pay their own war debts, o they needed the reparation payments to help pay these debts
- the German government responded to the invasion by ordering a policy of passive resistance (strike)
- french troops killed over a 100
- German industrial production ground to a halt, and this caused a currency collapse
14
Q
Hyperinflation crisis
A
- with no goods to trade, the government printed more money in order to pay debts
- with so much money in circulation, prices and wages rocketed out of control, until paper money became almost worthless
- middle-class Germans had their savings wiped out and pensions became worthless
15
Q
The Munich beer hall putsch
A
- hitler hijacked a local government meeting in Munich and announced he was taking over the government of bavaria with lundendorff
- the police rounded up the SA and broke up the rebellion with a brief exchange of fire
- people did not rise up to support hitler
- he was arrested and jailed but only for 9 months as the judges were right wing and the trial gave him great publicity
16
Q
What were stresemann’s economic achievements
A
- new currency: retenmark which got rid of hyperinflation
- he got production moving again by calling off the passive resistance in the Ruhr
- Dawes plan: 1924,scaled down German reparations and spread them over a longer period and provided for loans of 800 million marks from the USA
- young plan: 1929, further reduced the German reparations bill
- by 1928 was back to pre-war levels, reparations were being paid and exports were increasing
17
Q
What were flaws in streseman’s economic achievements
A
- loans from USA could be called in at short notice so economic recovery strongly relied on America
- agriculture sector was in serious trouble
18
Q
Cultural achievement of Stresemann era
A
- censorship removed
- golden age for culture
- writers ad poets flourished
- but people in the countryside thought there was a moral decline happening in the big cities
19
Q
Achievements of foreign policy under stresemann
A
- 1925 Locarno pact: Germany agrees to accept borders with France and Belgium
- 1926 Germany accepted into League of Nations
- steady work to reverse of the harsh terms of the ToV
- 1928 kellog-Briand pact: Germany (and 64 other nations) agrees to renounce war as an instrument of policy
- 1929 young plan: further negotiation of the reparations settlement and more usa loans
- 1929 allies withdrew from the Rhineland
20
Q
How much political stability id Stresemann bring to the Weimar Republic
A
- democracy seemed to be working as there were no more rebellions or uprisings
- extremist parties like the nazis weren’t very popular
21
Q
How far did the Weimar Republic recover after 1923
A
- Stresemann ended hyperinflation and confidence returned with the introduction of a new currency and reaction in government spending
- Stresemann was able to raise loans from the USA through dawes plan
- reparation payments were made an french and Belgian troops left the Ruhr in 1925
- Germany’s international position was improved by the Locarno pact and Germany joining the league
HOWEVER - farmers suffered a lot due to the fall of food prices and many went into serious debt
- economic recovery was an illusion as they solely depended on USA loans which could be recalled at any time
- some thought the new ideas of culture and art were unpatriotic and wanted to celebrate traditional values
