Early Weimar Flashcards
(21 cards)
When did the final Kaiser Wilhem II
abdicate?
9th November 1918
What were the October reforms?
Prince Max of Badan formed a new government on October 1st 1918
What did Prince Max of Badan send to Wilson on 3rd October 1918?
A Peace Note requesting an armistice
What caused the Kiel Naval Mutiny?
German Navy high command ordered one last attack on British ships - crew of two cruisers refused
What is the Kiel Naval Mutiny?
(a mutiny is a revolt)
3rd November 1918 German sailors revolted against military command
Unrest spread to German Naval base in Kiel - sailors gained control of the base
Mutiny spread to city - workers and soldiers councils established
When did the final Kaiser Wilhem II
abdicate?
9th November 1918 (also declaration of German Republic in Berlin)
What and when was the Ebert-Groener Pact?
An agreement between Friedrich Ebert (Chancellor of Germany) and Wilhelm Groener (general of the German Army) - the army pledged to support the government in maintaining law and order particularly against leftist uprisings protecting the new Weimar Republic
10th November 1918 if The army was not democratised and Ebert defended Germany against communist revolution
When was the Armistice?
11th November 1918
Who is Prince Max of Badan?
Chancellor appointed by Kaiser Wilhelm - resigned on Nov 9th 1918 and appointed Friedrich Ebert as his successor
What were the true intentions of the Peace Note?
Buy time for another offensive but Wilson saw through this and was sceptical of Germany’s actions and intention so proposed his 14 point plan
Some of Woodrow Wilson’s 14 points? (24th October)
Open diplomacy without secret treaties
Decrease armament amongst all nations
Return of Alsace-Lorraine region and all French territories
Creation of the League of Nations
Ludendorff failed to reject Wilson’s Peace Note - what did this show the German public
Highlighted the truth that Germany was not an unstoppable military force
Public lost respect for its leaders which led to unrest
Who was Friedrich Ebert?
SPD politician who became first Chancellor of WR in 1918 and First President in 1919 - wanted to build a democratic parliamentary system of government
What is the Political Spectrum in order from Left to Right?
KPD (communists)
USPD (socialists)
SPD
DDP
Centre (catholic interest)
DVP
DNVP
NSDAP (nazis)
How did the Left pressure Ebert?
Wanted key industries nationalised and the army, the civil service and the judiciary to be democratised
How did the Right pressure Ebert?
Hated democracy but feared Bolshevism even more - led to Ebert-Groener Pact
When was the Peace conference in Versailles?
18th January 1919
When was the Constituent Assembly Election
19th January 1919
What happened in the Constituent Assembly election?
SPD got the largest number of seats but not enough for majority so created a coalition with Centre Party and German Democratic Party
Ebert elected president
Philipp Scheidemann (SPD) became chancellor
Workers’ and soldiers’ councils handed their powers over to the Constituent Assembly
Agreement that new republic should be a break away from the autocratic constitution
Strengths of Weimar Constitution?
Voting - democratic and women could vote too
Proportional representation
Individual rights - ‘All Germans are equal before the law’
Referendums - votes could be held on singular issues
Weaknesses of Weimar Constitution?
Proliferation of small parties - small parties could exploit the system and appear in the Reichstag to gain publicity
Coalitions - hard to make decisions with different political perspectives
