Establishment And Early Years Of Weimar Flashcards
(174 cards)
The impact of WW1 and the Political crisis of Oct-Nov 1918
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What were October reforms made by Kaiser Wilhelm?
Who was Prince Max?
What was the Peace Note?
What was the impact of the peace note on the German people?
Who was involved in the November revolution?
What happened on the 3rd November 1918 with the November revolution?
What happened on the 6th November 1918 with the November revolution?
What happened on the 9th November 1918 with the November revolution?
When was Kaiser Wilhelm abdicated?
9th November 1918
What caused Kaiser Wilhelm’s abdication?
Who was Freidrich Ebert?
Was president of the SPD party
What did Ebert believe in?
He believed in evolutionary change through winning a majority in parliamentary elections then introducing reforms
Who chose Ebert to be the temporary Chancellor?
Had been chosen my Prince Max since he was the leader of the majority party in the Reichstag
Although his authority did not extend much past Berlin
When was the armistice signed?
11th November
What was the reaction to the armistice from German people?
After the armistice and the demolishment of much of the army, bands of ex soldiers roamed the streets, street demonstrations, strikes and armed clashes became regular occurances
German Parties/Groups
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What were the main socialist groups and parties (left wing) in 1918?
- Spartacist League (then KPD)
- USPD
- The Social Democratic Party (SPD)
What was the Sparacist league (later KPD)?
Founded - 1916, by a more revolutionary part of the SPD - name changed to the German Communist Party Jan 1919
Leaders - Karl Leibknecht, Rosa Luxenburg
Aims - Wanted a republican government controlled by workers and soldiers councils, welfare benefits, nationalisation, workers control of majority industries, disbanding of the army and creation of local workers militias. Opposed WW1
Support - Workers would often join them on rallies and demonstrations in the street
Membership - around 5000
What was the USPD?
Founded -1917, by breakaway minority group from the left of the SPD
Leaders - Hugo Hasse
Aims - Wanted a republic with national Reichstag working with workers and soldiers councils, welfare improvements, nationalisation of industry, breaking up of large estates, reform of the army and creation of a national militia. Opposed to WW1
Support - grew in strength during 1918 as war-weariness grew
Membership - around 300,000
What was The Social Democratic Party (SPD)?
Founded - 1875, as a Marxist socialist party commited to revolution
Leaders - Freidrich Ebert, Philipp Scheidermann
Aims - Wanted moderate socialist republic with democratic elections and basic personal freedoms, welfare improvements, and gradual nationalism of industry. Wanted continuity and order. Supported WW1
Support - Appealed largely to W/C voters and in 1912 became largest party in the Reichstag
Membership - around 1 million
What other Parties were there?
Center parties, right wing parties, left wing parties, extremist parties
What was the Centre Party?
Formed - 1870
Aims - To protect Catholic interests in a mainly protestant German Reich
Support - Had strong support in main Catholic areas of Bavaria and the Rhineland
Supported a democratic constitution
What was the German Democratic Party (DDP)?
Left leaning liberal party, based on the old Progressive party
Support - Most support came from intellectuals and middle class
Supported a democratic constitution