Germany 1890 - 1939: Democracy and Dictatorship Flashcards
(32 cards)
What powers did the Kaiser have?
- Appointed Chancellor, who made all decisions, day to day running of the country. The Kaiser could sack him and choose another whenever he wanted
- Had a Reichstag (Parliament) which had effectively no power (could only pass law, not change them)
What was the most powerful state?
Prussia, it had two thirds of the German population and could veto decisions in the Bundestag
What were right wing parties keen to do at this time?
Keen to expand the German empire
Why were left wing parties gaining support?
There was an increasing number of industrial workers
How was parliamentary government developing?
There were now several major political parties so coalitions were forming
Talk about Germany’s industry production in 1914
It led the world in chemical and steel industries, as it made twice as much steel as the UK and a third of the worlds electrical goods
How did the population grow from 1871 to 1914?
From 40 million to 87 million
This increase in population strained what industry, and what did Germany therefore have to rely on more?
Agriculture, rely on imports
Due to Germany being traditional, what view did people have?
Conservative, for example upper classes in charge and having more power
What other movement was growing at the same time?
Socialist
How did the government attempt to meet the demands of the new workers?
Introducing multiple pension schemes and sickness and accident scheme. This was more advanced than in many other countries
Support for the Socialists increased. How many seats did it have in 1912?
30%
Which army swore obedience to the Kaiser?
Prussia
Whose army and navy did the Kaiser want to match, why, and how did he try to match theirs.
Britain’s, large empire, naval laws and weapons race
What did wanting a large oversea empire cause?
Tension with Britain and France. This was one of the causes of WWI
How were people suffering from war weariness?
- Living standards were low
- 600,000 widows and 2 million fatherless children
- Country was virtually bankrupt
- Divisions in society, rich were not as worse of as the poor
- Regular food and water shortages, rationing
When did it become clear that Germany were going to lose?
After the Allies counter attacked the Spring offensive in August 1918
How did German people make the war end quicker?
Sailors mutinied, the socialists had an uprising (making Bavaria a socialist republic)
When did the Kaiser abdicate, and to where?
9 Nov, Netherlands
When did the war end?
11 Nov
Who took control of Germany after they lost, and why, and what changes did he make to the Government
Ebert, he was leader of the Reichstag, and he set up a new constitution which was very democratic, where the Reichstag chose the chancellor and the president had to keep the support of the Reichstag. He allowed free speech and fairer judges
What was one exception to this very democratic system?
Article 45, where the president could do what he wanted in an emergency.
What was this new Government called and why?
Weimar, due to being set up in the city of Weimar as Berlin was unsafe due to riots.
Why was there political unrest after the war?
Many dissatisfied soldiers return from the war, and many parties fought for command
