Germany and the Growth of Democracy Flashcards
1
Q
What happened in 1871?
A
- The end of the Franco-Prussian War, German unification, and Kaiser Wilhelm I appointed
2
Q
How did the Government work pre WW1?
A
- The Emperor (Kaiser) – Head of the armed forces, controlled foreign policy, and appointed the Chancellor
- The Chancellor – In charge of the government and had authority over the Bundesrat
- The Bundesrat – Federal Council made up of 58 representatives from the 25 states. Introduced laws to the Bundestag and power to approve them
- The Bundestag – Federal parliament made up of 397 deputies. Voted on laws introduced by the Bundesrat
3
Q
What caused the growth of Socialism?
A
- 10.86m industrial workers by 1910: led to rise in poor working, living conditions, & low pay
- By 1914, 3 million workers joined trade unions, of which 2.5 million were affiliated with the socialist unions
- The Social Democratic Party (SPD) grew until 1/3 people voted for them; they believed in socialism
4
Q
Industrialisation in Germany:
A
- Largest industrial economy in Europe by 1900
- Producing as much coal and more iron and steel than Britain by 1913
- Producing 2/3 of Europe’s steel by 1914
- Dominated electrical goods and chemical industries in Europe
- electrical products: Siemens and AEG
- chemicals and motor construction: Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler
5
Q
Demographic changes in Germany:
A
- By 1910 60% of Germans lived in towns and cities
- The population of Berlin doubled between 1875 and 1910
- In 1871 there had been 8 towns with population +100,000, by 1910 it was 48
6
Q
During WW1 (Weltkrieg)
A
- In 1915, 500 women gathered in front of the German parliament buildings
- In 1916 10,000 workers assembled in Berlin to shout, ‘Down with war, down with the government!’
- On 28 October 1918 Kiel sailors mutinied
- Armistice of Compiegne signed 5 AM on 11 November 1918 in railway carriage in Forest of Compiègne, about 70 km N of Paris. At 11 AM, war ended
7
Q
Navy laws
A
- Introduced in 1898, 1900, 1906, 1908, and 1912
- To make the Imperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) compete with the Royal Navy
- 1898 law would build 7 battleships, bringing total to 19
- 1900 law would double size to 38 ships
- In response Britain released Dreadnought in 1906. Germany then released own version of dreadnought later on.
8
Q
Impact of WW1
A
- 600,000 war widows: around 1/3 national income spent on war pensions
- 2 million soldiers, 700,000 citizens dead. 4 million more wounded
- 2 million fatherless children
- Industrial output fell by over 40%
- National income fell by around 2/3 thirds since start of war.
- Percentage of women in the workforce had risen to 37%
- Estimates suggest that up to 35% of all trade was organised illegally on the Black market
- Unlike France, which imposed 1st ever income tax to pay for war, Wilhelm & Reichstag decided unanimously to fund war entirely by borrowing.
9
Q
Spartacist Uprising
A
- Also called January Uprising
- They believed in communism
- Led by Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg
- Started on 6 January 1919
- 2000 Freikorps sent in. 3 days of fighting. Leaders tortured & killed
10
Q
Treaty of Versailles
A
- Articles 1-26: Forbidden from joining League of Nations
- Article 42: Demilitarization of the Rhineland (50 km wide)
- Article 45: The Saar leased for 15 years
- Article 80: Anschluss forbidden
- Article 163: Army must be 100,000 men, (max of 7 infantry and 3 cavalry divisions) no conscription
- Article 181: Only 6 battleships, no submarines, manpower less than 15,000
- Article 198: No air force
- Article 231: War guilt clause. Reparations = 132 billion gold marks (£6.6 billion)
- 10% of land (70,000 square km) in Europe lost: 16% of coal fields, 1/2 steel & iron industries
11
Q
Land Germany lost
A
- Alsace Lorraine (France)
- Eupen and Malmedy (Belgium)
- North Schleswig (Denmark)
- Hulschin (Czechoslovakia)
- West Prussia, Posen and Upper Silesia (Poland)
- Saar, Danzig and Memel (League of Nations)
- All gains from the Treaty of Brest Litovsk
- All colonies (League of Nations – given to France and Britain as ‘mandates’)
12
Q
‘stab in the back’ myth
A
- Dolchstosslegende
- Imperial German Army did not lose war on battlefield, but was instead betrayed by certain citizens on home front - Jews, socialists, & republican politicians who overthrew Kaiser in November Revolution.
- Hindenburg said “The German army was stabbed in the back.”
13
Q
Occupation of the Ruhr
A
- the Ruhrkampf (Ruhr campaign)
14
Q
Hyperinflation facts
A
- Inflation of 1 trillion percent between January 1919 and November 1923
- In 1914, £1 was equal to 20 German marks. In 1919, £1 was equal to 250 marks.
- Cost-of-living index was 41 in June 1922 and 685 in December, a nearly 17-fold increase.
- Reparations accounted for about 1/3 of German deficit from 1920 to 1923
- The reparations had to be paid in gold marks, which maintained its value, whilst the German currency declined. This made it more and more expensive to pay.
- By November 1923, 1 US dollar was worth 4 trillion marks
- By November, the Treasury reported 400.3 billion trillion Reichsmarks in circulation across Germany
- By mid-1923, central banks were using more than 30 paper factories, almost 1,800 printing presses and 133 companies to print banknotes.
15
Q
The Dawes Plan
A
- The reparations were reduced to 50 million marks a year for next 5 years, and then 125 million marks a year
- Recommended German National Bank was reorganised
- Germany would receive loan of 800 million Marks financed primarily by America
- Rentenmark was worth 10 trillion of old currency
- By 1924 1 dollar was equivalent to 4.2 Rentenmark.
- Deutsche Rentenbank was bank established on 15 Oct 1923 as state-owned monetary authority authorised to issue Rentenmark currency notes following collapse of private Reichsbank’s Papiermark currency.
- Dawes was co-recipient of Nobel Peace Prize in 1925
