Germany Topic 1 Weimar Republic

Question 1

Abdication of Kaiser

Answer 1

9th November 1918 Kaiser Abdicated
10th November New Republic Set up
11th November Armistice signed
Ludendorff persuaded Wilhelm to give power to a civilian government which was blamed for war defeat - due to weak Weimar politicians

Question 2

German Revolution

Answer 2

Moderate + Radical socialists competed for leadership of revolution
Radical Spartacists declared a soviet republic - Karl Liebnecht
Sparticist revolt was suppressed by moderate socialists Jan 1919

Question 3

The constitution. (what was it)

Answer 3

Voting age 25 - 20
Every 4 yrs Reichstag, 4 yrs State Assemblies 7 yrs president
Proportional representation
Very Democratic - chancellor needed majourity

Question 4

The constitution (negs)

Answer 4

PR meant small parties held disproportionate amount power
No party could gain a majourity
Article 48 could be abused easily to bypass reichstag
federal system meant indiv states could oppose government

Question 5

T of V (military)

Answer 5

Germany vulnerable
100k volunteer army
no conscription
no tanks, subs
6 warships
Rheinland demilitarised

Question 6

T of V (economic)

Answer 6

6.6 billion reps
loss of industrial land (Saar)

Question 7

T of V (land)

Answer 7

Lost rich industrial areas
Lost Saar to LofN
Silesia -> Poland
Alsace Lorraine -> France (tensions as area had been taken in 1871 end of Franco-Prussion war)

Question 8

Reperations

Answer 8

August 1921 Germany Pays initial 250mil
1922 Germany announced it could pay no more
Led to French invasion of Ruhr after Germany couldn’t make 1923 payment
Led to passive resistance - strikes - germany printed more money - hyperinflation

Question 9

Spartacist Uprising (what was it)

Answer 9

Communists - wanted Germany to be run by working class
Rosa Luxemburg + Karl Leibnecht
Jan 1919 they occupied HQ of government
Organised 100k to Strike

Question 10

Spartacist Uprising (why fail)

Answer 10

Government asked Freikorps for help
Freikorps were paramilitary soldiers - they saw themselves as protectors from Bolshevism
They crushed the revolt - 100 killed and Rosa + Karl shot

Question 11

Kapp Putsch

Answer 11

12k Freikorps marched on Berlin
Strike organised by left to opposite it - essentail supplies disrupted - city couldn’t function
Kapp fled to sweden
Outlined government had little military power - Government relied on workers to stop it

Question 12

French Occupation of Ruhr

Answer 12

Workers went on strike - some sabotaged
french brought own workers - lead to fighting - 100 civilians killed
French helped themselves to iron, steel, coal
German workers went on strike -
hyperinflation
France left in 1925 after Dawes Plan

Question 13

Hyperinflation

Answer 13

rapid price increases
Reichsmark value collapsed
mortgages + loans could pay off
savings wiped out
Weimar Gov blamed
Country went to chaos - support for extremists groups increases
Communists take over Rheinland
Nazis attempt Putsch on Munich