left wing rebellion Flashcards
(20 cards)
Why did the new system of government become known as the Weimar Republic?
a
After WWI, Berlin was too dangerous to establish a government. So the town of Weimar was used instead.
Who was the leader of the new German Republic?
a
Freidrich Ebert, a Social Democrat
Apart from the Kaiser’s abdication, what did the Allies demand Germany do politically?
m….
a
Become more democratic. Replace the old, autocratic system of government (one with a single, all-powerful leader), with a more democratic systen
How was the new ‘democratic’ Germany greeted?
a
Unenthusiastically, particularly by those on the right-wing (conservative, traditional people) and those on the left (usually workers)
Which groups made up the right-wing of German society?
a
The army - The civil service - The judiciary (judges) - Industry bosses (e.g. big business)
What did the right-wing of Germany society want to see?
a
The Kaiser restored to power. (Generally, right-wing people do not like change.)
What did the left-wing groups want?
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Left-wing groups - mostly Communists - believed it was time for a revolution in Germany (like in Russia in 1917)
What was the most famous left-wing group?
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The Spartacists (SPART-A-CISTS)
Who led the Spartacists?
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Karl Liebknecht (LIEB-KNECHT) and Rosa Luxemburg
When did the Spartacists attempt their uprising?
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January 1919
Who crushed the Spartacist Uprising?
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The Freikorps
Who were the Freikorps
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Ex-soldiers who had formed paramilitary groups (i.e. armed groups not controlled by the government) around Germany
Which groups did the Freikorps hate?
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The Communists
How many Spartacists were killed in the uprising?
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100
How many Freikorps died in the crushing of the Spartacist uprising?
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13 (unlucky for some)
What happened to Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknect and why was this important?
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They were executed - depriving the Communists of leadership
How did Ebert deal with the declaration of a ‘socialist republic’ in Bavaria?
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He again used the Freikorps, who crushed the revolt in May 1919. Around 600 Communists were killed.
What happened in the Ruhr in 1920?
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Communists protested against the government.
How did Ebert deal with the protests in the Ruhr in 1920?
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The police, army and Freikorps were used to deal with the Communists
Overall, how successful was Ebert during this period?
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Pros: - He avoided a civil war/revolution (as had happened in Russia) Cons: - He looked weak because he had had to rely on the Friekorps - He lost the support of many working class people, who thought Ebert had acted ruthlessly
