Politcal Threats To WR 1919-23

Question 1

Aims of the Spartacus Uprising

Answer 1

Against Weimar Republic and parliamentary democracy (not participate in elections)

• wanted to improve workers conditions
• not support demo elected parliaments. Want workers’ councils (soviets) to run G

Question 2

Leaders of the Sprtacist Uprising

Answer 2

Led by USPD and Spartacus league. Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxembourg

Question 3

What happened during the Spartacist Uprising (6)

Answer 3

• 5 Jan 1919 Spartacist launch armed uprising 1000 strong in Berlin to try overthrow Eberts provisional govt
• occupied public buildings, called for general strike and formed revolutionary committee
• 3 days savage street fighting
• govt brutally put down uprising w help of Freikorps
• Gustav Noske (SPD defence minister) ordered army to put down rising
• 1000s killed incl Liebknecht and Luxembourg

Question 4

Why did the Spartacist uprising fail

Answer 4

• leaders badly divided over aims
• no real strategy
  Layton says leaders “detached from political realities”

Question 5

Impact of the Spartacist Uprising (5)

Answer 5

• use of freikorps, who despised repub, showed weakness of govt and caused bitter recriminations within the left
• govt had to relocate in Weimar Saxony
• Spartacists (later KPD) never forgave govt and relations between SPD and KPD remained poisoned for years to come. Left wing divided
• KPD kept challenging govt, secured 10-15% vote 1919-23
• put military elite in a v good position as needed by govt

Question 6

Why did the Bavarian Soviet Republic formed?

Answer 6

Inspired and modelled on communist govt in Russia, 18mts after Bolshevik revolution

Question 7

How was the Bavarian Soviet Republic formed?

Answer 7

• Bavarian monarchy collapsed and taken over by USPD leader Eisner on 7 Nov 1918
• Soviet republic proclaimed March
• made own Red Army and workers councils by Levine
• lasted several weeks until 1 May 1919 when govt troops and Freikorps suppressed it

Question 8

How many died in the suppression of the Bavarian Soviet Republic?

Answer 8

Over 600 killed by Freikorps and over 1000 govt volunteers killed

Question 9

Impact of the Bavarian Soviet Republic

Answer 9

Spartacist uprising and this proved G in split between extreme LW and RW.
Moderates and govt had lil power unless side w RW and Army

Question 10

Why did the Red Ruhr Rising happen?

Answer 10

Hoped to exploit fact that helped govt put down Kapp Putsch 2 days before. Hoped to force govt concessions

Question 11

What happened in the Red Ruhr rising?

Answer 11

A ‘Red Army’ formed by 50 000 socialist workers

Ironically, rising suppressed by Freikorps

Question 12

How many deaths occurred from the Red Ruhr rising?

Answer 12

Over 1000 workers and 250 policeman and soldiers killed

Question 13

Impact of Red Ruhr Rising

Answer 13

Showed firm action if govt against LW via immediate action, brutality and numerous on the spot executions
Weak govt as still rely on Freikorps

Question 14

What was the German October of 1923?

Answer 14

A wave of communist uprisings in Saxony, Thuringia and Hamburg

Question 15

Why did the German October happen?

Answer 15

• happened against a background of financial instability provoked by reparations crisis
• Comintern (Russian revolutionary org to spread communism) wanted to org German October inspired by Bolshevik revolution of October 1917

Question 16

What happened in the German October? (6)

Answer 16

• SPD and KPD formed coalition in Saxony and communists pledged to use ‘Proletarian hundreds’ (paramilitary units)
• Reich troops overthrew govt and suppressed strikers
• Saxony and Thuringia uprising s crushed before off ground
• Hamburg, army used to suppress uprising.
• Saxony’s SPD prime minister Zeigner resisted and art 48 used to remove govt
• All SPD govt then put in Saxony

Question 17

Why did German October fail?

Answer 17

• missed opportunity for communists

- KPD’s approach hesitant and foolish

Question 18

Impact of German October (1)

Answer 18

Further proof for communists that the social democrats couldn’t be trusted

Question 19

Overall left wing threat? (7)

Answer 19

• workers strike but uncoordinated, leaders not tap into support and isolated, no strong leadership (as Communists had in Russia), not exploit fragility WR.
• govt had backing of army’s troops and Freikorps
• by summer best chance for Commies to take govt gone
• Left wing divisions between SPD and KPD. Moderates lil power unless sided w RW
• Threats easily dealt with by govt
• KPD continued to challenge govt w 10-15% vote in 1919-23 elections
• engendered fear of communism amongst middle class drove many to RW

Question 20

Who was Matthias Erzberger

Answer 20

Germany’s representative on the Allied Reparations Commission so responsible for carrying out terms of TOV
Catholic and ZP member

Question 21

When and how was Matthias Erzberger murdered

Answer 21

Murdered by RW extremists January 1921

Question 22

WHO was Hugo Hasse and when killed?

Answer 22

A USPD member who was shot in front of the Reichstag Oct 1919, dying a month later

Question 23

WHO was Walther Rathenau

Answer 23

Foreign minister, leading republic govt member, who signed armistice and negotiated w Allies to try improve TOV. Jewish 😬

Question 24

WHO killed Walther Rathenau and in what year

Answer 24

1922 killed by RW army officers from the ‘Consul Organisation’

Question 25

How many attended Walther Rathenau’s funeral? What prison sent did his assassins get?

Answer 25

700 000, he was a popular demo politician. Even so assassins only got 4yrs in prison

Question 26

How many political assassinations were there in Germany 1919-22

Answer 26

376

Question 27

How many political assassinations did the RW commit from 1919-22 vs the LW? And punishments?

Answer 27

RW committed 354 murders, all unpunished (legal system sympathetic to RW) LW committed 22, 10 of which sent to death

Question 28

Impact of Political Assassinations

Answer 28

Democracy weakened and destabilized, govt not want lose RW support as fear of communism and not want another putsch

Question 29

When was the Munich Putsch?

Answer 29

8-9 November 1923

Question 30

What situations in Germany encouraged the Munich Putsch to happen?

Answer 30

- 1923 hyperinflation - Franco-Belgian occupation of the Ruhr - passive resistance - German October 1923

Question 31

What was Hitler’s inspiration for the Munich Putsch?

Answer 31

Successful Mussolini march on Rome 1922

Question 32

Why did Hitler think von Kahr would support the Munich Putsch?

Answer 32

The Bavarian govt, led by von Kahr, blamed G’s problems on the Berlin govt Von Kahr was ultra conservative and want destroy regime

Question 33

What happened during the Munich Putsch?

Answer 33

- 8 Nov 1923 Hitler and SA surround Munich Beer Hall where meeting being held by Bavarian leaders von Kahr and von Lossow - Hitler, w support respected Ludendorff, announced he was taking over Bavarian govt - Kahr and Lossow forced to support but escape - next day, w pressure Weimar govt and von Seeckt, Kahr orders Bavarian police to shoot on Hitler - 16 Nazis died and Hitler easily crushed

Question 34

Aftermaths of the Munich Putsch?

Answer 34

- Hitler lenient sentence of 5yrs and only serves 9mts - Ludendorff acquitted (there ‘by accident’) - Hitler forbidden speaking in 6 German states until 1927 - Nazi party temporarily banned until 1925

Question 35

How did Hitler exploit the Munich Putsch?

Answer 35

- Used Jan ‘24 trial as a publicity stunt. Went from a regional to a National figure. Trial got blanket News coverage and got blanket news coverage and 24 days was front page news - Presented himself as a German patriot, unlike the Weimar govt. - wrote Mein Kampf in prison - changed tactics to focus on voting. Now want majority vote to destroy Weimar Republic from within…

Question 36

When was the Kapp Putsch?

Answer 36

March 1920

Question 37

Why did the Kapp Putsch happen?

Answer 37

- Feb 1920 Allied Diaramament Commission demanded reduction of troops according to TOV - proposed to disband 2 Freikorps units comprised of 12 000 men - General von Luttwitz, general commander, refused so the govt ordered his arrest

Question 38

WHO were the leaders of the Kapp Putsch

Answer 38

General von Luttwitz and the monarchist journalist Wolfgang Kapp

Question 39

What happened during the Kapp Putsch?

Answer 39

- marched on Berlin 1 March 1920 - seized main buildings and installed new govt w virtually no opposition - General von Seeckt refuse to mobilize troops ‘troops do not fire on troops’ despite Ebert-Groener deal! - SPD govt members called for a general strike Over 12 million workers went on strike Capital paralyzed and spread rest country - after 4 days, Kapp govt exert no real authority and flee city. Kapp to Sweden - people not support and view as illegitimate

Question 40

Punishments from the Kapp Putsch

Answer 40

Of 705 prosecuted, only 1 punished. Govt still strong fear communism and not want lose RW support. Weak

Question 41

Impact of the Kapp Putsch

Answer 41

- bolstered arrogance of antirepub Nats. Proved could get away w murder - democracy hit! After 1920 Kapp Putsch, only 48% vote for main 3 demo parties compared w 76% 1919 elections

Question 42

To what extent was the RW opposition a serious threat? (5)

Answer 42

- no 1 ideology. Mixed collection of opponents and overall too divided - govt not able to punish properly due to fear communism, undermining demo - political assassinations, politicians lived in fear - Kapp Putsch significant. Unique as briefly did seize power. Showed weakness of WR and the importance of the army to political survival of regime. - powerful conservative forces against republic significant. Persistence of old attitudes in major traditional institutions. -

Question 43

Overall extent of political threats to regime 1919-23 (5)

Answer 43

- growth of political extremism. Moderates have lil power unless sided w army or conservative forces. Political violence became the norm - ‘a Republic without Republicans’ shown by elections - govt did have means to defuse and did put down all threats - long term issues more dangerous, acted like solvent in corroding support for democracy from the middle ground. - Ebert overestimated the LW threat and underestimated the RW threat as seen by his harsh LW punishments and lenient RW ones eg. Political assassinations.