Rise Of Political Extremisim Flashcards
Why was political extremism growing?
Violence as armed and uniformed paramilitary squads to guard their meetings and beat up their opponents. Violence became the norm in many cities.
What was the Spartacist Uprising?
5th Jan 1919 - Staged and armed uprising in Berlin to overthrow Ebert’s gov
Poorly supported and prepared
Groaner used the Freikorps to put them down
Over by 13th Jan after brutal street fighting
Resulted in the execution of the ringleaders liebknecht and Luxembourg
Deepened divisions on the left for many years as the army and freikorps brutality
What was the challenge from the right?
Posed a major threat
Hostile toward republic form the outset as they want a monarchy/dictatorship
These ideas were strong amoungst the members of the friekorps and in the army whilst large landowners , industrialists, civil servants , police and judges on whom the republic relied were conservative anti - republicans
What was the Kapp Putsch?
The gov was obliged to put terms of TOV in effect in Jan 1920 and reduce the army while disbanding some freikorps units.
Feb 1920 - 12,000 men ( 2 units ) disbanded by defence minister Gustavia Noske
The army general marched into Berlin to protest and was offered support from sympathetic officers and Wolfgang Kapp.
“Troops do not fire on troops: when Reichswehr fires on Reichswehr all comradeship worhim the officer corps has vanished”
What were the lessons from Kapp Putsch?
Army not to be trusted
Civil servants could be disloyal
Workers as a group could be a great force of power
Weimar was weak without the army
Government control shown as weak due to judges being lenient to right workers
What were the 3 main assassinations?
Hugo Hasse
Matthias Erzberger
Walther Rathbenau
Hugo Hasse?
Nov 7 1919
Renowned political defence lawyer of Karl leibknecht 1907 and Otto Braun 1904
Co chairman of SPD
Shot on way to meeting to expose Eberts alliance with Rüdiger Von Dee Goltz ( freikorps )
Matthias Erzberger?
August 26 1921
Leader of the Roman Catholic Centre Party
Signed TOV
Assassinated by Heinrich Tillessen and Schulz who were officers of the Imperial navy and members of the ultra - nationalist death squad Organisation Consul
Walther Rathenau?
June 24th 1922
Member of German Democratic Party Assassinated by ultra - nationalist death squad Organisation Consul two months after signing the treaty
Foreign minister and signed treaty of rapollo which recognised Russia as the Soviet Union
