Section 1: The Establishment And Early Years Of The Weimar Republic, 1918-24 Flashcards
(52 cards)
What happened in 1871, and what was German society like by 1900?
1871: Prussia brought most of the German states together in a new German Reich.
By 1900, Germany had became a leading industrial nation.
How did people react to the outbreak of war in 1914? Briefly explain reasons for Germany’s defeat in 1918.
It transformed the political situation, with a wave of support for the Kaiser’s declaration of war.
Reasons for loss: German forced forced to retreat across the western front. At the same time, their Austro-Hungarian allies were also being defeated.
Aims of right and left wing in Weimar Republic?
Right wing: end of democracy wanted and an authoritarian government put in its place.
Left Wing: Some wanted to keep democracy, whilst some wanted to form a communist government.
Outline events of September 1918?
Clear to Ludendorff and German high command that Germany on brink of defeat.
German forces on retreat on western front. Elsewhere in Europe, Germany’s allies were trying to negotiate peace terms.
Describe October reforms of 1918?
Following Ludendorff’s recommendation Kaiser began series of reforms that effectively ended his autocratic rule.
- Appointed Prince Max of Baden as his new Chancellor.
He made a new government based on majority parties in the Reichstag, which the Chancellor was responsible for.
- Armed forces put under control of the civil government.
” revolution from above”
What was the peace note on 3rd October 1918?
Prince Max wrote to president Wilson requesting armistice.
Took 3 weeks for him to reply as he was worried Germans were trying to buy time to launch new offensive.
His reply ordered that Germany must evacuate all occupied territory, end submarine warfare, and fully democratise its political system.
Too much for Ludendorff to accept, who resigned and fled to Sweden.
Public reaction to attempted armistice?
Public had no idea they were losing the war until armistice. They had suffered food shortages and lost countless men to the war. They were outraged.
Soldiers lost respect for officers and refused to follow orders.
Workers went on strike.
Events of 22nd and 28th October 1918?
22nd Oct: strike in Friedrichshafen workers shouted, “the Kaiser is a scoundrel” and “up with the German Republic”.
28th October: two cruisers refused to obey orders to attack British ships from German naval high command.
November Revolution of 1918?
3rd November: soldiers mutinied against their officers at Kiel naval bass and took control of it. Following day, revolt spread to city anc workers and soldiers councils set up. Most council members = patriots who wanted Kaiser to abdicate in place of a democratic republic.
Events in Bavaria?
8th Nov: republic claimed in Bavaria and Bavarian monarchy removed. Brought home to prince max that he’d lost control of the situation.
Outline events of November 9th, 1918.
SPD called for workers to strike to force the Kaiser to abdicate. Also threatened to withdraw from Prince Max’s govt if Kaiser didn’t abdicate.
Kaiser still refused, Max released press statement claiming Kaiser had abdicated. He then resigned, giving his position to SPD leader Ebert.
General Groener informed Kaiser that the army wouldn’t fight for him, forcing the Kaiser to abdicate.
The struggle for power?
Problems faced by Ebert: conscious that his govt lacked legitimacy, as came to power through a revolutionary act, not a democratic vote.
Constituent assembly: elected body with specific task of drawing up a new constitution, usually in the aftermath of a revolution.
Pressure from the left?
Far left parties wanted soldier’s and worker’s councils to have a say in govt decisions due to their crucial role in the revolution.
Pressure from the army?
Right wing army wanted Ebert to resist soldier’s councils demands to democratise the army and, defend against communist revolution.
Ebert-Groener pact: Army wouldn’t support new Govt as long as Ebert resisted council requests to democratise the army.
Outline the socialist political parties in 1918.
Spartacist league (KPD): communist, anti-democratic, led by Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg. Opposed WW1. 5000 members.
USPD: Breakaway from left of SPD, opposed WW1, led by Hugo Hasse. 300,000 members.
SPD: Moderate socialists, supported entry into WW1, led by Friedrich Ebert and Phillipp Scheidemann. 1 million members.
Outline Spartacist uprising of Jan 1919.
Jan 1919 Spartacists launched an armed rising in Berlin
5th Jan, occupied public buildings, called for a general strike and formed a revolutionary committee.
3 days of street fighting, 100 killed, easily defeated by Freikorps
Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg executed by Freikorps.
Uprising lacked strategy and their ‘revolutionaries’ were just workers with rifles.
Strengths of Weimar Constitution?
Provided wider voting rights than GB and France. Women allowed to vote on same terms as men and could become Reichstag deputies.
System of proportional representation meant even smaller parties could win seats in Reichstag and influence govt decisions.
Full democracy in central and local govt. Prussia no longer able to dominate rest of Germany.
Constitution set out rights of the individual e.g. illegitimate children given same rights as illegitimate children.
Referendums could be called by the president, the Reichsrat, or by people’s request if 10% of electorate applied for one.
How did proportional representation weaken the constitution?
Led to proliferation of smaller parties. Enabled smaller parties, many of which were anti-republic, to exploit parliamentary system to gain publicity.
Because of the proliferation of smaller parties, none of the larger parties could gain an overall majority in the Reichstag. So all governments in Weimar Republic were coalitions, most of which were short-lived.
How did article 48 of the constitution weaken it?
Gave the president the right to rule by decree in exceptional circumstances.
Not intended to be used regularly by those who wrote constitution, however Ebert used article 48 powers on 136 occasions. Mostly in non-emergency situations to overrule Reichstag opposition.
Describe the survival of undemocratic institutions.
The army: officer from the 2nd Empire kept jobs which meant army = right wing and supportive of a Kaiser so disloyal to the Republic. Led by General Hans Von Seeckt.
Civil service: senior civil servants overwhelmingly recruited from the aristocracy. Top civil servants = very powerful. Administration of new govt= in hands of those with anti-democratic ideology.
Judiciary: article 54 of constitution guaranteed independence of the judges so judges from 2nd empire kept their posts. Judges= staunchly monarchist and anti-democratic. Members of left wing groups brought to court treated much more harshly than right wing groups.
Territorial losses at Treaty of Versailles?
Treaty removed 13% of German territory. E.g. Alsace-lorraine given back to France and Eupen and Malmedy given to Belgium.
All overseas colonies put under league of nations control ( in reality divided among the allies)
Resulted in Germany losing 75% of its iron ore , 68% zinc ore, 26% of its coal and 15% of its arable land.
Disarmament of Germany at Treaty of Versailles?
Germany had to surrender all heavy weapons and dismantle fortifications in the Rhineland.
Conscription into German armed forces banned. Army limited to 100,000 men and banned from using gas and tanks.
Navy limited to 15,000 and only allowed 6 battleships and no submarines.
Germany banned from having an airforce.
Describe the terms of the war guilt clause agreed at Treaty of Versailles
Under article 231 of the Treaty, Germany had to accept responsibility for starting the war.
Germany made to pay reparations to Allies to cover costs of damage suffered in war.
Reparations committee came to figure of £6.6 billion in 1921.
What happened to Rhineland and Saarland at Treaty of Versailles?
Rhineland: left bank of Rhine and 50km of right bank permanently demilitarised. Allied army of occupation was based in Rhineland to ensure Germany fulfilled obligations of the treaty.
The Saarland: this area of south West Germany with rich coal reserves was separated from Germany and put under league of nations control. So Germany would supply France, Belgium and Italy with free coal as reparations.
