The establishment and development of the Weimar Republic 1919-1933 Flashcards
When was the Wall Street Crash?
October 1929
What was the Wall Street Crash?
When the US stock market collapsed.
What kind of impact did the Great Depression have on Germany?
Particularly severe impact due to American loans and investments. US firms and banks recalled the loans
What was the unemployment figure in the spring of 1929?
2.5 million
How did the WSC further add to Germany’s problems?
Unemployment continued to rise, the demand for German goods collapsed, loans on which Germany relied were recalled and production was cut back which created further unemployment.
How many people were registered unemployed in 1932?
1/3 while others were working shorter hours and had taken pay cuts.
What did unemployment and reduced hours/ wages lead to?
Increased poverty and people being unable to pay their rent/mortgages.
What did many young unemployed people do and why?
Many joined paramilitary groups such as the Nazi SA as it gave them a sense of belonging and something to do.
How did the depression affect the government?
It weakened the Great Coalition. The divisions over the unemployment insurance system then caused a crisis within the government.
How did divisions over the unemployment insurance system cause a crisis in the government?
The PSD did not want cuts while the DVP did. Industrialists argued that the welfare system should be removed all together due to the costs. Any attempt at compromising failed and the Cabinet resigned. This weakened democracy.
When the Cabinet resigned, what did Hindenburg use the opportunity to do?
Bring in right-wing Bruning who supported his policy of rearming Germany.
Was the WSC to blame for Germanys economic problems?
It is easy to blame the economic problems on the WSC however there were fundamental problems before the WSC. The trade of balance was already red, in 1929 there was 1.9 million people unemployed, many farmers were in debt due to facing falling prices since 1927 and then from 1925, the German government finances were continually run on deficit.
What happened to the Nazi vote in September 1930 and why?
They made considerable gains. They had 18.3% of the vote and became the third largest party in the Reichstag. Many people oted for them as they appeared to offer simple solutions to Germanys problems.
What were the consequences of a divided Reichstag (1930-) ?
As the problems carried on into 1931 and 1932, it gave the impression that democracy could not deal with the problems/ situation.
What did Brüning have to rely on in order to be able to rule?
Article 48/ Emergency decree. This further weakened democracy. Use of A48- 1930=5 1931=44 1932=66
What were the unemployment figures in the winter of 1929-30?
Rose to over 2 million.
What were the unemployment figures 12 months after the crash?
3 million
What were the unemployment figures in January of 1932?
6.1 million.
Were the problems of the Economic Depression suffered by only the working class?
No, many industrial workers faced the prospect of long term unemployment while the middle class struggled to survive due to little demands for their services and goods.
How did many people view society?
They believed it was breaking down uncontrollably which led to them loosing faith. People then began to see salvation in the solutions offered by extremist groups.
How did the economic crisis quickly degenerate into one of political nature?
Many people turned to the solutions offered by extremist parties as a way of surviving after the economic depression. There was also a loss of faith in the republic.
Could it be argued that the WSC was the final push for Germanys economy?
Yes- the economy was already in crisis beforehand and it could be argued that the WSC was the final push that brought Germanys economy tumbling down. It was merely occasion not a cause.
How much did industrial production fall by (1932) compared to its 1929 level?
42%
Could it be argued that the economic problems caused the political problems in Germany?
To an extent yes, they made people resort to extremist parties and through the loss of faith, it led to the wholesale collapse of the political system. However this did not happen in Britain, France or the USA where they had well- established democracies.
