Treaty of Versailles and WW1 impacts and the establishment of the Weimar Republic Flashcards
(25 cards)
When did the news that Germany had lost WW1 reach the people and how did it affect them?
-late October/early November 1918
-people were shocked as German army commanders had been telling people they were close to victory
What were there an increased shortage of?
-food
Who disagreed with the Armistice and what did they do?
-the Navy
-they ordered the fleet to sea but this led to a mutiny followed by the establishment of soviets in many cities across Germany
When did the Kaiser abdicate?
-9th November
Who did the power go to after the Kaiser abdicated?
-to the council of peoples representatives->a temporary government led under Ebert (leader of SDP)
How did Ebert prevent the revolution?
-he maintained the support from the army by not reforming or creating a new force
-he kept the support of industrialists who negotiated with trade unions the Central Working Association Agreement->gave workers an 8 hour day and established workers’ councils in large companies
Who was the working class divided between?
-between the communists (KPD) who wanted a Soviet style government and the supporters of the SPD who wanted a parliamentary style
When war ended what financial impact did it have on Germany?
-industrial production was 2/3rds of what it was in 1913
-national income was 1/3rds of what it was in 1913
-there were 600,000 widows and 2 million children without fathers which resulted in the state spending 1/3rd of its budget on war pensions by 1925
What divisions were caused by war?
divide in living standards between rich and poor
how was the divide in living standards made worse?
-restrictions were placed on workers earnings during the war while factory owners were able to make larger profits
What did women working in factories believe the divide caused?
damaged family values
What did Ebert promise when he made the Weimar Republic?
-freedom of speech
-freedom of worship
-better working conditions
What opposition did the creation of the republic cause?
-it helped create the ‘stab in the back’ theory as Germans felt betrayed by the signing of the armistice because they thought this meant Germany lost the war
What did Germany want to do after the war?
-create global peace
What did they not want to do about the Treaty of Versailles?
-pay 6.6 million in reparations
What did Germany expect to join?
-the League of Nations and remain a great power
How were Germany affected by the Treaty of Versailles?
-lost 10% of land
-lost 12.5% of its population
-lost 16% of coal
-lost 48% of its iron industry
-weakened military
-having to pay reparations
What were Germany’s military reductions?
-the army was reduced to 100,000 men
-the navy was reduced to 15,000 men
the General Staff was disbanded
-Germany wasn’t allowed tanks, aircraft, submarines or poison gas
-the number of ships was limited
What made it harder for Germany to pay reparations?
-seizure of industrial land and loss of colonies
What created a long term bitterness towards the Weimar Republic?
-they signed the Treaty and most people disliked it
-stab in the back theory/Dolchstoss
What happened to many Germans as a result of the treaty?
they lived under allied occupation while others were forced to live in other countries such as Poland
Why could the Treaty of Versailles be seen as harsh?
-Germans thought they were winning the war so there was going to be opposition anyway because they would’ve lost either way
-the creation of new, smaller states in Central Europe also meant that Germany was still the strongest power there
What were the economic impacts of the Treaty of Versailles?
-GB naval blockade had ruined the German export trade
-war expenditure was financed by loans and printing money rather than taxation
-inflation increased and prices rose 250%
-the government was 250.7 billion marks in debt by November 1918
What were the political impacts of the Treaty of Versailles?
-the Weimar Republic was blamed for signing it
-they became known as the ‘November Criminals’
-forever associated with the hatred of the Treaty
-reinforced the ‘stab in the back’ myth (Dolchstoss)
