Weimar and Nazi Germany Flashcards
(304 cards)
What was Germany’s war debt after WWI?
150 billion marks.
What % of German troops were casualties (dead or wounded) during WWI?
55%
How many German civilians died during WWI?
750,000
What did the Kaiser (Emperor Wilhelm II) do after WWI?
He was forced to abdicate (quit the throne).
What happened in Stuttgart after WWI in 1918 that helped cause the Kaiser to abdicate?
Workers went on strike. Soldiers refused to control the rioting people in the Streets.
What happened in Hamburg after WWI in 1918 that helped cause the Kaiser to abdicate?
Oct 1918, some German navy crews mutinied (rebelled).
What happened in Munich after WWI in 1918 that helped cause the Kaiser to abdicate?
Nov 1918, workers declared a general strike and declared that Munich should be separate from Germany.
When did the Kaiser decide to abdicate?
November 1918 (right at the end of WWI).
What made the Kaiser realise, in addition to the events at Hamburg and Munich, he had no choice but to abdicate on 9th November?
He had lost the support of the Army and the army leadership.
On 9th of November , what was Germany declared?
A Republic (government without a king).
Who was the man who declared Germany a Republic through a window at the Reichstag?
Philipp Scheidemann
What party was Philipp Scheidemann part of?
Social Democratic Party (SPD)
Why did Philipp declare Germany a republic on the same day as the Kaiser’s abdication?
To ward off a communist rebellion.
The leader of the SDP (Freidrich Ebert) set up what as a temporary measure to control the country?
The Council of People’s Representatives
What was the reason for The Council of People’s Representatives being set up?
To protect the country from a communist revolution until a constitution could be set up.
How long was ‘The Council of People’s Representatives’ in control of the country?
9 months
Why did ‘The Council of People’s Representatives’ end in July 1919 (9 months after it was set up)?
A new constitution (rules) were established for the new country.
What was this new country called in 1919?
The Weimar Republic.
Who became the Weimar Republic’s first President?
Friedrich Ebert
Ebert did several things to increase the people’s confidence in the Weimar Republic. What did he do with the Kaiser’s civil servants?
He kept them in place.
Why did the Ebert increase the peoples confidence?
To ensure the country keeps running, such as taxation collection.
What did Ebert do with the army? Why did he do this?
He, again, kept it in place. He promised the army officers that they would keep their positions, this meant they would support the new Republic.
What happened to the trade unions (workers’ support groups)?
Ebert won their support.
What was the name of the main trade union leader Ebert gained support from?
Carl legien.