Weimar Germany

Question 1

3 political reasons why Weimar Republic is unpopular

Answer 1

• stab in the back theory
• treaty of versailles
• left wing and right wing revolutions
  ( and political assassinations )

Question 2

stab in the back theory

Answer 2

• most germans though they were capable of winning war
• army stabbed in back
• weimar politicians : November criminals

Question 3

treaty of versailles conditions

Answer 3

• Article 231 - accept blame
• reparations : 6600 mill pounds
• Germany lost its territory
• Anschluss was banned

Question 4

effect of stab in back and treaty

Answer 4

• german public outraged as it felt like Diktat
• weak and unpatriotic
• made weimar unpopular from start
• higher chance of government being attacked

Question 5

no. of political assassinations in weimar

Answer 5

376

Question 6

Spartacist revolt

Answer 6

• jan 1919
• left wing communist revolt
• luxemborg and liebknecht
• 50 K communist took over newspaper headquarters
• right wing freikorp stopped rebellion

Question 7

kapp putsch

Answer 7

• march 1920
• right wing uprising where freikorps marched into berlin
• german workers staged general strike which paralysed city

Question 8

munich putsch

Answer 8

• nov 1923
• hitler organised a far-right revolt in munich beer hall
• news had released to police and Hitler was arrested

Question 9

effects of munich putsch

Answer 9

• nazi party banned
• hitler arrested
• however hitler gained fame in his court case and got his ideas to public - wrote his ideas in mein kampf

Question 10

effects of uprisings

Answer 10

• showed the level of discontent amongst population
• reliance on other groups helping them out

Question 11

3 economical reasons why Weimar Republic is unpopular

Answer 11

• treaty of versailles
• invasion of Ruhr
• hyperinflation

Question 12

treaty of versailles economic impact

Answer 12

• 6600 million in reparations
• crippled germany’s weak economy
• led to political uncertainty and the two revolts

Question 13

invasion of ruhr valley

Answer 13

• france and belgium invaded main industrial area
• 80% coal, iron and steel was in the Ruhr
• had to pay workers who were passively resisitng

Question 14

hyperinflation

Answer 14

• prices of essential items skyrocketed
• piece of bread : 1 mark in 1919 to 200 k billion marks in 1923
• wages didn’t rise as fast as prices
• working class couldn’t afford bread

Question 15

effects of hyperinflation

Answer 15

• loss in trust of weimar who looked indecisive
• working class began to turn on weimar
• backbone of support
• made people even less likely to listen and co-operate with them

Question 16

3 economic developments in Stresseman Era

Answer 16

• ending hyperinflation
• dawes plan
• young plan

Question 17

ending hyperinflation

Answer 17

• stresseman stopped strike in ruhr
• new currency : rentenmark which increased public trust in economy
• 1924: hyperinflation was over

Question 18

dawes plan

Answer 18

• 1924
• withdrawal of france + belgium from ruhr
• germany could sell produce again
• usa lent germon 800 mill Marks to rebuild

Question 19

young plan

Answer 19

• 1929
• reduced total reperations
• 59 years to pay it
• loans continued to come in from usa

Question 20

impact of economic recovery

Answer 20

• hyperinflation solved, biggest priority
• reduced tensions between other nations as they felt more confident
• industrial output doubled by 1928
• weimar gained popularity and support

Question 21

3 international relations

Answer 21

• locarno pact
• league of nations
• kellogg-briand pact

Question 22

locarno pact

Answer 22

• 1925
• germany agreed to respect their borders
• demilitarisation of rhineland
• improved relations with france

Question 23

league of nations

Answer 23

• 1926
• germany was allowed to join
• once again world power
• increases status and popularity
• more confidence in how country run

Question 24

kellogg- briand pact

Answer 24

• 1928
• signed by germany and 65 other countries to promise not to use violence

Question 25

limits of international agreements : cons

Answer 25

-extremist parties didn't approve of how friendly germany was being with other nations - still angry that treaty was still there

Question 26

changes of working- class under weimar

Answer 26

- wages rose every year from 24-30 with a 10% increase in 1928 - 1927 : unemployment insurance which covered 17 mill workers - 101K new homes built with modern facilities. solved housing crisis

Question 27

changes of women under weimar

Answer 27

- 112 women elected to reichstag - number of young women working increased - fashion changed: more freedom to wear short skirts, etc - divorces had become easier

Question 28

weimar culture

Answer 28

- art - cinema - music

Question 29

weimar art

Answer 29

- expressionism - paint everyday life and wanted to comment on problems and the mood

Question 30

weimar cinema

Answer 30

- german films became more popular - exciting and challenged traditional german values

Question 31

weimar music

Answer 31

- became modern - popularity of jazz increased due to American influence amongst youngers

Question 32

changes in weimar culture

Answer 32

- lack of censorship as weimar was very democratic - challenged traditional ideas in new and unique ways

Question 33

when was the wall street crash and what was it

Answer 33

- oct 1929 - companies lost billions of dollars in value overnight

Question 34

consequences of great depression

Answer 34

- industrial production halved - all factories had to close - both owners and workers unhappy - 1933 : 6 mill people unemployed - families had no source of income and were living in poverty

Question 35

political failure

Answer 35

- bruning cut unemployment pay and government expenditure (july 1930) - recihstag didn't agree to actions - hindenburg used article 48

Question 36

effect of political and economic failure

Answer 36

- lost support of all sectors of german public, particularly the working-class - discontent for not solving problems - weak and indecisive - desperate so they turned to extremist parties

Question 37

appeal of nazis

Answer 37

- appeal to many groups in society - personality of hitler : decisive, charismatic, one of the people - SA : gave a organised military feel

Question 38

what political deal did hitler devise?

Answer 38

- he struck a deal with von Papen - if he convinced hindenburg to make him chancellor, papen would be vice

Question 39

how did hitler consolidate his power?

Answer 39

- reichstag fire - other actions - night of the long knives - hindenburg dies

Question 40

reichstag fire

Answer 40

- 1933 : fire broke out in reichstag - blamed on a dutch communist which whipped up anti communist feelings - increased support for nazis while intimidating communist voters - justified his enabling act

Question 41

when were trade unions banned

Answer 41

may 1933 : communists also put in concentration camps

Question 42

night of the long knives

Answer 42

- eliminate any internal opposition - assassinate SA and ernst rohm - june 1934 : 400 SA and rohm killed - consolidating his position as leader of the party

Question 43

hindenburg dies

Answer 43

- chancellor + president = der fuhrer - forced army to swear oath under him