Weimar Germany Flashcards
(33 cards)
What was Germany like before 1919?
Before 1919 Germany had been under the control of Kaiser Wilhelm II and was virtually a dictatorship.
What was the issue with the Government?
There was a Reichstag but it could not make laws and did not appointment the Government
What led to the abdication of the Kaiser?
The First World War:
Germany sank into great defeat and the government fell apart. The navy mutinied and there were food riots across Germany. German leader were forced to sign the Armistice as a means of ensuring some sort of peace in Germany and in NOV 1918 the Kaiser fled to the Netherlands.
What were the first good qualities of the new Weimar Republic?
It was a very good democracy; it had a Bill of Rights to protect the freedoms of the people and it gave the vote to all men and women over the age of 21. Proportional representation meant that MPs elected exactly as people wanted.
Who was the first President of the WR?
Frederick Ebert
What was the inevitable problem with the new Gov?
It received threats from the left and the right
What was the Left Threat?
The communists hated the new Government and didn’t want a democracy. They wanted a dictatorship of the workers which would allow for a Communist Revolution.
What happened in 1919 with regard to the Threat from the Left?
In 1919, Sparticists, rebelled against the Government with Luxembourg as leader. INSTABILITY IN EBERT’S GERMANY
What was the Right Threat in Germany?
The German army hadn’t surrendered to the Allies; the German government had; many felt they had been betrayed by weak politicians. November Criminals.
Why were the right wing revolutionaries even more angry?
They came to learn of the HARSH terms of the Treaty of Versailles inflicted on Germany in June 1919
What was the main right wing rebellion?
Kapp Putsch in 1920 in Berlin was a nationalist attack on the government; they attacked politicians and set up parliamentary groups which terrorized their neighborhoods. Kapp and Freikorps seized power in Berlin - army refused to fire on them.
How did the German people help defeat the Kapp Putsch?
Factory workers striked which meant that there was no production of gas, water or coal. After 4 days Kapp knew he wouldn’t win so fled.
How did Ebert further fail to deal with opposition?
In 1922 the Foreign Minister Rathenau was murdered by extremists and in 1923 Hitler attempted the Munich Putsch.
What were the effects of the proportional representation in the new Republic that at first seemed synonymous with peace?
It led to the election of many small parties all of which squabbled with each other and each others aims. No gov got the majority in the Reichstag and so, laws could never be passed
What was the impact of the ToV in Germany?
The Treaty of Versailles had a great economic impact in Germany; it meant that Germany in having to pay such high reparations, was weakened and was unable to do so.
What was the French invasion of the Ruhr?
Germany fell behind on reparations so Fr and Bel soldiers entered the Ruhr and took what was owed to them in the form of raw materials and goods.
How did the German people save Ebert’s Germnay yet again?
They held a passive resistance against the invaders –> no food and economy ultimately ground to a halt
How did the French react to this strike?
Harshly; killed about 100 men and expelling 100,000 protesters in reprisal
What was the result of the strike in Germany?
It meant that the Germany economy fell into ruins but also that the gov tried to solve situation by printing more money - HYPERINFLATION
Strikes and revolts all over Germany and rebellion of Communists. Even let Nazis test out their power in the Munich Putsch.
How did Stresemann help the situation?
He set up treaties with other countries to improve the situation in Germany
Locarno 1925 and Kellogg-Briand Pact 1928
Dawes Plan in 1924 - loans from USA to help deteriorating situation in Germany
What was the economic recovery under Stresemann?
Replaced the Mark with the Rentenmark and with the agreement of the Dawes Plan in 1924, industry grew, employment rose, international trade grew and so profits rose.
Germany emerging from its terrible situation after war.
How did the Dawes Plan of 1924 help Germany?
Money could be used to build factories, produce goods and increase jobs - RAISE GERMAN STANDARD OF LIVING.
What was the issues with Stresemann’s gov?
Ger depended too much on America for loans and the economic boom was precarious; USA could withdraw the loans at any time.
Farming also suffered from depression due to hyperinflation affecting food prices; agricultural income went down in 1925-9
Was Ebert’s government the strongest in Germany?
Radical parties were determined to overpower the Weimar Republic and 30% of the vote often went to such parties; in 1925 the Communists had 45 seats which rose to 54 in 1928
