Weimar Germany Flashcards
(15 cards)
What were the terms of the Treaty of Versailles?
The War Guilt Clause allocated all blame to the Germans for starting the war. The Rhineland became a demilitarised buffer zone, the German army was restricted to 100,000 troops and heavy artillery, such as tanks and submarines were banned. Germany was to pay reparations of 132,000 million gold marks and they lost important land, including the Polish Corridor. They were also forbidden to unite with Austria.
What challenges did the Weimar government face?
- The use of proportional representation allowed small parties to gain a seat in the Reichstag, as they only required 60,000 votes. It became harder to win a majority therefore, parties had to create coalitions. However, parties did not have the same aims therefore, they could not come to decisions. So, the president had to use Article 48 which was only to be used in emergencies. therefore, the country seemed to be in constant crisis.
- Parties frequently split or members moved between parties. For example, the USPD split over policy in 1920 and half of its members moved to the KPD. This created confusion among voters.
- People voted for a party, not a person. The seat in the Reichstag was, therefore, filled by someone chosen from the Party list. Therefore, the representative was less personal to the voters.
Why did democracy collapse in Weimar Germany?
- The public resented the government’s affiliation with the Treaty of Versailles therefore, they elected Hindenburg as President who first voiced the stab-in-the-back theory. Therefore, the Weimar government faced unpopularity from the start
- The Wall Street Crash of 1929 forced the USA to call in loans from Germany, creating inflation and unemployment as well as reduced wages. The government’s failure to deal with these problems led voters to move towards extremist parties, like the Nazis
- Chancellors couldn’t get policies agreed on and coalitions found it more and more difficult to work together. Therefore, Hindenburg resorted to using Article 48, making it look like the government was in constant crisis (as it was only to be used in emergencies)
What was the Kapp Putsch of 1920?
On March 12, Wolfgang Kapp along with a group of Freikorp leaders took over Berlin, forcing the existing government to flee. They proclaimed themselves the new government, dissolved the national assembly and announced that the Weimar Constitution was no longer in force. A general strike called by the trade unions caused the collapse of Kapp’s government within 4 days and the existing government returned from Weimar.
What was the Munich Putsch of 1922?
On November 8, Hitler and Ludendorff along with the SA surrounded a beer cellar in Munich, where an important officials meeting was taking place. As they talked about their plans of a new government, the prisoners escaped. The next day, Hitler and co failed to take over Berlin and they were arrested.
How did the Weimar government attempt to deal with political extremism?
- The government made concessions, including the Ebert-Groener Pact where they would support the army in return for opposition of left-wing ideas in the Reichstag. On November 15, the Stinnes-Legien agreement was created. Stinnes was an industrialist while Legien was the leader of the trade unions therefore, the government promised union representation and legislation on working hours.
- The Freikorps were used to take over regions that did not accept the Weimar Constitution. For example, Thirungia did not hold elections until the end of June 1920.
- Left-wing and right-wing opposition was treated differently. Right-wing opposition was given more lenient punishments, for example, Hitler was only given 5 years in prison. However, left-wing extremists were treated brutally by the police and given harsh punishments. However, this led to an increase in confidence from the right-wing side, leading to the Nazis taking over with masses of support from the people.
Did the Weimar Constitution have support?
The idea of democracy was popular, as there was high turn-outs at every election. Parties that supported the constitution included the SPD, the DVP, the DDP and the Centre Party therefore, their supporters would have supported the Constitution too. This was mainly made up of middle-class professionals and Catholics. However, the government itself was not supported. Between 1924 and 1929, economic recovery was taking place and Germany was asserting itself as a world power therefore, support for the SPD (the face of the Constitution) grew from 131 in 1924 to 153 in 1926. However, when the government failed, support for extremist parties, like the Nazis grew.
What economic crises did Weimar Germany face?
- After the war, soldiers required retraining schemes and funding until they found a job. The government also had to provide pensions for widows, orphans and parents of soldiers who died in the war. By 1924, the government was still supporting 768,000 disabled veterans, 420,000 war widows with 1,020,000 children and 190,000 parents of dead soldiers
- The government borrowed heavily to finance the war. By 1918, it owed 150 billion marks. To make this worse, the Treaty of Versailles created reparations, which led to greater borrowing and printing of money by the government
- Germany failed to make its monthly reparations payment in January 1923 therefore, French and Belgian troops took over the Ruhr. Germany’s industries and coal were based here therefore, the take-over prevented supplies from going to the German people
- The Ruhr crisis lead to hyperinflation. A newspaper that cost 1 mark on 1 May 1922 cost 100,000 marks by 1 September 1923 and 700 billion marks by 17 November of that year. Owing to this, social welfare payments lost their value and every group in society suffered. For example, the government was forced to dismiss 750,000 federal and regional employees
How did Stresemann carry out economic recovery?
- Stresemann was in office for 100 days. During this time, the Rentenmark replaced the Reichsmark which was a more stable currency, encouraging trade by other countries. He also created the Dawes and Young Plan to make reparations more manageable.
- To help bring about the recovery of business, cartels were formed who carried out price-fixing. When prices became more stable, people were encouraged to buy goods and stimulate the economy. For example, I.G Farben was set up in 1925, which united chemical-based companies. As a result, the chemical industry produced one-third more than in 1913, and almost two-thirds more by 1930
- Germany’s admission to the League of Nations and their production of essential goods, like chemicals and steel, allowed trade recovery. German exports were back to their 1913 levels of 10 billion marks by 1926 and by 1929, exports were 34% higher than in 1913
Were Stresemann’s economic policies sustainable?
- Although economic recovery took place, it was based on foreign loans. Therefore, it only increased the national debt.
- The government heavily increased spending in order to stimulate spending, for example, industry was subsidised and social welfare was increased. Therefore, the economy was pushed into a budget deficit.
- Businesses survived as long as the government provided funding. This caused constant disputes between employers and employees, which affected productivity levels and drove wages up until 1930.
How did the government deal with the Great Depression?
- Chancellor Bruning suggested cuts in government spending, lower wages and higher taxes. However, this created deflation.
- Other countries noticed the country’s failure to pay reparations. On 1 July 1931, the Hoover Moratorium halted all payments by the German government for 1 year, including reparations and loan repayments to the US.
- Von Papen, Bruning’s replacement, created tax concessions and subsidies for businesses who employed workers and allowed economic improvement.
- Von Schleicher appointed a Reich Commissioner for employment and drew up a list of public works needed to be carried out. He was given a budget of RM500 million however, this policy was never put in place.
Did the role and status of women change in Weimar Germany?
- On 12 November 1918, the emergency government gave women the ability to vote. 112 women were elected to the Reichstag, allowing them to influence the Constitution. Under Article 109, women were given equal rights, the ability to enter the professions and the right to an equal union in marriage.
- However, the Reichstag was split between those who favoured gender equality and those who wanted the return of traditional wives and mothers. Their concerns included the falling birth rate and increasing divorce rate. For example, the birth rate was 128 in 1911 to 80 in 1925.
- After the war, women were forced to surrender their jobs to returning soldiers. The only jobs they retained were ‘white blouse’ jobs, including shop and clerical work. These jobs were taken by single women, as it was believed that women’s work was temporary until they settled down. To prevent married women from working, the school day was structured to end at lunch-time and there was no childcare.
- Single women working also faced hurdles. For example, trade unions were male dominated whereby they opposed women working and their demand of equal pay. Therefore, they only landed poorly paid manual jobs.
- The ‘new women’ movement emerged amongst white blouse workers. These were women who cut their hair short, drank alcohol, smoked, wore revealing clothes and behaved with the freedom of a man. They wanted independence however, still had hopes of settling down.
What challenges did the education system face in Weimar Germany?
- After the war, the temporary government wanted to make the education system fairer. Therefore, they set up non-confessional schools. This attracted opposition from the South and approval from the North. When drawing the Constitution, the parties in the Reichstag couldn’t agree with the Centre Party pushing for confessional education.
- In 1927, a bill proposed that confessional, common and secular schools should be set up, as long as they requested by the parents of atleast 40 children. This was supported by all.
How was cultural experimentation carried out in Weimar Germany?
- Artists, intellectuals and writers were the most experimental group, playing with expressionism, modernism and objectivity. They influenced art, literature, music, opera and theatre.
- The government subsidized theatre, orchestra, museums and libraries.
- Popular culture included consumer culture, advertising and jazz for young people. But traditional music and plays still had a wide following. Cinemas also took off.
Did attitudes towards ethnic minorities affect their status in Weimar Germany?
- Article 113 of the Weimar Constitution stated that groups who spoke a different language could not prevented from using their language or asserting their national identity in the way they ran their schools and daily lives. However, it was not always implemented and did not control laws made by the Lander against minorities.
- Jews had huge influence in culture and politics. For example, Walther Rathenau became foreign minister in 1922. After he was assassinated, the government banned many anti-Semitic organizations including the German Peoples Offensive and Defensive Alliance which had 170,000 in 1923. Many anti-Semitics believed the Jew conspired with the Allies, causing Germany to lose the war. After the Great Depression, hostility grew as people wanted someone to blame for their misfortune.
- Gypsies were discriminated against because they moved around and didn’t pay taxes. There were several Lander against them, for example, Bavaria tried to get adults into work and children into schools. By 1927, Bavaria said all Gypsies should carry identity cards.
- There was hostility towards Poles as they fought Germany in the war. Therefore, when the redrawing of the border between Germany and Poland left 200,000 Polish speakers, there was increased hostility against them.
- Black people were also opposed because they made up the army that took over the Ruhr in 1923. Therefore, the 500 mixed race children born after 1923 were called ‘Germany’s shame’. However, musicians and writers were accepted in the cities therefore, Germans chose as to when they were discriminated against.
