1- Impact Of War, Political Crisis Of Oct And Nov 1818 And Weimar Constitution Flashcards
What happened in 1871?
Largest German state, Prussia, brought most German states together and formed the Second Reich
What is the Reichstag?
Elected lower house of German parliament
What is a republic?
System of gov in which Head of State, or President, is elected into office
What is an armistice?
Agreement to suspend fighting in order to negotiate a peace treaty
What happened on 9th Nov 1918?
Abdication of kaiser Wilhelm II
After the proclamation of a republic in Bavaria the SPD called for a general strike in Berlin to force the kaiser to abdicate.
Also threatened to withdraw support from Von Baden’s gov if he didn’t do so in 24 hours
By 5pm kaiser had been forced to accept what had happened and on 10th Nov fled to neutral Holland.
On the 9th Prince max resigned as chancellor and handed the position to Friedrich Ebert, leader of SPD
When was the armistice announced?
11th Nov 1918
What had happened by the end of September 1918?
General Ludendorff had concluded that Germany’s only way of avoiding a surrender was to ask allies for an armistice
Why offered Germany a possible basis of negotiated peace?
President Wilson’s 14 points
What were some of the principles of the 14 points?
Some points such as return of Alsace and Lorraine to France quite punitive towards Germany,
However, general principles such as establishment of League of Nations to monitor future disputes and self determination, disarmament and determination to create a peace that would last and prevent another war
What is meant by self determination?
One of Wilson’s 14 points.
Wilson wanted to re-draw the frontiers of eastern Europe so that nations ruled themselves. In some ways, self-determination was achieved. The Treaty of Versailles created Poland by taking West Prussia from Germany.
What did Ludendorff suggest so that 14 points could be used to negotiate a settlement?
He understood that Germany’s autocratic political system was an obstacle to a negotiated peace.
He suggested
Partial democratisation of political system
What are the October reforms?
Reforms begun by the kaiser following Ludendorff’s recommendations Rut effectively needed his autocratic rule
- He appointed Prince max von Baden as new Chancellor
- Chancellor responsible for the reichstag and had to establish a new gov based on the majority parties in the Reichstag including SPD
- Armed forces under control of civil gov.
What did the October reforms mean?
They were a major constitutional transformation in Germany.
They came about by a ‘revolution from above’ which was designed to
1. Save Germany from humiliation 2. Save kaisers rule
What happened on 3 October 1918?
Prince max (chancellor) wrote a peace note to president Wilson asking for an armistice.
Took Wilson nearly 3 weeks to reply, largely bc he was suspicious that the request of an armistice was a means of buying time to regroup and prepare for a new offensive.
When he replied he demanded Germany must
- Evacuate all occupied territory
- Call an end to submarine warfare
- Fully democratise it’s political system
These terms, which demanded German surrender and kaisers abdication were too much for Ludendorff to accept.
He fled to Sweden
The reforms of October had failed to achieve his objectives.
What effect did the peace note have on German people and the army?
It was a shattering blow to their morale. It was the first occasion on which the German people had learned the truth about their country’s situation.
It undermined their respect for the kaiser and his military and political leaders
Many soldiers and sailors lost respect for their officers
What happened on the 28th Oct?
When German navy’s high command in a last act of resistance ordered ships to attack British ships the crews of two cruisers refused to obey orders. Naval mutiny was the beginning of broader rev.
What is the November Revolution 1918?
Civil conflict as a consequence of Germany’s defeat in WWI
On 3 Nov naval mutiny of 28 Oct spread to main naval base at Kiel. There sailors mutinied against their officers and took control of the base.
Over the next few days the revolt spread to other German ports and cities
What happened on 8 Oct 1918?
A republic was declared in Bavaria, marking a turning point in the November Rev- key stage in creation of an all-German republic as it showed Prince Max von Baden that he had lost control of the situation
What happened at the same time as Ebert’s becoming a Chancellor on 9th Nov 1918?
Philip Scheidemann, other leader of SPD stood on the Reichstag balcony and declared the creation of a German republic
Was Ebert a revolutionary?
No, and he realised that although he had been chosen by Prince Max as the new Chancellor bc he was leader of the Majority party in the Reichstag, he had come to power through a revolutionary act and his gov lacked legitimacy
That’s why he was determined to establish a new constitution as quickly as possible and organised elections for a Constituent Assembly
What is a Constituent Assembly?
Elected body with the task of drawing up a constitution
What were the socialist groups and parties in 1918?
- Spartacus League (later KPD)
- founded by a revolutionary minority from the SPD
- leaders: Karl liebknecht and Rosa luxemburg
- wanted republican gov controlled by workers’ and soldiers’ councils.
- membership approx 500.000 - USPD
- founded by a minority from the SPD
- leaders: Hugo haase
- wanted republican gov that worked with workers’ and soldiers’ councils
- membership approx 300.000 and growing after WWI - SPD
- founded as a socialist party
- leaders Friedrich Ebert and Philipp Scheidemann
- wanted moderate socialist republic
- appealed largely to working class
- membership of 1 million
What were the problems faced by the republic ?
- Socioeconomic
- Inflation: wages falling behind prices- increased social discontent
- Shortages: food and fuel shortages after war
- Flu epidemic: Spanish flu killed thousands - Left wing opposition
- Strikes: Increased after defeat
- German communists: Inspired by the Russian rev they aimed to bring a revolution to Germany
- Workers’ and Soldiers’ Councils: wanted changes in army and industry - Right wing opposition
- Freikorps: Right, nationalist soldiers were forming paramilitary units
- Army: Conservative, embittered by defeat
- Nationalists: were against abdication of kaiser and didn’t support new republic - Military
- Demobilisation: 1.5 million soldiers returned home
- Allied blockade: maintained after armistice and caused shortages and social distress (until June 1919)
- Peace terms: concern about terms and effects of treaty
Who did Ebert’s gov depend on?
The support of the army
