1) impact of war, the political crises of October to November and establishment of the constitution Flashcards
what are the important information about the abduction of the kaiser
9 November 1918 kaiser Wilhelm II was told of his abdication
went to Holland
on the 10 November 1918 they set off to the dutch border.
Europe celebrated armistice on 11 november 1918
when did general lundendorff know they were being defeated
by September 1918 because the German forces were retreating along western front and because the German allies were negotiating peace terms
to avoid humiliating surrender was to ask for an armistice
what are president Wilson’s 14 points
devised to fairly deal with the aftermath of the war
possible bases to negotiating peace but lundendorff understood that there autocratic political system was an obstruction, so advocated partial democratisation to get better terms
what are the October reforms
Recommendations from lundendorff for a serious of reforms that eventually ended autocratic rule
He appointed Prince Max as his new Chancellor
The Chancellor was to be responsible to the reichstag and he established a new government based on the majority parties in the reichstag
The armed forces were put under the control of the civil government
They were major constitutional reforms in Germany which came about as a result of revolution from above rather than popular pressure from the democratic parties.
What is the peace notes
October 3 Prince Max wrote to President Wilson to ask for an armistice
Took three weeks for a reply as President Wilson was suspicious that German high command only requested and armistice to regroup and prepare a new offensive
When President Wilson replied he demanded that Germany must evacuate or occupied territories, calling an end to submarine warfare and fully democratise its political system.
The terms effectively demand Germany surrender and the Kaiser abdicated, was too much for lundendorff to accept what he tried a last-ditch military effort to resist.
What was the impact of the peace note on the German people
It shattered the morale of the German people and their armed forces
An admission that Germany had lost the war
The first occasion where the German people had learnt about the truth of their hopeless military situation
Undermined the respect for the Kaiser and his military and political leaders. Many soldiers lost respect for their offices
Kaiser was seen as an obstruction to peace by refusing to abdicate
What happened on the 28th of October 1818
German Navy high command had a last attempt to resist humiliating peace by ordering ships to attack British ships in the English Channel
The cruise of two cruises refused to obey orders. This naval mutiny was the beginning of a revolutionary movement
What were the November revolutions of 1918
Unrest in the Navy spread to mainland naval bases. On the 3rd of November 1918 soldiers there mutinied against their offices and took control of the base. On the following day the revolt spread to the cities and workers and soldiers councils were established
Spread to other cities and German ports
16 November there were workers and soldiers councils springing up simultaneously all over Germany. Radical socialist did not lead these results although it might seem to outsiders as though Germany was on the verge of a Communist revolution but it was patriotic Germans who wanted the Kaiser to abdicate and a democratic Republic to be established
Once the authority of a military officers, government officials and police had been successfully challenged the collapse of the regime happened with extraordinary speed.
How did the German autocratic system collapse quickly after The attack on the authority of military officers, German officials and police
8th of November a republic was proclaimed in Bavaria and the Bavarian monarchy was deposed and according to historian William carr who said that this was a decisive moment in the German revolution because it told Prince Max he had lost control of the situation.
On the 9th of November 1918 the SPD called on the workers in Berlin to join a general strike to force the Kaiser to abdicate. They also threatened to withdraw support from Prince Max’s government unless the Kaiser abdicated within 24 hours. Prince Max knew he could not continue to Govan without the support of the SPD.
So when the Kaiser refused to abdicate Max took matters into his own hands and on, 9th of November he released a press statement claiming the Emperor had abdicated which was a desperate attempt to keep control over the situation even though he had no constitutional power to do this.
On the same day Prince Max resigned as Chancellor and handed the position to Friedrich Ebert the leader of the SPD.Later in the same day general groener told the Kaiser that the army would no longer fight for him
The Kaiser had lost control of the situation and had no choice but to abdicate.
What was Ebert problem with power
He believed evolutionary change through winning a majority in Parliamentary elections and then introducing the reforms. Even though he had been chosen by Prince Max as a new Chancellor because he was the leader of the majority party of the Reichstag he had come to power through revolutionary act.
He was conscious of his lack of legitimacy in government, therefore he was determined to establish a new constitution as quickly as possible prioritising the armistice first, then the constitutional assembly
What did Ebert do prior to the creation of the new constitution
He urged Germans to keep essential services running, avoid street demonstrations and to maintain law and order
His problem was that his authority did not extend much past berlin where disorder and violence were becoming the norm.
After the armistice the demobilisation of the army, bands of angry disillusioned and workless Exsoldiers roaming the streets
Street demonstrations, strikes and armed clashes became regular occurrences
What were the effects of pressure from the left on ebert’s Government
He could not ignore the fact that workers and soldiers councils in which the USPD and separatists and established a footing in the early stages of the revolution
They were not going to allow Eberts government to make key decisions without reference to them
22nd November an agreement was reached between the new government and the Berlin workers and soldiers councils where the government excepted that it only excised power in the name of these councils
Temporary compromise as many in the USPD saw the councils as the true expression of the revolutionary will of the people and how revolution could be further continued by abolishing the autocratic estates such as the army, civil service and judiciary
What was the army like at the start of the Republic
The survival of ebert’s government depended on the support of the army
Many army officers came from autocratic backgrounds and had been loyal to the Kaiser and opposed democracy and did not want Germany to become a republic
1918, The political situation in Germany was highly unstable and many officers believed Germany faced the danger of a Russian revolution leading to Civil War and possible Occupation by Allied forces
First concern was to prevent the revolution going any further
What is the Ebert-Groener pact
November 10 general Groener telephoned Ebert to assure him that the army leadership would support the government.
In return Groener demanded that Ebert should resist the demands of the soldiers council to democratise the army and defend Germany against Communist revolution
Ebert assured Groener that the government was determined to resist further revolution and uphold the existing command structure of the army
For Ebert the pact was a necessary and unavoidable device to ensure an orderly transition to a new Republic
What did people on the left think about the Ebert-Groener pact and what happened after the pact
The left felt it was a betrayal of the revolution
6 December Spartacist demonstration in Berlin was fired on by soldiers, 16 killed
23-24 December, as soldiers revolt against the government in Berlin was put down by the army. In protest 3 USPD ministers resigned from the government
6 of January Spartacista launched an armed revolution against the government known as the January revolution or the Spartacist uprising. After a week of heavy fighting the revolt was crushed
What was the election and writing of the constitutional assembly like
Held on the 19 January 1919
Women were allowed to vote for the first time
SPD secured the largest share of votes and the largest number of seats in the assembly but did not have majority and would have to compromise with other parties to establish a new constitution and govern the country
The assembly met at the town of Weimar as Berlin was unstable from the January revolution
The representatives did not agree on all issues concerning the new constitution but generally agreed that it should represent a clear break from the autocratic constitution making it clear that “political authority derives from the people”
What are the key positions given out during the elections to the Constitution assembly
eBay was elected by the assembly as the first president of the republic and a new Government led by Philipp scheidemann
Formed by the SPD in coalition with the centre and German Democratic party.
The workers and soldiers councils handed over their powers to the constitutional assembly
What are the strengths of the weimar constitution established in 1919
The new German constitution provided a wider right to vote than in countries such as Britain and France. Women were able to vote on the same terms as men and they were allowed to become deputies in the reichstag the Parliament
The system of proportional representation enabled even the smaller parties to win seats in the Reichstag and influence government decisions.
There was a full democracy in local government as well as central government. Unlike in the second empire the largest State, Persia, was not in a position to dominate the rest of Germany
Referendums could be called for by the president, the reichsrat or by peoples request if a 10th of the electorate applied for one
What are the weaknesses of the Weimar Constitution
Proportional representation
The proliferation of smaller parties- smaller parties could gain representation the Reichstag. Enables the smaller parties, anti-Republican, to exploit the Parliamentary system to gain publicity. Proportional representation does not work in Germany as there are deep divisions and a lack of national consensus
Coalition governments – because of the proliferation of smaller parties none of the larger parties could gain an overall majority in the Reichstag. Since government had to have a majority support all governments in the Weimar Republic were coalition which were very short lived
What did the Constitution Say about the president
Elected every seven years by men and women over the age of 20
Appointed and dismissed ministers and could dissolve the Reichstag and call new elections
Supreme commander of the Armed Forces
Had reserved powers-article 48 to rule by decree in an emergency without the Reichstag consent
What did the Constitution Say about the Chancellor
Had to have the support of at least half the Reichstag
Proposed new laws in the Reichstag
What did the Constitution Say about the Reicharat
The second chamber of the German parliament, made up of 67 representatives from the separate 17 states
Each date represented in proportion to its population but no state to have more than 40% of seats
Could provide advice on laws but could be overridden by the Reichstag
What did the Constitution say about the individual voters rights
Vote for local state assembly every four years and for the president every seven years
All Germans are equal before the law
guarantee the right to belong to trade unions, political parties and other forms of organisation
Had the responsibility to use their intelligence and physical power in the interest of the community
What did the Constitution Say about the Reichstag
Elected every four years by all Germans over 20 using proportional representation
The Chancellor and ministers were responsible to the Reichstag
Voted on the budget, new laws had to Originate in the Reichstag and required the approval of the majority of Reichstag deputies
What are some of the features of the Weimar Constitution
There was a Supreme Court, independent of the Reichstag and the president
The Republic was a federal system where there was a separate state government which kept control over their own internal Affairs
What is the problem with article 48 of the Constitution
Gave the president the power to rule by decree on exceptional circumstances
The power was used on a regular basis the first president used article 48 powers on 136 occasions some of these occasions could be deemed as emergencies but some were used for non-emergency situations to simply override the Reichstag
The president could threaten to dissolve the Reichstag and call a new election if they did not follow the presidential decree
Interesting how Ebert the first president the leading voice of Parliamentary democracy did this
Why was the army seen as an undemocratic institution
The creators of the Constitution did not change the pillars of the second empire because they wanted stability above a fully democratic system
They only wanted to continue to be free from political control in the Weimar Republic. The officers were allowed to continue intact in the new Republic resulting in the army being politically challenging to the Republic
The conspirators from the right was supported by elements within the army.
General seecht believed the army are Loyalty not to the Republic which he regarded as temporary but a timeless reich but he did not allow his offices to medal in politics on their own initiative
Why was the civil service seen as an undemocratic institution
Under the Constitution civil servants were given a guarantee of the well and rights of the freedoms of political opinion and expression if it did not conflict with their state loyalty
Meaning government administration in the Republic was left in the hands of Anti democratic people
Civil servants especially in the German foreign office were still overwhelmingly autocratic. Top civil servant would have enormous power especially when ministers in coalition government were frequently changing
Why was the judiciary seen as an undemocratic institution
Article 50 for the Constitution guaranteed independence of the judges
Judges who had served in the second empire remind in there posts. These men were strictly monarchist and antidemocratic and showed their bias in their legal judgements.
The penal code stipulated anyone attempting to overthrow the Constitution by force should be sentenced to life imprisonment. Right-wing anti democratic conspirators were given very lenient sentences while left-wing groups were punished harshly
