1.1 Germany Under Kaiser Wilhelm II Flashcards
In what year was Germany unified as a single country?
1871
What was Kaiser Wilhelm II before he was the Kaiser?
He was the King of Prussia, a German state
When did the German Empire establish the Federal Constitution?
1890, this created a central government
When did Wilhelm II become Kaiser?
1888
What 2 things did the Kaiser have the power to do?
-To appoint or dismiss the Chancellor
-To dissolve the Reichstag
What were the Reichstag?
The parliament
What were 2 things the Kaiser was in charge of?
-In charge of Foreign Policy
-The German military (he was the head)
What was on Kaiser Wilhelm II’s agenda (plan)?
To expand the German Empire
What threatened Kaiser Wilhelm’s plan to expand the German Empire abroad?
The rise of socialism
Who advised Kaiser Wilhelm II about political decisions?
Right wing (conservative) army officers with an elite background.
What did the army officers have to do before advising the Kaiser?
Swear on an oath of loyalty to the Kaiser.
Who funded the army and how often?
The Reichstag funded the army every 5 years
What was the chancellor?
The Kaisers Chief Minister
What was the Chancellor’s job?
-Appoint Ministers and help make new policies
-Lead the Bundesrat (federal council) by proposing new subjects, issues and laws to be discussed.
What did the Chancellor have the power to do?
Ignore the Reichstag (parliament)
What was the Bundesrat?
The German Federal council
How many Representatives was the Bundesrat made up of?
58 representatives of each German state
What state dominated the Bundesrat?
Prussia
What 3 things did the Bundesrat do?
-Consulted over government policies
-Proposed laws to the Reichstag
-Approve any laws the Reichstag made
What was the Reichstag?
The German Government
How many Deputies were in the Reichstag and how were they elected?
There were 397 deputies who were elected by the German voters (men 25+)
What 2 things did the Reichstag have the power to do?
-Pass, alter or reject laws proposed by the Bundesrat or Chancellor
-Give or refuse military funding once every 5 years
Even though Kaiser Wilhelm could dissolve the Reichstag he could not…
Stop Parliament elections
Who could put pressure on the government and shape public opinion?
The Reichstag as they had their own political agenda
What was the Landtag’s?
A mini government or mini Reichstag for every state
What landtag was most influential?
The Prussian Landtag
The chancellor was ultimately…
A puppet for the Kaiser
True or False: if the Kaiser disagreed with the chancellor, the chancellor could be dismissed. MP’s could not sack the chancellor, only the Kaiser could.
True
When did Kaiser Wilhelm II dismiss Chancellor Bismarck permanently?
1871, despite the fact that Bismarck had ruled Germany since unification
As Germany was a federal state, individual states had the power to…
Control income tax
Why was it difficult for the central German Government to raise tax for their budget?
Individual states controlled income tac
Which Confederation declared itself the empire of Germany after unification?
The North German Confederation
Prussia used its influence to emphasise…
Militarism
What does Weltpolitik mean?
World policy
Why did the Kaiser use Weltpolitik (world policy)?
To grow the German Empire and become the most dominant country in the world (above their rival GB)
What 4 things did the Kaiser hope the Navy Laws would do?
-lead them to industrial growth
-protect and expand the German Empire
-increase German Patriotism
-be a symbol of strength to GB
When did the Kaiser pass the First Navy Law and what did it entail?
- It increased the German Navy by 7 battleships.
When did the Kaiser pass the 2nd Navy Law and what did it entail?
- This doubled the size of the Navy to 38 battleships.
When did the Kaiser pass the 3rd Navy Law and what did it entail?
- Increased the Navy by 6 battleships, some German ships became dreadnoughts due to GB making theirs into dreadnoughts.
When was the Entente Cordiale signed and by who?
1904, signed by GB and France
When was the Triple Entente signed and by who?
1907, signed by GB France and Russia
Who was a key figure in the international ‘entente’s’?
Alfred Von Tirpitz, the new German navy secretary
What are 3 domestic successes of the Navy Laws?
-they encouraged patriotic and nationalist sentiment
-they created more work for businesses and industries
-the German people saw the countries power over Britain so they continued to follow the Kaiser’s policies
What are 4 domestic problems of the German Navy Laws?
-the government had to raise taxes to fund it, workers were not happy
-their states debt increased by 490billion marks by 1913
-the SPD was opposed to them because they were so expensive
-the Kaiser argued with the army leaders as they wanted more money for the army not the navy
By WW1, Germany’s coal production levels…
… matched Britain’s.
By WW1, ion and steel production levels in Germany ….
Surpassed Britain’s levels.
Give 2 positives to industrialisation In Germany.
-Better Transport Infrastructure=better trade routes
-Companies like Volkswagen and Bauer could grow
What happened to Berlin’s population between 1875-1910?
It’s population doubled.
How many Germans were living in towns and cities by 1910?
60%
Give 1 negative about urbanisation in Germany during Industrialisation.
60% were living in towns and cities so diseases spread quickly and many died.
Many people from…….came to Germany during industrialisation.
Eastern Europe
What happened to wealth during immigration?
Wealth became very unevenly distributed between the rich and poor.
Most workers felt exploited by industrialism. What did this lead to the rise of?
Socialism.
Define Socialism.
The belief that everyone in society should share the profits made from industry.
Who was mostly scared by Socialism?
Upper and middle classes.
What did the SPD represent?
Socialism in politics.
From 1890 onwards, what German Party won the most votes in the Reichstag (parliament)?
The SPD (Social Democratic Party)
By 1912, what party had the most seats in the Reichstag?
The SPD (Social Democratic Party)
Was the Kaiser a nationalist or a socialist?
A Nationalist (right wing)
What did the government enact to get support and stop people supporting the SPD?
Social Reform
What 3 things did the 1891 Social Law entail?
Made it illegal for:
Children under 13 to work
Women to work for more that 11 hours a day
Anyone to work on a Sunday
What did the 1900 reforms entail?
An increase in time that workers can have off after they suffered an accident.
What was made compulsory in 1901 in tows with a population of more than 20,000?
Industrial courts to settle employers and employee disputes.
What was expanded in 1903 due to the German Social Reforms?
Health Insurance
What was the actual reason for the German Social Reforms?
To keep the German workers loyal to the state, NOT because they actually wanted to help the working class and improve their living standards.
