1.2 The early challenges to the Weimar Republic, 1919–23 Flashcards
The Spartacist Uprising
-During** 5 – 12 January 1919, 50,000 members of the post-World War One Communist Party, known as the Spartacists
, rebelled in Berlin, led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht.**
-The government was saved when, through the army, it armed bands of ex-soldiers, known as the Freikorps, who defeated the Spartacist rebels.
-In the aftermath, communist workers’ councils seized power all over Germany, and a Communist People’s Government took power in Bavaria.
-Liebknecht and** Luxemburg were killed** by the Freikorps after being arrested on the 15th.
Luxemburg’s body was dumped in a canal. By May 1919 the Freikorps had crushed all of these uprisings.
The Kapp Putsch. When was it?
In crushing the communists the Freikorps had saved the government, but the terms of the
Treaty of Versailles
meant Germany’s army had to be significantly reduced and the Freikorps had to be disbanded.
During 13 - 17 March 1920, as a reaction to this, the right-wing
nationalist
, Dr Wolfgang Kapp led a Freikorps takeover in Berlin.
The regular army refused to attack the Freikorps; Kapp was only defeated when the workers of Berlin went on strike and refused to cooperate with him.
Other vilence
Nationalist terrorists assassinated 356 government politicians, including Walter Rathenau (June 1922), the foreign minister, and Matthias Erzberger who had been finance minister. Judges in their trials, many of whom preferred the
Kaiser’s
government, consistently gave these terrorists light sentences, or let them go free.
What were the 2 reason the GOV were disliked form the begining
-Many Germans hated the government for signing the
armistice
in November 1918 - they called them the November criminals. The defeat in the war came as a huge surprise to the German people, and many ordinary German soldiers, which led to a theory that the brave German army had been ‘stabbed in the back’ by the politicians.
In early 1919 the victorious
Allies
- met to discuss how to punish Germany and on 28 June 1919 the new German government was forced to sign a peace settlement called the Treaty of Versailles. The treaty punished Germany militarily, territorially and financially. Many Germans felt their country had received a very harsh deal in the
treaty
and resented the government for agreeing to its conditions. However, German government had been given an ultimatum – sign within five days or risk invasion.
What ere the 4 main terms of the Treat of Verisle?
The terms of the Treaty of Versailles
Blame
Blame - Germany was forced to accept the blame for starting the war under article 231 of the treaty, known as the War Guilt Clause.
The terms of the Treaty of Versailles
Reparations
Reparations - This was the name given to the money Germany had to pay for the damage suffered by Britain and France during the war. In 1922 the amount to be paid was set at £6.6 billion.
The terms of the Treaty of Versailles
Armed Forces
Germany’s army and navy were significantly reduced in size and its air force abolished. This meant that a maximum of 100,000 troops were allowed in the army and conscription (compulsory service) and tanks were banned. Germany’s navy was reduced to 15,000 personnel, allowed only 6 battleships and no submarines.
The terms of the Treaty of Versailles
Territory
Germany lost land on all sides of its borders as well as its overseas colonies (other countries under Germany’s control). In Europe:
->Alsace-Lorraine went back to France.
->Eventually the Ruhr would also be occupied by the French.
->The Rhineland was demilitarised – this would provide France with an extra ‘buffer zone’ of protection.
->‘Anchluß’ – Anschluss – the union of Germany and Austria – was forbidden.
Newly fomred Chez + Poland also got some land
A lot happened in the Rhineland and the Ruhr in a very short space of time! The Rhineland was demilitarised (no German forces) and the Ruhr was occupied (by French forces when Germany did not pay its reparations).
When waas the hyperinlaflation crisis?
1923
Whta was the main reason for hyperinflation?
Germans missed a
reparations
payment late in 1922. This set off a chain of events that included occupation,
hyperinflation
and rebellions.
Desciebe what happend in the French an Belgin ccupation of the Ruhr
-In November 1922 Germany defaulted on its reparations payment as scheduled. The first reparations payment had taken all she could afford to pay.
-The** French** believed Germany could make the repayment but were choosing not to, however the German government argued they could not afford to pay.
-In response, France and Belgium sent troops into Germany’s main industrial area, the Ruhr Valley.
-Their aim: was to confiscate industrial goods as reparations payments as they didn’t believe Germany was unable to pay the second instalment.
-They occupied coal mines, railways, steel works and factories – all things that were important to Germany’s economy.
-The German government ordered workers to follow a policy of ‘passive resistance’ – refusing to work or co-operate with the foreign troops and in return the government continued to pay their wages.
-The French responded firmly – in the Krupp steel works, workers refusing to take orders were shot at. Other people were expelled from the Ruhr region altogether. Overall, 132 were killed and approximately 150,000 expelled from the area.
-The immediate consequences – they decided to print more money to pay the workers in the region, contributing to hyperinflation(when all the workers in the country stopped work) was called, and **political instability was rife. **
How did passive resistance contribute to Hyperinflation?
-meant that whilst the workers were on strike fewer industrial goods were being produced, which weakened the economy still further.
-In order to pay the striking workers the government simply printed more money. This flood of money led to hyperinflation as the more money was printed, the more prices rose.
What were bread prices ?
250 marks inf jan 1923-> 200,000 million marks NOv 1923
Who were the ‘winners’ of Hyperinflation
Borrowers such as businessmen, landowners and those with mortgages, found they were able to pay back their loans easily with worthless money.
People on wages were relatively safe, because they renegotiated their wages every day. However, even their wages eventually failed to keep up with prices.
Farmers coped well, since their products remained in demand and they received more money for them as prices spiralled.
