1890-1914 Flashcards
Facts
In what ways did Wilhelm cause aggravation with Britain? (2)
1894, refused to compromise with Britain over Samoan Islands.
Challenged Britain’s Congolese Treaty.
What were the four chancellors under KWII?
- Caprivi 1890-94
- Hohenlohe 1894-1900
- Bulow 1900-09
- Hollweg 1909-17
Whose advice did the Kaiser prefer over his Chancellors? (3)
Holstein
Eulenberg
Tirpitz
What German newspaper circulated the government’s case?
‘North German General Newspaper.’
What were two pressure groups that exerted influence for Weltpolitik?
Pan German League
Navy League
What measures were included in Caprivi’s 1891 ‘New Course’? (3)
- Sunday work was prohibited.
- Employment of children U13 forbidden.
- Courts established to arbitrate in industrial disputes.
What economic act Caprivi pass?
1892 Tariff Reform of 1879 Tariff Act
What did the 1892 Tariff Reform of 1879 Tariff Act do?
Tariffs on agricultural imports were reduced in return for favourable rates for German manufactured goods
Who opposed Caprivi?
Why?
The Agrarian League
Argued for subsides, import controls and minimum prices to protect German farmers
What bill did Caprivi propose that alienated both the right and left?
Why?
1893 Army Bill
Reduced period of military service to 2 years
Increased peacetime army to 84,000
Why did Caprivi resign?
Due to his failure to pass anti-socialist legislation, he lost confidence of Kaiser
What events worried the Kaiser about socialism?
1893, SPD won 44 seats
1894, French President stabbed by anarchist
What did Hohenlohe state about his power?
He was a ‘straw doll’ for Kaiser
What action did Hohenlohe take against socialism 1894-5? (2)
SPD leaders put on trial
Prussians suspected of sympathising with Socialism lost their jobs
Who was Bulow’s Interior Minister that resumed Caprivi’s New Course?
Posadowsky
What action did Posadowsky take to resume Caprivi’s ‘New Course’?
1900 - extended accident insurance
1901 - industrial courts compulsory in all large towns
1903 - extension of prohibition on child labour
What action did Bulow take that pleased Junkers and annoyed SPD?
1902 Tariff Law (moved tariffs to pre-1892 levels)
What did Bulow unsuccessfully propose in 1905?
Increase in indirect taxes + inheritance tax (to fund army, navy and colonialism)
What happened due to the German gov’s brutal handling of Herero uprising 1904-5?
1906, Centre Party allied with SPD to vote against gov’s proposals for extra funds for colonialism
What was the result of the 1907 ‘Hottentot’ election?
SPD faced disaster, lost 38 (almost half) their seats
Conservative, pro-gov, parties succeeded
Conservatives, Free Conservatives and NLs formed ‘Bulow Bloc’
What happened in 1908 Daily Telegraph affair?
Wilhelm expressed want for a closer relationship with Britain
Media + Reichstag claimed KWII had too much power since he didn’t consult the Reichstag beforehand
Why did Bulow resign?
Wilhelm wanted to be rid of Bulow since Daily Telegraph affair
1909, his finance bill that would increase indirect taxation + inheritance tax was rejected by SPD, Conservatives and NLs
What happened in 1912 election?
SPD won 110 seats and become largest party in Reichstag
What happened in Zabern affair?
Alsace-Lorraine - 28 citizens arrested
BH rejected claims that army should be answerable to anyone other than KWII
1913 - Vote of No Confidence in BH
What was the result of the 1913 Vote of No Confidence against BH?
293 voted against, 54 for
Had no effect, Chancellor is answerable to KWII, not Reichstag
How did the German economy grow compared to Britain’s?
1870-1913, Britain’s productive capacity doubled
Germany’s increased 8 times
How did Germany’s population grow?
1890: 50 mil
1914: 68 mil
How did the number of Uni students increase?
1890-1914 - enrollment in universities doubled:
How did the number of cartels increase?
1875: 8 cartels
1905: 366
Who were 3 economic individuals?
Karl Benz - cars
Engelhorn - founded BASF (chemicals)
Ferdinand Von Zeppelin - created Zeppelin
How did German steel production increase?
1890-1914, increased x9
What 2 German electrical firms dominated world electrical industry?
AEG and Siemens
How did the production of Sulphuric acid increase?
1878, 1 mil tonnes of sulphuric acid produced world-wide
1907, Germany alone is producing 1.4 mil
How did exports increase?
1880: 2.9 bil marks
1913: 10.1 bil marks
What % of Germans lived in urban areas?
1910: ⅔rds
What led to high life expectancies?
1894, compulsory immunisation against smallpox
How did wages increase? (2)
1885-1913, real wages rose over 30%
1890: average annual income of industrial worker = 636 marks
1913: 834 marks
What shows there was increased discontent amongst workers?
1905-1913, on average 200,000 TU workers went on strike per year
1912, SPD = largest party in Reichstag
Who were the 3 people in SPD?
Where were they on spectrum?
Bernstein - right / revisionist
Babel - centre (chairman of SPD 1892-1913)
Liebknecht - far-left
What were the 2 divides / programmes in SPD?
Marxist (Marx revolution)
Minimum (moderates)
How did the SPD become less revolutionary?
1906, made electoral pacts with Liberals
1913, even supported financial provision of 1913 Army Bill
Who was appointed 1897 to further Weltpolitik?
Bulow - foreign sec
Tirpitz - Navy sec
Posadowsky - interior
What German pressure groups favoured Weltpolitik?
Pan-German league
Colonial League
Navy League
What was term for belief that a world empire required a strong navy?
Flottenpolitik
What were 2 navy bills and what did they do?
1898 - 1st navy law allows for construction of 16 new battleships
1900 - 2nd navy law allows for construction of 3 ships / year for 6 years
What was the result of the Dreadnaught battle with Britain?
1914: G had 13 Dreadnaughts
Britain had 19
What made G’s relationship with Britain worse? (3)
1894, refused to compromise with Britain over Samoan Islands
1894, Challenged Britain’s Congolese Treaty
1896, Kruger Telegram
What was the 1887 Reinsurance Treaty?
Secret agreement between G and R, stating each would remain neutral in event of war
What happened in the 1905 1st Moroccan Crisis?
1904 - France partially owned Morocco
To undermine France, KWII stated his support for Moroccan independence
1906 - Algeciras Conference, France continues to partially rule Morocco. Only Austria supported Germany.
What happened in the 1911 Second Moroccan Crisis?
Native uprising in Morocco
Germany sent in gunboat to undermine France
Crisis was resolved with France retaining control of Morocco
