1914-24 Flashcards

1
Q

What happened during the 1919 Bavarian Uprising? (3)

A
  • Eugene Levine led an uprising by the Red Army. Bavarian Royalty shot.
  • A Communist state was declared in Bavaria.
  • Freikorps shut down the revolt - over 1,800 communists died. Levine was shot.
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2
Q

What was the 1920 Ruhr Uprising?

A

Communist Uprising

  • 50,000 strong Red Army took control of the Ruhr and set up their own government
  • Gov sent in the army and Freikorps to crush the revolt.
  • Over 1,000 workers died in comparison to to 250 in the army
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3
Q

What was the result of the Ruhr Uprising 1920?

A

Brutal response from army had a sobering affect on the Labour movement. There were no more uprisings from the left.

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4
Q

What was the 1920 Kapp Putsch?

A

Kapp led Fatherland Party.

5,000 Friekorps marched into Berlin. Ebert fled and Kapp declared himself Chancellor.

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5
Q

How was the Kapp Putsch resolved?

A

Reichswehr (the German Army) and the gov didn’t support Kapp.
Workers had a collective strike.
After 4 days, Kapp fled the country.

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6
Q

What was the 1919 Spartacist Revolt?

A

50,000 workers went on strike in Berlin, led by Spartacists. They succeeded in occupying public buildings in Berlin.
Ebert’s government employed Friekorps to put down the uprising
Liebknecht and Luxembourg were shot, and the revolt was crushed

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7
Q

What was the 1923 Munich Putsch?

A

Hitler seized Munich’s Beer Hall

Police ended the revolt, with 16 Nazis shot

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8
Q

What was the impact of Hitler’s trial for the Munich Putsch?

A

Hitler was tried for treason - only sentenced to 5 years, which he served 1 year of.
In Prison he wrote Mein Kampf.
The trial made him a national figure

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9
Q

What was the 1923 Ruhr crisis?

A

Germany failed to fulfil reparation payments to France
60,000 French troops occupied the Ruhr valley.
The German government suspended reparations and supported ‘passive resistance’

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10
Q

What was the impact of the Ruhr crisis on Germany?

A

Paid millions to those who didn’t receive their wages from striking. No taxes were also collected from Ruhr.
Germany was forced to import coal (led to hyperinflation.)

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11
Q

Who ‘won’ from hyperinflation? (3)

A
  • Landowners and businessmen and homeowners who could pay off their debts with worthless money.
  • Businessmen could exploit cheap credit to build larger business organisations - e.g. Stinnes controlled 1/5th of German industry 1923
  • German state benefitted since their debt was reduced
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12
Q

Who ‘lost’ from hyperinflation? (2)

A
  • The middle class savers. Their war bonds are useless.

- TUs could not negotiate wage increases to match inflation. Causes lower living standards

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13
Q

Who was assassinated in 1921? Why?

A

Ezberger, Centre Party member

He signed the armistice

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14
Q

What was the impact of hyperinflation on the German economy?

A

1922: 8,000 marks / dollar
1923: 4.2 billion marks / dollar

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15
Q

What were the positives of inflation up to 1923?

A
  • Mark’s devaluation made German goods desirable abroad within Germany
  • Unemployment was 1.2% 1921
  • X alternative - nationalists would x support increased taxation and communists would x support decreased gov expenditure
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16
Q

What policy did Chancellor Wirth pursue 1921?

A

Fulfilment

- Fulfil reparation payments to demonstrate the terms of the treaty need revision

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17
Q

What were the results of the Jan 1919 election:

  • Pres?
  • % of vote to parli democ parties?
  • Chancellor?
  • Who is in gov?
A
  • Ebert = Pres
  • 76% of vote goes to those supporting Parli democracy
  • New gov led by Schiedemann
  • Gov had 6 social democrats, 3 centrists and 3 democrats
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18
Q

How was the left divided 1919?

A
  • SPD = Parliamentary Democracy
  • KPD = Inspiration from Bolshevik Russia, want to overthrow Weimar system
  • USPD = create socialist society within democratic framework
19
Q

How was the right divided 1919?

A
  • Those who wanted to restore monarchy joined nationalist party (DNVP). Mainly Landowners and middle-class.
  • Radicals and Volkisch groups: nationalist, anti-democratic/socialist/jewish. Friekorps. Overthrow the Republic.
20
Q

What name was given to men such as Ebert and Erzberger by the right?

A

‘November Criminals’

- The men who founded the Republic

21
Q

What did Germany lose due to ToV? (4)

A

15% of arable land
75% of iron ore
68% of zinc ore
25% of coal

22
Q

How much did the mark lose its value 1914-20?

A

1914: 4.2 marks / dollar
1920: 20 marks / dollar

23
Q

How much did debt rise 1913-19?

A

5 to 114 billion

24
Q

When was the ToV signed?

A

28 June 1919

25
Q

What were the terms of the ToV? (4)

A
Territorial 
- Lost 13% of land
- Lost Alsace Lorraine to France
Military
- Army reduced to 100,000 men
War Guilt
- Article 231 meant Germany accepted full responsibility for war
Reparations
- Had to pay £6.6 billion.
26
Q

What were the strengths of the constitution? (2)

A
  • Before 1918 PR, Germany still ran on system of coalitions
  • Article 48 allowed flexibility to overcome crises facing the Republic 1919-23
  • No constitution could control the conditions and circumstances which it operated within
27
Q

What were the main weaknesses of the constitution? (2)

A
  • PR encouraged formation of extremist parties
  • PR led to frequent, unstable governments.
  • President’s power was ambiguous. Were they the ultimate source of authority? Article 48 gave a lot of potential power.
28
Q

What was the name of Ebert’s 1918 Caretaker government?

A

Council of People’s Commissars

29
Q

Who was in Ebert’s 1918 caretaker government?

A

3 SPD
3 USPD
Ebert was the chairman

30
Q

What further action did the USDP want?

A

Believed workers councils should:

  • Implement full socialist programme
  • Nationalise key industries
  • Democratisation of army, civil service, and judiciary.
31
Q

What agreement was made Nov 15 1918?

A

Stinnes - Legien Agreement

  • TUs agreed to not interfere with private ownership.
  • In return, there was full legal recognition of TUs and workers’ councils.
32
Q

What pact did Ebert make on Nov 10 1918?

A

Ebert-Groener Pact

- The Army would support the government in return for preservation of the Army’s authority

33
Q

What evidence is there that Germany was preparing for war?

A

1905 Schliefen Plan
- War based on theory G would be at war with France and Russia at same time
1912 War Council Meeting
- Tirpitz: ‘ready for war in 18 months.’

34
Q

What was Burgfriede?

A

SPD and all other German political parties agreed to support the war
Reichstag adjourned, leaving conduct of war to government

35
Q

Who ran the ‘Silent Dictatorship’ starting 1916?

A

Hindenburg and Ludendorff - the Chiefs of Army Supreme Command

36
Q

What was passed in the Reichstag on 19th July 1917?

By how much?

A

Peace resolution - 212 votes to 126

Had no impact

37
Q

Why did Bethmann-Hollweg resign 1917?

A

BH lost the support of the Reichstag since he did not support ‘peace without victory’

38
Q

What was the 1918 Kiel Mutiny?

A
  • Sailors refused to obey orders to carry out mission against Royal Navy
  • Dockworkers and soldiers joined the sailors and set up workers’ and soldiers’ councils based on 1917 Russian Soviet model
  • These spread across major German cities
39
Q

What were the powers of the President under Weimar constitution? (4)

A
  • Elected / 7 years
  • Dissolved Reichstag
  • Appointed Chancellor
  • Article 48, could rule by decree
40
Q

What were the powers of the Chancellor? (2)

A
  • Had to hold support of at least 1/2 Reichstag

- Proposed new laws to Reichstag

41
Q

What were the powers of the Reichstag? (4)

A
  • Elected / 4 years with proportional rep
  • Chancellor = responsible to Reichstag
  • Voted on budget
  • Vetoed / approved legislation
42
Q

What were the powers the Reichstrat? (4)

A
  • 2nd chamber of German Parliament
  • 67 representatives for 18 states
  • No state could have over 40 seats to prevent Prussian dominance
  • Could veto Reichstag legislation (which could be over-ridden by 2/3rds vote in Reichstag)
43
Q

What happened when the ToV was first presented to German gov?

A

The cabinet rejected the Treaty and Scheidemann (the Chancellor) resigned

44
Q

What was the policy of ‘passive resistance’ in the Ruhr?

A

Workers:

  • Went on strike
  • Refused to cooperate with French troops.
  • Their wages were paid by German Gov.