1918-1924 weimar germany Flashcards
1
Q
When did the kaiser abdicate?
A
November 1918
2
Q
why did the kaiser abdicate?
A
- he had lost support from the army
- told by general groener
3
Q
when was the armistice?
A
November 1918
4
Q
what was the armistice?
A
a peace settlement for a peace treaty to be negotiated
5
Q
what was president wilson’s fourteen
A
- provided basis for a negiotiated peace settlement
- points like return alsce- lorriane to france hrash to germany
6
Q
when was Wilsons fourteen points
A
September 1918
7
Q
what happened during October 1918?
A
- reforms to end germany’s former autocratic rule into a democratic government
8
Q
Give example of the October 1918 reforms?
A
the armed forces were under control of the republic
9
Q
A
10
Q
what was the peace note?
A
prince max wrote to president wilson asking for armistice
- wilson demand that germany must leave alll occupied territory and fully democratise political system
11
Q
what was the impact of the peace note 1918
A
- significantly decreased morale becuase it showed germanh had lost the war
12
Q
what was the November 3rd revolution of 1918
A
- mutiny of the navy and civilians that started in Keil but spread to the city
- followed by workers and soldiers councils established
- govt tried meet their demands but failed so spread to more cities
13
Q
what was the impact of the November 3rd revolution 1918
A
- caused the collapse of the regime becuase authroity of military offcierrs and police weakeened
14
Q
what was the revolution on 9 November 1918
A
- The SPD led workers in berlin for a genereal strike so the kasier could abdicate
- threatening to withdraw support from prince maxi’s government
15
Q
what was the outcome of the 9 November 1918 strike
A
- Friedrich Ebert (leader of SPD) announcing Germany as a republic
16
Q
what was the Ebert - Groener contract?
A
- alliance between general Groener and Ebert which gave Ebert military support
17
Q
How were the constitution established in 1919
A
- constituent assembly held
- The SPD had majority
- Ebert president
- coalition govt led by Philipp scheidemann
- majority SPD with centre and German democratic parties
18
Q
what were the strengths of the Weimar constitution?
A
- proportional representation allowed small parties to win seats in Reichstag
- women gaining equal rights to men by allowing them to vote
- the constitution gave individuals rights through the fundamental right and duties of germen citiens’’ e.g all german citizens equal befoe the law.
19
Q
what were weaknesses of the constitution?
A
- coalition governments because
of proliferation of small parties
that were
20
Q
what did article 48 do
A
- gave president power to rule by decree without needing to consult Reichstag in special circumstances
21
Q
How many times to president Ebert use presidential decree
A
on 136 occasions
22
Q
what was the public impact of the treaty of Versailles?
A
- German people in disbelief due to German propaganda presenting that to the public that Germany was winning the war
- resentment because of harsh terms of the treaty
23
Q
what were the specific reasons of the resentment against the treaty of Versailles (TOV)?
A
- '’war guilt cause’’
- reparations
- Wilson’s fourteen points
- allied occupation of parts of western Germany
- French control on mines
24
Q
What were the major reasons against the Treaty of Versailles
A
- reparations
- Wilson’s fourteen points
- war guilt clause
25
Explain why reparations was a major cause against reparations
- reparations: Germans felt the level was too high and would cripple Germanys economy
and didn't accept ''war guilt cuase'' that justified it
26
Explain why ''war guilt clause'' was a major cause against reparations
- war guilt clause made Germany responsible for starting a war but the German public saw this as humiliation because they believed they were forced into war against the allies.
27
Explain why Wilson's fourteen points was a major cause against reparations
- national self determination denied to Germans because German people living in non-German states like e.g Poland
28
Explain why disarming of the army and exclusion of league of nations cause against reparations
- seen as an unjust discrimination against a ''once-powerful'' nation
29
- the majority of the Reichstag and SPD members believe they had no other choice but sign the treaty
- Scheidemann (prime minister) anted to reject treaty
30
How did TOV impact pro republican parties
-policy of fulfilment: viewed that they should comply with the terms of the treaty and negotiate terms - SPD
- alienated moderates that accepted new constitution but disapproved of politicians that 'betrayed' the all powerful germany
31
How did the TOV impact the right?
- German nationalists could not accept Germany's defeat or new republic
- November criminals which were extreme nationalists which saw Germany as betraying the 'fatherland'' due to TOV and abdication of the kaiser and government lacked legitimacy
- actions called the ''stab in the back' myth
32
What were the terms of the treaty of Versailles (TOV)
- reparaations that cost germany £6.6 billion due to war guilt clause blaming them for the war
- disarment of germany army and limited to 100,000 men
- terriotorial losses: removed over 70,000 km of german territory and colonies e.g Alsace-Lorraine to France
- demilitarused the rhineland
- exclusion of the league of nations
33
when was the TOV
1919
34
What culminated the hyperinflation crisis of 1923?
the ruhr crisis
35
what caused the ruhr crisis?
- Germany being behind in reparation payments to France in the form of coal
36
what happened in the Ruhr crisis?
- the French with Belgians of 60,000 men went occupy the ruhr
-aimed to steal the Ruhr coal, steel and manufactured good as reparations
- took control of mines, factories , steelworks and railways
-govt of chancellor Wilhelm Cuno
stopped reperation payments and orddred ''passive resistance''
- promsiing wages to workers and paramilitary groups organising acts of sabotage against the french
37
what was the consequence of the Ruhr crisis
French occupation grew worse as they punished people who did not comply using military courts
1922- output of the ruhr fallen to fifth of pre-occupation output
38
what were the economic impact of the ruhur crisis?
- shortage of goods made prices go up higher
- paying wages/goods for striking workers drsined governemnt finances
- tax revenue lost from businesses closing and unemplyed workers
39
why did the invasion of the Ruhr cause the hyperinflation crisis 1923?
- combined economic effects of invasion caused double annual reparation so had to print more money because they could not raise taxes
40
what caused the reform of social warfare from 1919-1922
- one of the rights of constitution was German citizens having access to welfare
- people needing support due to death or injury during the war
41
what was the downside of the reform of social warfare during 1919-1922
- exacerbated hyperinflation crisis of 1923
42
laws that reformed social warfare 1919
- law passed limiting working hours to 8 hours max
-the state health insurance system extened to wives, dauthers and disabled originally meant for workers
- aid for water verterans due to injury
43
laws that reformed social warfare 1922
National Youth Welfare Act
- local authorities set up youth offices that created child protection and children right to education
44
Who were the winners during hyperinflation?
farmers
black marketeers
debt owners
45
explain why - winners during hyperinflation
farmers because food was in demand
debt owners because they could pay off the money they owed with worthless currency
46
who wrere the losers during hyperinflation
People relying on savings, fixed income or welfare support from government
examples:
pensioners
the middle stand
47
explain why (losers in hyperinflation)
middle stand-
disproportionate share of taxes
charge of costs and prices could not keep up with inflation
48
Political instability and extremism 1919-1924
49
when was the sparticist uprising
January 1919
50
who was the spartcist upring led by?
Rosa Luxemburg
Karl Liebknecht
51
what was the sparitict uprising
- armed uprising in berlin to overthrow eberts government
- for a communist revolution
52
why did the sparicist upring fail
- poorly supported because they did not get majority support from the working classs in berlin
- poorly prepared
53
why did the right wind pose a threat to the weimar republic?
- right wing ideas strong within the freikorps and the army
54
when was the kapps putsch
1920
55
what was the kapps putsch
- Walther von Luttwitz marched his troops to protest against the disbandment of freikorps due to TOV by Gustav Noske
- supported by Wolfgang Kapp making it a putsch
56
what was the outcome of the kapps putsch
- Ebert's government forced to withdraw to Dresden
- called on regular army to crush uprising
57
Why did the kapps putsch fail?
- failed to gain widespread support because of tension between the army and civilians
58
What did these uprising show about the Weimar constitution
- weimar government was weak becuasse it relied on military support
59
why were there politcal assitsinations of the right wing after the putsch
- right wing nationalists wanting to eliminate politicians associated with the 'betrayal of Germany
60
Example of political assassinations
- assassination of Matthias Erzberger
- assassination of Walther Rathenau
61
what was the outcome of the munich putsch
62
Explain Matthias erzberger assassination and why it was important
- assassinated by Organisation Consul
- crime was Germanys representative on reparations committee
- signed the TOV
63
what is organisation consul?
- untra- nationalists paramilitary group of ex freikorps
- after being disbanded from failed kapps putsch
64
Explain Walther Rathenau assassination and why it was important
- assassinated by organisation consul
- crime was participated in signing the armistice and negotiated the TOV
- popular public figure so caused 700,000 protestors in berlin
65
What was the Law of 'for the protection of the Republic'
- imposed severe penalties on those involved to conspiracy to murder
- banned extremist organisations
66
When was the law 'for the protection of the Republic'
July 1922
67
why was it not effective
- organisation consul forced to disband but judges were right wing sympathisers
68
what was the political impact of the ruhr
69
when was the Munich putsch
Nov 1923
70
what happened during the munich putsch ?
- Hitler with ludendroff's support bursted into the munich beer hall surrounded by stormtroopers
- announced revolution
- persuaded kahr and von lossow at gun point to march on berlin and install luderdorfff as commander-in-chief
71
Why did the munich putsch fail
- lost support overnight
- stormtroopers did not gain control of munich army batrracks
72
what was the outcome of the munich putsch
- hitler went ahead with a march thhrough munich
- gun battle with police
- hitler captured and ludendorfff gave himself up to police
73
what did the putsch show?
- the weimar's constitution reliance on the army to be politically stable
