2 - Weimar Flashcards
Why did Germany lose WW1
Russia’s exit caused disractions with the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in May 1918, which delayed the Spring Offensive
German Weakness = The Silent Dictatorship ruled Germany, rendering the Kaiser powerless, and General Luddendorff and Field Marshall Hindenburg were in charge + The Kreuznach Programme, The Zimmerman Telegram Jan 1917, The July Crisis 1917, and the Seigfriede 1917, Schlieffen plan fail
Allied success = US joined the war in 1917
Political consequences of WW1
The Burgfriede 1914 = agreement between all parties to finance the War
The Silent Dictatorship = Luddendorf and Hindenburg controlled the Kaiser
– However, they caused the War to fail = The Kreuznach Programme, The Zimmerman Telegram Jan 1917, The July Crisis 1917, and the Seigfriede 1917
Attempts to end the War
Erzberger’s peace resolution July 1917 = approved by the Reichstag by a majority of 86 votes
Drafted by an inter-party committee (coalition-like)
Erzberger was assasinated by the ultra right wing Organisation Consul in 1921 for insisting on approving the Treaty of Versailles.
The USDP
Split from the SPD under Ebert
Hasse were their initail leader
Prominent members include Karl Leibnecht and Rosa Luxemberg fro beeing associated with the Spartacus League
By January 1918, they had over 120,000 members and led strikes in Jan which involved more than 1 million workers
Ebert +
+ 1pm 9th November he became chancellor and created the Council of People’s Commisars = between the SPD and the USDP
+ 10th November workers councils voted to accept the union
+ Elections announced for January
+ Ebert-Groener Pact = peace with army
+ Stinnes-Libien Agreement = 8 hour working day and free markets
Ebert -
— middle and upper class were the majority (52%) vs. left wing unelected government
— E-G pact = a deal with military elite was unpopular
— S-L agreement was also unpopular as the working class hated Stinnes
— Uses the Friedkorp to supress the Sparticus Uprising
Scheidemann
Undermined Ebert’s powers through teh formulation of the Third supreme Command in August 1916
– This led to other SPD members questioning Ebert which led to the creation of the USPD
When Ebert became Chancellor in Nov 1919, Scheidemann became a minister without a portfolio
Served as first chancellor of the Weimar Republic, however, resigned as he disapproved of the Treaty of Versailles.
Rosa Luxemburg
She founded the Spartacus League in 1914 and criticised Ebert in a leaflet which inspired 100,000 workers to demonstrate against the sacking of Eichhorn
She was murdered on the 15th of January by the Friedkorp for her involvemnet in the Spartacus uprising
She inspired others: Karl Liebknecht when Ebert offered him a place at the Council of the People’s Deputies, the provisional government, turned it down as he supported Rosa’s cause.
Economic consequences of the war
KRA = The WarRaw Materials Department – prolongs the war
Rationing + War bonds introduced (shares in the government)
Only 16% of the war cost was made by taxes, the rest was war bonds and printing money = hyper-infaltion
April 1919 = 12 marks were needed to buy $1 VS. December 1923 = 4,200,000,000,000 marks were needed to buy $1 — solved by Rentenmark in November 1923, a new currency, and the economic miracle by Schacht (Presieent of the Reichsbank)
VS. Hugo Stinnes owned 24% of the German Industry by 1924
Social consequences of the war
16% of those conscribed were killed
Turnip Winter: 1916-17 = 35% of pigs killed to save grain
Germany relied on 1/3 of food by imports, which led to starvation as the British Blockade was effective
During the war, 750,000 civilians died from starvation and average prices doubled.
April 1917 = 200,000 workers went on strike in Berlin because of bread rationing.
Auxiliary Service Law = Dec 1916 - conscription of all able-bodied men
The Revolution from Above
Failure of the War - Kaiser hide in Belguim Spa town and was called an ‘impedment to peace’ by Woodrow Wilson the US President + Silent dictatorship unrevealed
Prince Max made chancellor on 3 October 1918 - same day he writes to the US president asking for an amristice
– abolished the Prussian 3 class franchise where a wealthy person’s vote was worth 17.5% of the vote than a poorer
– power of army and navy given to Reichstag
– Ludendorff resigned
CONTEXT: the Russian Revolution of October 1917 began similarly to this = raising alarm bells in German politics
— 9 November 1918 = Kaiser abdicated
The Revolution from Below
1.5 million people were regularly protesting in Berlin
US President said that an armistice would only be signed if the Kaiser abdicated
28 October = Keil Mutiny — 29th = Naval mutiny — 4 November = over 100,000 sailors mutinied
8 November = Workers’, Sailors’, and Soldiers’ councils (soviets) were set up
Kaiser abdicates 9th November, the same day a general strike occured in Berlin
11 November = Armistice signed
Elections and their outcomes
19th Jan 1919 election = Ebert’s SPD only gained 38% of the vote
No majority so coalition = The Limited Revolution
During the 14 years of the Weimar Republic, there were 20 seperate coalitions
The Spartacist Uprising
January 1919 = SU
Revolt began with the resignation of the USPD
5th Jan it began
10th Friedkorp enter Berlin
Ebert withdrew government to the safety of a town called Weimar.
15th Jan = Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg killed
Uprising in Bavaria
Led by the socialist Kurt Eisener
7th Nov 1918 = overthrew governmnet in Bavaria
German nationalist Anton Graf von Arco shot him on 21 February 1919.
Eisner had been on his way to present his resignation to the Bavarian Parliament.
