2.2A&B What Was The Weimar Republic? Flashcards
How did Kaiser Wilhelm II respond to calls for democracy before 1918?
Reluctantly made a few minor changes; still held power.
What happened in Germany on 9 November 1918?
Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated and fled to the Netherlands.
Who took over as the leader of Germany after the Kaiser abdicated?
Friedrich Ebert, leader of the Social Democratic Party (SPD).
What type of government did Ebert aim to establish in Germany?
A democratic republic, valuing equality and freedom.
Who were the Spartacists?
A left-wing group, mainly communists, led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht.
What did the Spartacists want for Germany?
Wanted Germany to be governed by workers’ councils; opposed Ebert’s democratic ideas.
What methods did the Spartacists use to promote their views?
Organised strikes, demonstrations, and uprisings against Ebert’s government.
Who were the Free Corps?
Ex-soldiers who opposed communism; formed private armies to suppress uprisings.
How did the Free Corps react to the Spartacist uprising in January 1919?
Brutally crushed the uprising in Berlin; killed Spartacist leaders.
What was the result of the Spartacist uprising for the German government?
Ebert’s government gained more control but relied on violence to maintain stability.
What key event happened on 19 January 1919?
Germany held elections for the National Assembly to establish a new government.
Where did the National Assembly meet, and what did they establish?
Met in Weimar; established the Weimar Republic.
Define ‘Weimar Republic.’
Democratic government set up in 1919 after the Kaiser’s abdication; aimed for political equality and freedom.
Why was the Weimar Republic’s establishment significant?
Marked Germany’s transition from monarchy to democracy after WWI.
What did the Weimar Republic symbolize for Germany?
Fresh start; a hope for peace, democracy, and equality.
Define ‘armistice.’
An agreement to stop fighting; the armistice ended WWI for Germany in 1918.
Define ‘communism.’
Political ideology advocating for state ownership of property and equal distribution of resources.
What role did the Free Corps play in early Weimar Germany?
Protected the government from left-wing uprisings but acted with extreme violence.
What was the primary goal of Ebert’s new government in early 1919?
To stabilize Germany and prevent further revolutions.
Why did rich people fear communism?
- Russia became first communist country in 1917
- communists took away land from landlords and gave it to peasants
- put banks and factories under government control
- murdered Russian royal family
- this scared richer Germans
What was the Weimar constitution?
• Formal set of rules for Germany’s government post-Kaiser.
• Aimed to be more democratic than previous rule
• Considered one of the most democratic constitutions worldwide.
What did the Weimar constitution grant?
- Equal rights for all, including women.
- All men and women over 20 could vote.
What are the key elements of the Weimar constitution structure?
- proportional representation
- The President (Head of State)
- The Chancellor (Prime Minister)
- The Reichstag (Parliament)
- The German people (the electorate)
What was proportional representation and why was it a problem?
- Seats in Reichstag given based on percentage of votes
- Led to up to 20 parties debating on a single issue
- No party ever achieved majority (over half the votes) so parties had to form coalitions
- Caused slow decision-making and instability
- upper class people wished for the ‘good old days’ with the Kaiser
- new system of government was linked to the surrender of WW1
The President (Head of State)
- Elected every 7 yrs
- Controlled army, navy and air force
- In a crisis, could rule on his own without using the support of the Reichstag using article 48
What is article 48?
Part of the Weimar Constitution that gave the President the right to rule in a time of crisis without the support of the Reichstag
The Chancellor (prime minister)
- chosen by the President (usually from the party with the most votes)
- responsible for day-to-day running of the country (eg law and order, taxation, healthcare)
- must have support from at least half of the MPs/Reichstag to introduce new laws
The Reichstag
- discussed and introduced new laws
- MPs elected every four years
- voting system: proportional representation. This meant that number of MPs each political party had depended on the number of votes (eg 10% of votes, 10% of seats)
The German people (the electorate)
- all men and women over 20 could vote
- elected the President and the politicians in the Reichstag
- constitution guaranteed basic freedoms eg free speech
Put German political parties in order from left to right
- Communist Party (KPD)
- Social Democratic Party (SPD)
- German Democratic Party (DDP)
- Centre Party (Zentrum)
- People’s Party (DVP)
- National People’s Party (DNVP)
- National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP)
Communist Party initials
KPD
Social Democratic Party initials
SPD
German Democratic Party initials
DDP
What is the Centre party also called?
Zentrum
People’s Party initials
DVP
National People’s Party initials
DNVP
National Socialist German Workers’ Party initials
NSDAP or Nazis
