3. Why did the Weimar Republic Collapse?

Question 1

How was the Wall Street Crash a reason for the collapse of the Weimar Republic?

Answer 1

Great Depression wasn’t treated well by government. Population gets radicalised causing them to vote for extremist, anti-democratic parties

Question 2

What did Hitler portray himself as which won him lots of support?

Answer 2

‘One of the people’

Question 3

What feeling among German society did the ToV bring about?

Answer 3

Feeling that the government couldn’t be trusted

Question 4

What was the reason for democracy being implemented in Germany?

Answer 4

Pressure from America

Question 5

What was the Weimar Republic born out of which is seen as a weakness?

Answer 5

Born out of Germany losing WW1
Born out of revolutions

Question 6

Example of a fundamental weakness of the Weimar Constitution

Answer 6

Article 48 allowing president to rule by decree

Question 7

Problem of the Weimar Republic in the early years: ToV

Answer 7

ToV had harsh terms and reparations damaged Germany significantly

Question 8

Problem of the Weimar Republic in the early years: twin problem

Answer 8

Twin problem of political extremism and economic problems

Question 9

Reason why the Weimar Republic wasn’t doomed to fail from the start: democracy

Answer 9

Although Republic had problems in early years, there was no popular alternative to democracy
Most people wanted to give democracy a chance

Question 10

Reason why the Weimar Republic wasn’t doomed to fail from the start: support for extremist parties

Answer 10

In early years Communist and Nazi support was exaggerated

Question 11

Reason why the Weimar Republic wasn’t doomed to fail from the start: ToV

Answer 11

If the ToV was the reason for collapse, extremist parties would’ve gained majority in the first election but they didn’t
No one wanted to go against ToV as they had fears of war

Question 12

Reason why the Weimar Republic wasn’t doomed to fail from the start: 1920s

Answer 12

Golden years where economic recovery took place
ToV reparations made manageable by Dawes and Young Plans
Economy recovery aided to new currency

Question 13

Support for Nazis on 1928 elections

Answer 13

Got less sears than they did in 1924 election

Question 14

Response of German people to assassination of Jewish Foreign Minister Rathenau in 1922

Answer 14

700,000 people demonstrated in streets of Berlin against it

Question 15

Short-term consequence of Great Depression: communism

Answer 15

Made fear of communist among elites greater

Question 16

Short-term consequence of Great Depression: Brüning

Answer 16

Introduced deflation policies which made unemployment worse

Question 17

Short-term consequence of Great Depression: extremist parties

Answer 17

Great Depression pushed people to extremist parties

Question 18

Reason for people voting for Nazi Party: Great Depression

Answer 18

Pushed people to vote for extremist parties

Question 19

Reason for people voting for Nazi Party: desperation

Answer 19

People desperate for fix of Great Depression

Question 20

Reason for people voting for Nazi Party: farmers

Answer 20

Nazis promised farmers government grants to help them pay debts

Question 21

Who failed to defend democracy?

Answer 21

German elites

Question 22

Problem of coalition governments leading to collapse of Weimar Republic: political divisions of 1920s

Answer 22

Made coalitions become fragile and unstable

Question 23

Problem of coalition governments leading to collapse of Weimar Republic: some parties

Answer 23

Some parties refused to participate in coalitions

Question 24

Problem of coalition governments leading to collapse of Weimar Republic: fragility

Answer 24

Fragility of coalitions made task of Chancellor and cabinet very difficult

Question 25

Economic problems leading to collapse of Weimar Republic: war reparations

Answer 25

Placed huge economic burden on Germany
Historians agree that final amount of reparations was excessive
Reparations remained issue for duration of Republic

Question 26

Economic problems leading to collapse of Weimar Republic: Germany’s post-war recovery and capacity for political stability

Answer 26

Post-war recovery and capacity for political stability negatively impacted by reparations

Question 27

Economic problems leading to collapse of Weimar Republic: what happened as a result of Germany’s failure to pay reparations by 1922?

Answer 27

Germany’s failure to pay reparations by 1922 led to hyperinflation crisis, Ruhr occupation and collapse of two coalitions

Question 28

Economic problems leading to collapse of Weimar Republic: economic crisis

Answer 28

Increased distaste towards coalitions as people realised how they made decision making a longer process

Question 29

Political intrigue leading to collapse of Weimar Republic: April 1932

Answer 29

Hindenburg wanted to retire but was persuaded to run as president again to keep Hitler out

Question 30

Political intrigue leading to collapse of Weimar Republic: appointment of Hitler

Answer 30

Hindenburg appointed Hitler due to intrigue, rumour-mongering and lobbying

Question 31

Rise of extremist parties leading to collapse of Weimar Republic: Hitler between 1924 and 1932

Answer 31

Changed Nazi policies to gain support from powerful interest groups like German industrialists and wealthy capitalists

Question 32

Rise of extremist parties leading to collapse of Weimar Republic: Nazis attacks

Answer 32

SA and Nazis attacked political opponents

Question 33

Rise of extremist parties leading to collapse of Weimar Republic: increased votes

Answer 33

People were frustrated at Germany’s fragile economic state through factors such as losing their savings so they turned to extreme parties

Question 34

Rise of extremist parties leading to collapse of Weimar Republic: increasing Nazi support from general public

Answer 34

After Nazi Putsch’s, Nazi Party became less direct and aggressive which made them more acceptable to general public

Question 35

Great Depression leading to collapse of Weimar Republic: unemployment

Answer 35

By 1932, 2/5 of German workforce was unemployed

Question 36

Great Depression leading to collapse of Weimar Republic: German voters

Answer 36

Due to Great Depression many German voters abandoned support for mainstream moderate parties and voted for radical groups instead

Question 37

Underlaying problems leading to collapse of Weimar Republic: ToV

Answer 37

ToV imposed very harsh terms on Germany
Severity of ToV terms created political debate and division
Public disliked association of Government with ToV