3.1 Germany- The Weimar Republic Flashcards
What happened on the 10th November 1918?
Kaiser Wilhelm || abdicates
When and how did WW1 end?
11th November 1918
Germany signs an armistice with the allies
What happened on the 19th January 1919?
German people elect the Weimar government
When did the National Assembly finish creating a new constitution?
31st July 1919
How many German soldiers died and were wounded in WW1?
2 million died
4 million wounded
How much did germanys debt increase by between 1914 and 1918?
50 billion marks in 1914
150 billion marks in 1918
Why did Germany experience a wave of civil unrest after the war?
The German people were near starvation- the British navy blockaded German ports to food couldn’t enter
Why did the kaiser abdicate?
Due to the civil unrest and riots
Which party became in charge after the kaiser abdicated?
The SPD (social Democratic Party)
Who became chancellor after max von baden?
Friedrich Ebert
How did ebert deal with the communist rioters and how did it reflect on him?
He used force
Shows he lacked genuine control over Germany
What was the importance of Eberts announcement of a constitution?
Under the kaiser, Germany did not have a written constitution and the kaiser could write and change laws as he wanted
This was important because it would signify the start of a democracy
What happened on the 19th January 1919?
The SPD was elected as germanys new government
When was Ebert elected as germanys first president?
February 1919
Who could vote in Germany?
Men and women over 21
Give a strength and a weakness regarding voting in the reichstag
Strength- people gained more rights (esp. women)
Weakness- increase in elections weakened the peoples enthusiasm for voting
Give a strength and a weakness regarding proportional representation in the reichstag
Strength- ensured the reichstag represented smaller parties
Weakness- this meant that no single party won a majority, so coalition governments were formed and policies and laws took longer to pass
Give a strength and a weakness regarding the system designed to stop someone from taking ultimate power in the Reichstag
Strength- a new president was elected every 7 years
Weakness- article 48 meant that the chancellor could ask the president to pass laws without consulting the Reichstag
What did withdrawal from WW1 do to the new governments reputation?
It tainted public opinion of the Weimar government
The people that signed the armistice were known as the November criminals
So people believed that the government had been a failiure
When was the treaty of Versailles signed?
28th June 1919
What was the treaty known as and why?
A diktat
Because no German representatives were allowed at these peace talks
Who negotiated the terms of the treaty?
The big three- France (Georges Clemenceau), USA (Woodrow Wilson) and Great Britain (David Lloyd George)
What was article 42 in the TOV and what was its impact on Germany?
Demilitarised Rhineland
Made them vulnerable to french invasion
What was article 160 of the TOV and how did it impact Germany?
Army restricted to 100,000 men
Many ex-soldiers became unemployed
