4 - Political Instability and Extremism 1919-24 Flashcards

1
Q

What did the wide array of political parties represent?

A

Different classes, religions and regions in Germany.

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2
Q

Why did this cause coalition governments?

A

Because there was never a majority due to the vast number, parties had to work together to form a government.

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3
Q

What aims did all political parties have towards the Republic?

A

They wanted to overthrow the government.

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4
Q

Which parties were trying to stabilise the government?

A
  • SPD
  • DDP
  • centre party
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5
Q

Why did they need to have tough decisions?

A

The country was facing unprecedented problems.

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6
Q

What caused the Scheidemann’s cabinet to resign?

A

They couldn’t agree on signing the treaty.

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7
Q

How did the SPD’s fortune changed during the first 4 years of the Weimar?

A

1918-19 = SPD took the lead in establishing the republic
1920 = ceased to take a leading role

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8
Q

Who gained the most from coalition governments?

A

Anti-democracy parties that wanted to overthrow Weimar.

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9
Q

Who lead the Sparticist Uprising?

A

Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht

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10
Q

When, where, aims - Sparticist Uprising

A

When: 5th January 1919
Where: Berlin
Aims: overthrow Ebert’s government

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11
Q

What were the events of the Spartacist Uprising?

A
  • took over newspaper offices and public buildings
  • poorly supported, claimed to be acting for Belin’s working class but weren’t
  • irregular armed forces, so used freikorps
  • crushed by January 13th
  • Liebknecht and Luxemburg executed
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12
Q

Why did it fail to overthrow the government?

A

It was poorly supported by those they claimed to be acting for.

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13
Q

How come the defeat of the rebellion did not end left-wing opposition to the government?

A
  • workers who helped overthrow the Kaiser felt frustrated
  • felt Weimar was comprising with the right
  • demobilised soldiers found it hard to adjust
  • it went on to inspire future uprisings
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14
Q

How come the government was never ‘seriously’ challenged by the revolts?

A

A lot of revolts lacked support, resources and determination to pose a true threat.

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15
Q

Why were the right-wing groups more of a threat to the Republic?

A

The right had been hostile to the republic from the start and didn’t believe in democracy.

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16
Q

Was there much agreement between the right- wing groups?

A

No, they were competing with different objectives
- restoration of monarchy
- dictatorship
- Bavaria wanted to be separate from Germany

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17
Q

Why were right wing groups not able to overthrow the government?

A

Their divisions weakened their strength

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18
Q

What were the Freikorps?

A
  • 200 paramilitary groups of ex soldiers
  • saw themselves as ‘defenders of Germany’
  • helped suppress left wing threats
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19
Q

Who lead the Kapp Putsch?

A

Wolfgang Kapp - organised the Putsch
von Luttwitz - general who refused to disband one of the units

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20
Q

When, where, aims - Kapp Putch

A

When - February 1920, units were ordered to disband. March 12th, 12,000 Freikorps marched into Berlin
Where - Berlin
Aims - protesting the disbandment of the 2 Freikorps units

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21
Q

How did the government react to the Kapp Putsch?

A

They asked Hans von Seeckt for the army to fight, but he refused as ‘troops do not fire on troops’.

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22
Q

how supported was the Kapp Putsch?

A

It failed to gain widespread support, even from the right wing.

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23
Q

How was the Kapp Putsch suppressed?

A

Socialist members of Ebert’s government encouraged trade unions to call a general strike. This caused the city to reach a standstill and the Putsch collapsed in 4 days.

24
Q

What were the repercussions of the Kapp Putsch?

A

The government seemed weak and like they had a lack of control.

25
Q

Who were the right-wing assassins targeting?

A

Prominent politicians and those who had ‘betrayed’ Germany

26
Q

Who were the ‘Vaterlandische Verbande’? And why were they so dangerous?

A

Who - political assassins often formed out of old Freikorps units
Why - some were actively supported by the German army

27
Q

Hugo Haase - who?

A

USPD member and member of Council of People’s commissars. He had joined the November 1918 revolution.

28
Q

Hugo Haase - how was he killed?

A

Shot in front of the Reichstag in Oct 1919 and died a month later due to wounds.

29
Q

Matthias Erzberger - who?

A

The former finance minister who had lead the German delegation for the signing of the armistice and signed the treaty of Versailles.

30
Q

Matthias Erzberger - how was he killed?

A

Shot in January, but killed in the Black Forest in August 1921 by Organisation Consul

31
Q

Walther Rathenau - who?

A

The foreign minister who recommended the fulfilment of the Treaty. He was Jewish

32
Q

Walther Rathenau - how was he killed?

A

4 Organisation Consul members threw a hand grenade and shot him. 70,000 people protested his death

33
Q

How many assassinations were there between 1919 & 23?

A

376

34
Q

How many of the assassinations were from the left?

A

22

35
Q

How many of the assassinations were from the right?

A

354

36
Q

What was the law passed in 1922, and what powers did it have?

A

‘for the protection of the republic’, imposed penalties on those who revolted and banned extremist organisations.

37
Q

What were the impacts of the ‘protection of the republic’ law?

A
  • Organisation Consul was disbanded, but not effective as some of the judges were right wing sympathisers
  • Baravia’s government refused to enforce it
  • Rathenau’s killers were only given an average of 4 years in prison each
38
Q

How many right wing murderers were severely punished?

A

1

39
Q

How many right wing murderers were severely punished?

A

10 were executed

40
Q

How were the Nazi party able to form?

A

From Bavaria’s government refusing to implement the ‘protection of the public’ law

41
Q

Why was 1919-23 period of ‘growth’ for anti-republican groups?

A

It showed they could get away with things as Weimar underestimated their threat.

42
Q

What was the political impact of the Rhur invasion?

A
  • anti French feel
  • government blamed, middle class support lost
  • communists used crises to stage uprisings
  • nationalists accused government of betrayal
43
Q

What were the aims of the Nazis?

A
  • complete dictatorship
  • removal of November criminals from government
  • removal of traditional government
44
Q

What was Hitler’s background?

A
  • born April 1889
  • non German but felt germans should be united
  • wanted to be an Artist but didn’t get into art school
45
Q

What was Hitler’s involvement in WW1?

A
  • volunteered for German army
  • outraged by November criminals
46
Q

How did Hitler come across the Nazi party?

A
  • working as a political agent for the army
  • sent to investigate the German Worker’s party
  • ended up joining and by 1921 was the undisputed leader
  • changed the name to NSDAP (national socalist)
47
Q

Munich Putsch - when, where?

A

when - began 8th November 1923
where - Munich Beer Hall

48
Q

Who lead the Munich Putsch?

A

Hitler and Lundendorff

49
Q

What was the aims of the Munich Putsch?

A

To win over Kahr and von Losssow

50
Q

What happened at the Munich Putsch?

A
  • Hitler marched into the beer hall with 200 stormtroopers
  • held Kahr and Lossow at gunpoint
  • they agreed to march into Berlin and make Lundendorff commander in chief
  • stormtroopers couldn’t control the Munich barracks
  • by 9th November, it was clear it had failed
  • Hitler continued with the march
  • Hitler and Lundendorff arrested
51
Q

How would people in debt react to the Nazi’s 25 point plan?

A
  • 17, no interest in mortgages
  • 20, children supported by the state regardless of their class or job
52
Q

How would small businesses react to the Nazi’s 25 point plan?

A
  • 16, given leases at low rates
  • creating a healthy middle class
53
Q

How would big industrialists react to the Nazi’s 25 point plan?

A
  • 16, their land is being reduced
  • loss of profit, feel alienated
54
Q

How would war profiteers react to the Nazi’s 25 point plan?

A
  • 12, confiscation of all war profits
  • builds tension
55
Q

How would ex-soldiers react to the Nazi’s 25 point plan?

A
  • 2, the abolition of the treaty of Versailles
  • 22, people’s army, Freikorps get an opportunity
56
Q

How would industrial workers react to the Nazi’s 25 point plan?

A
  • attracted to point 10, fairness of money
  • working for what you earn
57
Q

How would army generals react to the Nazi’s 25 point plan?

A
  • against point 22, no professional army
  • jobs taken, power minimised