BOOKLET 2, The Birth of Democratic Germany (1917-19) Flashcards

Question

(Social Consequences of War, Food & Fuel Shortages & Civilian Deaths) - In 191__, the government killed ____% of G's pigs to save on grain which then caused a... - The exceptionally cold _________ of 191__ & allied ___________ contributed to severe... and was nicknamed '________ winter' because the failure of the potato crop forced... - During the war, _______________ civilians died from starvation.

Answer 1

- In 1915, the government killed 35% of G's pigs to save on grain which then caused a meat shortage. - The exceptionally cold winter of 1916 & allied blockade contributed to severe food and fuel shortages in the cities, was nicknamed 'turnip winter' because the failure of the potato crop forced the G people to rely heavily on turnips, which were usually used for animal fodder. - During the war 750,000 civilians died from starvation.

Answer 2

- Number of increased by 50%. - Workers were forced to work even longer hours, but wages fell below the inflation rate. ECONOMIC LINK, PRINTER MONEY, ONLY 16% OF WAR PAID FOR THROUGH TAXES. - Average prices doubled in G between 1914-18 whereas wages rose by only 50-75% - By 1917, 200,000 workers on strike in Berlin because of bread rationing.

Answer 3

- 1918, Europe was hit by the 'Spanish flu', killed around 287,000 Germans, was so devastating due to lowered living conditions. - Resentment grew within middle class because they felt their social status had been lowered as their income declined. - Opposition against political leaders who had urged a total war but seemed incapable of ensuring the equality of sacrifice. - Considerable anger was expressed against the so-called 'sharks' of industry who had made vast profits during the war. - Hugo Stinnes, he owned 24% of German industry by 1924. ECONOMIC LINK, people like this benefitted as they weren't taxed extra, so hardly affected.

Answer 4

KPD - (communist) USPD - (independent social democrat) SPD - (social democratic) DDP - (democratic) Z - (catholic) BVP - (bavaria) DVP - (german's people party) DNVP - (german's national people) NSDAP - (national socialist workers)

Answer 5

Left : KPD. Right : NSDAP Centre-Left : SPD, DDP, Z --- Solved more Foreign Policy, e.g. Dawes Plan, 1924. Centre-Right : Z, BVP, DNVP --- Solved more domestic issues, e.g. 1927 Unemployment Law, 17 million workers benefitted.

Answer 6

--- KPD : Founded by members of Spartacist Union, mainly working class, committed to overthrowing Republic by revolution, dictated by the foreign policy of the Soviet Union. --- USPD : Broke away from SPD in 1917, industrial workers disillusioned by policies of SPD, wanted replacement of parliamentary democracy with workers' soviets. Opposed the war and Versailles Treaty.

Answer 7

--- SPD : Working class, divided in attitude towards the republic, supported social reform and the idea of an extension of social welfare including unemployment benefit, supported the Policy of Fulfilment (idea to fulfil policies of Treaty of Versailled to show how harsh it was and get sympathy and hopefully reduction in reparations). --- DDP : Business interests, middle classes, supported constitutional reform and some social reform and civil liberties, in favour of policy of fulfilment.

Answer 8

--- Z : Represents Catholics, supported social reform but also socially conservative (against abortion and contraception). Looked to protect interests of Church, supported Policy of Fulfilment. --- DVP : Other half of NL, Business interests, founder was Gustav Stresemann (who solved hyper-inflation). Anti-union & anti-labour, foreign policy of fulfilment driven by Stresemann.

Answer 9

--- DNVP : Junkers, upper-middle class, consistently hostile towards the Republic, wanted restoration of the Kaiser, anti-socialist, proposed union with Austria and rejected Versailles Treaty. --- NSDAP : Ex-servicemen, radical anti-semites, led by Adolf Hitler, very hostile towards Republic, wanted to restructure society based on racial grounds, didn't want to pay reparations and wanted destruction of communism.

Answer 10

- The Bolshevik Revolution in Russia in Oct 1917 gave glimmer of hope to G leaders because the new leader, Lenin, called for R's exit from the war. - On March 3rd, 1918, Treaty of Brest Litovsk was signed with G which took R out the war (meant G's was eastern front was no longer, and G gained vast areas of land including Poland and Lithuania). - Ludendorff moved 52 divisions from EF to Western Front, launched the Spring Offensive. Was initially successful but was hampered by the 1million US troops ow reinforcing the Allied lines.

Answer 11

- 8th August 1918, G suffered the 'blackest day' at the Battle of Amiens in which 16,000 G soldiers were captured. - Bulgaria was pulled out of the war, Ludendorff had to accept that the war was effectively over. - On 29th September L informed K that the war was lost and that political changes needed to take place if the regime was to survive. - Came to agreement that the military should implement a 'revolution from above' to prevent the monarch being swept away by a 'revolution from below'. --- Worried because of revs in Russia.

Answer 12

- Ludendorff wanted members of military command to distance themselves from negotiations leading to an armistice (the decision is taken to manufacture the stab in the back myth). - This would remove responsibility for defeat from the military leadership who had ensured the G people were unaware of the real situation in the war. - Many felt the Kaiser was a block to reform and US President Woodrow Wilson said as much in October 1918. K was an impediment to peace in Europe. - K left Berlin on 29th October to the Belgian town of Spa to escape (and ignore) the calls for his abdication.

Answer 13

- 3rd October, 1918, Prince Max (who had a liberal political outlooks, had strongly opposed the tactic of unrestricted submarine warfare) was made chancellor. - Formed a gov made up of members from the SPD, Z Party and the Progressives under instruction from Ludendorff.

Answer 14

- Terrified of a revolution, believed moderate change would end calls for radical change. - President suggested democratic reform might help with more favourable armistice terms. Also said he would not negotiate with military leadership, only a democratic one. - Forcing political parties would allow the the military to pass on the blame for the failure of the army. He firmly believed that the political events since 1916 had led to the G defeat.

Answer 15

- 3rd October 1918, Wrote to President Wilson asking for an armistice. --- Abolished the Prussian three-class franchise (had meant that a wealthy person's vote was worth 17.5% more than a poor person's vote). --- Kaiser lost control of army and navy; this pow er was given to the Reichstag. --- Chancellor + government were made accountable to the Reichstag and not the Kaiser.

Answer 16

- Ludendorff resigned, failed to convince the Kaiser to continue with unrestricted submarine warfare. - Effectively become a constitutional monarchy. - Ebert felt these were substantial reforms, welcomed them and felt that the country needed to go no further. - Led to a 'revolution from below'.

Answer 17

- Shocked, believed propaganda that was overly optimistic. They now wanted peace. - Peace movement gathered momentum, growing more and more radical. Revolutionary groups which had been small grew. - Woodrow Wilson's reply to gov published October 1918, said that if the Kaiser abdicated, G would be offered more lenient terms. - As a result, demand for abdication was voiced more and more strongly and openly discussed. - Kaiser refused, left G on 29th October to Belgian town of Spa rather than listen to the increased calls for abdication.

Answer 18

- Reminder of the Bolshevik Revolution. - Mass protests took over Berlin and Bavaria even declared itself an Independent Socialist Republic on 7th November, led by Eisner. - 9th November, Prince Max announced the Kaiser had abdicated (without informing him) and that he would hand power over to the first civilian chancellor, Ebert.

Answer 19

- 28th October, commanders of the G navy ordered the ships to sea once more. The sailors resented the strictness of naval discipline, the morale was low and the men considered the act a 'lunatic gesture'. - Two ships' crews mutinied, and the following day, mutineers began setting up their own councils. - 4th November, over 100,000 sailors mutinied and seized control of ships. - By 8th November, workers', soldiers' and sailors' councils (soviets) had been set up in al the main cities and ports. Appeared to to be the revolution from below. - Most didn't want Russian-style socialist revolution, but the break down of the old political structure.

Answer 20

- 9th November, a general strike in Berlin brought administration to a halt. - 15 soldiers were killed following a military revolt. - Between 4th-9th November 1918, anti-war and pro-Bolshevik uprisings took place throughout G. - SPD/USPD coalition sent representatives to France on 11th November to sign the armistice to the war.

Answer 21

- 1917, SPD (35% of vote in 1914) suffered a split over the war effort. Majority SPD continued to support war, USPD opposed it. - Prospect of revolution appalled SPD as it would only add to the problems facing a defeated Germany, realised law and order must be restored quickly. - SPD was the only party to enjoy mass working class support and was in a good position to take a lead. - Events in Bavaria was deciding factor - the republic proclaimed was undeniably a revolutionary act.

Answer 22

- 1pm on 9th November Prince Max handed office to Ebert of the SPD, E's main aim was to set up a National Assembly as soon as possible to make decisions about G's future. - A constitutional government would only be set up once the national elections were held, so an interim government was needed - to retain popular support he needed to include USPD members in an all socialist coalition. - The Council of People's Commissars was formed in which the SPD and USPD held 3 seats each. 'C' associated with Russia, people were already afraid of a communist takeover so this name didn't have a good impact. - On 10th November a meeting or representatives voted to accept the authority of this council.

Answer 23

ARMY : - 10 th November 1918, the Ebert-Gröner Pact. Gröner, head of armed forces, confirmed the AF would support the gov and in return the gov would support there AF steps to preserve discipline and oppose any attempts at revolutionary uprising. - People were angry that SPD had made an agreement with the right-wing army. - Military elite held their strong position and would be able to undermine democracy later. - For 5 years, they refused to back the gov, E had to use the Freikorps instead. --- Stinnes-Legian agreement. - 15th November 1918, in return for full legal recognition, workers committees and an 8 hour working day, the unions agreed not to intefere with private ownership and the free market. - Trade Unions were also to be recognised by industrialists as the only representatives of German workers. - Industrialists came to resent power given to workers and rejected the Weimar regime.

Answer 24

- Communist historians have suggested he was saving capitalism from the revolutionary threat of the communist-inspired masses. - Many believe the chances of a Soviet style communist regime were low. E overestimated the threat from the left and underestimated the threat from the right. - The movement for a more radical transformation could have led to a more secure democratic regime. - USPD could have provided a possible alternative between E's conservatism and radical communism. - E's reliance on the old elite unwittingly contributed to the eventual failure of the Weimar regime, and his suppression of the C led to bitter divides in the left that would never be healed before the gov fell.

Answer 25

- 2 years calling for peace negotiations. - 1918, E gave permission for a leaflet which said "shameless doings of Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg besmirch the revolution and endanger all its achievements". - Leader of SPD, called in G army and Friekorps to bring an end to rebellion. - Following month, he was elected as President, selected Scheidemann as chancellor.

Answer 26

- Agreed with E, G should fight a defensive rather than offensive war. - Resigned in 1919 because he disagreed with the harsh terms of the Versailles Treaty. - During revolution, he proclaimed a German Republic from a balcony on the Reichstag building.

Answer 27

- January 1919, at Spartacus League Convention, Luxemburg was outvoted on the issue of the revolution. - Her and Karl Liebknecht organised the uprising. - By 13th January, rebellion had been crushed, most of its leaders, including L&L, had been murdered in police custody.

Answer 28

- 23rd December 1918, sailors division ordered to leave its quoters (mostly USPD), they barricaded themselves in the palace. - Direct challenge (to peace), Ebert agreed to use military force, the next day the Freikorps attacked the palace, after 2 hours of fighting, sailors agreed to leave. - USPD ministers resigned, already unhappy about lack of progress towards socialism. - Left now divided into two camps, majority SPD, who were driven more to the right by the revolutionary language of the left and the Spartacists, who were small in numbers but bitter about Ebert's betrayal.

Answer 29

- 5th January 1919, Spartacist split with the USPD, setting up the German Communist Party (KPD) under leadership of Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht (been suggested that neither felt ready for leadership). - A demonstration followed, Ebert agreed to use the army against it. Due to army's state of confusion, Freikorp forces were used to attack KPD positions in Berlin. - 15th January 1919, revolt crushed during savage street fighting,

Answer 30

- A general name for about 200 paramilitary groups, largely recruited from demobilised soldiers. - Dominated by right-wing nationalists, they saw themselves as the protectors of Germany. - Despite hostility towards the Weimar regime, they helped suppress left-wing revolts. - Many later joined Hitlet's SA.

Answer 31

- 19th January 1919. - 83% voting turnout. - SPD got 38% of the vote, Ebert was disappointed by this as he changed a lot to try and improve Germany yet didn't even get half of the vote. - The brutal crushing of the Spartacists and results of the R elections ensured that unrest and conflict between the gov and workers was not over (the hope of a solid socialist majority was gone). - Weimar Assembly was dominated by the burgeois middle classes and the authorities were already attempting to suppress the councils in factories, much to the alarm of the workers.

Answer 32

- Jan 5th 1919, KPD attempted to take control of Berlin. This happened against the advice of Rosa, who argued that an uprising was premature since they were too weak. - Luxemburg and Liebknecht felt obliged to support it. - No mercy shown to leaders. - February 1919, KPD organised strikes in defence of workers' councils, again, Freikorps called in.

Answer 33

- Only part of Germany where workers managed to break away from the control of the gov was Bavaria where an independent socialist government was set up and remained in power for several months : this too was brought down by the Freikorps. - 7th November 1918, Eisner successfully organised the overthrowing of the Bavarian gov, after becoming PM, he declared B a socialist republic. - He opposed Prussian domination in G affairs and advocated a more genuinely federal G state to give Bavaria a leading role. - Eisner made it clear that his socialist republic would be different from the Bolshevik Revolution, announced that all private property would be protected by the new gov. - Eisner persuaded the larger and more moderate SPD to join the gov, was in the process of introducing several economic and social reforms when he was assassinated by a fascist nationalist on 21st Feb 1919. (Another sign of B's weak nationalist culture).

Answer 34

- Many still felt loyalty to the old Kaiserreich and opposed the new republic, they saw the gov as illegitimate. - In the Reichstag, the DNVP and DVP represented those who opposed the new system, the DVP represented industrialists and upper-middle classes, with its members believed that a new Germany had to be based on a strong economy, free from trade union interferences. - The DNVP saw Weimar as an aberration, they also peddled the 'stab in the back' myth that Jews and Socialists had been responsible for Germany's defeat in the war. - In January 1919 election, DNVP gained 10.3% of the vote.

Answer 35

- New Weimar Republic faced severe economic problems due to the legacy of the war. - G had financed war through war bonds and by printing money, believing that these could be paid off from reparations charged by the defeated enemies after the war. - G began to experience increase inflation (culminating in the hyperinflation in 1921-23) and shortages of food due to the British naval blockade during the war. - Millions of angry, dejected and unemployed returning soldiers needed to be reintegrated back into society.

Answer 36

- Treaty of Versailles also undermined Weimar from the outset. - G suffered significant territorial losses once the treaty was signed in June 1919 and G was forced to accept the war guilt clause (no. 231) which declared G as being solely responsible for starting WW1. - Philip Scheidemann (the 1st chancellor following the Jan 1919 elections) resigned rather than sign the treaty and famously said "may the hand wither than sign this treaty". - On 28th June 1919, two SPD deputies signed Versailles Treaty on behalf of G which effectively sealed the fate of the new regime. - Both the military and right wing in Germany could blame them for surrendering (even though this wasn't true) and Weimar was permanently tarred with this throughout the 1920s.

Answer 37

TERRITORY : - Lost Polish German corridor (over 1 million Germans came under Polish control). Lost French area of Alsace Lorraine. - Lost 48% of iron ore, lost 12% of its territory. REPARATIONS : - £6.6billion repayments. - Have to pay in gold, made liable for physical damage and war pensions. - 1923, one load of bread cost 9 billion marks (hyperinflation). (Will cause passive resistance, high taxes, people will be angry).

Answer 38

ARMED FORCES : - Conscription was abolished, reduction of the army to 100,000. No tanks or military aircraft allowed. - Navy limited to 6 battleships. - At its height, was 3 million strong meaning many will have lost their jobs. WAR GUILT : - The principle of WG and the resulting reparations was laid down in Article 321. - "Germany accepts the responsibility of Germany and her allies for causing all the loss and damage to which the Allied Government and their nationals have been subjected". LEAGUE OF NATIONS : - Formed to prevent a repetition of WW1. - Founded in 1920.

Answer 39

PRESIDENT : - Elected every 7 years (stability). - Can appoint + dismiss Chancellor. - Article 48, gives P emergency power. - Can dissolve the Reichstag. - Controls armed forces. - Ebert (1919-1925) + Hindenburg (1925-34), H blocked Hitler from coming into power for years. ~ Chancellor : 9 from 1919-24 alone. REICHSTAG : - Minimum voting age of 20. - Proportional representation (means there's lot of little parties, results in coalitions. - Elected every 4 years. - By 1927, 35 female deputies in the Reichstag (very good for the time). - Have more power than the Reichsrat (changed since Bismarck's constitution, before the Bundesrat (now Reichsrat) had more power, means states have less control which could make them resentful).

Answer 40

ELECTIONS : - G was split into regions, parties could put forward a number of candidates for each region. - Candidates could be given a seat in the R for every 60,000 votes received by a party, OR if you got more than 30,000 votes in total, meant small extremist parties could get a seat (bad). - Large number of small parties, none with a majority which led to coalition governments, these were more prone to idealogical disagreements and slow decision making (bad). - Turnout was 83% turnout in 1919 elections. CHANCELLOR : - Government is made up of chancellor + minister. - Proposes laws to the Reichstag. - In power through the largest party.

Answer 41

REICHSRAT : - 67 people representing 17 states. - Reichstag override Reichsrat's decisions, can VETO Reichsrat's decisions. - Can give advice on laws only, Reichstag has final say. - Reichstag is fully elected, Reichsrat not fully. - (DIFF TO BISMARCK, IN B REICHSCHRAT (BUNDESRAT) MORE POWERFUL). ARTICLE 48 : - President has this, Emergency Power (e.g. can use army). - President doesn't need the Reichstag's consent to use this. - Can use this power to defend nation, restore safety. - If a state ignores laws, P can use EP. - However, open to abuse and definition of 'emergency' is unclear, e.g. Hitler used it in 1933 after Wall Street.

Answer 42

BILL OF RIGHTS : - Unemployment benefits, freedom unions, freedom of religion, sick pay and freedom of speech. - 1927, Insurance Act gave benefits to 17 million workers, however then Wall Street happened and the government couldn't pay this insurance. Review of Reichstag : - Weakness of W lay in the inability of the main parties to unite in defence of the republic. - Under Ebert, the dual system (President & Reichstag) proved to be a stabilising force during the post-war years. - Article 48 not unusual or problematic but the way in which they were used brought about problems.

Answer 43

- Judiciary drawn from pre-war system, showed clearly where their sympathies lay. - By Article 54 of the Weimar Constitution, they maintained their independence, this was often used to undermine the Constitution, with many judges showing bias against the Republic and were lenient towards its enemies.

Answer 44

- e.g. failure of the Law for the Protection of the Republic (which was passed in July 1922) in the wake of Rathenau's murder. The law stiffened the powers of the state against conspiracy for murder and operation of extremist parties. - Judiciary failed to use the law effectively, when they did it was against forces of the left. Law ignored in Bavaria. - October 1922, Felix Fechenbach, who had been secretary to Eisner, was given 11 years in prison for violating the Press Law (minor editing error). In contrast, in 1924, the leader of the Munich Putsch, Adolf Hitler, was given only 5 years for high treason and his conspirators were acquitted.

Answer 45

- Army had proved unreliable when dealing with putsch attempts, reacting with contrasting speed against the left and right. - Army stood to protect its own interests and not that of the state to which it felt no allegiance. - However, attempts of KPD and its allies to unleash a German 'October Revolution' in Saxony and Thuringia in 1923 failed because of the prompt deployment of willing units of the Reichswehr. Was highly effective in stamping out the putsch and arresting cabinet members.

Answer 46

- A month later, General von Seeckt initially refused to send in the troops to deal with an attempted coup by the right in Munich. Local army leadership made it clear they would not obey orders of the Weimar Republic. - Seeckt and the army had their hand forced by Ebert who transferred all power of the Reich to Seeckt on the night of 8th November 1923. - As Seeckt wasn't prepared to risk a split in the army, he acted in the interests of the Republic in ordering the disbanding and banning of NSDAP.

Answer 47

- Role of Ebert. - Role of Prince Max (Chancellor). - Impact of WW1, G losing, reparations, Constitution, President Wilson demanded K abdicate - Other influences, e.g. Spartacists, inadvertently helped E, actions brought rest of country together against them, Kiel Mutiny, KPD.

Answer 48

- Failures of military leadership. - Political problems. - Social problems. - Economic problems. (military situation caused all of this), political least due to SD).

BOOKLET 2, The Birth of Democratic Germany (1917-19) Flashcards

(72 cards)