CHALLENGES TO THE REPUBLIC 1919-23 Flashcards
What is usually blamed for the weakness of the Republic?
The system of proportional representation to elected members to the Reichstag.
What was the result of unstable coalitions?
There were frequent changes in government that undermined confidence in the new democracy.
How many cabinets were there between February 1919 and January 1933?
Twenty.
Who became the president after Ebert’s death in 1925?
Hindenburg.
What was Article 48?
President could rule by emergency decree.
When was article 48 used? (As well as after this period)
1923-4, following the Ruhr and hyperinflation crisis.
1930-33, following the Wall Street crash and the collapse of Müller’s government.
What did many workers hope would be established at the end of the war?
A soviet-style government. Industry would be nationalised.
What caused the formation of the Spartacists?
A lack of reform led to the resignation of the Independent Socialists from the Council of People’s Representatives.
When did the Spartacists attempt to seize power in Berlin?
5th to 12th January 1919.
Why was the Spartacist uprising not a serious threat to the Republic?
They had inadequate armed forces and the revolt did not spread through Germany. Their opponents, the Freikorps were able to suppress it.
What sparked the Kapp Putsch?
The government began to disband the Freikorps.
Who was proclaimed as chancellor in the Kapp Putsch?
Wolfgang Kapp.
Why did the government flee during the Kapp Putsch?
The army refused to crush the rising.
How was the Kapp Putsch eventually defeated?
Trade Unions called a general strike, which paralysed public services.
Where did the Kapp Putsch have some success?
In Bavaria. Where the army installed a right-wing government.
What did the elections of 1920 show?
Gains for the right-wing.
Who started the Munich Putsch?
The Nazi Party under Adolf Hitler.
What did the Nazis attempt to establish through the Munich Putsch?
A military dictatorship.
When was the Munich Putsch? What was the result?
8th November. Disaster. Police were able to act, killing 16 Nazis.
What happened in January 1923?
Germany fell behind on reparations payments. As a result, France and Belgium sent troops to occupy the Ruhr.
What did the government encourage the workers of the Ruhr to partake in?
Passive Resistance.
How were tensions in the Ruhr made worse?
The French brought in their own workers to operate mines and factories.
What had happened by August 1923?
The German currency was virtually worthless. Inflation became a serious problem.
What was the value of the mark in January 1919 compared to January 1922?
1919 = 8.9 marks to a dollar 1922 = 493.2 marks to a dollar
By October 1923, how many marks were needed to buy one US dollar?
4,200,000,000,000
Who was ruined by the decline in the value of the mark?
Pensioners, civil servants and members of the middle class on fixed incomes or reliant on savings.
What decisive actions did Stresemann take during the hyperinflation crisis?
- Ended passive resistance
- Co-operated with the Allies
- brought in a new currency
Overall, how much of a threat were these challenges to the Republic?
The fact it survived suggests that they were not that serious.
The threats from the right-wing were much more serious than those from the left.
What was the date of the Kapp Putsch?
13th to 17th March 1920.
