Chapter 1 - The establishment of Weimar constitution Flashcards
When did the Kaiser abdicate?
9th November 1918
When was the armistice signed?
11th November 1918
What were the October reforms?
- Prince Max of Baden appointed as chancellor
- Chancellor responsible to the Reichstag and new government established
- Army under control of the civil government
When was the peace note written?
3rd October 1918
What was the peace note?
A letter to President Wilson asking for an armistice.
Wilson wanted Germany to evacuate all occupied territory, end submarine warfare and fully democratise its political system
What happened on the 3rd Nov 1918?
Sailors in Kiel mutinied against their officers and took control of the base
What was declared on the 8th Nov 1918?
Republic was proclaimed in Bavaria and the Bavarian monarchy was deposed
What did the SPD do on the 9th Nov 1918?
SPD called workers in Berlin to join general strike to force the Kaiser to abdicate
They threatened to withdraw support from Prince Max’s government unless Kaiser abdicated
Who replaced Prince Max of Baden as chancellor
Friedrich Ebert
What did General Groener tell the Kaiser on the 9th Nov 1918?
That the army would no longer fight for him
What was Ebert’s priority after the armistice?
To organise elections for a constituent assembly
What did the USPD believe?
That autocratic government would not finally be abolished until all aristocratic estates were broken up, army, civil service and judiciary broken up and key industries nationalised under workers control
When was the Ebert - Groener pact signed?
10th November 1918
What was the Ebert - Groener pact?
Groener and the army would support Ebert as long as he resisted the workers councils demands to democratise the army
What happened on the 6th December 1918?
Spartacist demonstration
16 killed
What happened on the 23-24th December 1918?
Sailors revolt against government in Berlin put down by the army
What did the Spartacist’s do on the 5th December 1918?
Launched an armed revolt which was crushed after a week of fighting in Berlin
When were the elections for the constituent assembly held?
19th January 1919
How many seats did the SPD gain and why did they still have to compromise with other parties?
163, however they did not gain overall majority
After the constituent assembly elections who became the new president and chancellor?
Ebert was elected president
Scheidemann became chancellor
What could women do in the constitution?
Women could vote on the same terms as men and become deputies in the Reichstag and state parliament
What was proportional representation?
The number of votes is equivalent to the number of seats a party is allocated
What did proportional representation enable?
Enabled smaller parties to win seats in the Reichstag and influence government decisions
Why were coalition governments a weakness?
Larger parties could not get overall majority and all governments in Weimar were coalitions
This meant decisions could not be made easily
What was Article 48?
Gave the president the right to rule by decree in emergencies
Why was article 48 a weakness?
Undermined democracy
How many times did Ebert use Article 48?
136
Which undemocratic institutions survived?
The army, civil service and judiciary
What did General Hans Von Seeckt believe about the army?
That they could intervene in politics if necessary
What were the civil service given under the Weimar Constituion?
A guarantee of their ‘‘well-earned rights’’ and of their freedom of political opinion
