Chapter 4: political instability and extremism, 1919-24 Flashcards
What challenge did the left pose to the Weimar government?
On 5 January 1919, the Spartacists, led by Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg, staged an armed uprising in Berlin to overthrow Ebert’s government and set up a revolutionary communist regime.
Why did the revolt fail in the end?
CHALLENGE FROM THE LEFT
The revolt was poorly prepared. It was poorly supported, as the Spartacists had not secured the support of the majority of the working class in Berlin.
How was the revolt crushed?
CHALLENGE FROM THE LEFT
Ebert’s government relied upon the army to put down the revolt, but General Groener had few reliable military units at his command. He therefore had to use the irregular forces of the new Freikorps. By 13 January, the Spartacist rising had been crushed after brutal street fighting in which many prisoners, including Liebknecht and Luxemburg, were executed.
What took place in March 1919?
CHALLENGE FROM THE LEFT
There was another Spartacist rising in Berlin. In Bavaria, a communist government based on workers’ councils, was established. These were both suppressed.
What took place in March 1921?
CHALLENGE FROM THE LEFT
The KPD tried to force a revolution, beginning with a rising in Saxony. The strike disruption spread to Hamburg and the Ruhr, but the risings were crushed by the police and 145 people were killed.
What challenge did the right pose to the Weimar government?
Tha Kapp Putsch, 1920:
The goal was to undo the German Revolution of 1918-1919, overthrow the Weimar Republic, and establish an autocratic government in its place.
Explain the assassination of Erzberger
CHALLENGE FROM THE RIGHT
In August 1921, Matthias Erzberger was assassinated in the Black Forest by two members of the terrorist league Organisation Consul- they were a group formed from ex-Freikorps members after their units were disbanded following the failed Kapp Putsch. Erzberger had led the German delegation for the signing of the armistice and had signed the Treaty of Versailles. He was also Germany’s representative on the reparations commitee.
Explain the assassination of Rathenau
CHALLENGE FROM THE RIGHT
On 24 June 1922, Walther Rathenau was assassinated. Rathenau’s ‘crimes’ were to be a Jew and a leading minister in the republican government. He had participated in the signing of the armistice and had negotiated with the Allies to try to improve the Treaty of Versailles. Nevertheless, Rathenau had been a popular figure and the following day over 700,000 protestors lined the streets of Berlin.
Altogether, how many assassinations were there?
Between 1919 and 1923, there were 376 political assassinations, 22 carried out by the left, 354 by the right.
Explain the Beer Hall Putsch in Munich
In November 1923, Hitler made a bid to seize power. He knew that a putsch could only succeed if he had the support of powerful figures so, having secured the support of Ludendorff, he set out to win over Gustav Ritter von Kahr and Otto von Lossow, the local army commander. On 8 November, he burst into a Munich Beer Hall, where the two were addressing a meeting of 2000, surrounding it with his Stormtroopers and announcing that the revolution had begun.
Why did the Beer Hall Putsch fail?
Crucially, the Stormtroopers were unable to gain control of the Munich army barracks and by the next day, 9 November, it was clear that Hitler’s original plan had failed. Nevertheless, we went ahead with a march through Munich.
The Nazis were banned and Hitler imprisoned (although he served just nine months of his five-year sentence). Once again, the Republic survived.
