Creation of Republic 1918-1919 Flashcards
When did Prince Max of Baden ask Allies for an armistice?
On the 3rd October 1918 - asked USA based on 14 points ; Britain and France willing to sign armistice while USA wanted to capture Germany and force a surrender
Why was Germany in a bad position Spring 1918?
1) USA had entered the war in 1917 - replaced all of Russia’s manpower (Treaty of BL) ; 1 million troops
2) Ludendorff offensive failed against western front (no infrastructure to back it up)
Black day for Germany
8th August 1918 - Foch counter offensive with 16000 German prisoners and German generals panicking so Ludendorff orders retreat while public still not aware of situation because they were in conquered land of Belgium and France
Spa Conference
Ludendorff and Hindenburg both admit that Germany cannot win the war - advise government to seek peace with President Wilson on 14 points
Wilson’s 14 Points
Open diplomacy
Germany to be a democracy - Ludendorff prefers this to a communist Revolution
Prince Max’s constitutional reforms
Extended vote to all men
Made both ministers and army responsible to the Reichstag not the Kaiser
When did Prince Max become chancellor?
1st October 1918
Resignation of chancellor Hertling
Max of Baden Peace Negotiations
3rd October 1918 - wrote letter to Wilson based on 14 points
Ludendorff calls all ranks to resist surrender so Wilson believes there is no change as Kaiser still in charge and army fighting - therefore max realises that they must get army under parliamentary control (26th October 1918 - Ludendorff resigned as Kaiser chose max) - Ludendorff to Sweden - generals are subordinates and government has won
27th October - max confirms army under government rule
28th October - official Inauguration Day Kaiser constitutional monarch
Event triggering Revolution from Below
28th October 1918 - Naval commanders order last attack against British (no surrender Ludendorff attitude) ; fight would be suicidal therefore set off chains of mutinies and strikes ; sailors mutinied on 4th and 5th November - rapidly spread and many soviets/workers councils set up
Port on 28th October 1918
Wilhelmshaven - Kiel naval base
Soviets set up in Revolution from Below
Reforms were seen as cynical fake - country was still at war and spartacists wanted revolution in Germany ; all wanted change - revolutionary situation
Revolution from Below
8th November Bavaria declares itself republic (socialists worried French may invade) and deposed king (Eisner of USPD in charge) - Reich is breaking into two and general strike ordered for next day ; Kaiser eventually abdicates (9th November) and Prince Max hands over position of imperial chancellor to Ebert (moderate SPD with better relationship with workers)
9th November 1918
Germany declared a republic and Kaiser flees to Netherlands - in order to forestall Liebknecht’s communist republic Scheidemann appears on Reichstag balcony and proclaims a republic
New Ebert Government?
10th Nov 1918 - Council of People’s Representatives led by socialists (cabinet of SPD and USPD members)
1) SPD - Ebert (gradual change)
2) USPD - Haase (broke from SPD in 1917 - want real change and opposed the war)
3) Spartacists - want Revolution do not support republic
Ebert-Groener Pact
Army would support the government as long as the government opposed the more left wing ideas of the parties in the Reichstag ; Ebert also fearful of communist Revolution and doesn’t like Soviets set up wants it run through parliamentary democracy
Army hierarchy
Officer class established - reactionary elements
Armistice ceasefire
Signed on 11th November NOT peace treaty by Matthias Erzberger
National Assembly elections?
25th November - conference for elections decided to be in January
In meantime parties trying to get into Reichstag and Government made social reforms such as 8 hour working day and trade unions allowed
19th December - fixed elections for 19th January
USPD vs SPD?
Rift over how radical policies should be caused both to split apart and USPD council members resigned - transferred to KPD
While they were fixing elections (between 19th Dec and 19th Jan)
Spartacists must act quickly to prevent National Assembly - create a formal party called KPD and they were so small not even allowed to address the Soviet congress
Spartacist Revolt
5th January 1919 - takeover of newspaper offices and leaders not as good as trotsky ; immediately put down by horseguard division and Freikorps led by Walter von Lüttwitz who kills both Rosa and Karl (KPD vs SPD division in the future against Hitler)
Who were Freikorps?
Private army made of ex-soldiers/former military personnel who were aggressively nationalistic (independent) and put down Spartacist uprising in Berlin (had to be moved to Weimar)
Results of 1919 election
No party had an overall majority therefore had to resort to a 3 party coalition government of DDP (centre left), SPD (moderate socialist) and Centre (Catholic interests) establishment of Ebert as President and Scheidemann as Chancellor
Structure of Weimar Constitution
President had power to dissolve Reichstag and had power to rule by article 48 - can make own laws without support of Reichstag (appointed chancellor and elected every 7 years)
Reichstrat < Reichstag - chosen representatives from 17 Länder and could only delay proposals
Reichstag - deputies every 4 years and main law making body (must vote for chancellor)
Weaknesses of Weimar
Article 104 - very hard to remove judiciary who had been there during authoritarian right wing rule of Kaiser ; hostile towards republic
Article 129 - protection to civil service officials (also very hostile towards republic)
Proportional representation provides a gateway for extreme political parties to enter reichstag and thus tends to produce instability as unable to produce general majority - therefore many coalitions (many minority parties elected)
DDP
Liberals committed to constitutional reform and support from middle classes/businessmen (social reform)
DNVP
Most right wing - old parties anti-Semitic and monarchist ; hated idea of republic nd supported army/landowners
DVP
Led by Stresemann - nationalist and populist side of party (wealthy middle class mean in favour of business)
NSDAP
Nazi Party - fringe party till 1930
Centre
Defended Catholic interests and support from aristocratic landowners - frantically opposed communism but advocated social reform
White Terror
April 1919 - in response to Eisner being murdered y right wing fanatic there is chaos in Munich and SPD scarper ; 7th April USPD declare a Soviet republic and two days later KPD declares communist republic so Freikorps ordered to brutally suppress uprising led by Ritter von epp
Other left wing uprisings
1920 - red army of the Ruhr in response to Kapp Putsch and brutally put down by army
March 1921 miners went on strike
What did people think of Weimar Republic after Versailles?
November criminals - public were misinformed and believed the papers that Germany could’ve won if Weimar weren’t traitors; even young and Dawes plan did not have effect on resentment towards government
Army May 1919
Stability in Germany but no radical reform of society - same judiciary/institutions and reliance of moderate left on conservative forces
Significance of 17/18 Länder?
Made Germany federal - allowing regions to go their own way (Bavaria)
Treaty of Versailles Big 3
Imposed on Germany :
Lloyd George - balance of power (does not want france to be too powerful but same time political pressure for revenge)
Woodrow Wilson - National self determination
Georges Clemenceau - very hostile and main concern security ; wanted to create buffer zone and thus created Poland - a lot of compensation wanted
Reaction to Treaty
Scheidermann’s cabinet resigned in protest with Bauer (SPD) replacing him but Groner has to accept
Military TOV
Reduction in army of 100000 men
No submarines
Airforce completely abolished
Colonies TOV
League of Nations took all German colonies and places like Namibia lost
War Guilt TOV
Article 231. Fully responsible for war - public thought Germany had defended in ww1 and caused a lot of bitterness => led to reparations clause
Reparations TOV
Article 232 - principle of reparations is established as Germany unable to pay full price
Must hand over all merchant ships over 1600 tonnes
Must pay allied army in Rhineland
Reparations bill 1921
£6600 million (with inflation) total reparations - lowered down after Dawes and young plan
When was Treaty of Versailles signed?
28th June 1919
Stab in back myth
Generals who acknowledged Germany had lost but blamed it on the socialists who were full of Jews - extreme right view continued to fester
Geographical TOV
Polish corridor as a buffer zone created (east Prussia separated - humiliation) Rhineland demilitarised Alsace Lorraine lost 13% territory lost 12% population lost 48% iron ore lost
Difference between extreme left and extreme right
Left - Revolution/uprisings
Right - putsch
Widespread nationalism after TOV
In schools right wing ideology
Judiciary so lenient towards right wing
1919-1922 ; 354 right wing assassinations and none executed
22 left wing assassinations and 10 executed
Consul Organisation
Right wing terrorist grouping killed Matthias erzberger and Jewish foreign Secretary Walter ratenhaus who signed rapallo treaty with USSR in 1922
Describe Kapp Putsch
Wolfgang Kapp/Ehrhardt/Luttwitzt led 12000 troops to Berlin (12th March 1920) and groner Ebert pact meant army should’ve stopped them but Von Seeckt said “troops do not fire on troops” - government fled but universal general strike brought it to a collapse : NOT BY ARMY (they believe the rebels are fellow solidiers) - as a result of the Kapp Putsch red army of Ruhr stirred so von seekt promoted to put that down (had backing off hiss soldiers) - everyone given lenient prison sentences and Kapp died awaiting prison
Describe Munich Putsch
Bavaria under control of Von Kahr (wants independent Bavaria) - general Von lossow supported Von kahr and ignored orders from Weimar- his beliefs did not match up with those of Hitler’s : a United Germany and so Hitler stormed the beer hall cellar with Ludendorff in support - Seeckt puts down the uprising (because government so tough on left wing attacks) because prisoners from beer hall espcwe and put up resistance - 14 Nazis killed and on 11th November Hotlerarrested (9 months in very well to do prison)
GIVES HITLER NATIONAL ATTENTION
When did Hitler surround beer hall cellar?
8th November 1923
1918-1923 Economy
Ending of war production and soldiers leaving the army meant increase in unemployment
Länder set up welfare funds for pensions and set up retraining schemes/regional poor relief
Reparations meant Germany owes 150 billion marks - allies hostile view on Germany (lying)and until 1924 all pay,ents as coal/wood
1923 French and Belgians occult Ruhr because of failure to pay and set up passive resistance - sabotage till new government which began negotiations with French
Hyperinflation
People lost faith in economy so started to barter/black market - started introducing their own Notgeld - 750000 government people lost their jobs - marks cheaper than coal and in august 1923 stresemann becomes chancellor and 10th august allows him to rule by emergency decree ; foreign minister 6 years and chancellor 3 months
New currency?
October 1923 - Renee mark introduced (hjalmar schacht) - brought back faith in the currency’s dns stabilised currency - Renee mark to reichsmark
Positives of economy
Influx of FDI from USA (but too reliant)
Increase in industrial production by 1929
Negatives of economy
Extensive rural poverty for rural farmers - unemployment rates rapid
Dawe Plan
1924 - members of DNVP prepared to support Dawe because it helps out businessmaen - idea that as Germany’s economy gets stronger they would be able to pay back full reparations ; pay on a sliding scale with £40 million loan to help with new currency and Ruhr finally evacuated in August 1925
Young Plan
1929 - delaying the amount that needs to be paid and agreed to pay reparations till 1988
6500 M to 1850 M (under young plan reduction)
Agreement to draw troops from Rhineland by 1930
Strong opposition because reaffirmation if treaty of Versailles
