DS1: Was the Weimar Republic doomed from the start? Flashcards
What was the impact of the naval blockade in Germany? [2]
- Many civilians died from malnutrition
- Iron and steel shortages
- Less food for animals causing food shortage
What was going on in September 1918? [3]
- The British blockade was causing food shortages
- Potato shortage in 1917 meant people were living on turnips
- Less support for the war due to this
- Flu epidemic killing thousands
What was going on in October 1918?
- Final suicidal attack on the royal navy in which 3 ships mutinied
- Naval mutiny in Kiel
When was the Armistice signed and when did the Kaiser flee?
- 11th November 1918
- The Kaiser fled on the 9th
What was the political situation in Germany post-WW1
Bad; there was unrest in Berlin, the Kaiser had fled, and there were numerous attempted coups.
What impacts did WW1 have on Germany? [3]
- Humiliated, loss of the Germany army pride
- 2 million fatherless children
- Industrial production at 2/3rds of 1913
- “Dolschtoss” myth made people hate the Weimar Republic
How did German people react to the new Republic? [4]
- Ebert was opposed by the right wing
- Right-wing judiciary, civil service, army, loyal to the Kaiser
- “Dolschtoss” myth against Ebert
- Communists wanting a revolution(like the Bolsheviks in 1917) also didn’t like Ebert
What were the main features of the Weimar Constitution? [4]
- Based in Weimar because Berlin was too unstable
- Proportional Representation was the voting system
- Chancellor was appointed from the Reichstag by the President
- President was head of state(mainly ceremonial work)
- Chancellor appointed government ministers
What is article 48?
A part of the constitution stating that the President could rule without the approval of the Reichstag.
What were the weaknesses of the Weimar Constitution? [3]
- Proportional Representation meant that minority, often extremist parties, had a say and so it was hard to maintain a majority.
- It also meant it was hard for one party alone to have a majority so coalition govts. were weak and indecisive.
- President could use article 48 and become a dictator.
What were main economic challenges facing the republic when it was established? [2]
- War brought the country close to bankruptcy
- Alsace-Lorraine, rich in iron, was returned to France in the ToV
- Industry had to change from weapon to infrastructure
Why did some political groups oppose the Weimar Republic? [3]
- Right wing was loyal to Kaiser and wanted him back
- Left wing wanted a communist revolution and wanted a worker-run Germany
- They were not used to coalition governments and the Weimar Republic were associated with the November Criminals and the ToV and were therefore were disliked.
What(and when) was the Spartacist uprising? [4]
- January 1919; led by Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg
- Seized newspaper offices in Berlin and fought in the streets
- Ebert used the Freikorps to crush the uprising as they had WW1 weapons and hated the left
- RL and KL executed on 15th Jan and 100 civilians killed in the fighting.
What(and when) were the Bavarian uprising and Red Risings in the Ruhr? [2]
- Bavarian Uprising 1919; Kurt Eisner, leader of Bavaria assassinated and Bavarian Communists declared it a free soviet republic. Crushed again by Freikorps. 600 communists dead.
- Red Rising in the Ruhr 1920; Protests and clashes with police, army, and Freikorps. 2000 casualties.
What were the effects of the ToV on Germany?
- Lost 10% of all land
- Armed forces reduced to 100,000
- Supporters of govt. felt betrayed; why punish so harshly if the Kaiser was gone?
- “Dolschtoss” myth began spreading against Weimar Republic.
- Lost 48.5% of iron and steel industry
What(and when) was the Kapp Putsch?
Any other notable right wing problems?
- March 1920, Wolfgang Kapp marches 5000 Freikorps(right-wing extremists) into Berlin to take power.
- Army refused to fire on “their own” and so Weimar govt. fled to Dresden.
- They then called a general strike and Berlin was brought to a halt, so Kapp fled within 5 days.
- 1922; Foreign Minister Walter Rathenau assassinated by left-wing extremists.
Who were the Freikorps?
- Ex-soldiers, often right-wing extremists who were used by the govt. to put down communist risings.
- Many joined Hitler and the Nazis after 1920.
Why was the new Weimar Government unstable up to 1923? [3]
- It’s success was dependent on all the people suddenly switching to autocracy to democracy.
- Spartacists and other communists uprising in early Weimar years posed serious threat.
- Huge economic problems faced and the Ruhr crisis happened when this meant they couldn’t pay reparations.
- Weimar Republic blamed for the harsh terms of the ToV.
Why did Germany find it hard to recover economically in the years up to 1923? [2]
- WW1 had been very expensive and ToV was very harsh on Germany as they ran out of trade and harsh reparations were inflicted.
- £6,600million ordered to be paid, 2% per year which was intolerable for German economy
What events contributed to the crisis year of 1923? [4]
- French occupation of the Ruhr meant less resources available, so prices rose, causing inflation. This was because Germany failed to pay 2nd round of reparations so they invaded the Ruhr, rich in coal+iron,to take the value in goods.
- German government ordered passive resistance which led to mass money printing and 100,000 expelled people from Ruhr.
- Hyperinflation made money almost worthless(middle class lost out big-time)
- Munich Putsch(8th Nov 1923) reinforced a lack of respect for the Weimar Government and brought Hitler a lot of publicity(and only 9 months in a luxurious prison).
How did the Weimar Republic survive 1918-1923? [3]
- Ebert’s actions against communists and Stresemann’s reforms kept the country from tipping
- Most people supported the republic
- Many opponents were very weak(like Nazis) and had little support(Communists had 15% of the vote)
How significant were economic problems as a reason for Weimar instability? [2 each]
Significant:
- Germany was virtually bankrupt after WW1; ToV took 48% of its iron industry and their industry was 2/3rds of pre-war levels. Reparations were also set at £6.6billion
- Invasion of the Ruhr(9th Jan 1923) made matters worse as this caused hyperinflation and loss of jobs
NOT significant:
- It was despised by a lot of people and led to “stab in the back” theory, which deepened class divisions, and brought on extremists on the left and right.
- They had to deal with multiple uprisings that were threats to democracy(Spartacists, Kapp Putsch) and were hated because of the ToV where they lost 13% of land
How significant were the Spartacists to Germany 1918-1923?
Significant:
- Was a direct threat to German democracy and took over newspaper offices and planned a general strike, engaging in armed street battle.
- Showed the weakness of the government and its heavy reliance on the Freikorps
- Led to more communist uprisings in Bavaria, April 1919, and the Ruhr, March 1920 and permanent communist and socialist hostility
NOT significant:
- Easily crushed by Freikorps and leaders executed, leaving the left wing without leaders and making them much weaker
- More significant factors like harsh ToV and its effects on the economy, weakness of the Weimar Constitution, Ruhr invasion, Kapp Putsch
How important were reparations as a cause of Weimar problems 1918-1923? [2]
IMPORTANT:
- The agreement to the harsh £6.6billion reparations led to Ebert’s govt. being seen as the November Criminals, particularly on the right wing, and led to right-wing and army opposition and Kapp Putsch.
NOT IMPORTANT:
- Annual payment was only 2% of output, and other problems were more important, like the territorial losses, the shaky introduction of democracy, and the unjustified Diktat.
