Early Weimar Flashcards
Who was otto von Bismark?
Prussian statesman
Engineered the unification wars
Chancellor of the Second German
Reich (1871-1890)
Pushed for Austrian exclusion from
the Reich and establishment of a
Prussian institution of government
(with Prussian dominance)
Kaiser Wilhelm II
3rd King of the Second Reich (1888-
1918)
Grandson of Queen Victoria
Cousin to George V of Britain, and
Nicholas II of Russia
Prussian militarist who believed in
divine power
General Erich Ludendorff
Erich Ludendorff was a German general who gained renown during the First World War, primarily for his efforts on the eastern front. He and future German President Paul von Hindenburg built a military empire in the east that lasted until the Germany’s defeat in 1918.
Who was Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg
president of the Weimar Republic from the 12 May 1925 until his death on the 2 August 1934.
Who was prince Max of Baden?
Member of the Grand Duchy of Baden
Former army officer
President of the Baden section of the Red Cross in 1914
Appointed chancellor by Wilhelm in October 1918 (after being recommended by Ludendorff)
The Peace Note- Prince Max wrote to President Wilson asking for an armistice as a means of buying time to re-group and prepare for a new offensive.
Resigned on 9th November 1918 and appointed Friedrich Ebert as his successor
After the peace note to President Wilson in December 1916 what were some reforms put in place?
Prince max chancellor
chancellor responsible to reichstag
new goverment based on majority parties in Reichstag
Armed forces under civil control
What were some of Wilson’s 14 points
open diplomacies without secret treaties
economic free trade on the seas during war and peace
equal trade conditions
decrease armaments among all nations
Adjust colonial claims
Self determination for nations
league of nations
What were some points Germany was most fond of?
FREE TRADE
This is because Germany suffered a lot during due to starvation so free trade would allow them food during all times
DECREASE AMARMENTS
This would allow Germany to feel same at all times as although they themselves would have to decrease armaments it would decrease the military of the surrounding nations decreasing the likely hood of another war and/or invasion
How did the 14 points go down with the German public?
What happened after?
The showed the truth so they lost respect for their leaders.
Naval high command ordered one last attack on British ships. crew of two cruisers refused
mutiny spreads
Bavarian republic declared 1918 November
Strike in berlin SPD
Prince Max resigns and Ebert now has power
Groener declares army will no longer fight for Kaiser
Kaiser left with no option
What happened on November 9th 1918?
the kaiser was informed his reign was at an end
Then he was forced into abdication
He fled to the Netherlands
This causes political instability
The main reason the Kaiser was forced to abdicate was because he had lost the support of the soldiers and the sailors’. Assess the validity of this view. (25 marks)
Do this exam question and give it in to mark
When did Ebert become chancellor and what was the state of Germany when he came into power?
1) November 1918
2) It was anarchy and his authority did not extend outside Berlin as unemployed ex soldiers were doing armed clashes and strikes
he needed a new constitution
Who is on the left of the political spectrum?
Spartacist KPD - communist
USPD
SPD
DDP
Who is on the right of the political spectrum?
DVP
DNVP
NSPD (NAZIs)
Who were the leaders of the Spartacists?
Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg.
who were the leaders of the USPD?
Hugo Hasse.
Who were the leaders of the Social democratic party?
Friedrich Ebert and Philipp Scheidemann.
What were the aims of the Spartacist League (later KPD) ?
Wanted republican government controlled by workers’ and soldiers’ councils, welfare benefits, nationalisation, workers’ control of major industries, disbanding of the army and creation of local workers’ militias. Opposed to First World War.
What were the aims of the social Democratic party?
Wanted moderate socialist republic with democratic elections and basic personal freedoms, welfare improvements and gradual nationalisation of industry. Wanted continuity and order. Supported Germany’s entry into First World War.
What were the aims of the USPD?
Wanted a republic with national Reichstag working with workers’ and soldiers’ councils, welfare improvements, nationalisation of industry, breaking up of large estates, reform of the army and creation of a national militia. Opposed to First World War.
When were the Spartacist league (KPD) founded?
1916, by a more revolutionary minority group from the SPD. The name was changed to German Communist Party (KPD) in January 1919.
when was the USPD founded?
1917, by a breakaway minority group from the left of the SPD.
when was Social Democratic Party (SPD) founded?
875, as a Marxist socialist party committed to revolution.
Spartacist League (later KPD)
support?
Several workers would often join them on their rallies and demonstrations in the street.
USPD support?
Grew in strength during 1918 as war-weariness grew.
Social Democratic Party (SPD)
support?
Appealed largely to working-class voters and, in 1912, became the largest party in the Reichstag.
What was the German democratic party DDP?
A left-leaning liberal party, based on the old Progressive Party
Most support came from intellectuals and middle class
Supported a democratic constitution
what was the Germans people party?
(DVP)
A right-leaning liberal party, based on the old National Liberal Party
Most support came from upper-middle class and business interests
Opposed to new republic but willing to participate in its governments
What was the centre party?
Formed in 1870 to protect Catholic interest in the mainly protestant German Reich
Had strong support in the main Catholic areas of Bavaria and the Rhineland
Supported a democratic constitution
what was the (DNVP) German national people’s party ?
A nationalist party, based on the old Conservative Party
Most support came from landowners and some small business owners
Rejected the democratic constitution
why was the left a danger to Ebert?
they wanted old aristocratic estates were broken up
the army, the civil service and the judiciary were democratised
key industries nationalised under the control of the workers
what did Ebert agree to do temporarily ?
Ebert agreed to consider these groups when making decisions
what was the Ebert Groener pact?
It was done in November 1918
The army would give support to Ebert if Ebert promised the army would not be democratised
and Ebert would defend against the communist revolution
It was not very reliable because the army didn’t want democracy but it despised Bolshevism
what happened between December 1918 and January 1919?
6th dec 1918 - Spartacist demonstration berlin by soldiers killing 16
23-24 dec 1918 - sailors revolt in berlin that was put down by army leading to 3 USPD ministers resigning
6th Jan 1919 - Spartacist launched revolt led by Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg - Jan revolt - crushed by army and Freikcorps in a week limited support
brutal street fighting but limited support
Was Ebert effective in dealing with the problems in post-Wilhelm Germany?
exam question
what is a constituent assembly?
n elected body with the specific task of drawing up a new constitution, usually in the aftermath of a revolution.
Who was the 1st president?
Ebert
What were some things that made the constitution progressive?
Great exercise of parliamentary democracy
Women could vote for the first time
SPD secured largest share of the vote and the most seats…but not enough for a majority
Why was the constituent assembly held in Weimar rather that Berlin?
Weimar rather than Berlin because the political situation in the capital was still unstable in the aftermath of the January Revolution. This is how the new political order came to receive its name- The Weimar Republic.
what are 4 features of the Weimar republic in 1918?
Ebert was elected as the first President of the German Republic
Coalition government between the SPD, the Centre Party, and the German Democratic Party
Philipp Scheidemann of the SPD became chancellor
Workers’ and soldiers’ councils handed their powers over to the Constituent Assembly
Agreement that new republic should be a break away from the autocratic constitution drawn up by OVB for German empire in 1871
What are the strengths of the Weimar constitution?
Voting - Women could vote and become deputies in the Reichstag
Proportional Representation: - enabled smaller parties to win seats and influence government.
Local Democracy: Democracy at all levels so no state could dominate politics
Individual Rights: All Germans equal before the law. Censorship is forbidden. Religious freedoms. Right of property guaranteed. Personal liberty is inviolable. Economic freedom for the individual. ‘All germans are equal before the law’ . Gave illegitimate children the same rights as legitimate children
Referendums: Could be called by the president, the Reichsrat, or if a tenth of the electorate applied for one.
What was proportional representation?
Proportional Representation: A system of elections in which parties are allocated seats in parliament according to the proportion of votes they receive
What was the new political hierarchy in the Reichstag in 1918?
the president - head of state, elected every 7 years appointed ministers , could dissolve reichstag , supreme commander of armed forces, Article 48 - could rule if emergency
Chancellor - proposed laws, had to have support of half Reichstag
Reichstag - chancellor answerable to Reichstag, elected every 4 years by germans 20 and over , laws had to have majority approval of Reichstag deputies
REICHSTRAT - made of 67 reps from 17 states not one state could have over 40 percent of house could be overridden by Reichstag
Electorate
The judiciary was independent
What were the weaknesses of the Weimar constitution?
smaller parties could gain representation in the Reichstag- something that does not usually happen in a system of elections based on first past the post principle. This enabled small parties to exploit the system to gain publicity.(anti-republican)
Coalition Governments: Due to the smaller parties, none of the larger parties could gain a majority – forcing them to form coalitions.
