Early Weimar key events Flashcards
What date was the Treaty of Versailles signed?
28th June 1919
Who came up with the terms of the ToV?
France, America and Britain
What percentage of land was lost due to the ToV? Examples?
13%
Alsace-Lorraine, Danzig/Polish Corridor, Saar Coalfields
Why was losing Alsace-Lorraine significant?
It had 75% of Germany’s Iron Ore
How much reparations were there? What did Keynes say about this?
£6.6 billion / 132 billion gold marks. Keynes said it was unrealistic to pay back
What restrictions were set on the army?
Conscription banned, only allowed 100k soldiers, 6 battleships, no tanks or airforce
What was Article 231?
The War Guilt Clause - Germany had to accept all blame for the war
Why did Article 231 cause so much anger?
The Germans didn’t believe they started the war, and it damaged national pride
Why were the Germans generally angry about the ToV?
They weren’t told they were losing the war, regarded it as a ‘diktat’, it went against Wilson’s point of self-determination
Who was chancellor when the ToV was signed? Who actually signed it?
Schneidemann = chancellor but resigned in protest on June 20th, so Bauer saw it be signed , Hermann Muller signed it
What was the Big 3’s reaction to ToV?
France - wanted to be harsher. Led to Clemenceau’s downfall
Britain - mostly satisified but DLG secretly felt it was too harsh
US - felt it was too unfair
What did the military want to do about the ToV
Hindenburg wanted military resistance, but Groener (military leader) told Ebert (president) it wouldn’t work, so no choice but to sign
What was the pro-Weimar reaction to Versailles
SPD asked main opponents to say those who signed were not unpatriotic
Believed in policy of fulfilment
What was the right’s reaction to Versailles
Even more resentful of
