Establishment and Development of the Weimar Government (1919-1933)

Question 1

What were the main policies of the Treaty of Versailles? (LAMB)

Answer 1

Land: people displaced, loss of citizenship
Armed Forces: army reduced to 10 000 men, submarines, tanks, naval and military aircraft banned
Reparations: £6.6 billion
War-guilt clause: Germany had to accept the blame for the war

Question 2

What was the impact of the Treaty of Versailles?

Answer 2

Land: lost money and trade
Armed Forces: weakened Germany as they were left undefended. It also had a serious affect on the economy as there were serious job losses, which led to the Freikorps and Kapp Putsch
Reparations: Caused hyperinflation as govt. had to cope with reparations and striking workers. The social and economic and class divide was even larger than before and the reliance on the US economy weakened Germany
War-guilt Clause: made Germany liable for war damage costs, Germans believed it made them look weak (anger) and they also believed it was a ‘diktat’.

Question 3

When was the Treaty of Versailles signed?

Answer 3

28th June 1919

Question 4

When was the armistice signed?

Answer 4

11th November 1918

Question 5

What were the strengths of the Weimar Constitution?

Answer 5

1. The fundamental laws
2. Article 48 allowed government to maintain control
3. President elected every 7 years was a stabilising factor
4. Reichsrat meant all 17 Landers were represented
5. PR ensures everybody’s vote counts (extremely democratic)
6. The Chancellor and President are directly elected by the people

Question 6

What were the weaknesses of the Weimar Constitution?

Answer 6

1. Article 48 could be abused by President and led to Hitler becoming Chancellor
2. PR caused instability in Reichstag as a majority party was never formed- caused coalitions and allowed extremist parties to exist
3. Reichsrat were appointed and not elected by the people
4. President could easily establish a dictatorship due to their control over the courts, army and Article 48

Question 7

What was the Wall Street Crash?

Answer 7

The American stock exchange crashed, causing the US to recall all their loans, including the ones made to Germany under the Young and Dawes Plan. This crash stopped worldwide trade.

Question 8

What impact did the Wall Street Crash have on Germany?

Answer 8

Trade in Germany decreased and unemployment increased. The Wall Street Crash also caused the Great Depression which impacted Germany significantly.

Question 9

What were the economic implications of the Wall Street Crash?

Answer 9

1. High unemployment rates (5 million by 1932)
2. All loans were recalled and Germany could not cope without this support. Several major banks in Germany folded
3. There was little demand for German industrialists’ products
4. Industrial production had fallen to 58%

Question 10

When did the Wall Street Crash occur?

Answer 10

October 1929

Question 11

When did the Great Depression begin and end?

Answer 11

1929-1939

Question 12

What were the political implications of the Great Depression?

Answer 12

1. Parties could not decide how to deal with the situation and govt. became ‘fractured’
2. Great Depression highlighted the weaknesses of the Weimar Constitution
3. no lasting government was able to replace the Weimar Republic and were not able to deal with the problems produced by the Great Depression
4. Chancellor Bruning ruled by decree but did not have support of the Reichstag or the people.

Question 13

What were the social implications of the Great Depression?

Answer 13

1. High unemployment which causes workers’ support for the Nazis to increase
2. Food shortages and not solved by the govt. which highlighted the weaknesses of WR

Question 14

What were the main challenges to the Weimar Republic?

Answer 14

1. Kapp Putsch
2. Munich Putsch
3. Invasion of the Ruhr
4. Hyperinflation

Question 15

When did the Kapp Putsch occur?

Answer 15

March 1920

Question 16

When did the Munich Putsch occur?

Answer 16

1923

Question 17

What were the events of the Kapp Putsch?

Answer 17

• Disbanded Friekorps members led by Wolfgang Kapp
• Attempted to overthrow the government
• Caused Ebert and govt. to flee Berlin for three days
• Could not rule due to lack of support from the people

Question 18

What were the events of the Munich Putsch?

Answer 18

• Tried to take advantage of nationalist fury over the ending of passive resistance
• Hitler led group storm beer hall in Bavaria and forced Kahr to agree to support them
• Marched to Berlin after letting Kahr go, who withdrew his support
• 4000 Nazis and Hitler were arrested

Question 19

Both right-wing attempted coups received mild punishments. What does this tell you?

Answer 19

It indicates that there was a right-wing bias within government and reflects the government’s anxiety about losing right wing support.

Question 20

What were the events of the invasion of the Ruhr?

Answer 20

• French and Belgian troops invade the Ruhr after German default on the reparation payments
• Workers respond using passive resistance
• Passive resistance and occupation causes loss of money and materials for the economy
• Trade unions continue pressuring government to pay striking workers and the government print more money in order to cope with decreasing economic state and workers. This causes hyperinflation.

Question 21

When did the invasion of the Ruhr occur?

Answer 21

1923

Question 22

When did hyperinflation occur?

Answer 22

1923

Question 23

What were the positive aspects of hyperinflation?

Answer 23

1. Poorest Germans gained as all debt was written off
2. Government debt was significantly reduced
3. Radical groups failed to gain mass support
4. Unemployment rate was unaffected

Question 24

What were the negative aspects of hyperinflation?

Answer 24

1. Provokes political unrest due to doubt of government’s ability to handle a crisis
2. Poverty deepens
3. Increasing anti-Semitism due to social stereotypes (loan sharks)
4. Industrialists were able to exploit workers
5. Class system disrupted (Proletarianism)
6. Fixed incomes/pensioners and benefits suffered