Establishment and development of Weimar Republic

Question 1

Consequences of the First World War

Answer 1

Food and fuel shortage 
Civilian deaths 
Inflation 
Influenza epidemic- because living standards had decreased
Casualties

Question 2

Why did Germany sign the Treaty of Versailles?

Answer 2

• Allies were not prepared to negotiate
• Germany did not have the military capacity to resist
• Reichstag accepted the Treaty by 237 votes to 138

Question 3

What was the Diktat?

Answer 3

The Treaty’s terms were seen as unfair and described as a Diktat
A dictated peace- Germans felt the the Treaty of Versailles was imposed without negotiation

Question 4

Key points in the Treaty of Versailles

Answer 4

L and
A rmy
M oney
B lame

Question 5

What was Article 48?

Answer 5

Gave the Weimar president the power in an emergency to run by decree

Question 6

Powers the President had?

Answer 6

• The right to dissolve the Reichstag
• The appointment of the chancellor
• The position of supreme commander of the armed forces
• The capacity to rule by decree at a time of emergency- Article 48

Question 7

What was the “stab in the back” myth?

Answer 7

• German people felt betrayed when armistice was signed because Kaiser had not told them they were losing the war- there was still hope of winning
• Wanted someone to blame- Blamed politicians for being weak/lack of will to fight
• Bitterness grew as the armistice lead to Treaty of Versailles

Question 8

What were Freikorps?

Answer 8

• Employed by government to suppress the threats from extreme left, but became a law unto themselves
• Anti-republics and committed to the restoration of authoritarian rule- had no respect for Weimar government
• Prepared to use violence and murder to intimidate others

Question 9

Extreme right uprisings?

Answer 9

Kapp putsch

Munich Beer Hall putsch

Question 10

When did the Munich Beer Hall Putsch happen?

Answer 10

1923

Question 11

What happened in the Munich Beer Hall putsch?

Answer 11

• 8 November when Kahr was addressing a large audience in one of Munich’s beer halls, Hitler and the Nazis took control and declared a ‘national revolution’
• Under pressure Kahr co-operated
• The next day when the Nazis attempted to take Munich they had insufficient support and were easily crushed by Bavarian police
• 14 Nazis were killed and Hitler arrested on a charge of treason