Ethnic Minorities in the Weimar Republic Flashcards
What did the treatment of ethnic minorities in Weimar depend on?
In Weimar it depended upon where they lived and who they were. They often received lower wages than the German man and were not employed if a German was available. Elite Conservatives, landowners and army were less welcoming. City based liberals were more welcoming.
What was Article 113?
Those who spoke different languages could not be legally stopped from preserving their personal identity.
Despite Article 113 what allowed for the poor treatment of ethnic minorities?
The Länder could instate laws against ethnic minorities.
How much of the population was Jewish in 1918 and where did they predominantly live?
Less than 1% of the population was Jewish. 67% lived in cities. Anti-semites called it ‘Jew Berlin’.
What caused the government to ban many anti-semitic organisations in the Republic?
Assassination of Jewish Foreign Minister Walther Rathenau in 1922.
What was the anti-semitic group ‘German Peoples Offensive and Defensive Alliance’? How many members did they have when they disbanded?
A group who believed that the Jews conspired with the allies and lost Germany the war. 1923 with 170,000 members. Many joined the Nazis after.
How did judges treat Jews?
Lots of Conservative judges were anti-semitic and made racist remarks in their decisions. They treated Jews much like they did the communists, with decisions often going against them.
How did the depression affect the treatment of Jews in Germany?
People wanted someone to blame, which led to the blaming of Jews and Communists. This move towards extremism is shown by the increase in votes for extremist parties after the depression.
What was the ‘Reich Federation of Jewish Front Soldiers’?
An organisation set up to battle anti-semitism. It showed that 85,000 Jews fought and 12,000 had died during the war.
Why were Gypsies discriminated against in the Republic?
Because they moved around a lot and were seen as not contributing to the country by working, paying taxes or integrating.
There was no federal legislation against Gypsies, what did Länder attempt to do? (Bavaria)
Bavaria passed laws against Gypsies aiming to get children into school and adults into work. In 1927 all Gypsies were made to carry identity cards. Hesse also adopted these laws.
What was the result of Poles and the Treaty of Versailles?
The border between Poland and Germany was redrawn, leaving people on either side in a new country.
How many Polish speakers were in Germany in 1925? How many left due to hostility?
There were 200,000 Polish speakers in Germany and 500,000 who spoke both languages. 30,000 left between 1925–1933 due to hostility from having fought against Germany.
Why was there hostility towards black people?
In 1923 during the Occupation of the Ruhr, France sent black colonial troops. 500 mixed-race children were born and labelled ‘Germany’s shame’. Some areas became hostile to black people.
What black people were accepted and where?
Musicians and writers were generally accepted in cities.
