German History: Topic 2 Flashcards
Schlieffen Plan
Aims to ensure Germany doesn’t fight a war on two fronts, they had six weeks to go through Belgium to Paris before Russia could mobilise in the east.
Siegfried
‘blessed peace of victory’ this essentially means a victory with the spoils of war. For example they wanted to see further annexations and an expansion of the Second Reich.
Peace without victory
As the war progresses people call for an end to it without thinking about what they can gain.
How many did German army have
3.5 million
Attrition War
Trying to win through wearing down your opponent.
When does the WWI being
August 1914
When does Germany begin unrestricted submarine warfare
Feb 1915
When is Luisitania sunk and how many die
September 1915
1098 die
When are battle of Verdun and Somme
mid 1916
How many die in battles of Verdun and Somme
1 million
When do Ludendorff and Hindenburg come in
August 1918
When do the US join the war
April 1917
When and by how many votes is the peace resolution passed in the Reichstag
July 1917
212 votes to 126
When was the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
March 1918
When does the Kaiser abdicate
November 1918
When is the armistice signed
November 1918
How many German’s die in the war
2 million
When did anti-war movements begin
1916
When did the SPD split and what was minority faction that broke away
April 1917
Split into Independant Social Democratic Party (USPD)
By the end of the war how much of the industrial workforce was female
1/3
When was Auxiliary service law and what did it do
1916
meant all men 17-60 were liable for service of some form
When was War Raw materials department set up
1914
When was Imperial grain corporation set up
jan 1915
administered rationing and grain distribution
How many other imperial corporations were set up to manage grain distribution
over 40
When was War food office established
1916
What type of crops failed due to weather 1916-17
potato
What was Reichskriegsschatz
War chest from Franco Prussian war containing gold melted down into coins that was going to be used to pay for war but only contained 150 million marks
Daily cost of WW1 for Germany
150 million marks
How much did the war cost
$38 billion
how many deaths in 1916-18 from hypothermia and starvation
1916 - 121,000
1918 - 293,000
How many wounded in war
6.3 million
By how much did real wages fall
20-30%
between 1914-18 how much did industrial output fall
over 40%
What did Ludendorff and Hindenburg manage to establish
silent dictatorship
When was fatherland party founded
1917
Who replaced Bethann-Hollweg
George Michaelis
What were the three strands of the left-wing movement
- SPD
- Spartacists
- USPD
Ebert
- head of SPD
- worried about the political situation and threat of an uprising
Ebert’s socio-economic problems
- inflation
- Spanish flu
- food and fuel shortages
Ebert’s left wing opposition
- Strikes from German Communisits
- workers and soldiers councils being created
Ebert’s right wing opposition
- Freikorps
- army was quite nationalist
- nationalists who supported kaiser did not support democracy
Ebert’s problems with miliatry
- demobilisation
- naval blockade
- worry over peace agreement
Ebert-Groener agreement
General Groener and Supreme Army Command agreed to support government and use troops to maintain stability and in return Ebert promised to oppose revolutionary socialism and maintain authority of army officers.
Stinnes-Legien agreement
Liegen the TU leader and Stinnes the leader of Industrial employers agreed that TUs would not interfere with private ownership and the free market, in return for workers committees an eight hour working day and full legal recognition.
When were first elections for national constitution held
19th January 1919
When was Weimar constitution signed and by who
11th August 1919
by President Ebert
Who were the highest polling party opposing democracy
DVNP
10.3%
Some roles of President under constitution
Elected directly by the people over 20 years of age every 7 years
Could dissolve and dismiss parliament and call new elections
Article 48
Some roles of Chancellor under constitution
Could pass laws but needed support of majority of the Reichstag
Appointed by President
Usually leader of party with the most seats in Reichstag
Some roles of Reichstag under constitution
- Members elected every 4 years by universal suffrage (men and women over 20) using secret ballot
- Used Proportional Representation - parties received seats depending on % of votes received
Some roles of Reichsrat under constitution
- Members appointed by local government - 18 local/ regional governments in Germany
- Number of members sent from each region depended on its size
- Individuals in Riechsrat had power to delay new laws unless overruled by 2/3 majority in Reichstag
Article 48
Meant the President could rule by emergency degree and stated that in the event that public order and security are seriously disturbed or endangered the Reich President may take the measures necessary for restorations, intervening if necessary with aid of armed forces.
When was Treaty of Versailles signed
28th June 1919 in Hall of Mirrors
How much territory did Germany lose in Treaty of Versailles
13%
How much of the population did Germany lose in Treaty of Versailles
12%
6.5 million ethnic Germans
What was article 231 in the Treaty of Versailles
It meant Germany had to accept full responsibility for the war
By 1921 how many marks was the total amount paid to allies
132,000 million marks
who puts down left wing uprisings
friekorps
when was spartacist revolt
jan 1919
causes of Spartacist revolt
- germany defeated in war and then spanish flu (disconnect between people)
- Inspired by Russia
how many workers went on strike in spartacist revolt and where
100,000, centre of Berlin
Leaders of spartacist
Liebeknecht and Luxemburg - they died
significance of spartacist
- far left alienated by use of friekorps
- use of fource increased counter-revoultion
- showed no support for communism in Germany
- Ebert could begin relationships with right
- growth of right wing in fear of Bolshevik style revolution
- Ebert-Groener agreement used (people see left as being betrayed)
when was Red Bavaria uprising
- Feb-May 1919
Causes of Red Bavaria
- Eisner shot by right wing nationalists caused power vacuum
- KPD boycotted jan elections and got support from Russia
- Erns Toller and Eugine Levine got invovled
What was the Red Bavaria uprising
communist attempt to declare Bavaria a communist state
when did communists and anarchist delcare Bavarian Soviet Republic + who was head of government
6th April 1919, Ernst Toller declared head of government (no political experience)
What happened after 6 days
ousted in uprising by KPD
Significance of Red Bavaria
- nationwide split between moderate and radical left
- unrest weakened opposition to Nazi rise to power
When was Kapp Putsch
March 1920
Causes of Kapp Putsch
- Weimar gov reduced size of army
- defence minister disbanded Friekorps
Who led Berlin takeover in Kapp Putsch and with how many men
Wolfgang Kapp
6000 soldiers
How was Kapp defeated (Kapp Putsch)
workers of Berlin went on strike, refusing to cooperate
how does Kapp Putsch end
Kapp signs deal with Weimar republic
Significance of Kapp Putsch
- revealed power and influence of trade unions
- didn’t get much support shows people still wanted a democratic government
- elements of army disunited and couldn’t be trusted
- influentual law makers more rightward leaning - evident as only one person went to prison
When was Ruhr uprising
Spring 1920
Causes of Ruhr uprising
- Strike called in response to Kapp Putsch
- SPD members of Chancellor Gustav Bauer’s government called for general strike supported by Communist Party of Germany and Independent Social Democrats
- Moderate SPD wanted to establish parliamentary republic
- Many workers fought for council republic based on revolutionary Russian model
Name of army in Ruhr uprising and what it was made up of
- red army
- 50,000-80,000 workers
what did Ruhr uprising lack
central leadership and unity
Significance of Ruhr uprising
- 3000 workers arrested and held in poor conditions
- SPD lost 62 seats
- left-wing working class lost faith in parliamentary process and stopped voting
- government began restricting civil liberties
When was Munich Beer Hall Putsch
November 1923
Significance of Munich Beer Hall Putsch
- Nazi party banned
- Hitler imprisoned where he wrote Mein Kampf and was imprisoned but only served 9 months - sentenced to 5 years
- Ended Nazi/ Bavarian hopes of bringing republic down by force
- 15 right wingers died
- Ludendorff arrested by police for involvement in the coup
What were reparations set at in 1921
£6.6 billion, 138 billion marks
fulfilment
Policy employed by Weimar to show how the terms were unfair by trying to fill them
passive resistence
Nonviolent resistance, practice of achieving goals such as social change
hyperinflation
When inflation exceeds 50% a month
*
Hard currency
Dollars or gold, not inflated marks
When does passive resistance begin
1923 Jan french and belgium troops occupy the Ruhr so Germans begin passive resistence
By 1919 what was national debt at
144 billion gold marks
Between 1914-19 what did the value of the mark vs. dollar fall by
4.20 marks to 14.00 marks
By 1920 how many marks was the dollar worth
100
Long term causes of hyperinflation
- Germany made no financial provision for a long drawn out First World War
- War economy concentrated on military weapons which did not satisfy requirements of civilian consumers
- High demand for and shortage of consumer goods pushed prices up
- Victory in WWI would have allowed Germany to settle debts by claiming reparations
- Despite increasing costs of WWI Kaiser’s government decided against tax increases and instead sold war bonds, allowing national debt to grow
medium term causes of hyperinflation
- July - Germany made request for a break from reparations, in December Reparations Commission declared Germany to be in default and France and Belgium occupied industrial Ruhr region
- Weimar government faced with difficult political situation after WWI and raised taxes on profits, wealth and income but didn’t balance the budget
- Reparations added to financial burden after the war, they had to be paid in hard currency like dollars or gold rather than inflated German marks
Short term causes of hyperinflation
- Weimar government chose to print more money and sell them to obtain hard currency needed for reparations
- Weimar government adopted a deficit financing policy after the war to maintain a demand for goods and create work,, provide jobs for millions of returning troops and cover extensive welfare state
- Workers in Ruhr asked to passively resist French occupation, the German government promised to continue paying wages but they could not collect taxes or coal from the area - coal had to be imported
political impacts of hyperinflation
- some blamed inflation on Weimar government
- German’s lost confidence in their currency
Social impacts of hyperinflation
- Many children suffer, with no milk, warm breakfast or warm clothes
- frequent looting’
- health suffered especially with the elderly
Economic impacts of hyperinflation
- Not all suffered, may business men benefited
- middle class and working class suffered the most
- food shortages as farmers refused to sell food
- people in debt could easily pay off loans
Who was Gustav Stresemen
- key figure in recovery of Weimar 1920
- DVP member
- Chancellor in 1923
- 1926 won nobel peace prize
- Germany’s foreign minister till death 1929
Who did Stresemenn replace
Chancellor Cuno
what did Stresemenn do in order to stabilise the economy
- called off passive resistance in Ruhr and promised to pay reparations
- cut government expenditure
- introduction of Rentenmark
benefits of the Dawes plan
- An acceptance by the allies that Germany’s problems with reparations payments were real.
- Loans to the value of 25.5 billion marks between 1924 and 29 mainly from the USA.
- The evacuation of the Ruhr (1924-25) and better relations with France.
- Renewed financial confidence and optimism within Germany.
Streseman’s aims, to do with Versailles treaty
- Readjust eastern borders such as Danzig, Polish corridors, frontier of Upper Silesia
- Sort out reparations
- Get back people in foreign lands
When was Stresemann Chancellor
1923
What did Stresemann do after being Chancellor
Foreign minister through 7 governments till 1929 (when he died)
Who introduced Rentenmark
Schacht
When and what was Lornaco conference
October 1925
- Germany accepted Western Borders
- must keep German troops out of Rhineland
- avoided similar committment with Eastern Borders
- Agreement between European countries not to fight anyone
When and what was the Treaty of Berlin
April 1926
- Extends 1922 Rapallo pact
- added pledge of neutrality for 5 years
When did Germany join the League of Nations
Sept 1926
- Germany is able to conduct military training in Russia (secret) in return for them sending materials to Russia in their economic crisis
When and what was Kellogg-Briand pact
1928
- Condemned recourse to war as a means of solving international dispute
- Stresemann and 64 other states signed this to condemn war as a means for settling European disputes
When and what was the Young Plan
1929
- reduced reparations bill by 75%
- Evacuation of Rhineland by occupation troops
- Right wing opposed and called referendum with only 14% success
What were the political parties in the Weimar republic
- SPD
- DDP
- DNVP
- NSDAP
- Zentrum
- DVP
- KPD
Key SPD facts
- Support Weimar
- social ownership
- individual freedom
- state should have a role in welfare
Key DDP facts
- core values of liberalism and social democracy
- support weimar government and constitution
- Hugo Pruess who is DDP politician helped write constitution
- Oppose Versailles
- moderate
- Believe in social democracy but NOT socialists
Key DNVP facts
- very conservative and oppose rapid change
- do not support Weimar or democracy
- oppose versailles
- oppose socialism
Key NSDAP facts
- Nazi party
- oppose Weimar and versailles
- duty for every citizen to work hard for Germany
- Believe in traditional values
- support militarism
Key Zentrum facts
- support catholic interests from all over Germany
- different range of ideologies
- support weimar and democracy
Bavarian peoples party
split from Zentrum in 1918 and represented Catholics in Bavaria
Key DVP facts
- moderate Conservatives
- Support changes to Treaty of Versaille not abolition of it
- Nationalists
Key KPD facts
- revolutionary marxist party committed to Soviet style politics
- Oppose Weimar and government for killing Luxemburg and Liebknecht
- women and men are equal
- oppose SPD as they have ‘abandoned true meaning of socialism’
Strength of multi party system
- not major coups or political assasination
- mainstream parties still gain ground
- Hindenburg as president doesn’t cause issues
- 1928 has 76% electoral turnout which is high and shows people are engages
weaknessess of multi party systems
- extremist parties make impact
- parties didn’t often compromise
- parties divided amongst themselves
- narrow sectional parties grew
- street fights involving nazis
- lack of charismatic leader to build support for Weimar
Name of the new bank that issued loans to Reichsbank
Rentenbank
What could the Government not rely on
unlimited currency credits like printing money
They instead had to balance expenditure against income
Who led to Rentenmark success
- Finance Minister Hans Luther
- Hjalmar Schacht
Economic strength
- 1924-29 monetary stability and influx of foreign capital, 25.5 billion marks
- Foreign investors attracted to Germany’s high interest rates
- 1925-29 exports rose by 40%
- Generous pension and sickness benefits
- State subsidies provided for constructions of local amenities - schools parks ect
Economic weakness
- Imports exceeded exports - not self reliant, domestic markets are susceptible to global issues
- Unemployment never fell below 1.3 million but by 1929 it was 3 million
- Fall in world prices put strain on farmers who made up 1/3 of German population
- Fall in production between 1928-29
- German economy grew 45 between 1913-29, US economy grew 70%
More issues with the economy (farmers)
- Rural Germany – most farmers saw the Weimar Republic as serving the selfish interests of the industrial proletariat.
- Hyperinflation had helped relieve farmers’ debts, but after 1923 they faced heavy taxes on landed property.
- Farmers faced a crisis in the 1920s as world food prices collapsed.
- Weimar governments focused on keeping urban workers fed, rather than helping farmers, who by the late 1920s were becoming increasingly militant.
What was the economy increasingly reliant on
foreign investors
How much of society were economic elites
5%
How much of society were middle class
1/3
How much of society were working class
over 50%
image of ‘new women’
Propogated by media
* Cigarette smoking
* Silk stockinged
* Lip-stick wearing
* short skirted
What was it actually like for women
- equal rights under Weimar
- more women in employment
- women working outside of home same in 1920s as in 1914
- ‘mens jobs’ taken back after 1918
Doppelverdiener??
‘second wage earner’ term of abuse aimed at married women with jobs
Weimar culture - art
- Government subsidised art exhibitions and sponsored cultural works, these often reflected strong left-wing bias
- New style of painting and writing, sometimes referred to as ‘new objectivity movement’
- Often painted distorted and violent images to challenge audiences
- Expressionism - artist expresses inner feelings through their work
- Avant-Garde
Weimar culture - architecture and design
- Bauhaus movement was developed by Walter Gropuis in Weimar in 1919 and popularised ordinary geometric designs and emphasised functionality of buildings and consumer items
- Familiar materials used in odd ways like buildings made solely out of concrete - to stress a more utilitarian approach
Weimar culture - Theatre and literature
- Writing linked to personal experience was replaced by literature with social and political purpose
- Explosion of publishing, paperback and book clubs becoming popular
- Theatre there were stark stage sets and new techniques like film strips and direct communication with the audience
- The subject matter was provocative e.g. Challenging heroism of war
- Street theatre took political drama to the people and became popular
- Modernism movement
- All quiet on the Western Front - challenges old traditional ideas
Zeittheater
Theatre of the time
Weimar culture - film
- Films were deliberately provocative
- Examples such as ‘The Cabinet of Dr Caligari’ which was a silent horror movie depicting abstract jagged buildings and actors moving with dance like movements
- Fritz Lang produced ‘Metropolis’ which was a critique of modern society painting a picture of a mechanised future that enslaved workers who lived a robotic life ruled by upper class of impractical thinkers
Blue Angel
starred Marlene Dietrich and portrayed transformation of a man from respectable professor to cabaret clown
Weimar culture - music
- Key figures such as Paul Hindemith, Schoenburg, Anton von Webern challenged traditional musical tonality
- Zeitoper - this was opera of the time performed at Kroll Opera House in Berlin and reflected modern issued from radical left-wing perspective
- Introduction of jazz, jazz and cabaret clubs particularly in the cities such as Berlin
Weimar Youth culture
- Americanisation of society, chewing gum, cigarettes, fashions and women with short hair
- Spectator sports, dance halls and Hollywood films were pupuar
- Berlin became ‘avant-garde’ capital of Europe
- Third largest city in world after New York and London
- Known for liberated night-life, tolerance of same-sex relations and promiscuity
- Radio starting to come in
- Growth in cinema
Avant Garde
new and experimental
Right wing opposition
- Weimar’s cultural life was debased by foreign and Jewish influence
- Church campaigned against immortality
- In 1926 a law was passed by the Reichstag toprevent thepublications of certain books to people under 18.
Left wing opposition
- Left wing intellectuals ore inclined to support artistic modernism
- However many members of the SPDs were more comfortable with traditional culture
- Concerned about effect of pulp fiction on young minds
Key themes 25 point progamme
- Bettering the economy
- Very extreme - particularly when it comes to laws on criminals and censorship etc.
- Everyone should be working for the greater Germany
- Very sure on who it considers to be German (those of German blood)
- Ending treaties and restoring territory to Germany
- Middle and lower classes would potentially be among those attracted to this programme
In may 1924 what percentage of votes did the Nazi party get in allience with other extreme right parties
and what did it fall to in December
9.5%
3% In December
When was first Nuremberg rally held
1927
1928 how much % of votes did Nazis win and how many members were there
2.6% vote
100,000 members
What did falling food prices in 1928 cause
farmers joined the Nazis
Why did DNVP oppose Young Plan
the party rejected concept of reparations
By 1928 how much of votes were Nazis winning in state elections across northern Germany
10-20%
