German Political (1871 - 1934) Flashcards
What were the four element of the German constitution of 1871?
- The Kaiser
- Government (chancellor and ministers)
- The Reichstag (parliament)
- The Bundesrat
When was the Tariff law?
1902
What was the Tariff law?
Protectionist law raising tariffs on agricultural imports, benefiting the wealthy.
What was the significance of the Tarriff law?
Pleased Junkers but made electorate unhappy as food prices rose and SPD votes rose by a million.
When was the Herero uprising?
1904-06
What was the Herero uprising?
Herero people revolted but were defeated and subjected to mass genocide, pop. decreasing from 18000 to 15000.
What was the significance of the Herero uprising?
Political tensions as conservatives were happy but SPD and centre were not.
When were the Hottentot elections?
1907
What were the Hottentot elections?
The elections following a brutal war in south Africa, first against the Herrero people and then the Nama, aka the ‘hottentots’
What was the significance of the Hottentot elections?
It engaged workers on the colonialist issue, pulling new working class voters into the fold. The SPD were against, and criticised by the Bulow campaign for not being patriotic enough and so lost votes.
When was the daily telegraph affair?
1908
What was the daily telegraph affair?
The Kaiser made damaging remarks in the daily telegraph that the public were not pro British but he was.
What was the significance of the daily telegraph Affair?
Bulow failed to properly check it, so he was discredited. Public opinion of the Kaiser worsened, and he was involved less in foreign policy as a result.
When was the Eulunberg scandal?
1907-9
What was the Eulunberg scandal?
A scandal where trials followed accusations of homosexuality in the Kaisers cabinet, made by journalist Maximillian Harden against the Kaisers close friends.
What was the impact of the Eulunberg scandal?
Shows the power of the press in a semi-absolutist state.
When was the Zabern Affair?
November 1913
What was the Zabern Affair?
disturbance in Alsace-lorraine after a German officer openly insulted the population, leading to unrest which was quelled brutally. The kaiser supported the officers openly.
What was the result of the Zabern affair?
A vote of no confidence in the chancellor followed, however this just showed how powerless the Reichstag were as the chancellor only needed the Kaiser’s support, so stayed on despite a resignation demand.
When did the SPD become the largest party in the Reichstag?
1912
When was the Army bill?
1913
What was the Army bill?
The Reichstag agreed to increase the size of the army despite SPD opposition.
What was the issue with the Army Bill?
It required massive taxes, so a dilemma between taxes on the poor and on the wealthy evolved.
What was Bulow’s budget?
Weltpolitik had left Germany in great debt and Bulow tried to impose both indirect taxes and inheritance taxes, both of which were opposed by different parties.
What is a burgfreid?
A political truce
When was Germany’s burgfreid?
1914
What did the Burgfreid mean politically for Germany?
- laws for loans to finance the war were passed unanimously.
- Even the SPD promised to support the war.
- trade unions refrained from striking.
After which battles did people begin to express doubt and break the burgfreid?
Verdun and Somme
What reasons were there for the Social democrats to support Burgfreid politics?
- social democrats believed it was their patriotic duty to support the war.
- They also worried about government repression if they protested, and hoped they could achieve political reform by cooperating.
who in the SPD opposed the burgfreid?
- at first all supported except for Karl Liebknecht who was the only vote against war credits in the second session.
- In the third session, Otto Ruhle joined him.
- they were then joined by others as the war began.
Which trade union refused the Burgfreid?
the free association of German trade unions
what happened to the members of the SPD who opposed the Burgfreid?
They were expelled from the party and went on to form their own such as the KPD (communist party)
What were three of the Kaisers powers?
- able to call/dissolve the Reichstag.
- commanded the army directly.
- appointed/dismissed chancellors.
In what ways was the 1871 constitution displaying authoritarianism?
- Kaiser could dissolve the Reichstag and dismiss the chancellor.
- Kaiser controlled foreign policy and the army.
- the Kaiser was a hereditary monarch.
In what ways was the 1871 constitution liberal?
- The Reichstag was elected by the public.
- The bundesrat had to approve declaration of war and could veto most legislation.
- deputies had the right to free speech.
In what way did Prussia have most power in the Bundesrat?
As members were proportionate to size, Prussia had 17, compared to Bavaria’s 6 and everyone else’s 1. 14 votes were need for a veto.
What weakened Wilhelm II leadership?
press scandals as he was not an absolute monarch.
What particular area of leading interested Wilhelm?
The German Army and Navy due to his desire for aggressive German expansion.
Who were Wilhelm II two chancellors?
- General Leo Von Caprivi (1890-94)
- Prince Choldwig Zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfurst (1897-1900)
What was Caprivi’s ‘new course’ for German politics?
Aiming to develop greater cooperation with the Reichstag and give ministers more influence over policy making, along with social reform.
What did Caprivi do to gain Reichstag support which alienated the conservatives?
Agreed to reduce military service from 3 years to 2 years.
How did the Kaiser describe Prince Choldwig hohenlohe-schillingsfurst?
a ‘straw doll’ as he was more of just a figurehead chancellor.
What was ‘Weltpolitik’
The Kaisers ambition for Germany to gain colonies and respect abroad, which required military strength. Means ‘world power’
Why did the Kaiser want Weltpolitik?
- to distract from issues at home.
- to match up to other countries such as England.
What was a political consequence of Weltpolitik?
It increased domestic political tensions especially with Reichstag socialist due to who was going to fund it?
Who were the Chancellors between 1900-1917?
-Bulow 1900-1909.
-Bethmann Hollweg 1909-1917.
What did the Kaiser famously say to Bulow?
‘Bulow, be my Bismarck’
How did Bulow subdue political opponents?
Through his strategy at the ‘hottentot’ elections of beating the nationalist drum, bringing the SPD and Centre to heel.
What was Bulow’s ‘bloc’?
His support group in the chamber consisting of radicals, conservatives and national liberals. He managed to keep this together for two years.
Why did Bethmann survive the vote of no confidence following the Zabern Affair?
Because he had the Kaiser’s support.
What areas did Bethmann lack experience in?
Foreign and military affairs, so he backed away from introducing major initiatives.
What forced the Kaiser into abdication?
The War
Who established a ‘silent dictatorship’ and what did this mean?
Ludendorff and Hindenburg - meant that they held so much power that Germany was essentially a military dictatorship.
What was the Schlieffen plan?
Germany’s attempt to avoid a prolonged two front war, which involved defeating the French in six weeks with the hope that Russia would be late to mobilise.
What was the left wing perspective on the aim of the war?
‘Peace without victory’ - The war was purely a defensive one, with no need for territorial gain. Peace should be based on compromise.
What was the Right Wing perspective on the aim of the war?
Siegfried - ‘victory peace’ where Germany would use its strength to win control over Europe. Widely politically supported (apart from SPD) and by upper and middle classes.
What are the four reasons Germany lost the war?
- Failure to gain a rapid victory in 1914 due to failure of the Schlieffen plan.
- Imperial Germany was not prepared for a long drawn out war.
- Strength of the allies
- Limitations of the German war economy.
when was the German revolution following the war?
1918
why was the 1918 revolution a ‘revolution from above’?
Because this revolution came from the ruling classes, with the new government being based on the Reichstag.
Who led the government in 1918?
Prince Max of Baden.
What happened at the naval bases of Kiel and Wilhelmshaven, and what did this lead to?
soldiers refused to sail out, and the mutiny triggered the creation of sailors soldiers and workers councils throughout Germany.
What was the ‘revolution from below’?
In 1918-19 when it was clear the war was lost, the German people erupted in unrest.
