Germany - 1.1.1 Parliamentary Government

Question 1

In 1871, the German-speaking states in Europe united to become a new country: Germany. The kind of the largest and most powerful state, _________ became the Kaiser (Emperor) of Germany.

Answer 1

Prussia

Question 2

Who did the constitution of the German empire consist of? (5)

Answer 2

• Kaiser
• The army
• Chancellor (Chief minister)
• Bundesrat (Federal Council)
• Reichstag (Parliament)

Question 3

Who was the Kaiser?

Answer 3

A hereditary monarch (also King of Prussia) as Head of State

Question 4

What were the Kaisers powers? (5)

Answer 4

• Appointed the Chancellor
• Could dismiss the Chancellor and/or the Chancellor’s ministers
• Power to dissolve the Reichstag
• Commander of the armed forces
• In charge of foreign policy

Question 5

Describe the army in Kaiser Germany (4)

Answer 5

• Swore an oath of allegiance to the Kaiser
• Members of the armed forces advised the Kaiser about political decisions rather than MPs or civil servants today
• Officers were from upper classes, usually right wing and politically conservative. This group was the fore-runner to the DNVP which would join Hitler in coalition in the 1930s
• Depended on the Reichstag for funding but only every five years

Question 6

Describe the Chancellor (Chief minister) (4)

Answer 6

• Responsible only to the Kaiser - the Kaiser’s chief minister
• Appointed his own ministers to help him make government policies
• Led the Bundesrat, and proposed topics and laws to be debated
• Could choose to ignore the decisions of the Reichstag

Question 7

Describe the Bundesrat (Federal Council) (4)

Answer 7

• Made up of 58 representatives of each German state. Prussian interests dominated it
• It was consulted over government policies
• The council proposed laws to the Reichstag
• In return, the Bundesrat approved any law the Reichstag made

Question 8

Describe the Reichstag (Parliament) (3)

Answer 8

• Made up of 397 deputies elected by universal male suffrage (only men over 25 years of age) in a secret ballot every 3 years, or sooner if dismissed by the Kaiser
• Passed, amended or rejected laws proposed by the Bundesrat/Chancellor
• Could pass or reject a grant to fund the military every 5 years

Question 9

Prussia had often been threaded by other countries so believed strongly in __________ (the idea that a country should have strong armed forces)

Answer 9

Militarism

Question 10

Prussia believed strongly in militarism. What does this mean? (4)

Answer 10

• A large army in proportion to its population size
• High government spending on maintaining the army at all times
• A strong culture of service and absolute loyalty to the king from the army
• The army was respected and admitted by Prussian society

Question 11

As Prussia was the _________ state within Germany, its militarism became very influential. Also, as the Prussian army was experienced, well equipped, and well led, it was used as the _____ for the German army. The army _________ had great influence in Germany’s government, just as before, when Prussia was an _____________ state and they were advisers to the Kaiser. They had strong views on ______ ______, and would play an increasingly important role in government under Kaiser Wilhelm II, until they were in complete control of Germany in the final years of WW1

Answer 11

dominant, basis, Generals, independent, foreign policy

Question 12

What is meant by the term ‘Hereditary’?

Answer 12

Passed from parent to child

Question 13

When did Germany decide to become unified as a single country?

Answer 13

1871

Question 14

When did the German empire establish a federal constitution?

Answer 14

1890

Question 15

When did Wilhelm II become Kaiser?

Answer 15

1888

Question 16

When Wilhelm II became Kaiser, he had an agenda to expand the German Empire. Although he had these hopes abroad, the rise of _________ threatened the Kaiser at home.

Answer 16

Socialism

Question 17

Over which type of policy did the Kaiser have absolute power over?

Answer 17

Foreign policy

Question 18

What was the political orientation of most German military officers in this period?

Answer 18

Conservative

Question 19

What were Wilhelm II’s 3 main beliefs?

Answer 19

• Strong believer in militarism - held the army in very high regard, frequently consulted his army generals and valued their advice. They often directed policy, especially foreign policy, far more than his ministers, Reichstag or Bundesrat
• Believed it was his destiny to rule - unlike previous Kaisers, he wanted a very active, hands-on role in ruling Germany and had little regard for the Reichstag
• Wanted Germany to rival Britain as the most powerful country in the world - wanted to build an overseas empire to add to Germany’s wealth and power, pushed for Weltpolitik (world policy)

Question 20

Describe the power Wilhelm II had over Chancellors (4)

Answer 20

• Could remove the Chancellor, ministers and the Reichstag. Kaisers before Wilhelm II did not do so as they were happy for Chancellor Bismarck (who had held the office since 1871) to rule for them, which he did effectively
• One of Wilhelm’s first actions was to dismiss Bismark. He didn’t want anyone to be more powerful than himself and disagreed with Bismark’s Realpolitik (policies based on realism rather than idealism)
• He appointed Caprivi as Chancellor, but after Caprivi proposed some social reforms he too was dismissed in 1894
• After this, Wilhelm II chose Chancellors and other ministers who had the same aims and beliefs as him

Question 21

Describe the growth of the Reichstag (3)

Answer 21

• Wilhelm II could dismiss the Reichstag but he could not stop the elections for parliament
• Before 1890 political parties had started to develop and this continued under Wilhelm II’s rule. This meant Reichstag members were loyal to other members of their party and not always totally loyal to the Kaiser and the deputies in the Reichstag had their own agenda
• These political parties had little direct power to change things, but they acted as pressure groups on the government and shaped public opinion

Question 22

What was the Landtag?

Answer 22

• Each state’s mini-government or mini-Reichstag.
• The Prussian Landtag was so influential that it dwarfed all other regional Landtags

Question 23

Who were Kaiser Wilhelm II’s Chancellors? (4)

Answer 23

• Caprivi 1890-94
• Hohenlohe 1894 - 1900
• Budlow 1900-09
• Bethmann Hollweg 1909-17

Question 24

How was the Reichstag formed?

Answer 24

Elected by German voters (only men over 25) in a secret ballot every 3 years, or sooner if dismissed by the Kaiser

Question 25

Who could sack the Chancellor?

Answer 25

Only the Kaiser

Question 26

As Germany was a federal state, individual states had the power to control income tax (tax people pay on their earnings). What did this mean for the central government?

Answer 26

It was difficult for the central government to raise enough tax for their budget

Question 27

Who did Kaiser Wilhelm II remove as Chancellor?

Answer 27

Bismark

Question 28

The 2 potential weaknesses in the Kaiser German Constitution were:

Answer 28

• The power of the Kaiser
• Raising taxes

Question 29

How many deputies made up the Reichstag?

Answer 29

397

Question 30

How many members made up the Bundesrat?

Answer 30

58

Question 31

Of the total 58 members of the Bundesrat, how many of them were representatives from Prussia

Answer 31

17