Germany Flashcards
Treaty Of Versailles
Date: June 19
What: TOV codified peace between the victorious allies and Germany. Signed at the end of WW1 in Paris.
Cause:
- Signed by Ebert who first refused to sign it at first but Germany didn’t have much choice - Germany was too weak to risk restarting the conflict and as a result, the Weimar Republic became associated with the pain and humiliation caused by the TOV
Consequence:
1) Territorial consequences, 13% of territory stripped away from Germany
2) Military consequences, Germany’s army was diminished to only 100k and were only allowed 6 ships, no airforce or tanks or submarines
3) Financial consequences, Germany was required to pay $USD37 billion.
Reactions:
1) Negative as there were protests in the German Reichstag
- The TOV played an important part in the failure of the Weimar Republic as it harmed the Republic’s popularity and created political and economic unrest that hindered the government for years
Munich Putsche
Date: 23
Cause:
- In 1923, things were going bad for the Weimar Republic - it seemed weak
- There were food riots and hyperinflation was at its peak
Consequence:
- Hitler’s soldiers occupied a beer hall in the Bavarian city of Munich where local government leaders were meeting
- Hitler marched into Munich however news of the revolt was leaked to the police who fired on the rebels and the revolt quickly collapsed
- Hitler was sentenced to 5 years in jail as he was convicted of high treason though he only served 9 months and was put on trial
- Hitler wasn’t popular in Germany however the trial gave him valuable publicity
- Whilst Hitler was in prison, he wanted to change the aims of the Nazi party
Weimar Recovery
Date: 23
Cause: Stresemann (chancellor of Germany during the Weimar Republic) needed to stabilize the value of Germany’s currency
Success:
1) Gave Germans more confidence in their country
2) The Reichstag (the building) replaced the Rentenmark in 24 and restored faith in Germany’s financial system.
Factors:
- Dawes Plan of 23 (1 country)
What: The USA loaned Germany 500mill gold marks which boosted Germany’s industry and allies agreed to review their payment rate and took into account Germany’s economic situation which slowly brought them out of hyperinflation as the French withdrew troops from the Ruhr. The allies were given control of Germany’s bank meaning Germany could invest in infrastructure
- Locarno Pact of 25 (7 countries)
What: 7 treaties with countries like G, Fr, Blg, It, Brit, Pol & Schslvk that agreed to avoid military except when it came to self-defence. Germany & France shared a barrier where Germany agreed Lorraine would be French hence, the French agreed to not occupy the Ruhr again.
- Kellogg Briand Pact of 28 (62 countries)
What: 62 countries signed to prevent future wars by agreement not to use the military to settle arguments and this was a success as Germany was included with the main powers again. The Weimar Republic became a respected state which gave Germans even more confidence in Germany’s strength
Invasion Of The Ruhr
Date: 23
Cause:
1) The Germans hadn’t paid their reparations twice hence, the French invaded the Ruhr - the richest industrial part of Germany which gave them access to Germany’s iron and coal reserves.
Consequence:
- The German government had to print money to pay the striking workers which lead to hyperinflation and resulted in the collapse of German economy - in 1918, an egg cost 1/4 of a mark. By Nov 1923, it cost 80 million marks.
- Germany’s currency became worthless hence, nobody wanted to trade with them so shortages of food and goods got worse
- Germans couldn’t pay for more reparations
- By 1923, basic necessities were hard to get hold of and the germans were undergoing immense hardship which they’d now come to associate with the rise of the Weimar Republic
Spartacists Uprising
Date: 19
Cause:
1) Left wing communists leaders were Luxembourg and Karl that wanted a capitalist in Germany and didn’t want Kaiser back in power
Consequence:
1) They took over Berlin using their army and government buildings and police officers were occupied and hundreds of workers were seized around critical points of Berlin.
Success for Germany:
1) Ex-soldiers of WW1 put down the spartacists because they were mad they lost hte war and couldn’t adapt to the civilian life
2) The ex-soldiers hated communists
3) The ex-soldiers were asked to do this instead of the Berlin army because they were very small and weak
Wall Street Crash
Date: 29
What: Financial crisis where the US stock market crashed leading to a drop in stock prices
Cause:
1) Lack of negotiations, over production etc. The crash had a worldwide ripple effect and lead to The Great Depression
Consequence:
1) Lead to the widespread of unemployment and to the start of WW2
Weimar Constitution
Date: 19 - 33
Strengths
1) Allowed freedom for individuals
2) Granted free speech rights, equality rights etc for every German citizen
3) Allowed for there to be differences between states
Weaknesses:
1) Other Germans wanted Kaiser to return as chancellor (as he was abdicated in 19 as leader after being one for 30+ years)
2) Senior figures such as army leaders didn’t support the democratic (civilian) republic
Reichstag Fire Decree
Date: Feb 33
What:
1) Suspended freedom of speech and the right to privacy
2) It authorized governments to conduct searches without warrants as well as arrests
Reichstag Fire
Date: 33
What: The Reichstag fire was a fire that occurred at the Reichstag building in Berlin
Cause:
1) The fire was caused by an unknown person set the fire intentionally or by accident
Consequence:
1) Nazi Party used this as an opportunity to pass the enabling act which made Hitler a director
2) Hitler being a director gave him and the Nazi Party power to pass laws without the approval of the government (March 33)
Night Of the Long Knives
Date: 34
Cause:
1) A political violence campaign by Hitler passing the enabling act which allowed him to gain dictatorial powers as he could make laws without the approval of governments
Consequence:
1) It targeted the SA - Brow shirts (Rohm’s Army) because they were seen as a threat
2) 200 Brownshirt officers arrested, 90 killed
Kapp Putsche
Date: 20
What:
1) Anti-communists who’s leader was Wolfgang Kapp and despised the TOV (like Hitler in 1923).
2) their goal was to undo the Weimar constitution and establish a government in its place
Cause:
1) Caused by the governments attempt on demobilizing 2 Anti-communists supporting Kapp Putsche known as the Freikorps brigades.
Consequence:
1) The Kapp Putsche were already on too many strikes and nothing they inputted was successful therefore they lost support of the German people
2) As a result, Wolfgang Kapp fled to Sweden
The Death Of Hitler
Date: 45
Cause:
1) Hitler attacked the USSR in North Africa which failed and their allies won
2) Nazi regime was defeated as it was overthrown by the combination of overwhelming military resistance
3) Allied powers took control of Germany after defeating the Nazi regime
Consequence:
1) Hitler killed himself on april 30th 1945
Life in Nazi Germany: Individuals & Government
Date: 33 - 45
1) Propaganda
- Propaganda was used to spread positivity about the Nazi Party which encourages people to share the Nazi view of being a German
- Dr Goebbels founded the Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda in 1933 and was in charge of Nazis’ propaganda
- There were posters showing the evil of Germany’s enemies and the power of Hitler
- Propaganda also let Germans know what was expected of them
2) Censorship
- Nazis used censorship in order to enforce German views and made sure no “Un German” messages were being spread
- It was important for the civilians of Nazi Germany to have heard the “correct message”
- all radio companies couldn’t pick up foreign broadcasts and the Nazi Party ensured every house had radios
- by 1939, approx. 70% of households had a radio which was used as a “weapon of the totalitarian state: (another way to control people) as said by Goebbels
Life In Nazi Germany: Jews
Date: 33 - 45
33
- Nazis organized boycott of Jewish shops and Jews were banned from government employment
- Sterilization Law passed allowing the extermination of people with disabilities, mental illnesses as well as racial characteristics that were undesirable to ensure Nazi Germany was filled with the Aryan race
Early 40s
-Jews sent to concentration camps which then turned into extermination camps leading to the Holocaust where 6 million Jews died due to mass shootings’ and usage of tear as well as 5 million non Jews like priests and gypsies
35
- Reich Law passed which allowed for the Protection of German Blood as well as, Jews couldn’t hold German passports
39
- Reich Office was set up for the emigration of Jews which sped up the process and lead to more and more Jews leaving Nazi Germany
Life In Nazi Germany: Women
Date: 33 - 45
What:
1) Women were encourages to wear long traditional dresses and no makeup
2) Not allowed to work and expected to do household chores
3) Expected to not smoke and drink to stay healthy and produce more of the Aryan race
