GERMANY Flashcards
When did Germany unite
1890
What is Weltpolitik and what 3 things did it mean for Germany
World Power
They would be seen as a world power, play a more active role in world affairs and Germany would be recognised as a great European country
Where did Kaiser Wilhelm II came from and what influence did this have on what Germany would centre around
Prussia- He would be the centre of German nationalism and didn’t see a need for a parliament like Britain had
What influence did Weltpolitik have on the German navy
He wanted a place in the sun which means an empire (specifically in Africa)
Kaiser Wilhelm was an autocrat. What does this mean
He would be a sole leader and there would be no press
What is the relationship between an autocrat and a dictator
An autocrat is just below a dictator
What were the 6 signs that the Kaiser’s autocracy was strong
1) Germany’s foreign trade over tripled in the years 1890-1913
2) The first navy law was passed in 1898 in spite of opposition from the SDP and conservative party
3) Industrialization increased rapidly
4) The kaiser ruled all decisions that related to the army,navy and other foreign countries
5) By 1913 industrial production by Germany exceeded that of Britain
6) The military was very strong, well-disciplined and equipped
What were the signs that Kaiser’s Wilhelms autocracy was weakening
1) Development of the SDP in the 1870’s, that now had ⅓ seats (1912) in teh Reichstag
2) Introduction of pensions for OAP’s in 1889 due to pressure from the SDP
3) There was a growth of working class who started to look to people like Karl Marx
How did the SDP pose a threat to the Kaiser’s autocracy
The SDP was a left wing party that was opposing to the Kaiser’s right wing nature
The Kaiser had a passion to overtake/match Great Britain, but in what exports
Iron and other Prime Exports
When did Stresemann become foreign minister
August 1924
Who became president of Germany in August 1919
Friedrich Ebert
How did Germany respond to the occupation of the Ruhr
The workers went on strike with government support
How did the dawes plan work
America would loan money to Germany to pay the allies war reparations and then the allies could use that money to pay back america of war debt
How did the Dawes plan have a negative effect on Germany when the great depression hit
Germany became dependant on foreign economies so when the depression hit, they were left stranded
When was the left wing Spartacist uprising
6th January 1919
Who lead the Spartacist uprising
Luxemburg and Liebknecht
Who put down the Spartacist uprising and who were they
Free Corps - 2,000 men who were strong and most of them ex-servicemen
What happened to the leaders of the Spartacist uprising
Brutally murdered
What were the Spartacists uprisers aims
Wanted Germany to be run by a small council of soldiers and workers not a large parliament
How did Weimar Germany compare to the Kaisers leadership on the political spectrum
Weimar in complete centre whilst autocracy is quite far right
As the Weimar republic was so democratic what 2 far wing parties were allowed in the Reichstag
Communist KDP and Fascist National People’s Party
Who was Wolfgang Kapp and how was he relevant in March 1920
He lead a far right uprising with the support of the free corps, ex-police and police
How was the Kapp Putsch put down
The working class who didn’t support the uprising went of strike
How long was Edbert out of power during the Kapp Putsch and where did Wolfgang Kapp flee too
100 hours. He fled to Sweden
Where did the Kapp Putsch and Spartacist uprising occur
Berlin
What was the intentions of the Kapp Putsch
To make Germany strong and overturn the treaty
What were the 3 economic impacts on Germany after WW1
1) National income was 1/3 down from what it was in 1913
2) War left 600,000 widows and 2million children fatherless- by 1925 the state was spending 1/3 of its budget in war pensions
3) Industrial production was 2/3 of what it was in 1913
What were the 3 social impacts on Germany after WW1
1) There was a huge gap between rich and poor
2) German workers were bitter that factory owners made fortunes from the war, but they had restrictions placed on their earnings
3) During the war, women were called up to work in factories and many saw this as damaging to traditional family values and society
What was the difference between the president and chancellor in the Weimar constitution
The president stayed out of day to day affairs, but controlled the military and could provoke Article 48, whilst the chancellor was responsible for day to day running of the country
How often was the president elected
Every 7 years
What was Article 48
When the president could rule on his own without getting the support of the Reichstag by issuing special emergency decrees in times of crisis
Who elected the chancellor
The president
What would the chancellor need in order to introduce new laws
The support of at least half the politicians in the Reichstag
How often were members of the Reichstag elected
Every 4 years
The Weimar government was proportionally represented. What did that mean
The percentage of votes you got was how many seats you had in parliment
What is the problem with proportional representation
There was never a majority with the leading party, making law making very difficult with over 20 different parties arguing over laws
What groups of people prefered the Kaiser’s autocratic rule over Germany
Older army generals, judges, upper-class families, rich factory owners and university professors.
What age could men and women vote in Weimar Germany
Over 20 (compared to Britain where for women it was 28)
Why did hyperinflation begin
The workers in the Ruhr went on strike, and the Weimar government continued to pay them by printing more money, so they spent all their money and shopkeepers put their prices up and the government printed more money.
In November 1923 how much did a loaf of bread cost compared to 1918
201 billion marks compared to 0.6 in 1918
Why did the French and Belgians invade the Ruhr
Germany couldn’t afford to pay reparations in 1922
When did France and Belgium invade the Ruhr
23rd January 1923
How many French and Belgian troops invaded the Ruhr
60,000
Who lost out because of hyperinflation
- People with savings - they lost all value
- Elderly people on fixed pensions - their income couldn’t buy them what they needed
- Small businesses - normal trade became impossible due to daily price change
Who benefited from hyperinflation
People who had borrowed money - it was very easy for them to pay off their debt
What was the red rising and how was it put down
Left-wing workers in the Ruhr stayed on strike and took several towns, however the goverment send soilders and free corps to deal with the rebellion
How many were killed in the red rising
Over 1000 workers
When was the red rising
March-April 1920
What assassinations took place in Germany after the war
- August 1921 - Matthias Erzberger who signed the armistice was shot dead by right-wing
- Foreign Minister Walter Rathenau was killed
- Acid was thrown on Philipp Scheidemann and important political
- Between 1919-22 over 350 murders were carried out
What was the rise of members of the Nazi party between 1920 and 1921
3000-5000
When was the Munich Putsch
8 November 1923
What was the significance of Ludendorff supporting Hitler
He was a great German war hero and many people respected him
How many died in the Munich Putsch
3 policemen and 16 Nazi’s
What happened to Hitler and Ludendorff during the end of the Munich Putsch
Hitler dislocated his shoulder and Ludendorff was arrested
What were the benefits for Hitler from the Munich Putsch
- He gained lots of publicity and media attention
- He was able to write Mein Kampf in prison
- He realised he had to change his strategy and win votes rather than take by force
Who was Gustav Stresemann
Briefly chancellor in 1923, but Foreign Minister in 1924 onwards until his death in 1929
What was Stresemann’s solution to hyperinflation
He replaced the old paper money with the Rentenmark and then in 1924, it was replaced by the reichsmark
Did people with savings ever get their money back from hyperinflation
No - they blamed Stresemann and his goverment
How did Stresemann deal with the invasion of the Ruhr
He met with American VP Charles Dawes and arranged the Dawes plan in 1924
What was the Dawes plan
It meant USA would lend money to Germany who would then be able to pay reparations and the allies were able to pay war loans to America
What was the Young plan
In 1929, Steressmann negotiated reparations down to £1.8mil and Germany was given longer to pay it
How did Stresemann deal with the decline of Germany’s status
He signed the Locarno Pact in 1925 and in 1926 joined the league of nations, then in 1928 signed the Kellogg-Briand Pact
How did Stresemann deal with the problem of German industries declining
With money from the Dawes plan, he built new factories, houses, schools and roads which led to more jobs for Germans as well
What was the problem in 1929 with Germany’s financial issues
They relied too heavily in foreign loans, so when the WSC hit they would retract loans and demand them back
What things thrived in 1920’s Germany
Cinema, Nightlife, Literature and art
What were the views on the social changes in the 1920’s
Some loved the changes, however some hated them. They preferred the more traditional values and when Hitler came to power, many artists and performers left Germany
What were specific impacts of the Depression in Germany
- American foreign factories had to close - unemployment
- Luxury goods like cars, electrical goods and clothing weren’t selling - unemployment
- American banks demanded back all the money they had lent Germany
How did Hitler become more popular after the depression
Millions blamed the Weimar government for the financial problems, and so people were prepared to listen to political parties who promised radical solutions to the problems
What were the main factors in Hitler’s rise to power
- Depression - Unemployment meant more people turned to someone who had the solutions to the problems and who blamed the government and the jews
- Germans were unhappy with the Weimar Government - politicians couldn’t agree on how to deal with the crisis and so the rise of new parties emerged
- Appeal of Hitler - He was charismatic and a great speaker which made him able to inspire his audiences
- Fear of communism - middle and upper classes were fearful of communists and so were religious figures, and Hitler promised to fight communism
- Nazi tactics - Offices were set up across the country recruiting SA, propaganda led by Goebbels, parades rallies and speeches, and the Hitler Youth appealed to children
How did Hitler use airplanes to his advantage after the depression
he used it to take him to 20 cities in 7 days to make speeches showing how modern they were