germany Flashcards
How often did the elections for president take place under the Weimar Constitution?
Every 7 years
How was the chancellor appointed under the Weimar Constitution?
Appointed by the president from members of the Reichstag.
Must hold support of the Reichstag majority.
What was the Reichstag government under the Weimar Constitution?
Political parties were allotted seats according to the percentage of votes gained.
What was Article 48?
In an emergency, the president held powers to pass laws without Reichstag approval.
Who had the vote under the Weimar Constitution?
All Germans over the age of 20
What was proportional representation?
Under the system of proportional representation, seats were awarded in the Reichstag according to the percentage of votes gained.=.
Strengths of proportional representation
All parties which received votes had representation in the Reichstag.
Weaknesses of proportional representation
Because all parties that received votes had a seat in the Reichstag, many small and sometimes even extremist parties won seats.
This led to an unstable government, because no individual party had a majority and several parties had to form a coalition
The coalitions often broke down, meaning that the government no longer had a majority in the Reichstag. As a result, there was a series of short-term governments that were unable to effectively address Germany’s problems as a nation.
When was the armistice signed?
In November 1918, after which the Allies began drawing up a peace treaty.
Give 2 examples of the land Germany lost because of the Treaty of Versailles
- Alsace and Lorraine were lost to France
- Eupen and Malmedy were lost to Belgium
- Posen and West Prussia were lost to Poland
- The German port of Danzig was made an international city, not governed by Germany
How much percent of Germany’s European territory was lost overall due to the Treaty of Versailles?
Overall, Germany lost about 13% of its European territory, including almost 50% of its iron reserves and 15% of its coal reserves.
In addition Germany lost all 11 of its colonies in Africa and the Far East, and the colonies were goven to the victorious countries as ‘mandates’.
How much did Germany have to pay in reparations to the Allies because of Treaty of Versailles?
136,000 million marks
How were the German military forces cut because of the Treaty of Versailles?
Navy limited to 6 battleships, 6 cruisers, 12 destroyers, and 12 torpedo boats.
No tanks
Army limited to 100,000 men.
No submarines
No air force
What part of the Treaty of Versailles was particularly humiliating for the German people?
Article 231, the ‘War Guilt’ Clause.
This clause stated that Germany had to accept blame for starting the war.
The German public resented this,; they felt that responsibility for the war should be shared by all powers involved in the conflict.
What were the politicians that signed the Treaty of Versailles labelled as?
The ‘November Criminals’, and they were hated for their actions.
Many German people were angry about the government’s decision to sign the treaty. They felt that the Allies were deliberately seeking to weaken them.
When and why was Germany close to bankrupcy?
By 1918, due to the cost of WW1, and worsened by the Treaty of Versailles. The Allies insisted on huge reparations payments and, at the same time, they took away some of Germany’s income-generating areas.
Why did the Allied refuse when Germany asked for payments to be reduced since they were struggling?
The Allies had taken loans during WW1 and needed payments from Germany so that they could repay the money owed to other countries such as USA.
What happened in late 1922?
By late 1922, Germany failed to pay some installments. In December 1922, they missed another payment, leading to French retaliation.
Which countries invaded the Ruhr and when?
In January 1923, Belgian and French troops marched into the Ruhr.
Why was the Ruhr so important?
It was the centre of Germany’s production of iron, steel, and coal.
Why did the countries invade the Ruhr?
The Germans had fallen behind on their reparations payments and France and Belgium decided to take industrial products instead of cash payments.
What did the German government do in response to the invasion of the Ruhr?
They were angered by the invasion, but realised that they could not take any military action due to the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, so instead encouraged workers to carry out a campaign of passive resistance.
Some Germans used arson and sabotage to damage factories so production had to stop.
In response, the French brought in their own workers.
What were effects of the invasion of the Ruhr?
The German government’s reaction to the occupation of the Ruhr bought its temporary popularity: it resisted France and provided strike pay for the workers involved in passive resistance. The occupation also united the German nation against the invading French and Belgians.
However, the German economy had been struggling before 1923 and the invasion of the Ruhr made it worse. Germany lost income as a result of France and Belgium taking industrial products from the Ruhr and the German government was forced to print more money to pay the striking workers. The more notes were printed, the more the value fell and Germany entered a period of hyperinflation.
How many paper mills and printing shops were there by 1923 whose only job was to print money?
In the years 1919-23, the income of the German government was only a quarter of what it needed.
The government decided to print more banknotes so that it had enough money. By 1923, the government had 300 paper mills and 200 printing shops whose only job was to print money.
How did hyperinflation happen in 1923?
The government had started to print more money in WW1 to pay for the cost of the war.
After Germany lost, it printed even more to pay for the reparations demanded by the Treaty of Versailles.
After the invasion of the Ruhr, it was forced to print even more money to pay the striking workers.
Which groups benefitted from hyperinflation?
People with loans and mortgages could pay them off much quicker because the real value of the loan had fallen so much. This helped some businesses, as they were able to pay off their business loans quickly.
People who owned possessions were generally protected as the value of these possessions rose in line with hyperinflation.
Most farmers benefitted, as the food they produced could be sold at higher prices.
What were the negative effects of hyperinflation?
Millions of middle-class Germans were thrown into poverty and they blamed the Weimar government for their problems (even though these problems started before the Weimar government had formed).
There was a real danger that the Weimar government could be overthrown if the country’s economic problems were not resolved.
When did Gustav Stresemann become chancellor?
1923
What government did Stresemann lead, and what did they help to solve?
He led the ‘Great Coalition’ government.
The urgent problem of hyperinflation and brought about important movements in the state of the economy, e.g.:
A fall in unemployment
More house building
An investment in transport systems
How long was Gustav Stresemann chancellor for?
4 months, before becoming foreign secretary.
He held this position until his death in October 1929.
What did Stresemann introduce as a temporary solution to the 1923 hyperinflation crisis, and when?
In November 1923, Stresemann introduced the Rentenmark as a temporary solution, and the amount of money printed was tightly controlled.
What was the value of the Rentenmark based on, and what did Stresemann promise to do if the currency failed?
Germany’s industrial and agricultural worth.
Stresemann also promised to exchange the notes for shares in German land or industry if the currency failed, giving the German people confidence in the new currency.
What replaced the Rentenmark and when, and what did it do?
In 1924, the Reichsbank was handed control of the new currency.
In the same year, the Reichsmark was issued to replace the Rentenmark.
The Reichsmark was a new permanent currency that people in Germany and in other countries could now rely on. These measures restored faith in Germany’s financial system and were vital in allowing Germany’s economy to grow stronger.
When was the Dawes Plan agreed to, and between who?
In 1924
Between Germany and the Allies.
Name 3 of the key points of the Dawes Plan
- The USA loaned Germany 800 million gold marks; this gave a massive boost to the German industry.
- Reparations payments were lowered to 1,000 million marks for the first 5 years to make them for affordable. After that, the payments would be increased to 2,500 million marks.
- The Allies agreed to review the payment rate over time, to take account of Germany’s economic situation and ability to pay.
- The French agreed to withdraw troops from the Ruhr. They also agreed that any missed payments in the future would be dealt with by the Allies together.
- The Allies were given some control over the Reichsbank and railways in Germany.
Why did some Germans critisise the government for agreeing to the terms of the Dawes Plan?
They felt that Germany was accepting the blame for starting the war by agreeing to continue with reparations payments.
However, the Dawes plan helped to restore Germany’s economy and led to further loans from the USA.
Over the next 6 years, Germany recieved more than 25 billion marks in loans. This money allowed German industry to recover.
When was the Young Plan introduced?
1929
What were the terms of the Young Plan?
Despite the Dawes Plan and American loans, the German government still did not find it easy to make reparations payments.
- The total reperations bill was reduced to around $8 billion.
- The payments were to be made over 59 years, at a rate of $473 million per year.
- Germany was only obliged to pay a third of the annual sum each year. It should pay the rest if it could afford to do so.
Why did people in Germany oppose the Young Plan?
Some nationalist groups were angry that Germany would continue to pay reparations. They felt that the timescale for the payments was far too long and would limit Germany’s success as a nation.
What was the effect of the Young Plan on Germany?
At the beginning, the reduction in annual payments allowed the government to reduce taxes and released funds that were used to boost the German industry and create jobs for workers.
In the end, the Young Plan came to nothing. In 1929, the Wall Street Crash occured in the USA. After this, the Americans could not afford to loan any money to Germany.
In 1931, the German economy also crashed and the Allies agreed to suspend reparations payments.
When did Germany sign the Locarno Pact?
1925
What was the Locarno Pact and who did it involve?
A collection of seven treaties involving Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, Britain, Czechoslovakia and Poland.
What were the terms of the Locarno Pact?
- Germany agreed to accept its new western borders, and all the countries involved in the Locarno Pact agreed to avoid military force except in self-defence.
- Germany agreed that Alsace-Lorraine would be French. In return, the French agreed not to occupy the Ruhr again.
-All parties agreed that Germany;s Eastern borders could be settled by ‘peaceful means’.
Why did Stresemann say the Locarno Pact was a victory?
It made peace in Europe more likely. Germany was now being treated as an equal to the other European powers rather than being ordered about by them.
In September 1926, Stresemann persuaded the other great powers to allow Germany to join the League of Nations. This was partly a result of the signing of the Locarno Pact.
Why were some nationalist parties and groups in Germany very resentful about the Locarno Pact?
They were very unhappy that Stresemann was accepting the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, particularly in relation to Germany’s borders.
When was the Kellogg-Briand Pact signed?
1928
How many countries signed the Kellogg-Briand Pact?
62, including Germany, the USA and France.
What was the aim of the Kellogg-Briand Pact?
To prevent a future war, by getting countries to promise not to use military forces to settle disagreements.
The USA was not in the league of nations and saw this pact as a way for it to be involved in building peace with other countries.
How did the Kellogg-Briand Pact show a clear improvement in Germany’s relations with other countries?
- Germany had been excluded from the negotiations that led to the Treaty of Versailles. Now, however, Germany was included among the main powers once again.
- It was clear that the Weimar Republic was now a respected, stable state. It had recovered from its troubled beginning.
- This pact gave the German public more confidence that the moderate political parties could be trusted to make Germany strong again.
When was the German Workers’ Party formed and who was it led by?
January 1919, Anton Drexler
What were the views of the German Workers’ Party?
1) Democracy was weak and a powerful leader was needed to build Germany’s strength.
2) Jews were to blame for making Germany weak.
3) Communists and socialists had brought about the fall of the Kaiser.
4) The socialist Weimar politicians had betrayed Germany by signing the Treaty of Versailles.
