Germany 1890-1945

Question 1

Kaiser Wilhelm II’s ideals

Answer 1

Weltpolitik (wanted to make Germany a world power); maintain a powerful army a build a large navy;

Question 2

Kaiser Wilhelm II’s background

Answer 2

from Prussia - strong militaristic beliefs; spent most of youth in the army

Question 3

Industrialisation in Germany from 1880 - 1890 - 1913

Answer 3

Germany started to industrialise in the late 1800’s; and quickly caught up to Britain by around 1890; by 1913, Germany = Britain in coal and Germany» Britain in iron and steel.

Question 4

trade unions becoming popular amongst workers

Answer 4

workers unhappy with low wages and joined trade unions and organised strikes; by 1914, 3M workers had joined trade unions

Question 5

Social Democratic Party (SPD) ideals

Answer 5

socialism; more power to the Reichstag; less power to factory + land owners; !!one in three germans voted for this party!!; some wanted to overthrow the Kaiser

Question 6

What were the Navy Laws

Answer 6

Between 1898 and 1912 a huge amount of money was spent to expand the navy (and army).

Question 7

Why did the Kaiser introduce the navy laws?

Answer 7

To protect Germany; make Germany a world power; and take over surrounding countries

Question 8

What money was used for the navy laws?

Answer 8

taxes were increased and money was borrowed; Germany went into debt for a long time

Question 9

Parliamentary Government in Germany (under the Kaiser)

Answer 9

Kaiser - full power over military and foreign policy, could ignore gov advice; chancellor and ministers - advised Kaiser; Bundesrat - representatives of each state; Reichstag - elected by men over 25, debated and voted on laws

Question 10

28 October 1918

Answer 10

Navy mutinied; worker’s and soldier’s councils took over; Kaiser lost control

Question 11

9 November 1918

Answer 11

Kaiser abdicated; Friedrich Ebert (SPD) took over to hold elections and end the war.

Question 12

11 November 1918

Answer 12

Germany surrendered

Question 13

Economic impacts of WW1 on Germany

Answer 13

bankrupt; owed money, exhausted factories, had to pay war pensions

Question 14

Societal impacts of WW1 on Germany

Answer 14

factory owners made a fortune; worker’s wages were restricted; women worked (come felt this damaged traditional family values)

Question 15

Political impacts of WW1 on Germany

Answer 15

mutiny and rebellion; some felt politicians betrayed Germany by ending the war.

Question 16

how was the Weimar Republic formed? timeline

Answer 16

(1) Ebert (SPD) arranged for elections in January. A small group of Communists (the Spartacists), however, used the chaos to seize power in Berlin (6 Jan 1919)

(2) Ebert (SPD) sent the Freikorps to attack the Spartacists. After three days, the Freikorps won and killed the Spartacist leaders. Ebert (SPD) won the elections.

(3) Met in Weimar instead of Berlin since Berlin was full of violence. Created the Weimar Constitution (a set of rules about how Germany was to be run) (including “all Germans have the right to vote”). Germany was now known as the “Weimar Republic”

Question 17

weaknesses of the Weimar constitution

Answer 17

proportional representation: lots of parties had seats, difficult to get a majority, voting difficulties and slow lawmaking; germans disliked the new governing system and linked it to the end of the war (“November criminals”); Article 48, laws could be passed without the Reichstag in times of catastrophe; upper classes, factory owners, old army generals, judges, university professors longed for the Kaiser