Germany: 1918-1922

Question 1

The Weimar Constitution was a democratic system of government …

Answer 1

• people 20+ could vote
• there was a system of proportional representation - if a party gained 20% of the votes then they gained 20% of the seats in the Reichstag
• there was a Chancellor who was responsible for the day-to-day government but he needed 50% of the Reichstag support
• the Head of State was the President

Question 2

Under what terms did the Allies offer peace to Germany?

Answer 2

the Allies offered to end the war but only if Germany became a democratic country - the Kaiser would not be allowed to rule Germany

Question 3

What happened in Kiel?

Answer 3

• the Kaiser refused to give up his post
• rebellion broke out in Kiel and revolts spread around Germany

Question 4

What happened in November 9th, 1918?

Answer 4

the Kaiser abdicated and left his throne - he fled to Belgium

Question 5

Who became the new leader of Germany? What did he do to improve Germany’s problems?

Answer 5

following his departure, Ebert (a socialist) because Weimar’s first leader. He quickly signed the Armistice and brought WW1 to an end.

Question 6

What changes to personal liberties were introduced under the new constitution?

Answer 6

under Weimar people were allowed to do what they wanted and they could decide which religion they followed

Question 7

Who was threatening the new democratic system?

Answer 7

threats came from both Left and Right wing people - mainly the Sparticists (L) and old supporters of the Kaiser; army; judges

Question 8

What was the ‘stab in the back’ theory?

Answer 8

many believed that they were stabbed in the back by the ‘November Criminals’

Question 9

What did people on the left want?

Answer 9

Communists wanted a communist revolution like the one in Russia (1917)

Question 10

Who was its first President? How did this happen?

Answer 10

the first elected president by the republic was Ebert in January 1919. He won majority of the elections.

Question 11

Why was the new Republic not founded in Berlin? Where was it created?

Answer 11

Berlin was not considered safe. Berlin was filled with ex-soldiers (Freikorps) and Communists who were causing riots and trouble.

Question 12

The Treaty of Versailles - May 1919

Answer 12

• lost 10% of its land (Germany was not allowed to unite with Austria)
• lost 12.5% of its population
• lost all of its overseas land
• lost 16% of its coal industry
• lost 48% of its iron industry
• Germany accepted war guilt for starting WW1. Article 231.
• armed forces were severly restricted: 100,000 men + 6 battleships. No conscription, no planes, no submarines.
• The Rhineland was demilitarised so no armed forces or vehicles were allowed
• reparations: 6.6 billion pounds

Question 13

The President

Answer 13

Head of State and was elected every 7 years by the German people. He also appoints the Chancellor. He controls the Armed forces as well.

Question 14

The Chancellor

Answer 14

appointed from the Reichstag by the President. Had to be supported by the majority of the Reichstag.

Question 15

The Reichstag

Answer 15

elected using proportional representation: parties got the same proportion of seats as their proportion of votes. They also make laws.

Question 16

Article 48

Answer 16

in emergency the President could make laws without using the Reichstag

Question 17

Positives of the Weimar Republic

Answer 17

• very democratic as all 20 year olds could vote and have a say
• fair system - every party which gained votes, gained seats
• needed to take control of country in crisis
• ensured that if necessary someone could put down rebellion and riots

Question 18

Negatives of the Weimar Republic

Answer 18

• in 1919, the Weimar Republic had many enemies and lots of people voted for parties who wanted to get rid of it
• coalition government