Germany 1918-1924 Flashcards
When did Kaiser Wilhelm Abdicate
9th November 1918
What were Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen points (Summed up)
Return of Alsace-Lorraine to France
Establishment of a league of nations
Self determination
Self Governance
Prevention of another war
Who is Friedrich Ebert
SPD politician
Elected to the Reichstag in 1912
First president of the Weimar republic in 1919
The “Father” of the Weimar republic
When/what was the Sailors revolt
23rd-24th December 1918 sailors’ revolt in Berlin was put down by the army leading to three USPD ministers resigning
When/what was the Spartacists uprising
6th January 1919: Spartacists launched armed revolt against the government seizing newspaper offices. Revolt crushed after a week of heavy fighting
What is the Ebert-Groener pact
Most of the army opposed Democracy and fought fearlessly for the Kaiser. General Groener phoned Ebert to assure him that the army leadership would have the support of the government, in return Ebert assured Groener that he would resist the revolutions and uphold the existing command structure in the Army
When/what was the Sailors Mutiny?
3rd November 1918 - Sailors at Kiel mutinied against their officers and took control. This eventually led to revolt all around the country and led to the Kaiser abdicating
What is Proportional Representation
Enabled smaller parties to win seats and influence government. Germany was divided into 35 electoral districts (aprox. 1 million voters each)
What is individual rights
All Germans equal before the law. Censorship is forbidden. Religious freedoms. Right of property guaranteed. Personal liberty is inviolable. Economic freedom for the individual
What were 2 weaknesses of the Weimar constitution
Proliferation of small parties: Enabled small parties to exploit the system to gain publicity.
Coalition Governments: Due to smaller parties, none of the larger parties could gain a majority forcing them to form coalitions, every single government in the Weimar Republic was a Coalition
Who was the first Weimar Chancellor
Scheidemann
Name the political spectrum (Left to Right)
KPD
USPD
SPD
DDP
CENTRE
DVP
DNVP
NSDAP
What is the Freikorps
Soldiers who struggled to adapt to civilian life edged towards the Freikorps
Worked like the military in order and structure
Infamous for putting down communist uprisings
Terms of the treaty of Versailles (TRAWL)
Territory
Reparations
Armed forces
War Guilt
League of Nations
Who are the Winners of Hyperinflation
Black-Marketeers who bought up food and sold them at inflated prices
Those who had debt FIXED
Enterprising business people took out loams
Owners of foreign exchange and foreigners themselves
Most farmers as they could set the prices of the food
Who are the losers of hyperinflation
Those who relied on savings, investments, fixed income or welfare support
Pensioners
Those who had lent money to the govt.
Landlords reliant on fixed rents
Unskilled workers and non-trade union members
Artisans and small business owners
The sick as rising costs of food and medical care
Tuberculosis and rickets increased in malnourished children
What was the invasion of the Rhur
Jan 1923 - French and Belgian military force (60,000) to force Versailles compliance
Took control of all mines, factories, steelworks and railways demanded food from shops set up machine gun posts in the streets
What was Germanys reaction of the invasion of the Rhur
Stopped all reparation payments
Policy of passive resistance, no citizen to cooperate with the occupiers, but German workers still promised wages to continue to go on strike
Freikorps units secretly organised acts of sabotage
Around 150,000 Germans were expelled from the area 132 Germans were shot within 8 months, including a 7 year old boy
What did the French do in retaliation to the resistance
150,000 Germans expelled from the area
Some miners shots after clashes with the police
Established military court and punished mine owners
132 Germans shot
French brought their own workers to operate railways and export coals
Coal deliverers down to 1/3
Overall output fell to 1/5 of its preoccupation figures
Price of Bread in Jan 1923 compared to Nov 1923
Jan = 163 Marks
Nov = 233 Billion marks