Germany 1918-45 Flashcards
Abdication of Kaiser
- November 1918
- Prince Max of Baden announced the abdication
- 11th November armistice signed.
Reasons for abdication
- Revolution from above - Ludendorff convinced the Kaiser to hand over power to a government.
- Revolution from below - Various mutinies and unions made it seem a revolution was likely unless Kaiser abdicated.
Stab in the back
Idea that Germany was winning the war and was betrayed by weak Weimar politicians.
Dolchstoss.
Weimar Government features
- 19th January 1919 election 82% voted.
- Freedom of speech, religion, and equality.
- Head of Government was president, elected every 7 years.
- Split into 18 states each with individual power.
Weimar Strengths
- Democracy
- Proportional representation
- Strong president
- Chancellors appointment democratic
- Federal system
Weimar Weaknesses
- Democracy was different and unpopular
- Very hard to get a majority
- Article 48 was open to abuse, overided Germans rights
- Federal states could rebel against central government
ToV Blame
Clause 231 said the war was exclusively Germany’s fault.
ToV Reparations
Germany had to pay £6.6 billion to Allies. Damaged the economy (1922 Ruhr).
ToV Army
Limited to 100,000 soldiers. No conscription. No tanks, air force, or submarines. Six battleships only. Demilitarised the Rhineland.
ToV Territory
Germany lost land in East Europe (Polish corridor, Estonia). Lost all of its colonies. Anschluss with Austria-Hungary forbidden.
ToV Overall
Germany lost: * 13% of its land * 12.5% of its population * 50% of iron and steel industry.
Spartacist uprising
5th January 1919, Lena Luxembourg + Karl Liebknecht. Mass strikes + telegraph office occupied. Government created the Freikorps to handle the Spartacists. 4,000 Freikorps put it down in 5 days.
Kapp Putsch
March 1920, 5k Freikorps led by Kapp marched on Berlin to overthrow government. Army refused to help government. Left wing organised a strike that crippled the Putsch. Weimar once again too weak.
French Occupation of Ruhr
Germany paid £50 million by 1922 but could not pay more. French occupied Ruhr to take the wealth themselves. Killed 100+ civilians. German workers strike. Government prints money to pay striking workers.
Hyperinflation
1919-1923 German income was 1/4 of what it needed to be. Nov 1923 a loaf cost 200 billion marks. Middle classes, savers, poor, pensioners hit hard. Farmers, debtors, businessmen did well.
