Germany 1919 Flashcards
Right wing German Parties
DNVP
NDSAP
Monarchists
Centrist German parties
Centre party
DNP
Left wing parties
KPD
DDP
USPD
SPD
Who were the Spartacists?
They were originally part of the USPD They wanted a revolution like Lenin’s Wanted to transfer all powers of National Assembly to soldier and worker councils Seize coal, iron and steel industries Worker’s militia will replace army
What was the Spartacists revolt?
1st January 1919-Members of the union form KPD
5th January-revolt begins, newspaper offices were taken over and a revolutionary committee is formed funded by the Soviet Union
Uprising was poor organised and was put down by the Freikorps
Who were the Freikorps?
Demobilised soldiers who were right wing
Did not like communists
Bitter of Germany’s defeat and are funded by the industrialists
How Germany had changed? (Head of state)
The President was now head of state.
People can vote for the president every 7 years
How had Germany not changed? (Head of state)
Head of state appoints chancellor
Head of state summons and dismisses Reichstagg
How Germany had changed? (The Reichstag)
Can be Government ministers
For every 60,000 votes, it gave parties 1 seat
Elected every 4 years (used to be 3)
Stuff can be passed without their consent
Able to pass laws on military
How had Germany not changed? (Reichstag)
Voted on new laws and the budget
How had Germany changed? (Electors)
Men and women over the age of 20 had the right to vote: For the Reichstag every 4 years For the president every 7 years Parliament of state every 4 years In plebiscites on occasional issues
How had Germany not changed? (The government)
Reichstag, chancellor and ministers
How had Germany changed? (The government)
No more Bunderstrat
Reichsratt formed
Government and chancellor had power, no longer kaiser
How had Germany changed? (Method of election)
Proportional representation introduced
States reduced from 26 to 18
How did the Treaty of Versailles undermine the republic?
Made them seen as traitors as it was one sided
Why was there so much opposition to the treaty of Versailles?
Germans felt that they could have won the war due to nationalist propaganda when they actually couldn’t
How harsh was the treaty of Versailles?
Germany lost a lot of territories including the Saar and eastern Prussia
Germany had to pay more reparations
Germany’s army has been severely limited
What was significant about the treaty of Versailles?
It can be argued that it caused the rise of Nazism and World War 2
Germany was forced to sign it otherwise they will be invaded
However it can be argued their economy did recover and received more loans than they had to pay reparations
How was Germany’s economy affected by WW1?
Loss of territory, valuable industrial output (Alsace-Lorraine)
Had to pay a lot in reparations
6 million people displaced, lost workers
Colonies lost
Sarr occupied for 15 years
Weimar Republic had to pay in goods and raw materials for reparations
Loans for soldiers, pensions for widows and welfare for children
Rise in unemployment
Retraining soldiers scheme
Salary decrease
Threat from Extreme left
KDP completely opposed Weimar
Creation of Bavarian socialist republic
German October
