Germany Chapter 2- Impact of WW1 Flashcards
Germany 1890-1945- Chapter 2
When did WW1 begin?
August 1914
Who did Germany and Austria go against in WW1?
France, Britain, Russia and Belgium
What was Germany’s reactions during the war in 1914?
-Patriotic Germans thought it would end quickly
-British navy stopped ships getting food into GER -> food & other shortages.
What was Germany’s reactions during the war in 1915-16?
-In GER, protestors demanded war to end. Demonstrations-> 500 to 10,000 people.
-War weariness increased
-Front line-> soldiers worn down by bombs, gas & machine gun fire
When did the Germany navy in Kiel mutinied?
28 October 1918
What event occurred on October 28, 1918, leading to significant unrest in Germany?
-German navy in Kiel mutinied
-Mutiny spread among soldiers & workers
-In 6 days, workers’ & soldiers’ councils governed towns & cities
-Kaiser lost control as army generals refused to support him
What significant event occurred on November 9, 1918, regarding the leadership transition in Germany?
-Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated and fled Germany permanently
-Friedrich Ebert, leader of SPD, assumed temporary leadership
-Ebert promised elections and ended the war
When did Germany surrender WW1?
11 November 1918
What were some economic consequences faced by Germany after World War I?
Germany faced:
- Large debts from borrowing to finance the war.
- Loaned money to its allies.
- Exhausted factories.
- High costs for war pensions.
How did World War I affect German society by 1918?
- Society became more divided
- Factory owners profited, while workers faced wage restrictions
- Women entered the workforce, leading to concerns about traditional family values
What contributed to political instability in Germany after World War I?
- Mutiny and revolution occurred across Germany
- Ex-soldiers and civilians accused politicians of betraying Germany by ending the war
What event marked the declaration of Germany as a democratic republic?
-Temporary leader Ebert declared Germany a democratic republic
-Ebert arranged for elections for a new parliament to take place in January
What group attempted to seize power in Berlin on 6th January 1919?
Spartacists, a group of Communists, seized power in Berlin
How did Ebert respond to the Spartacist uprising, and what group did he deploy?
-Ebert deployed the Free Corps (a group of tough ex-soldier), to attack Spartacists
-After 3 days of street fighting, the Free Corps recaptured buildings and arrested (and later killed) Spartacist leaders
What occurred after the suppression of the Spartacists?
-Ebert’s party, the SPD, won the elections
Where did politicians meet to create a formal set of rules for governing Germany?
-Politicians met in Weimar to create the Weimar Constitution
What was the Weimar Constitution?
-Established a formal set of rules for governing Germany
What rights were granted to all Germans by the Weimar Constitution?
-Granted all Germans equal rights, including the right to vote
What was a weakness of the Weimar Constitution regarding the makeup of the Reichstag?
-Proportional representation led to difficulty in achieving a majority for one party
-Leading parties had to negotiate with smaller groups, slowing down the law-making process
Who were some groups that opposed the democratic system established by the Weimar Constitution?
-Older army generals, judges, upper-class families, rich factory owners, and university professors
-They preferred the previous rule under the Kaiser
What term did some Germans use to describe the politicians linked to Germany’s defeat in World War I?
-Some Germans called them “November Criminals”
Article 48
-granted the President of Germany emergency powers to pass laws without the approval of the Reichstag
November Criminals?
-politicians and leaders who were associated with Germany’s defeat in World War I & the establishment of the new government.
KPD
Communist Party
Who supported the Communist Party (KPD)?
-Vast majority were working class
Who supported the Social Democratic Party (SPD)?
-Mostly working class
SPD
Social Democratic Party
Who supported the German Democratic Party (DDP)?
-Middle class, e.g. lawyers, writers
DDP
German Democratic Party
Who supported the Centre Party (Zentrum)?
-Catholics from all classes (southern GER was mainly Catholic)
Zentrum
Centre Party
Who supported the People’s Party (DVP)?
-Middle class, mainly businessmen
DVP
People’s party
Who supporters the National People’s Party (DNVP)?
-Middle & Upper classes, some ex-soldiers
DNVP
National People’s Party
Who supported the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP or Nazis)?
-Unemployed
-Ex- soldiers
-Some support from middle & upper classes who feared communists
What did the Treaty of Versailles state? 1919
-Reparations of £6.6 billion
-GER should only have a small navy, no submarines, tanks or air force
-GER must hand over its colonies abroad to its winning countries.
-No GER soldiers should enter Rhineland (an area of GER next to France)
-GER must never unite with Austria again
-No Anchluss
-Large GER land areas used to create new countries for people who has previously been ruled by others (such as Poland & Czechoslovakia)
Why did the Germans hate the Treaty of Versailles?
-humiliated & felt it was too harsh-> land taken meaning losing people, factories, farms & mines/had to pay money too
-ordered to sign the treaty without discussion-> DIKTAT- dictated peace
-felt that GER new politicans betrayed country by asking for a ceasefire-> when Kaiser left GER in Nov 1918. /some thought they could’ve carried on fighting.
Field Marshal Hindenburg
Blamed politicians for ‘stabbing the German army in the back’
What were the reparations in 1921?
£6.6 billion to be paid in yearly installments for the next 66 years
What led to the Occupation of the Ruhr in 1922, and who took control of the region?
-Germans announced inability to pay reparations, leading to the Occupation of the Ruhr by French and Belgian soldiers
-In Jan 1923, 60,000 soldiers seized control of factories, mines, and railways in the industrial area of Germany
What measures did the German government take in response to the Occupation of the Ruhr, and what consequences did these measures have?
-Ordered workers in the Ruhr to go on strike (passive resistance)
-Continued paying striking workers and printed large amounts of money to pay debts and workers
-This led to hyperinflation as shop prices skyrocketed
How severe was hyperinflation in Germany during 1923, and what are some examples of its impact on everyday goods?
-Prices inflated rapidly, leading to hyperinflation
-e.g: Price of a loaf of bread increased from 0.6 marks in 1918 to 1.5 million marks in November 1923
e.g: Price of an egg surged from 0.9 marks in 1914 to 320 billion marks in November 1923
What were the impacts of the economic problems in Germany by 1923?
- By 1923, German currency became worthless due to hyperinflation.
- Many Germans blamed their government for causing economic problems by calling a strike in the Ruhr & printing excessive money.
- 1923 was regarded as the worst year for most Germans since the end of World War I.
- Hyperinflation had a detrimental impact on the majority of people, creating more losers than winners.
What were some negative impacts experienced by certain groups during the economic crisis?
-Bank savings lost value, becoming worthless.
-Elderly individuals on fixed pensions faced affordability issues.
-Small businesses collapsed due to unstable trade conditions.
What were some positive impacts experienced by certain groups during the economic crisis?
-Borrowers found it extremely easy to pay off their debts due to hyperinflation.
-For instance, someone who borrowed 10,000 marks in 1920 could repay their entire debt with a single banknote.
