Germany In Transition (1919-1939) - Key Definitions Flashcards
Autocracy
Ruled by one person
Abdication
To give up the throne
Kaiser
German word for Emperor
Chancellor
Chief minister
Constitution
An agreed method of governing a country
Armistice
The ending of hostilities in war (ceasefire)
Diktat
Harsh penalty or settlement imposed upon a defeated party by the victor.
Extremism
Extreme political views
Spartacists
A group of people who represented the workers in the Communist Party
Freikorps
Paramilitary groups formed from demobilised soldiers from WW1
Putsch
Attempted overthrow of the government
November Criminals
Armistice, WW1
The politicians who signed the Treaty
Dolchstoss
The German soldiers had been betrayed and told they were winning
Stabbed in the back
Passive resistance
Opposition to government or invading power without violence
Marianne
Symbol of France - freedom and liberty, protector
Ceasefire
End to fighting
Treaty
An agreement between countries or states
Weimar
The Weimar Government was a new form of government, aiming to represent more people through a classless system. It was controversial.
President
The elected head of a republic
Hyperinflation
Very high rate of monetary inflation, cost of items rises very rapidly
Right-wing
Political parties who wanted to keep society stable, a strong government, capitalism, Kaiser back, nationalist.
Left-wing
Political parties who wanted rapid social change, equality, political power to workers, end capitalism, internationalist.
Democracy
A system of government where the whole population or eligible people can vote and their say , typically through electoral representatives.
Anschluss
A political union between Germany and Austria
Allies
Countries working together - France, Great Britain, Russia and later USA, Italy and Japan
Demilitarised Zone
The Rhineland - area free of German tanks, military personnel, weapons etc
Volkisch
A pure German people
Reichswehr
German army 1919-1935
Volksgemeinschaft
A people’s community. Inclusive and without class systems. Everyone belongs.
Lebensraum
Living space. Hitler believed land in the East was the destiny of the German people
Gauleiter
Local leader of Nazi Party
Fuhrerprinzip
The leadership principle that everyone in the Nazis worked for and was answerable to Hitler
Dictator
A ruler with total power over a country, one who has obtained power by force
Enabling Act
A law to transfer full power to the Chancellor and his government for 4 years
Gleichshaltung
Coordination. The ‘Nazifying’ of German society
Four Year Plan
An economic plan to get Germany war ready starting in 1936
Armaments
Military weapons and equipment
Conscription
Enlisting in the state army
DAF
German Labour Front
Invisible Unemployed
People in Germany excluded from working and from unemployment statistics e.g Jews, women
Red Front
Communist military wing who fought SA on the streets until 1933
Indoctrination
Teaching a person to accept rules or beliefs without thought, brainwashing
Aryan
A person of European descent, not Jewish, preferably with blonde hair and blue eyes. Superior race.
Untermenschen
Sub-humans, inferior people
Mischlinge
Half-breed
Herrenvolk
Master race (Aryan)
Autarky
To make Germany economically self sufficient
Nuremberg Laws
Reich Citizenship Law - Jews not citizens
Law for the protection of German blood and German honour - Jews and racially pure not allowed relationships together
