Germany key events Flashcards
Germany becoming a country
1877, a collection of small speaking countries that joined together led by a man called Otto Van Bismark
Monarchy definition
Head of state is a king or queen
Democracy definition
Public choose a leader by a vote
Constitutional monarchy definition
Head of state is a monarch but a democratically elected parliament makes the laws
Role of the Kaiser
Inherits position and rules like a king. Personal control over the army and foreign policy . Appoints and dismisses the chancellor and can dissolve the reichstag at any time
Role of the Chancellor
Runs the government and proposes new legislation. Doesn’t need the Reichstag or Bundesrat to stay in power
Role of the Bundesrat
Members are representatives from each state in German empire. It’s consent is needed for all legislation but can be overruled by the Kaiser, more powerful than the Reichstag
Role of the Reichstag
Members elected by public every 3 years. They pass or reject legislation handed down by the Bundesrat
Kaiser Wilhelm II
Total control lover Germany, unstable and annoyed at Britain. Believed in weltpolitik (world politics) meaning Germany should have a say in the world
Kaiser Wilhelm II’s aims
Control the political system as he didn’t have much respect for the German parliament/ Reichstag. He also wanted to make Germany a leading world power and wanted an overseas empire like Britain and France
Kaiser Wilhelm’s difficulty in ruling Germany
Growth of socialism which developed through Germany becoming more industrial. More workers moved to cities to work in factories and wanted better wages and living conditions. They started supporting the Social Democrat Party (left wing) who became the largest party in the Reichstag in 1912. Kaiser really didn’t like this as it didn’t align with his aims at all
Kaiser Wilhelm’s Navy Laws
The Kaiser wanted a Navy to match Britain so he had to build more naval ships also because the German army had grown to 800,000. To get this money, they had to raise taxes which really annoyed people and further made them support the SPD who disagreed with building ships
Germany between 1914-1918
Germany loses the war because Britain blockades German ports and a famine starts where 300,000 civilians starve .
Germany after 1918
Low Morale after so many deaths and losing the war, mass starvation as little food imported into Germany, estimated 763,000 civilian and malnutrition deaths, led to growth of extreme parties
Mutinies and revolutions during Kaiser’s reign
In Oct/Nov 1918, Germany Navy were ordered to sea in Northern Germany to attack British ships, Sailors refused as they no longer wanted to fight. News of mutiny spread to ports nearby and workers supported soldiers. They all joined in protest together taking over towns and set up special councils. Germany was in chaos and Kaiser couldn’t do anything so he abdicated the throne.
MAIN causes of WW1
Militarism, Alliance, Imperialism, Nationalism
Treaty of Versailles
Signed on the 28th June 1918 in Versailles. It included a number of terms that sought to punish Germany for the role they played in the war
Spartacists Uprising
Jan 1919- Spartacus League was a communists group who disliked the Weimar government as they believed in complete equality. They went to Berlin in protest led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht. Ebert brings out Friekorps (ex soldiers) who fight against them. The leaders died but it had serious repercussions for Weimar Gov. They looked weak and showed they couldn’t protect themselves
Land lost in ToV
Germany was stripped of lots of land, In total, 13% of land was lots, 48% of its iron production lost and 6 million citizens. They also lost all of their colonies in Africa and Asia
Army lost in ToV
Army was limited to only 100,000 men. They weren’t allowed to build tanks, aeroplanes or submarines. This was to ensure Germany weren’t strong in more wars
Extreme left wing group
Communists
Middle left wing group
Socialists
Central political group
Liberalists (Democracy, freedom of individual choice)