Germany pre Weimar Republic Flashcards
How was Germany structured pre WW1?
- Absolute monarchy
- Collection of kingdoms known as “states”. Unified by von Bismarck in 1871.
- Previously a part of the Holy Roman Empire and consisted of papal states
How was Germany structured post WW1?
- 1929 Wall Street crash meant US aid could no longer support Germany
- Treaty of Versailles meant Germany took responsibility for WW1, being forced to pay reparations and concede land
What was the issue with Germany borders pre 1918?
They had no natural boundaries such as mountain ranges. They grew suspicious of foreign threat too, which led to an aggressive foreign policy.
What internal divisions existed in Germany?
- Religion - Judaism, Catholic, Protestant. Arguments and division existed primarily between the Christian denominations.
- National identity -people included German, Polish, Danish, French
- Political ideals - Absolutism, militarism, antisemitism, communism etc
- Power rivalries - e.g. agriculture, colonies, navy
What is meant by Primacy of Rural Influence?
Wealthy people in the countryside remained more politically powerful than people in cities.
What was the name of Germany prior to 1918?
The Second Reich
Who were the Junkers in the Second Reich?
Wealthy, conservative landowners and aristocrats who feared their political, social and economic dominance was threatened. They stood for military tradition and prioritised protecting their industry.
What did the Junkers see as a threat?
They saw Catholics and Socialists as a threat to political and social order. They saw their economic interests threatened by US agricultural competition (known as protectionism) and the demands of the middle class for political representation.
What was the role of the upper middle class?
Economic change led to the growth of powerful entrepreneurs. The upper middle class was allied to traditional elites, but elsewhere in Europe they drove social change.
Industrial areas were aristocratic, conservative and protestant.
What were the priorities of the upper middle class?
They prioritised retaining their social status, as they regarded any sign of division as a threat. They were particularly fearful of socialism as it was a direct threat to industrialists.
What was the role of the lower middle class?
They began to decline and grew increasingly threatened as their livelihoods were threatened by industrialisation: goods could now be produced easily and cheaply in factories.
Therefore they opposed industrial change and tended to support extreme Nationalist and antisemetic groups e.g. the Pan-German league.
How did the working class change?
The number of industrial working class people grew exponentially during the 2nd Reich - by 1913, 38% of the population was employed in industry.
There was a rise in working class support for socialism and the socialist movement developed a strong organisational network, building up electoral strength. By 1912, the SPD was Germany’s largest political party.
