Germany Revision Flashcards
1
Q
Who is Kaiser Wilhelm II?
A
- An Autocratic Ruler
- Created Weltpolitik which focused on (GANE)
- His strong focus on foreign policy meant that he did not focus on solving these issues, which led to tensions in the city
- Very keen to have a navy and empire to rival Britain’s
2
Q
What does GANE stand for?
A
Glory - Germany to be a strong, powerful nation
Army - He wanted a large army
Navy - He wanted a large navy
Empire - He wanted Germany to have it’s place in the sun
3
Q
What were the main bodies that made up the empire’s central government?
A
- The Emperor
- Chancellor
- Bundesrat
- Bundestag
4
Q
What were the roles of The Emperor?
A
- Head of the armed forces
- Controlled foreign policy
- Appointed the chancellor
5
Q
What were the roles of the Chancellors?
A
- In charge of the government
- Authority over the Bundesrat
6
Q
What were the roles of the Bundesrat?
A
- Federal Council made up of 58 representatives from the 25 states
- Introduced laws to the Bundestag and power to approve them
7
Q
What were the roles of the Bundestag?
A
- Federal Parliament made up of 397 deputies
- Voted on laws introduced by the Bundesrat
8
Q
What were the weaknesses in the Parliamentary Government?
A
- The Chancellor had to stay in the Kaiser’s good books, or he could be dismissed
- The 25 individual states controlled Tax incomes, which meant the central government, struggled to raise enough tax for its spending
- Industrialisation led to a large rise in Germany’s urban population, poor working and living conditions were largely ignored by the unelected chancellor and the kaiser (Who had the greatest power in Germany)
9
Q
How influential was the German unification?
A
- Army was led by Prussian officers, who reported directly to the emperor
- Prussia provided 17 out of 58 representatives in the Bundesrat ~ Only 14 votes was enough to block any laws passed by the bundestag
- Germany’s legal system, civil service and diplomatic corps were dominated by powerful Prussian Noble landholders known as junkers
10
Q
Who were the Junkers?
A
- Wealthy conservative landowners from Prussia in North-Eastern Germany
- Controlled the Prussian Army
- Strong supporters of the Prussian Hohenzollern (German ruling family)
11
Q
What did the Junker’s state of affairs show?
A
- Meant that the most influential force in Germany represented the interests of relatively few people
- Catholics in the South and West, Jews and urban workers were treated with suspicion and had little say in how Germany was governed
12
Q
What year did Germany massively expand its navy?
A
1898
13
Q
What were the Naval Law Policies known as?
A
Weltpolitik or ‘World Politics’
14
Q
What were the Naval Law Policies designed for?
A
Turn Germany into a world power by building an overseas empire, growing its world trade and increasing its naval power
15
Q
Who was the key figure to expand the Navy?
A
Admiral Von Tirpiz
16
Q
What did Von Tirpitz do to win support for his policy?
A
He helped create the Navy League in 1898
17
Q
What was the Navy League?
A
- Campaigned for Von Tirpitz’s Naval Laws to be passed
- Quickly gained 1 million members
18
Q
What were the economical impact of WW1?
A
- German economy was massively damaged by the war as industrial production was two-thirds of the 1913 Level
19
Q
When did Germany become Europe’s leading industrial power
A
1914, by producing Coal, Steel and Chemicals
20
Q
What was an Advantage of Industrial Growth?
A
Created a wealthy industrial class
21
Q
What was a Disadvantage of Industrial Growth?
A
Led to poor living and working conditions for workers
22
Q
Why did Industrial growth lead to poor living and working conditions for workers?
A
Required a large, low-cost workforce which led to employers often taking advantage of workers by paying very low wages to maximize profits
23
Q
What demands did the rise of industrial working class encorauge?
A
- Social reform
- The growth of socialism
24
Q
What led to the rise of the Social Democratic Party?
A
faced poor conditions and low wages so they advocated for better worker’s rights and social equality
25
What did the Kaiser see Socialism as?
A threat, fearing it could destabilize Germany or lead to revolution
26
What was introduced to Placate Workers?
Social reforms, like health insurance and old-age pensions
27
How long was the Navy Laws around?
1898–1912
28
What did the Navy Laws cause?
- economic strain - as taxes and loans were needed to fund naval expansion
- Contributed to international tensions especially with Britain
29
What were the Impacts on economic and war weariness problems by the first World War?
- Germany’s resources were drained by the war - food shortages and inflation hit civilians hard
- The British naval blockade caused severe shortages of essential goods
- Strikes and protests highlighted the population's discontent
30
What were the impacts on defeat by the First World War?
- By 1918, Germany was on the brink of defeat
- Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles on 11 November 1918, ending the war
31
What were the impacts on the end of the Monarchy by the First World War?
- Kaiser Wilhelm II faced growing opposition due to the military failures and domestic unrest
- November 1918 - a revolution broke out, leading to Wilhelm’s abdication and exile in the Netherlands
- Germany became a the Wiemar Republic as power shifted to civilian leaders
32
What Reparation problems did Germany face?
Germany had to pay £6.6 billion in reparations to Allied countries
33
What did paying Reparations lead to economically?
Economic strain made rebuilding Germany difficult,
causing resentment among Germans
34
What occupation problem did Germany face?
- France and Belgium occupied the Ruhr (industrial region) to seize goods as reparations
35
What did the occupation of Ruhr lead to?
- German workers went on strike (passive resistance), halting production.
- This worsened the economic crisis
36
When and How did Hyperinflation start?
1923 - To pay workers and reparations, the government printed money
- Example - In 1923, a loaf of bread cost 200 billion marks
37
What did Hyperinflation cause?
- Food shortages -Businesses didn't have enough money to buy produce from farmers
- Crime - Germans became desperate and crime rose
- Savings became worthless, but debts were easier to pay off
38
Who were the Spartacists uprising led by?
Led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht
39
Why did the Spartacist uprising happen?
- 1919 - To overthrow the Weimar Republic
- To share power and wealth equally among the population
40
How did the Spartacists uprising end?
Crushed by the Freikorps (ex-soldiers)
41
What was the Kapp Putsch
Right-wing uprising led by Wolfgang Kapp, opposing the Weimar government
42
Why did the Kapp Putsch happen?
Was an attempt to overthrow the new Weimar Republic and replace it with a right-wing regime
43
Why did the Kapp Putsch fail?
Due to general strikes by the workers, making it clear the putschists were not popular
44
What was the Munich Putsch?
1923 - Hitler and the Nazis tried to overthrow the Weimar government
45
Why did the Munich Putsch happen?
- Saw the Treaty of Versailles as treason and resented its clauses
- government seem weak and poorly led
46
Why did the Munich Putsch fail?
The conspirators made several mistakes, including rushing the execution of the putsch to take advantage of the hyperinflation crisis
47
What was the economic developments for currency during the Stresemann Era (1924-1929)?
introduced the Rentenmark to stop hyperinflation - restored trust in the economy
48
What was the Dawes plan?
- 1924
- Loans from the USA to rebuild Germany’s economy
- Reparations were reduced and spread out over time.
49
What was the Young Plan?
- 1929
- Further reduced reparations from £6.6 billion to £2 billion
- Extended payments to 59 years
50
What was the Locarno Pact?
- 1925
- Germany agreed to respect borders with France and Belgium
- Improved relations with Western nations
51
What was the Success of Stresemann’s leadership, Dawes and Young Plan?
- The economy improved with falling unemployment, rising factory production and more confidence
- There was a rise in number of votes for political parties supporting democracy and the Weimar Republic
52
What was the Problems of Stresemann’s leadership, Dawes and Young Plan?
- Treaty of Versailles was still in place and very harsh on Germany
- The Locarno Pact made permanent the land that was lost under the Treaty of Versailles
- Germany continued to pay reparations
53
When did Germany join the league of nations?
Germany joined the League of Nations in September 1926 as part of Stresemann's policy of fulfilment
54
Why did Germany join the league of nations?
This move aimed to show Germany was becoming a trustworthy and peaceful nation on the international stage
55
What was the significance of Germany joining the league of nations?
- Joining the League allowed Germany to promote German interests internationally
- It was a symbol of acceptance back into the global community, boosting national pride
56
What was the Kellogg-Briand Pact
- 1928 - Germany and 61 other nations agreed to settle disputes peacefull
57
What was the Golden age of Weimar?
- The economy boomed, with falling unemployment, rising factory production, and more confidence
- Cultural life flourished, with a boom in the German film and cinema industry
- Relations with other countries began to improve and then stabilize.
58
What did the Wall Street Crash cause?
October 1929 - Brought about a global economic depression
59
What was the impact of the German depression?
- Businesses closed
- Unemployment reached 6 million by 1932
60
What was the growth in Nazi support?
(1928-1932) Nazis promised jobs and stability
Blamed Jews, Communists, and Weimar politicians for problems.
