Germany & the Growth of Democracy Flashcards
1
Q
When did Wilhem II become Kaiser?
A
1888
2
Q
What was the Kaiser’s agenda?
A
He had a plan to expand the German Empire.
3
Q
What powers did the Kaiser have?
A
- The Kaiser had the power to appoint or dismiss the Chancellor.
- The Kaiser could dissolve the Reichstag (parliament) if he wanted to.
- The Kaiser was in charge of foreign policy.
- The Kaiser was the head of the German military.
4
Q
Who advised the Kaiser about political decisions?
A
Members of the armed forces (rather than MPs or civil servants today).
All these officers swore an oath of loyalty to the Kaiser.
5
Q
The Reichstag funded the army every ____ years.
A
five
6
Q
The ________ was the Kaiser’s chief minister.
A
Chancellor
7
Q
What powers did the Chancellor have?
A
- The Chancellor had the power to appoint ministers to help him make policies.
- The Chancellor led the Bundesrat (federal council) by proposing new subjects, issues and laws to be discussed.
- The Chancellor had the power to ignore the Reichstag (parliament).
8
Q
What was the Bundesrat?
A
- The Bundesrat was the German federal council.
9
Q
What was the Bundesrat formed from?
A
58 representatives of each German state. Prussian interests dominated it.
The Bundesrat was consulted over government policies.
10
Q
What did the council propose?
A
The council proposed laws to the Reichstag. In return, the Bundesrat approved any law the Reichstag made.
11
Q
What was the political orientation of most German military officers in this period?
A
Conservative
12
Q
What was the Reichstag formed from?
A
397 deputies who were elected by German voters (who at the time were only men over the age of 25)
13
Q
The Reichstag could give or refuse funding for the ______ once every five years.
A
military
14
Q
By the _____, the Reichstag had begun to grow.
A
1890s
15
Q
Although the Kaiser could dissolve the Reichstag, what could he not stop?
A
He could not stop the election for parliament.
Political parties had begun to form. This meant that the deputies in the Reichstag had their own political agenda.
16
Q
Did the political parties that had begun to form have much power?
A
While they did not have huge power, they put pressure on the government and could shape public opinion.
17
Q
The 2 potential weaknesses in the German Constitution were:
A
1) The power of the Kaiser
2) Raising taxes
18
Q
Which was the most dominant state in Germany?
A
Prussia
19
Q
Who did Germany need to be more powerful then in order to become the most dominant country in the world?
A
Great Britain
20
Q
What did the Kaiser use to grow the German Empire?
A
‘Weltpolitik’ (world policy)
21
Q
What happened in 1898 regarding Navy laws?
A
The Kaiser passed the First Naval Law which increased the navy by 7 battleships.
22
Q
What happened in 1900 regarding Navy laws?
A
The Second Naval Law doubled the size of the navy to 38 battleships.
23
Q
What happened in 1906 regarding Navy laws?
A
The Third Naval Law expanded by another 6 battleships. In response to Britain launching the dreadnought, some German battleships became dreadnoughts too.
24
Q
In ____, the navy grew in size even more.
A
1912
25
What were some domestic successes of the Navy Laws?
- The Navy Laws encouraged patriotic and nationalist (wanting political independence) sentiment.
- They created more work for businesses and industries.
- The German people saw German power over Britain and agreed to support the Kaiser's other policies
26
What were some domestic problems of the navy laws?
- To fund the Navy Laws, the government. This affected workers the most.
- As well as this, they had to borrow money. This meant the State's debt increased to 490 billion marks by 1913.
- The Social Democratic Party opposed the Navy Laws because they were so expensive.
- The Kaiser began to argue with his army leaders because they wanted more money spent on the army not the navy.
27
What did Kaiser Wilhelm II hope the Navy Laws would do?
1) Create Industrial growth
2) Protect and expand the German Empire.
3) Increase German patriotism.
4) Be a symbol for German strength.
28
What did Germany focus on during industrialisation?
Germany focused on manufacturing, rather than agricultural production.
29
What did the growth of industrialisation lead to?
The creation of better transport infrastructure, including railways, trains, and ships. This meant that Germany could he better communication lines and trade routes.
30
Although some people became wealthier from industrialism, most workers felt exploited. This led to the rise of _______.
Socialism
31
What is socialism?
Socialism is the belief that everyone in society should share the profits from industry.
32
Who mainly supported socialism?
It was mainly workers who supported socialism. This scared the middle and upper class.
33
Who represented socialism in politics?
The SPD
34
What was the reason for social reform?
It is important to remember that these social reforms were intended to keep the German workers loyal to the State. They were not because they genuinely wanted to help improve living standards for workers.
35
The SPD voted _______ the Kaiser's policies.
against
36
Which party had the most seats in the Reichstag by 1912?
SPD
37
Germany printed more _____ to fund the war effort.
Money,
| This meant that the value of the German mark fell, leading to inflation (increases in prices)
38
What was called Kiel Mutiny?
(On the 28th October 1918, the Kaiser lost the support of his military. )
Sailors in the navy refused to follow the Kaiser's orders. This was called the Kiel Mutiny.
39
What happened on the 9th November 1918?
The Kaiser lost the support of his advisors and was forced to abdicate and fled to Holland.
40
Who became the leader of the German Republic?
Freidrich Ebert, the leader of the SPD.
41
When was the armistice of World War One signed?
11th November 1918
42
How did the Germans feel towards the Treaty of Versailles?
The Germans were humiliated and resented the Allies. They believed the treaty was diktat (a dictated peace) and that it was unfair.
43
What were the main terms of the Treaty of Versailles?
- Germany accepted blame for the war
- Germany must pay £6.6 billion in reparations to the Allies.
- The loss of land in Europe and all German colonies.
- Germany lost 10% of its land and 12.5% of its population.
44
What were the military restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles?
- Maximum of 100,000 soldiers, 15,000, 6 ships, 0 submarines and 0 armoured vehicles.
- The demilitarisation of the Rhineland.
- Not allowed to join with Austria.
45
How much money did Germany have to pay the Allies?
£6.6 billion
46
What happened during the seizing of the Ruhr?
- The Ruhr was the main -industrial region in Germany.
- The French and Belgians took control of all factories, mines and railways in the area.
- The actions of the French and Belgians were legal in the eyes of the international community because of the Treaty of Versailles.
47
How did Germans react to the seizing of the Ruhr?
Ebert told German workers to go on strike. This was called 'passive resistance'.
- But France and Belgium simply brought their own workers in to take their place.
48
In what year did the Weimar Republic stop paying their reparations?
1922
49
How did Germany initially come to suffer from hyperinflation?
After the Ruhr crisis, to help pay France and Belgium quicker, the Germans printed more money. This led to hyperinflation and has disastrous effects on the economy.
50
What were the causes of hyperinflation?
- When money was printed, governments tied currency to a fixed value of gold.
- But Weimar Germany did not have enough gold to match the amount of money it was printing
- This meant the value of the German mark fell and that the price of goods increased rapidly.
--> This caused hyperinflation (the price of everything increases extremely quickly).
51
What are some consequences of hyperinflation?
- In 1918, a loaf of bread cost 0.6 German marks. By November 1923, it cost 201 billion German marks.
- As prices rose every hour, people bought goods as soon as they were paid. This meant that they carried money round in wheelbarrows.
52
How did people try to get around the problem of hyperinflation?
People used a barter system (trading items) instead of money.
53
What were the social problems with hyperinflation?
- People with savings (especially the middle class) lost their money.
- People with a fixed income could not renegotiate their earnings.
- The elderly with fixed pensions could not get any more money and so their incomes were destroyed.
- Small business owners went bankrupt.
54
What were the few benefits of hyperinflation?
- People with debt benefited because it was easier to pay off.
- Farmers benefited because people paid more for food.
(However, it is important to remember that most people suffered because of hyperinflation. People did not get their savings back when hyperinflation ended.
55
To set up the new republic away from the unrest in Berlin, politicians moved to the small town of ______, where a new government was created.
Weimar
56
Who was head of the Weimar Republic?
At the head of the Republic was the President.
57
What power did the President have?
The President had the power to choose key ministers, such as the Chancellor.
58
Who was beneath the President of the Weimar Republic?
The government.
| - The Cabinet made political decisions. The Chancellor led the Cabinet.
59
Who was beneath the parliament (who was beneath the government)?
The electorate
| - According to the constitution, all men and women over 20 were eligible (had the right) to vote in elections.
60
What were the strengths of the Weimar Constitution?
- The Weimar Republic was a genuine democracy. This was because all Germans over 20 could vote.
- The constitution was strong because no one person or group could hold too much power.
61
What were the weaknesses of the Weimar Constitution?
- Proportional representation meant weak conditions were the only way to gain power and lead Germany.
- Article 48 was a weakness because it meant that the President could bypass democracy.
- The Constitution was weak because strong German states, such a Prussia, still held power through the Reichsrat.
62
Who drew up the Weimar Constitution and what was his religion?
Jewish, Hugo Preuss
63
Who were the Spartacists?
The Spartacists were a Communist group supporter by the Soviet Union. They were led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht.
64
In January 1919, the Spartacists staged a revolt in ______ and hoped to lead a general strike. The ultimate aim was to overthrow the ______ ________.
Berlin, Weimar Republic
65
Who did Ebert use to combat the Spartacists?
Ebert used a right-wing group of former soldiers, called Freikorps, to stop the uprising.
66
In March 1920, the ________ in Berlin staged a rebellion. They were led by Wolfgang ____. The aim was to seize control and stop the Weimar democratic system.
Freikorps, Kapp
67
Why did the putsch fail?
Because German workers went on strike. This forced Kapp to flee.
68
Who staged the Munich Putsch?
The Nationalist Socialist German Worker's Party, also known as the Nazi Party.
69
Who led the Munich Putsch?
Adolf Hitler and Ludendorff (the general who told he Kaiser to abdicate in WWI)
70
Why did the Nazis think the Weimar Republic was weak?
because of the economic crisis in 1923.
71
What happened during the Munich Putsch?
In November 1923, the Nazis entered a meeting of the Bavarian government. Hitler demanded the government's support.
The Nazis took control of the local police and army headquarters. But Ludendorff secretly let the government leaders go.
72
What happened the next day after the Munich Putsch?
Hitler marched on Munich to declare himself President of Germany.
But the state police met the Nazis. They arrested Hitler.
73
What did Hitler do in prison?
Hitler used his trial for publicity to spread the Nazi message.
In prison he wrote his bestseller, 'Mein Kampf', which outlined his political objectives.
Most importantly, the need to destroy democracy, the need for Lebensraum (to expand German territory to house the population), and the inferiority of the Jews.
Hitler realised he needed to reorganise the Nazi party to gain success.
74
How did Stresemann stop hyperinflation?
- Called off passive resistance in the Ruhr.
- In November 1923, Stresemann set up a new currency called the 'Rentenmark'.
- -> Unlike the previous currency, Rentenmark was tied to the price of land and held real value.
- In August 1924, this currency was renamed the Reichsmark and placed under the control of the Reichsbank. With this new currency, hyperinflation was stopped.
75
What did the Young Plan propose?
To reduce German reparations.
- In 1929, the Young Plan planned lower the total reparations from £6.6 billion to £2 billion.
- The payments would continue until 1988.
76
What year did the Wall St Crash abruptly stop the Young Plan.
1929
77
In ____, the Weimar Republic set up a number of pension, health and unemployment schemes to help German society.
1927
78
What was the economy like in Germany after the Wall St Crash?
- Not completely secure
- Economic recovery depended on American loans.
- Unemployment was still a big problem for Germany.
- Germany spent more money on imports than they received on exports, a 'trade deficit'.
79
What were Stresemann's key foreign policy achievements?
The Locarno Pact, League of Nations and Kellogg-Briand Pact.
80
What was the Locarno Pact, 1925?
In 1925, Germany signed an agreement with Great Britain, France , Italy and Belgium called the Locarno Pact.
In this pact, Germany recognised their borders with France and the demilitarisation of the Rhineland.
81
What was the Kellogg-Briand Pact?
In 1928, Germany signed the Kellogg-Briand Pact with 62 other countries.
In this pact, countries agreed to disarm and not use war to resolve disagreements.
82
What were some internal threats to the Weimar Republic even after Stresemann fixed the main issues?
- The German population still resented the Treaty of Versailles and its League of Nations.
- Although support for extreme left and right-wing parties had declined, the Communist and Nazi Parties still existed.
83
What were the living standards like in Weimar Germany?
- Worker's wages increased and their working hours shortened.
- Around 100,000 new homes were built for workers.
- In 1927, an insurance system was set up to help workers if they were unemployed or ill.
84
What was the Weimar Republic called?
The Golden Age of German Culture.
85
How did architecture flourish in Weimar Germany?
The Bauhaus School led a new movement in architecture.
| - Attracting many designers and artists, the Bauhaus movement overturned traditional ideas of architecture.
86
How did art flourish in Weimar Germany?
- There was a rise of Expressionism in art.
| - -> In their artwork, Expressionists painted everyday life, forcing the audience to think about problems society faced.
87
How did film flourish in Weimar Germany?
Film also became more popular.
- Expressionism also fed into films and commented on the daily lives of Germans.
Metropolis, which was released in 1927 was a popular German film by Fritz Lang.
88
How did music flourish in Weimar Germany?
Music was shaped by the modern influenced of America.
- Music, such as Jazz, became very popular in Weimar Germany.
- Without censorship, performances were provocative and could comment on politics and society.s
89
How did the role of women flourish in Weimar Germany?
- All men and women over 21 were eligible to vote in elections.
- Divorce was made easier for women and divorce became more common.
- 112 women represented the German people in the Reichstag and there were more opportunities for women in sport and society.
90
How did the political position of women in society change? (Weimar)
- Women could vote in the Weimar Republic
- 90% of women exercised (used) their right to vote in elections.
- Article 109 of the Weimar Constitution asserted gender equality in the workplace and the home.
91
How did the economic status of women better in Weimar Germany?
Women were gaining opportunities in professions. They could become teachers, lawyers or doctors.
- Women were encouraged to attend university.
- Women working part-time increased in Weimar Germany.
92
Why were there limitations to economic power for women in Weimar Germany?
The number of women employed dropped from 75% in 1918 to 26% in 1925.
^This was because lots of women worked during the war but stopped afterwards. Many women stopped working once they became married.
93
How did women grow more independent in Weimar Germany?
Women who earned an income were no longer dependent on men. Some women began to focus on 'leisure' and less on traditional values of family and marriage.
94
Why did not everyone agree with the 'new woman' in Weimar Germany?
Some members of society did not like female independence and viewed these women as morally corrupt. Some feared that traditional German values were being forgotten.
