Germany - Topic 1 - Impact of WW1 Flashcards
When was the Weimar Constitution finalized?
August 1919
What type of government did the Weimar Constitution introduce to Germany?
A Democracy
What voting reform did the Weimar Republic introduce?
Proportional representation
What power did Article 48 of the Weimar Constitution give to the president?
The power to suspend the Constitution in an emergency. And make new laws and policies without having to go through the Reichstag ( Hitler would later use this to his advantage)
What was the Treaty of Versailles considered by many Germans?
A dictated peace (Diktat)
What does “Dolchstoss” mean, and who were blamed under it?
“Stabbed in the back” – the blame was placed on politicians who signed the armistice, called the November Criminals
What major communist uprising occurred on 6th January 1919 and who were the leaders involved with it ?
The Spartisists uprising
Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg
Who put down the Spartacist revolt?
The Freikorps - who were a group of right-wing, paramilitary volunteers who were made up of former soldiers. They were nationalistic, anti-communist, and anti-Treaty of Versailles
What event did the right wing attempt in 1920 and what was done to stop it?
Kapp Putsch - Fredric Ebert encouraged the people of Berlin to go on strike.
What was the Ruhr and why was it important?
Germany’s industrial heartland, vital to economic growth.
What happened in January 1923 regarding reparations?
Germany Failed to pay the reparations so therefore France and Belgium took Complete control of the Ruhr
what were the main points of the Treaty of Versailles
- 100,000 men only in the army
- No submarines
- No Luftwaffe
- No tanks
- Maximum of 6 battleships
- £6.6 million in reparations
- Alsace-Lorraine was given to France
- Germanys colonies were shared amongst France England and the USA
- Article 231 - Germany takes full blame for the war
- Anschluss was banned
- The Rhineland was demilitarised
How did German workers respond to the French occupation of the Ruhr?
With Passive Resistance, Protests and Strikes.
What economic crisis was triggered by printing more money to pay striking workers?
Hyperinflation.
How did hyperinflation affect German citizens?
Many became bankrupt; inflation destroyed savings.
What was the value of the German mark to the British pound in November 1923?
£1 = 1,680,800,000,000,000 marks. (1.6808 quadrillion marks)
