history 🗿🌎

Question 1

Why was it a shock to German people that they had lost WW1

Answer 1

They had been led to believing that they were winning the war

Question 2

What happened in Germany between 1918 and 1919

Answer 2

-The kaiser abdicated and a new way of governing the country was introduced: a republic.

• A constitution was established
• governments were chosen in the republic and how they should carry out their work was chosen by the people.

Historians often refer to this period as the ‘German revolution’

Question 3

What was the state of Germany by the end of WW1

Answer 3

-Was in economic and political chaos
-the strain of war had damaged Germany and amidst this came uprisings and protests.

Question 4

Why was there a food shortage after WW1

Answer 4

due to naval blockades set up by the allied forces which prevented food imports

Question 5

What did leaders misleadingly promise

Answer 5

a quick victory of WW1

Question 6

What happened by early November 1918?

Answer 6

after 4 years of fighting the soldiers had been forced to retreat and the country faced the threat of military occupation.

Question 7

What did the Allies insist after Germany lost ww1?

Answer 7

They insisted that the Kaiser abdicate.

The kaiser refused at first but German soldiers and the public did not want him as Kaiser.

He eventually abdicated on 9th of November

Question 8

What happened once the Kaiser abdicated?

Answer 8

-A new president took office: the social democrat, Friedrich Ebert.

-An armistice was signed by Germany (Matthias Erzberger, Ebert’s representative signed this) and the allies.

Question 9

How did senior members of the german army react to the signing of the armistice?

Answer 9

They claimed that Germany had been close to victory and that the surrender was unnecessary.

The german people shared this belief and blamed the new leaders for signing the armistice and surrendering.

Question 10

What were the leaders who signed the armistice nicknamed?

Answer 10

The November criminals

Question 11

when was the armistice signed?

Answer 11

11 November 1918

Question 12

What happened to Erzberger (Ebert’s representative who signed the armistice)?

Answer 12

He was assassinated by two nationalists.

Question 13

what were the results of the January 19th 1919 elections?

Answer 13

Eberts SDP party gained40 percent of seats.

The republic was named the Weimar republic as the first national assembly was held there

Question 14

What was Friedrich Ebert’s approach?

Answer 14

-To keep state running smoothly by keeping civil servants from previous government
Got them to work tg with new workers and soldiers councils

-reassured industry leaders that the government would not interfere with private enterprises

-promised trade unions to reduce working hours to an 8 hour day.

Question 15

Why was Ebert’s approach not necessarily effective?

Answer 15

It was too idealistic and the weimar republic had faced opposition from the start.

Question 16

examples of opposition of Weimar republic

Answer 16

-senior figures such as army leaders did not support it

-many other germans wanted the kaiser to return

-People who’d been inspired by the 1917 Russian revolution wanted a communist revolution in Germany.

Germany remained unstable and uprisings occurred constantly

Question 17

what did the communists want to get rid of

Answer 17

industrialists and the traditional ruling class

Question 18

Weimar republic constitution

Answer 18

-The president
Elections for the head of state happened every 7 years.

-The chancellor
Appointed by the president, must hold support of the Reichstag majority

-The Reichstag
Political parties allotted seats according to the percentage of support gained (proportional representation)

-All adult german men and women could vote

-Article 48
In an emergency the president held powers to pass laws without Reichstag approval

-State governments
Were kept but had more limited power and could be overruled by national.

Question 19

What were coalitions in the Reichstag?

Answer 19

alliances formed between different political parties to achieve a majority .

These coalitions were necessary because no single party typically held a majority

Question 20

Why were coalitions ineffective

Answer 20

they often broke down which led to a series of short term governments which were unable to address germanys issues.

It often gave smaller parties disproportionate influence because larger parties needed their support to form a majority

Question 21

Strengths and weaknesses of Weimar constitution- democratic

Answer 21

Positive- All people have the same rights in law including the right to vote in elections

negatives- The republic faced serious opposition from the public as some did not believe that it was the road to success.

Question 22

Strengths and weaknesses of Weimar constitution-president’s role

Answer 22

Positive- A strong president could protect the country in times of cries

Negative-Did not ultimately have that much power as the chancellor did most duties.

Question 23

Strengths and weaknesses of Weimar constitution-Chancellor’s role

Answer 23

Positive- Needed a majority in the Reichstag so their appointment was democratic

Negative-Having so much power and the control being in one person’s hands is dangerous and could be exploited.

Question 24

Strengths and weaknesses of Weimar constitution-proportional representation

Answer 24

Positive-All parties were represented meaning there was complete, full freedom of speech among parties that received votes

Negative-So many parties being represented made it difficult to deal with Germany’s issues effectively due to clashing views. No single party could get majority so parties had to form coalitions

Question 25

Strengths and weaknesses of Weimar constitution-Article 48

Answer 25

Positive- In times of unrest this could be used to make laws so that government could continue.

Negative- There was potential for abuse of power when it came to granting the head of state utter power in certain vaguely defined circumstances

Question 26

Strengths and weaknesses of Weimar constitution-states rights

Answer 26

Positive-Decentralised governance allowed states to manage local affairs more efficiently

Negative- Individual states could oppose the national government and try to remove it.

Question 27

What did Germany hope for after the armistice was signed

Answer 27

Germany expected to be punished but the allies not to be too harsh because:

-They expected the allies to give them a fair chance to restore stability

-Woodrow Wilson (president of US at the time) was important in negotiations and he wanted to make it fair

-Most germans believed that they had been forced into war and involved because of other nations.

-The kaiser had abdicated so they thought they would not punish Germany’s new republic for the mistakes and decisions of the Kaiser.

Question 28

What was the reality of the treaty of versailles

Answer 28

-France and England were not willing to forgive and forget.

George Clemenceau was ready to make Germany pay for the destruction and damage that was done to France

Question 29

What was the peace treaty called

Answer 29

Treaty of versailles

Question 30

What are examples of land that Germany had to give up

Answer 30

Alsace lorraine was lost to france

Eupen and Malmedy were lost to Belgium

Northern Schleswig was lost to denmark

Overall, A lot of German territory were either lost or given freedom.

Question 31

What was the result of germany losing so much of its land?

Answer 31

-13 per cent of its european territories were lost and as a result 50 per cent of its iron reserves and 15 per cent of its coal reserves

-It lost all 11 of its colonies in Africa

Question 32

What were the terms regarding disarmament

Answer 32

-the army was limited to 100000 soldiers to be used internally only

-No tanks, submarines, no airforce

-navy limited to 6 battleships, 6 cruises, 12 destroyers and 12 torpedo boats

Question 33

what were the non territorial terms in the treaty

Answer 33

-Germany had to accept blame for starting the war- war guilt clause (article 231)

-Germany had to pay reparations of 136000 million marks (6.6 Billion pounds)

-military was cut.