History: Germany 1890-1945, Democracy and Dictatorship

Question 1

What was the configuration of government in Imperial Germany?

Answer 1

Kaiser / Emperor
Chancellor
Bundesrat
Reichstag

Question 2

What were the powers of the Kaiser?

Answer 2

• Could appoint and dismiss Chancellor
• Could dissolve the Reichstag
• Commanded army
• Could ‘interpret’ constitution
• Supervised execution of all Federal laws
• Could order 14 of 17 Prussian members of Bundesrat to veto a proposal

Question 3

What were the powers of the Chancellor?

Answer 3

• Only responsible to the Kaiser
• Could ignore the Reichstag

Question 4

What were the powers of the Bundesrat?

Answer 4

• Its consent was required in the passing of new laws
• Theoretically able to change the constitution
• Could veto a proposal

Question 5

What were the powers of the Reichstag?

Answer 5

• It could accept or reject legislation but power to initiate new laws was negligible

Question 6

How many members did the Bundesrat have and from where?

Answer 6

58 members
17 from Prussia
6 from Bavaria
1 from each smaller state

Question 7

How often was the Reichstag elected and by whom?

Answer 7

• Every 5 years (unless dissolved)
• All males over 25

Question 8

What is industrialisation?

Answer 8

A process that happens in countries when they start to use machines to do work that was once done by people

Question 9

What is socialism?

Answer 9

A political and economic system wherin property and resources are owned in common by the state

Question 10

Describe Kaiser Wilhelm II’s character and aims

Answer 10

• Tried to conceal paralysed arm, felt physically inferior
• Wanted Germany to be as great as Britain
• Did not want to share his power with the Reichstag
• Only 29 years old when inheriting the throne

Question 11

What effects did industrialisation have on Germany?

Answer 11

• By 1913, Germany produced more iron and steel than Britain
• German population increased from 40 million in 1871 to 68 million in 1914
• Allowed for the spread of the idea of socialism
• Socialist Democratic Party (SPD) became largest party in the Reichstag by 1914

Question 12

Naval Laws

Answer 12

• First Naval Law in 1898
• By 1906 60% of Germany’s revenue is spent on navy
• SPD opposed these laws as they felt it should have been spent on education and other publicly owned organisations

Question 13

Who was behind the Naval Laws?

Answer 13

Admiral Tirpitz

Question 14

What was Weltpolitik?

Answer 14

Germany’s foreign policy

Question 15

Before and after WW1:
Monarchy
Country seemed settled
Germans views on war
Economy

Answer 15

Strong Monarchy -> Kaiser Wilhelm fled and was not replaced
Country seemed settled -> Germany starved due to British blockade
Most germans supported the war -> War weary
Economy was growing and German factories were producing lots of goods -> Economy crashed as money was being spent on the war effort instead

Question 16

Events near end of WW1 in Germany

Answer 16

• Multiple strikes preceding end of war (Jan 1918)
• In 1918, Germany was only producing 2/3 of what it had in 1913
• Kiel Mutiny 29 October 1918 (crews refused to follow orders)

Question 17

When did Kaiser Wilhelm abdicate?

Answer 17

9 November 1918

Question 18

What were Junkers?

Answer 18

Prussian noble landholders

Question 19

Configuration of Weimar Republic

Answer 19

President
Chancellor
Reichstag
Electorate (German populace)

Question 20

Examples of democracy in new Weimar Republic

Answer 20

• President elected every 7 years
• Chancellor must have support of at least half the politicians in the Reichstag to introduce new laws
• Members of Reichstag elected every 4 years
• All men and women over age of 20 could vote
• Government guaranteed them basic freedoms such as free speech

Question 21

Examples of autocracy in Weimar Republic

Answer 21

• President controlled army, navy and air force
• Article 48 allowed President to issue special emergency decrees without support of Reichstag
• Chancellor chosen by President

Question 22

What were problems with the Weimar constitution?

Answer 22

• Proportional representation caused friction in the Reichstag and slowed down decisions, 28 parties had to agree
• Article 48 could be used with malicious and anti-democratic intent

Question 23

What is diktat?

Answer 23

Dictated peace

Question 24

What is a mandate?

Answer 24

An order you have to follow

Question 25

What were the motives of Clemenceau (France) in the ToV?

Answer 25

• Wanted revenge
• Reparations
• Guarantee war could not happen again
• Demilitarisation for Germany

Question 26

What were the motives of Wilson (USA) in the ToV?

Answer 26

• Wanted just peace
• League of Nations
• Didn’t want revenge

Question 27

What were the motives of Lloyd George (UK) in the ToV?

Answer 27

• Prevent spread of communism
• Didn’t want to completely destroy Germany, saw a potential trading partner in future
• Wanted German colonies in Africa

Question 28

When was the Treaty of Versailles signed?

Answer 28

28th June 1919

Question 29

What were the territorial terms of the ToV?

Answer 29

• All colonies to be handed over to the Allied powers as ‘mandates’
• Demilitarisation of the Rhineland
• Anschluss banned (No union with Austria)
• German port of Danzig made international port
• Alsace-Lorraine returned to France
• Large areas of Germany used to create new countries for people who had previously been ruled by others

Question 30

What were the financial terms of the ToV?

Answer 30

• Germany had to pay 6.6 billion in reparations to be paid in instalments until 1988
• Germany lost around 50% iron and 15% of its coal reserves

Question 31

What were the terms of the ToV concerning the military?

Answer 31

• Army not to exceed 100,000 (other soldiers made unemployed)
• No air force allowed (existing air force destroyed)
• Navy limited to 6 battleships and no submarines

Question 32

What was Article 231 of the ToV?

Answer 32

The War Guilt Clause