History β | Germany Depth: Was Weimar doomed? π» | 6.1a Flashcards
Define Revolution
A fundamental transformation in political, economic, and social institutions.
Prior to the revolution, who governed Germany?
The Kaisers, a monarchial system. (Kaiser Wilhelm 2)
What was the Kiel mutiny?
When sailors based at Kiel mutinied in defiance to the Kaiserβs orders.
Why did the Kiel mutiny happen?
Germany was losing WW1 by the end of 1918 and with the army retreating while being attacked by the French and Americans, the Kaiser ordered the Germany navy to attack the allies - but the navy thought that was a suicide mission and disobeyed.
When was the Kiel mutiny?
3rd of November 1918
How did the Kaiser react to the Kiel mutiny?
He abdicated as he felt that he could no longer rely on the army.
How was the power of Kaiser Wilhelm II passed?
Power was handed down to the chancellor, who passed it down to the leader of the largest reichstag party, the social democrats / SPD / MSPD.
How were German attitudes like in 1914 to the country and its leadership?
- The Kaiser was celebrated
- Businesses were prospering with well fed and educated workers
- There was much optimism on power and strength
How were German attitudes like in 1918 to the country?
- People were unhappy at the defeat of the army
- Germans were starving: surviving on turnips and sawdust
- The flu epidemic was sweeping the country, causing suffering
What was the Ebert-Groener pact?
The secret pact between Friedrich Ebert of the SPD and general Groener of the right-radicalized army.
What did the Ebert-Groener pact agree on?
- For the army to support the new government
- For the government to support the army
- To avoid a revoltution.
When was the Ebert-Groener pact?
10th Nov 1918
When did the German Kaiser abdicate and Fredrich Ebert take power?
9th Nov 1918
When was Germany declared a republic?
9th Nov 1918
When was the Germany WW1 surrender and armistice?
11th Nov 1918
What were the political impacts of the war on Germany by 1918?
- Stresses of war, aided by the idea of βDolschtossβ led to fighting between right-wingers and left-wingers
- Ex-soldiers and civilians despised the new democratic leaders
Who was the heroic field Marshall that many right-wingers felt had been betrayed by weak politicians in the Dolschtoss?
None other than Paul Von Hindenburg
What were the economic impacts of the war on Germany by 1918?
Limited to national income and industrial production
- The national income was 1/3 of in 1913
- The industrial production was 2/3 of 1913
How many children were left without fathers after WW1?
2 million
By 1925, how much of Germanyβs budget was spent on pensions?
1/3rd of the Budget
In 1918, how many people in Germany died of starvation and hypothermia?
300,000
What were the social impacts of the war on Germany by 1918?
- The gap between the rich and poor widened
- Many demobilised soldiers returned to society
- There was bitterness over the fact that restrictions were placed on worker earnings as factory owners made fortunes during the war
- There was unrest over the fact that Germany had lost the war.
How many demobilised soldiers returned to Germany after WW1?
1.5 million
What was the MSPD and USPD?
In what ended up as the SPD, they were two different parts of the SPD party that split up in 1917 with different levels of left-wing views.
What were the ideals of the USPD?
They believed in extremist left-wing socialist, soviet ideals.
What were the ideals of the MSPD?
They believed in starting a republic and becoming more left-leaning, but this only extended to democracy. Also, womenβs rights.
This is unlike the USPD who wanted socialism
What was the Council of Peopleβs Representatives?
The provisional government set up after the abdication of the emperor. It consisted for three USPD representatives, three MSPD representatives.
When was the Council of Peopleβs representatives created?
9 Nov 1918
When did the USPD-MSPD alliance collapse?
(Council of Peopleβs representatives)
28 Dec 1918
What was the Ebert-Groener pact?
A pact made between MSPD Friedrich Ebert and General Wilhelm Groener that secured SPD support from military staff.
When was the Ebert-Groener pact?
10 Nov 1918
Who was the chairman for the MSPD in the Council of Peopleβs representatives?
Friedrich Ebert
Why did the breakup of the USPD-MSPD alliance happen?
The USPD withdrew due to differences regarding a military operation.
What event did the breakdown of the MSPD-USPD alliance lead to?
The Spartacitst Uprising
What was the Weimar republic?
The democratic government set up after Kaiser Wilhelmβs abdication in Germany.
The Weimar republic lasted from 1918-1933
What were the four big power-holders in the Weimar republic?
- The president
- The Chancellor
- The Reichstag
- The German People (democracyy)
Who could German people elect in the Weimar republic?
To elect the Reichstag according to proportional representation, as well as the president.
Who could elect the Chancellor in the Weimar republic?
The president, with aid of the Reichstag
How often was the Weimar president elected?
And who could elect them?
Every 7 years, by those aged 20 or above
What power did the Weimar president have?
- He could choose the Weimar chancellor
- He could dissolve the parliment and call new elections
- He could appoint judges
- He was the commander-in-chief of armed forces
- Article 48, but we donβt talk about that one
What could the Weimar president not do?
Be involved in day-to-day governing
What was the role of the Weimar Chancellor?
- He led the party with the most Reichstag votes
- He chose ministers to help run the country
- He could pass laws with majority Reichstag support
Who was the first Weimar Chancellor?
Friedrich Ebert
What was article 48?
A law in the Weimar constitution that meant the president could rule via emergency decree. However what was an βemergencyβ was not clearly defined. This could therefore be exploited*
*hem hem hitler, hem hem hindenburg
What was proportional representation?
A voting system in which the proportion of assembly seats won by parties closely represents the proportion of votes elected.
This was used in Weimar Germanyβs Reichstag
Why was proportional representation a flaw for Weimar Germany?
No party was really strong enough to ger a majority, making laws difficult to pass.
When was the Weimar republic constitution created?
Jan 1919
Define Dolschtoss
The belief by ex-military soldiers that they were betrayed by the Weimar republic, who signed the armistice when they thought they were winning WW1.
Define βNovember Criminalsβ
The Weimar politicians who signed the November 1918 armistice and were framed as criminals for doing so by right-wing soldiers
Define βLeague of Victorsβ
The phrase used by Hitler to describe how the League of Nationβs most powerful were the WW1 victors.
What were the ideals of right-wing groups in Weimar Germany?
- Retain the monarchy!
- One ruler!
- Defeat communism and protect private property!
- Maintain a strong government
Who were part of the far left-wing Weimar groups?
- The working class
- The poor
- The spartacists
- The KPD
- The USPD
Who were part of the center left-wing Weimar groups?
- The working class
- The middle class
- Social democrats (SPD)
Who were part of the right-wing groups in Weimar Germany?
- The rich
- Conservatives and nationalists
- Big businesses
- Army and Friekorps
- Those who lost their savings to inflation after 1922
What was the KPD?
What did they believe in?
The Weimar Germany communist party
They believed in class struggle, full government control, and reversal of socio-economic laws
Far-left
When was the KPD founded?
1918
What was the SPD?
What did they believe in?
The social democratic party
They believed in individual freedoms, gradual economic changes by the government, and a government role in healthcare and education
Left
When was the SPD founded?
1861
What was the DVP?
What did they believe in?
The German Peopleβs Party
They believed in deregulating the economy, religion having power, private ownership of property, and not creating healthcare and education taxes
Right
What was the DDVP?
What did they believe in?
The German VΓΆlkisch Freedom Party
They believed in a traditional hierarchy, upholding racial differences, a strong leader, and war & military
Right
What was the NSDAP?
The National Socialist German Workersβ Party
a.k.a. the nazis
What did the NSDAP believe in?
- Supremely strong government with total power
- Complete deregulation of money
- Waging war for nationalism
- Kill minority groups*
*hem hem the entire Jewish population
Why was the NSDAP βSocialistβ?
The Nazis wanted βsocialismβ, as in full government control for fascism, rather than to maintain a communist economy.
Who founded the Spartacist League?
Rosa Luxembourg and Karl Liebneckt
Which two communist political parties were created via conflicts within the SPD?
The KPD and USPD
How did the USPD differenciate from the KPD?
The USPD was very anti-war, unlike the KPD
Which party was formed by the Spartacist League ?
The KPD
Who were the Freikorps?
A group of right-wing ex-soldiers in Germany, who after WW1, were suspicious of the left-wing republic.
Why did the Spartacists rise up?
They felt that the centre-left SPD wasnβt doing enough to serve the interests of the German working class.
When was the Spartacist uprising?
5-16th Jan 1919
Define Strike
When workers in one particular industry refuse to work as a form of protest
Define
General strike
When workers in all industries strike at the same time as a form of protest
How did the Spartacist uprising manipulate the media?
They seized the HQ, government newspaper, and telegraph bureau to organise a general strike.
How did the Weimar Republicβs leaders react to the Spartacist uprising?
Ebert and the government fled Berlin for the safety of the Weimar republic, leaving Freikorps to deal with them.
When was the Kapp Putsh?
13th Mar 1920
When were the Freikorps asked to disband?
Feb 1920
Why were the Freikorps told to disband?
The allies were not happy with there being so many trigger-happy right-wing Germans. DUe to allied pressure, they were told to disband.
Who gave the order for the Freikorps to disband?
Gustav Moske
Who refused the order to disband the Freikorp units?
General Walter Von Luttwiz
He refused to disband one of the two Friekorp units
How did the Freikorps react to being asked to disband?
Wolfgang Kapp occupied Berlin, setting up a temporary government
Who was Wolfgang Kapp?
He was the leader of the fatherland party, and he is the one who set up a government in Berlin as Chancellor during the Kapp Putsch
How did Berlin respond to the Kapp Putsch?
They organised a general strike of key industries which made the Putsch a failure, as all important industries were shut down.
How did the Berlin population feel about the Freikorps, during the Kapp Putsch?
The majority of the population didnβt support their right-wing extremity.
How did the German Army react to the Kapp Putsch?
They did nothing. They refused to support the government or the Freikorps.
What weaknesses of the Weimar Republic did the Kapp Putsch expose?
- The army wouldnβt actively support the SPD
- Only one of the people in the Putsch was actually punished, showing that judges were biased
How many political assasinations were there between 1919-1922 in the Weimar Republic?
376
How many of the political assasinations between 1919-1922 in the Weimar Republic were by the right-wing?
354
How many assasins in the Weimar Republic between 1919-1922 went unpunished?
326
How many Freikorps did Wolfgang Kapp and General Von Luttwiz storm Berlin with?
12,000 Freikorps
In how many days did the Kapp Putsch collapse?
4 days
Who was Walter Rathneau?
A foreign minister involved in the ToV, with a Jewish background, who was murdered
When was Walter Rathneau murdered?
June 1922
What was the effect of right-wing assasinations to Weimar politics?
The assasination brought disillusionment and increased right-wing confidence
How were βweak coalitionsβ a weakness of the Weimar reupblic?
The government struggled at creating long-lasting coalitions, making people drift to more extremist parties.
Also, during a time of extremism, weak coalitions increased instability even more than normal.
How many governments did the Weimar republic have between 1919-23?
How long did the longest-lasting coalition last?
6 coalitons
Six months
When was the Bavarian leader killed?
Feb 1919
Who was the Bavarian leader who was killed in 1919?
By what group was he killed?
Kurt Eisner
The right-wing killed him
When did communists seize power in Bavaria?
March 1919
How did Ebert restore order in Bavaria?
He turned to the army, who killed the communists that took power.
How many communists were killed in the Bavarian uprising?
600 communists
When was order restored in Bavaria?
May 1919
