Impact of the War, Political crises and establishment of WC

Question 1

What were the October Reforms?
Name 2 ideas created.

Answer 1

-Recommendations by Ludendorff that ended
autocratic rule
-Appointed Max of Baden as Chancellor
-Armed forces put under government’s control

Question 2

What was the Peace Note?

Answer 2

A letter Prince Max wrote to President Wilson in October asking for an armistice.

Question 3

what impact did the Peace Note have on sailors and soldiers?

Answer 3

Many soldiers and sailors lost respect for their officers
- beginning of naval mutiny

Question 4

What actions did the SPD take
during the November Revolution?

Answer 4

-9 th November, SPD called for workers to join a strike
against the Kaiser
-SPD threatened to withdraw support from Prince
Max’s government unless the Kaiser abdicated

Question 5

What actions did Prince Max take in reaction to the SPD?

Answer 5

Prince Mac had announced the abdication and resigned himself

Question 6

Who gained the role of Chancellor from Prince Max and when?

Answer 6

Friedrich Ebert, leader of the SPD, on the 9 th November
– the day it was announced that Germany was a
republic.

Question 7

What is the Reichstrat?

Answer 7

The second chamber of German parliament, each state represented in proportion to its population and could provide advice on laws but overridden by Reichstag.

Question 8

What was the Ebert-Groener Pact?

Answer 8

Groener told Ebert that the army leadership would
support the government in return Ebert should resist
demands of soldier’s councils to democratise the army.

Question 9

Strengths of the constitution?

Answer 9

-Provided a wider right to vote (women can vote)
-System of proportional representation
-Full democracy in local government
-Clearly set out rights of the individual
-Referendums could be called by the president,
reichstrat or by people’s request.

Question 10

Weaknesses of the constitution?

Answer 10

-System of proportional representation (small parties)
-Coalition governments
-Presidential decrees
-Survival of undemocratic institutions
-The existence of Article 48

Question 11

Who became the new Commander in Chief of the army in 1920?

Answer 11

General Hans von Seeckt

Question 12

What was Article 48?

Answer 12

The power of the President to rule by decree in exceptional circumstances