Impact of ww1 on Germany Flashcards
What were the impacts by 1918?
- Germany was virtually bankrupt, it was hugely in debt and its factories were exhausted
- Society divided, some became very rich from factories while others remained poor
- Political instability - mutinies and revolutions.
Some felt angry that politicians had ‘betrayed’ Germany by ending the war
What did Ludendorff suggest about the war in 1918
He thought it could no longer be won so told the Kaiser to make the country more democratic so the allies would treat them more fairly when they surrendered
When was the Spartacist uprising?
6 January 1919
Who were the Spartacists?
A group of communists who believed Germany should be run by small councils of soldiers and workers
What happened in the Spartacist uprising?
Ebert used the battle hardened Freikorps to seize back control in Berlin.
The Freikorps eventually won and the Spartacists were defeated
What was the Weimar constitution?
A set of rules made about how Germany should now be governed.
It said all Germans had equal rights, including the right to vote
What were the flaws in the Weimar constitution?
- Lots of parties could now be in the Reichstag which meant making new laws was very difficult
- The more well-off traditional Germans didn’t like the democratic system and wanted a monarchy back
- ‘November Criminals’
- Article 48, meant that laws could be passed by the president without the Reichstag
What were the main political parties at the time, from left to right wing?
- KPD - communist
- SPD - social Democratic Party
- German Democratic Party
- Zentrum
- People’s party
- National People’s party
- National Socialist German Worker’s party (NSDAP or Nazis)
What did the Treaty of Versailles say?
- Germany had to take responsibility and pay reparations
- No air force or submarines and only a small army
- All colonies must be handed over
- No soldiers in the Rhineland
- Large areas of land must be given to other countries
- must never unite with Austria again
Why did the Germans hate the Treaty of Versailles?
- They felt it was too harsh
- They felt as if it was forced upon them by the allies
- Many Germans felt as if they hadn’t lost the war and blamed the new politicians (November Criminals)
How much were reparations set at in 1921?
6.6 billion total to be paid in yearly installments
What happened in the occupation of the Ruhr in 1922 and why?
- Germany announced they could not pay but France and Belgium didn’t believe them
- F + B decided to take what they were owed by force so took control of the industrial areas in the Ruhr
- They stole food too and arrested anyone who tried to stop them
What did the German government do to respond to the Ruhr occupation?
They told workers to go on strike and not help the French and Belgians.
This was passive resistance
The government continued to pay them during this time
What happened as a result of the strikes of passive resistance?
The government kept printing money because they didn’t have any to keep paying the workers.
This caused prices in shops to go up as workers spent more and more money.
This caused HYPERINFLATION
What had happened by 1923?
German money was worthless and many blamed the government for it.
For some, it was the worst year since the end of ww1
