key terms

Question 1

Armistice

Answer 1

An agreement to suspend fighting in order to allow a peace treaty to be negotiated.

Question 2

Republic

Answer 2

A system of government in which the Head of State, or President, is elected into office.

Question 3

Constitutional

Answer 3

An established set of principles governing a state.

Question 4

Mutiny

Answer 4

A revolt by soldiers or sailors against their officers.

Question 5

Soviets

Answer 5

The workers’ and soldiers’ councils established in the Russia Revolution of 1917 (also known as the October Revolution), when the Russian Provisional Government was removed and the Bolsheviks, under the influence of Lenin, took control; the revolution was announced at the second Congress of the Soviets, which were democratic bodies that existed in parallel to the Provisional Government.

Question 6

Reichstag

Answer 6

The elected lower house of the German parliament.

Question 7

Universal Male Suffrage

Answer 7

A system in which every adult male has the right to vote in elections

Question 8

Constituent Assembly

Answer 8

An elected body with the specific task of drawing up a new constitution, usually in the aftermath of a revolution.

Question 9

Aristocracy

Answer 9

The highest class in certain societies, typically comprising people of noble birth holding hereditary titles and offices.

Question 10

Proportional Representation

Answer 10

A system of elections in which parties are allocated seats in parliament according to the proportion of votes they receive.

Question 11

Autocracy

Answer 11

A system of government in which power is concentrated in the hands of one person.

Question 12

Diktat

Answer 12

An order or decree imposed by someone in power without popular consent.

Question 13

National Self-Determination

Answer 13

Nations being able to decide whether they govern themselves, independent or larger empires or grouping of nations.

Question 14

Reparations

Answer 14

The compensation for war damage paid by the defeated state.

Question 15

The Ruhr

Answer 15

The heavily industrialised area of western Germany that includes the towns of Dusseldorf, Essen and Dortmund; at that time, it generated 85% of German coal and also had many large iron and steel works and engineering factories.

Question 16

Paramilitary

Answer 16

A group of civilians organised into a military style group with uniforms and ranks; such groups take on military functions.

Question 17

Mittelstand

Answer 17

‘Middle rank’.

A large but diverse social group including small farmers, small shopkeepers and artisans.

Without steady sources of income, they felt themselves to be vulnerable to inflation and tended to look to governments to protect their position.

Question 18

Comintern

Answer 18

The Communist International, set up in 1919 to oversee the actions of Marxist parties across the world.

Socialist groups from other countries were invited to join and receive support, but leadership was in the hands of the Russian Communist Party.

Question 19

Putsch

Answer 19

A coup or violent attempt to overthrow a government.

Question 20

Reichswehr

Answer 20

The German army.

Question 21

Organisation Consul

Answer 21

An ultra-nationalist paramilitary group formed from ex-Freikorps members after their units were disbanded following the failed Kapp Putsch.

Question 22

Stormtroopers (SA)

Answer 22

The paramilitary wing of the Nazi Party, led by Ernst Rohm.

Wearing their distinctive brown shirts, they were given the job of beating up the Nazis’ opponents - many members had formerly belonged to the Freikorps.