Nazi Germany I Flashcards
The impact of the first World War on Germany?
- 2M german troops died, 4M wounded
- Government debt increased from 50B marks to 150B marks
- Food shortages - 750,000 died
- Kaiser abdicated and fled to Holland
What was the revolution of the republic and the armstice?
- Friedrich Ebert suspended the Old Reichstag from the Council of People’s representatives as a temporary measure
- Philip Scheidemann, of the SDP declared the new republic, fearful of armed rioters preparing to declare a communist government in Berlin
- Armstice signed on 11 Nov, Treaty of Versailles, November Criminals
Strengths of Weimar Constitution
- Strengths - women could vote as well as men
- proportional representation so small parties had a fair share of seats
- voting age reduced from 25-21
- not one group with too much parties
- election for president every 7 years
- central government more powerful and local gov had power
Weaknesses of the Weimar Constitution
- proportional representation led to unstable government, strong policies fell apart
- lack of strong official government led to presidents not able to pass laws without the reichstag - article 48
- not the choice of the people
Why was the Republic unpopular?
- Treaty and reparations - war guilt, 6.6B needed to be paid
- Military forces to 100,000 - 6 battleships, no submarines, 12 destroyers, 12 torpedo boats
- No military allowed in the Rhineland
- Germany lost 11 colonies
- ‘Stab in the back’ theory
Challenges from the left wing for the Weimar Republic
- The Spartacists - backing from Soviet Union, Rosa Luxemburg, Independent Socialist Party, based in Berlin
- Jan 1919, Spartacists took over the gov newspaper and telegraph bureau - organised a revolt - put down by Freikorp Unit
Challenges from the right wing for the Weimar Republic
- The Friekorps - made up of ex soldiers who kept weapons, 250,000 men March 1919, orhanised by regular army
- The Kapp Putsch, march to Berlin to overthrow republic, Dr Wolfgang Kepp in charge, to put it down trade unions had to go on strike, forced to flee
Negative effects of hyperinflation
- Couldn’t afford essentials
- Wages rose, but not as quickly as prices
- Bankrupt businesses
- Pensioners suffered
- Savings worthless
- Unpopular Weimar
Positive effects of hyperinflation
- Farmer’s benefited as they were paid more for food
- Some people and businesses could pay off loans
- Fixed rents for rooms/shoots became very cheap
- Foreign visitors could buy more for their money
Reasons for recovery
- Rentenmark - Nov 1923 - Stresemann set up the Rentenbank
- Dawes Plan - Charles Daws and Stresemann - instalments temporarily reduced to 50M a year - US banks loan to German economy
- Young Plan - reduced total reparations frm 6.6B to 2B, over a longer period, lower taxes for lower reparations, BUT lots of opposition saying they were extending the burden
Improvements and issue in the economy after the recovery?
Improvements - Industrial output doubled, employment and trade increased
Problems - extreme political party were against reparation payments, economic recovery was fragile because it depended on loans
What was Stresemann’s home success?
- strengthened the confidence of the German people in the Weimar Republic
- reduced the support for extremist parties
- increased support for moderate parties
- reduced economic hardships
Stresemann’s abroad success?
- Locarno pact - new border and permanent demilitarisation of the Rhineland - improved relations with France, increased status, not imposed
- Joined league of nations in 1926 - views were heard
- Kellogg-Briand Pact 1928 - countries can;t use war to achieve foreign objectives - Germany is a major power, Germany’s could build international strength
Golden years - changes for standard for wages and work
- Wages rose
- Working hours reduced
- Working conditions reduced
- Hyperinflation made employment insecure
- Well-off Germans resented seeing workers benefiting
Golden years - changes for housing and unemployment
- 15% rent tax was introduced to fund building associations
- 101,000 homes built
- 3% of worker’s earnings were deducted to put towards sick benefit insurance