No-nonsense 1 (Weimar Constitution, problems, and Stresemann) Flashcards
What were the new rules for Germany after the First World War?
The Weimar Constitution
Who was the leader of Germany in the war and what happened to him?
The Kaiser. He abdicated [quit] and went to the Netherlands.
What was good about the Weimar Constitution?
1) People voted for the President 2) Men and women could both vote 3) Laws were agreed by the Reichstag (parliament) 4) People had freedom of speech so it was fair
What was bad about the Weimar Constitution?
The voting system was called proportional representation. It meant that no party could ever rule on its own. This meant that small parties became too powerful.
Who did Germans blame for losing the First World War?
The Weimar Politicians - they said they had stabbed the soldiers in the back. This was easy to believe because Britain and the other countries had not actually invaded Germany.
What was the agreement to punish Germany called and who signed it?
The Treaty of Versailles
Signed by Britain, France, and America.
Germany were not allowed a say. They called it ‘Diktat’
You can remember the terms of the Treaty of Versailles with LAMB. What does it stand for?
Land
Army
Money
Blame
How was Germany punished with land?
A strip of German land was given to Poland - it became known as the Polish Corridor. It split the country in two.
They lost all their overseas colonies.
They were not allowed to join with Austria.
How was Germany punished with their Army?
Only allowed 100000 soldiers in their army
Not allowed tanks, submarines, or planes
No soldiers allowed in the Rhineland (area next to France)
These reductions meant that Germany would not be able to defend itself.
How was Germany punished with Money and Blame?
Germany was made to take 100% of the blame by Article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles.
They were made to pay £6.6billion in reparations (money to pay for the war). It would have taken 70 years to pay. This would punish their children and the grandchildren.
What kind of revolts were there against the Weimar government?
Left Wing - they wanted to share the country’s wealth out and help poorer people - for example the Sparticists and the Red Rising
Right Wing - they wanted a powerful Germany and a strong army - for example the Kapp Putsch and the Munich Putsch
What happened in the Munich Putsch?
1) It was in 1923
2) The National Socialists (Nazis) led by Hitler tried to take over the government and make old General Ludendorff the leader of Germany.
3) It was poorly planned and the army crushed the revolt, killing 14 Nazis
4) It was poorly organised - the Nazis forgot to order the firing pins for the Machine Guns
How did the Munich Putsch help the Nazis?
1) Hitler was sent to prison but gained publicity by speaking well in court.
2) In prison he wrote his ideas in his book ‘Mein Kampf’ which means ‘My struggles’
3) After the failure they decided to focus on building up as a political party
What happened to the German economy in 1923 and what caused it?
Hyperinflation
Germany couldn’t afford reparations so France and Belgium invaded the Ruhr.
The Germans went on strike and refused to obey the French [this is called passive resistance]. Over 100 were killed.
The German government printed money to pay the striking workers, however shopkeepers put up prices, and quickly money became worthless.
What were the effects of hyperinflation?
Money became worthless.
Children played with money and people used wheelbarrows instead of wallets.
People with savings lost everything, however it was good for people who owed money.
Most people were very worried, and lost their confidence in the Weimar politicians.
Which Weimar politician started to improve the situation for Germany? What did he do to sort out hyperinflation?
Gustav Stresemann. He was a leading politician between 1923 and 1929. He ended hyperinflation by introducing a new currency called the Rentenmark. He persuaded the French to end their occupation of the Ruhr by promising them he would start to pay reparations
What did Stresemann do to build trust with other countries?
He signed the Locarno Pact (1925) which promised to not attack France. The next year Germany was allowed to join the League of Nations - a group of countries which encouraged trade and promised to protect each other. Stresemann was given the Nobel Peace Prize.
How did Stresemann get the economy going again?
He borrowed money from the USA in the Dawes Plan (1924). he spent this money on public works like building roads and hospitals. The Dawes Plan and also the Young PLan (1929) reduced the amount Germany had to pay and gave them longer to pay it.
The Germany economy began growing quickly and unemployment went down. However, some people say he only papered over the cracks and didn’t solve the problems?
