Opposition to / survival of the Weimar Republic

Question 1

Who were the Spartacists?

Answer 1

They were a left wing group who founded the KPD at the end of 1918.

Question 2

Why did the Spartacists oppose the Weimar government?

Answer 2

Their opposition came about as a result of the power struggle between the KPD and SPD - the KPD could only fulfil a workers revolution by rising up against the government.

Emil Eichhorn’s sacking as head of police brought the government into open conflict with workers’ councils and unions.

Question 3

How did the Spartacists rise against the government?

Answer 3

Eichhorn called for a demonstration to be held in Berlin following his sacking, and in early January 1919, thousands of armed workers who supported the KPD, USPD and local union officials demonstrated in Berlin.

KPD and USPD leaders called for a general strike - around 500k people responded.

Question 4

How did the government dispel the Spartacists?

Answer 4

They hired “Freikorps” to put down the rebellion - many rebels surrendered and the leaders Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht were executed shortly after the rebellion (15th January).

Question 5

Who were the Freikorps?

Answer 5

They were private paramilitary groups made up of former WW1 soldiers. They were often strongly nationalist and supported the extremist right wing.

Question 6

What was the Kapp Putsch?

Answer 6

A right winged attempt to overthrow the Weimar government in March 1920 made by Wolfgang Kapp and Freikorps leaders.

The movement had support from former military general Ludendorff.

Question 7

Why did the Kapp Putsch happen?

Answer 7

They were extremely nationalist, and aimed to restore the empire and overturn the Treaty of Versailles. They also wanted a strong, authoritative government to restore German imperialism.

Question 8

How did the Kapp Putsch pan out?

Answer 8

They took over Berlin on March 12, 1920, which caused the government to flee. The leaders proclaimed themselves to be the new government and said the Weimar Constitution was no longer in power.

Question 9

How was the Kapp Putsch ended?

Answer 9

Ebert agreed the “Stinnes-Legien Agreement” in November 1918 with German trade unions. He offered legislation on hours of work and union representation in the workplace.

The Kapp movement failed after the trade unions called a general strike, which demanded an SPD-led government be put in power. The strike brought Berlin to a standstill and the Kapp government fell.

Question 10

What was the Red Rising?

Answer 10

Communist governments were set up in Bavaria, the Ruhr, Saxony and in Thuringia that attempted to take over said regions.

Question 11

Why did extremist left wing groups oppose the government?

Answer 11

They disagreed with:

• involvement in the Treaty of Versailles
• liberal / democratic principles
• failure to produce a strong and decisive government and leader

Question 12

How was the Red Rising put down?

Answer 12

Communist governments failed to garner sufficient support and were put down by the Reichswehr (German army) as a result of the Ebert-Groener Pact.

Question 13

What was the Ebert-Groener Pact?

Answer 13

Ebert agreed the pact on November 10, 1918, and the army agreed to support the government provided it opposed left wing ideas in the Reichstag.

Question 14

Why were political assassinations significant?

Answer 14

Between January 1919 and June 1922, there were a total of 376 political assassinations, 354 of which were by extremist right wing groups, including the murder of foreign minister Walther Rathenau?

Question 15

What was the Organisation Consul?

Answer 15

An organisation formed by members of disbanded Freikorps units after it’s members participated in the Kapp Putsch.

Question 16

How were political assassinations dealt with?

Answer 16

Those involved were trialled under the Republic’s judicial system, though the judiciary was far more sympathetic and lenient to offences made by right wing groups.

Question 17

How did Hitler become head of the NSDAP?

Answer 17

He originally worked as a political agent for the army, and was sent to investigate the German Workers’ Party, which he subsequently joined.

In 1920, the party became the NSDAP, and Hitler became it’s undisputed leader in 1921. He became dedicated to violently overthrowing the Weimar Republic.

Question 18

What happened to Hitler following the Munich Putsch?

Answer 18

He was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment but only served 9 months. He was also banned from public speaking in numerous parts of Germany.

Question 19

Who was Von Lossow and what did he do in the Munich Putsch?

Answer 19

He was the commander of the Reichswehr in Bavaria. He refused to obey orders and plotted to establish a new regime in Berlin under Von Kahr.

He burst into the beer hall on 8 November 1923, announcing the revolution had begun. However, he was not entirely convinced by Hitler.

Question 20

Who were the stormtroopers?

Answer 20

They were the paramilitary wing of the Nazi party who beat up Nazi opponents - many of them were former Freikorps.

They were unable to gain control of the Munich army barracks in the Putsch.

Question 21

What role did Ludendorff play in the Munich Putsch?

Answer 21

The ex-military general supported the Putsch. After it’s failure, Hitler fled and was captured the next day, but Ludendorff went to the police and allowed himself to be arrested.

Question 22

What did General Seeckt do in the Munich Putsch?

Answer 22

He sent in troops to tackle the aftermath of the aborted Putsch. Central control over Bavaria was soon re-imposed.

Question 23

How did Ebert become chancellor of the Weimar Republic?

Answer 23

The government was assumed in October 1918 by a coalition led by liberal politician von Baden. Ebert and Scheidemann became ministers, the first time SPD members had been appointed to the national cabinet.

Following the Kaiser’s abdication, von Baden resigned and Ebert replaced him as the new chancellor.

Question 24

What role did Ebert play in signing the ToV?

Answer 24

He initially rejected the treaty as he did not accept the terms of peace or Germany’s sole responsibility. He accepted the treaty, however, within a few days.

Ebert was called a traitor and many predicted this was the end for Germany. Few recognised that he had very little choice.

Question 25

Why was the Ebert-Groener Pact important to the survival of the Weimar Republic?

Answer 25

It was made the day Ebert became president, and became a critical factor for survival - Freikorps who defeated the Spartacists acted with the endorsement of Reichswehr officers.

The radical left condemned Ebert as a traitor who had abandoned his socialist values and aligned himself with monarchists and militarists.

Question 26

What did Ebert contribute to the creation of the Weimar Republic?

Answer 26

He chaired the National Assembly that formulated the Weimar system of government, and convened elections for a new national assembly in December 1918.

Elections were held on 19th January, 1919, and they met the following month in Weimar due to continuing unrest in Berlin. The location led to the name: the “Weimar” Republic.