origins of the republic 1918-19

Question 1

What were the affects of WW1 on Germany?

Answer 1

2 million dead troops
4 million wounded
763000 civilians died from starvation
The economy was crippled: 1918 saw only 2/3 industrial production of what it was in 1913
Germany’s debt went from 50billion marks in 1914 to 150billion marks in 1918
Inflation
Workers average wage dropped by 40% from before the war, however armament business owners gained a lot of money from the war

Question 2

How did Germany’s defeat in WW1 lead to the end of the monarchy?

Answer 2

Field Marshall Hindenburg and General Lundendorff said that democratic government would be needed for a favourable peace agreement with the Allied powers (Britain, France, USA and Russia)

Question 3

State the 6 factors leading to the Kaiser abdication (giving up leadership)

Answer 3

• Germany losing WW1
• introduction of a democratic government
• kaiser losing military support
• Kaiser losing advisors
• German republic
• The Armistice and End of WW1

Question 4

How and when was the democratic government formed?

Answer 4

1918- Hindenberg informs the Reichstag of the decision to make a democratic government
-Kaiser appoints Prince Max to become chancellor
-Under Prince Max, a new government was set up
German leaders passed power over to the civilian government just in time for them to take the blame for the loss of WW1

Question 5

How did the Kaiser lose his power of the military?

Answer 5

-1918 Kaiser loses control of military
-kiel mutiny
Kurt eisner, a communist, causes mass strikes in Munich supporting an uprising against the Kaiser

Question 6

What was the Kiel mutiny?

Answer 6

the Kiel Mutiny, sailors at Kiel refused to
put to sea and attack the British navy because they felt that
such a move was foolish and might endanger the ceasefire
talks.

Question 7

Why did the Kaiser lose his advisors?

Answer 7

1918 - Kaiser loses support of his advisors and was forced to abdicate
- ministers had earlier tried to make the Kaiser abdicate but failed
Following this, leaders of the army withdrew their support for the Kaiser
- the Kaiser abdicated and fled to Holland

Question 8

Explain the introduction of the German Republic

Answer 8

10th November 1918 - German Republic was born
-Phillip Scheidermann, a member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), declared the new German Republic

Friedrich Ebert, the leader of the SPD, became the leader of the German Republic
-he created the “Council of People’s Representatives” as a temporary government.

Question 9

What was the “Council of People’s Representatives”

Answer 9

A temporary government set up by Friedrich Ebert to run Germany until new elections were held in January 1919.

Question 10

Explain the Armistice and end of WW1

Answer 10

Ebert signed the armistice (truce) with the allies after admitting defeat
Some Germans thought that Germany could have won the war and felt “stabbed in the back” by Ebert and his government signing this. This lead to Ebert and the politicians who negotiated the deal being called the “November Criminals”. Berlin became a hotspot for revolt.

Question 11

Who were the “November Criminals”

Answer 11

Ebert and politicians responsible for signing the armistice with the Allies, as civilians thought that Germany could have won the war, but Ebert admitted defeat and “stabbed the german public in the back”

Question 12

What is the “dolchstoss theory”

Answer 12

the “stab in the back” myth. The war was lost due to internal forces such as Ebert

Question 13

Why was the republic set up in Weimar?

Answer 13

So politicians could set up the republic away from the unrest of Berlin

Question 14

How many seats did the SPD secure in the 1919 january election to secure their position

Answer 14

163

Question 15

President’s role in the Weimar republic

Answer 15

Lead by the president

• who was elected every 7 years
• had the power to choose key ministers, such as the chancellor
• using article 48, had the power to overrule his government and make laws by decree

Question 16

Governments role in the Weimar republic

Answer 16

Beneath the president was the government.

The Cabinet made political decisions. The cabinet was lead by the chancellor.

Question 17

Parliaments role in the Republic

Answer 17

Beneath the government.
two parts:
Reichstag: controlled taxes
Reichsrat: represented each region of Germany
elected every 4 years

Question 18

electorate role in the weimar republic

Answer 18

Beneath Parliament

All men and women over 21 could vote in elections

Question 19

STRENGTHS of the new constitution include:

Answer 19

• very democratic, mean and women over 20 could vote
• no one person could hold too much power
• Head of the government (Chancellor) had to have support from most of the people in Reichstag

-A strong president was necessary to keep control over government and to protect the
country in a crisis.

-Voting by proportional representation meant that the number of seats each party had
in the Reichstag was based on the number of votes they got. For example, if a party won
ten per cent of the votes if was given ten per cent of the seats.

Question 20

WEAKNESSES of the new constitution

Answer 20

outweighed strengths

• Article 48 allowed the president to rule without parliament
• weak coalitions were the only way to gain power and lead Germany
• Many judges and senior civil servants did not agree with the new liberal politcal views
• Leaders of the army wanted the Kaiser to return so they could maintain their status