overcoming challenges to democracy

Question 1

why was German political culture a threat to the Republic?

Answer 1

many Germans conservative, unsympathetic to democracy, undermined it

Question 2

why were people concerned about democracy (3 main reasons)?

Answer 2

gave power to uneducated people - little understanding of gov, power to poor - take away power + wealth of rich, based on discussion + elections - weak + indecisive

Question 3

who was Bismarck + what was his influence on German political culture?

Answer 3

!st chancellor of Imperial Germany, strength, decisiveness, disliked democracy, ideal form of authoritarian German leader

Question 4

why did the signing of Versailles cause resentment towards the Republic?

Answer 4

Gov seen as weak, people believed Germany could win, terms resented

Question 5

what was popular militarism, why was it a threat to democracy?

Answer 5

support for army, belief army protected nation, hierarchal + aristocratic, never democratically accountable

Question 6

what could ex-army men do in gov that undermined democratic values?

Answer 6

take a gov job, some gov services dominated by former soldiers making them hierarchal + undemocratic

Question 7

what was the stab in the back myth?

Answer 7

that WW1 not lost by military but by politicians, communists + Jews, politicians signed armistice

Question 8

why was the stab in the back myth formed?

Answer 8

propaganda promised victory, German army occupied French territory, army seen as invincible, army leaders didn’t want to be blamed

Question 9

how did army leaders use the stab in the back myth?

Answer 9

insisted army + soldiers heroes, politicians weak, devious + unpatriotic

Question 10

what was the attitudes towards soldiers, how did this undermine democracy?

Answer 10

respected, seen as front generation who fought and sacrificed for nation, stigmatised politicians as weak compared

Question 11

what racist beliefs were linked to the German empire?

Answer 11

belief white European civilisation superior, support for colonialism, supported racial war + racial purity

Question 12

how was anti-Semitism used to undermine democracy?

Answer 12

Jews blamed as causing defeat in war. linked to Republic, hatred for both

Question 13

How was Social Darwinism linked to democracy being unnatural?

Answer 13

humans naturally unequal, strong should dominate weak, democracy gave equal political rights to unequal people

Question 14

what did Anti-Semites believe a secret kaiser would do?

Answer 14

cleanse Germany of impure races

Question 15

what was the consequence of Bismarck’s legacy + cult of the military?

Answer 15

view that political violence was justified

Question 16

what did democratic politics rely on?

Answer 16

peace, freedom of dicsussion

Question 17

what political assassination shows anti- Semitism in Weimar?

Answer 17

Walter Rathenau- involved in Versailles negotiations, minister, Jewish

Question 18

what did the signing of Versailles rob the Republic of + why?

Answer 18

its legitimacy, associated with betrayal of country + treachery

Question 19

what was German politics divided along?

Answer 19

political, religious and ethnic lines

Question 20

why did the SPD not trust the liberals?

Answer 20

liberals supported banning of SPD, collaboration between socialists and liberals became difficult

Question 21

why did conservatives and nationalists not trust the socialists?

Answer 21

thought SPD would strip rich of property + organise violent revolution

Question 22

why were there major divisions between the SPD and KPD?

Answer 22

SPD feared communist revolution would lead to KPD persecuting SPD, SPD authorised military action against KPD - relationship deteriorated

Question 23

why did political divisions make German gov tricky?

Answer 23

proportional representation meant hard for single party to win majority, coalitions necessary - parties had to work together (difficult)

Question 24

why were there divides along religious lines?

Answer 24

Germany christian, most people protestant, fears of Catholicism being threat to German culture, main liberal parties didn’t defend rights of Catholics

Question 25

what were the ethnic divisions in Germany?

Answer 25

Slaves + Poles, French + Danes, seen as inferior, gov followed policy of Germanisation, illegal to teach other languages, Jews persecuted, associated with modern culture + urbanisation not traditional German culture

Question 26

when was the Spartacist uprising?

Answer 26

Jan 1919

Question 27

when was the Kapp putsch?

Answer 27

march 1920

Question 28

when was the Ruhr uprising?

Answer 28

march 1920

Question 29

when was the Munich Pustch?

Answer 29

nov 1923

Question 30

what happened at the Spartacist uprising?

Answer 30

led by KPD after their meeting under attack from private armies, uprising in Berlin, gov moved to Weimar, Freikorps dealt with it, Liebknecht + Luxemburg captured, beaten + arrested

Question 31

how many political murders were there between 1919 -1923?

Answer 31

376

Question 32

how did Ebert help overcome the challenegs?

Answer 32

held gov together 1919-23

Question 33

how did Stresemann help overcome the challenges?

Answer 33

dealt with crises, foreign + economic policy successes, role in creating + maintaining Grand Coalitio

Question 34

what happened 1924-29 that helped stability?

Answer 34

economy recovered through Stresemann, helped foreign policy + relationship with other countries

Question 35

what reasons ensured weimar democracy survived overcoming challenges?

Answer 35

success of economy, political leadership, use of Article 48, threat of left, pragmatism + compromise of political parties

Question 36

what qualities did Ebert have?

Answer 36

gifted negotiator, capable administrator, pragmatic

Question 37

what was Ebert’s goals?

Answer 37

work with Weimar system to improve pay + rights of workers, compromise + reform

Question 38

what did Ebert do to compromise?

Answer 38

worked with army, right wing civil service + judiciary, worked with right wing politicians

Question 39

what did Eberts compromises do in the long term and short term?

Answer 39

LT- undermined democracy ST- bought new regime time, kept republic going through crises

Question 40

what did the press think and do regarding Ebert?

Answer 40

viewed him as traitor, printed stories accusing him of betraying Germany

Question 41

what did Ebert do against his critics in the press?

Answer 41

started more than 173 lawsuits against them trying to clear his name

Question 42

who was Hindenburg?

Answer 42

president after Ebert, DNVP, had support of right, military general, viewed as hero

Question 43

what did Hindenburg do in 1928 that shows he was using his power constitutionally?

Answer 43

appoint SPD leader Hermann Muller as chancellor, arrangement between conservative nationalists + socialists

Question 44

why did Hindenburg’s leadership make the regime more stable?

Answer 44

gave German right a reason to support the regime

Question 45

how did Stresemann increase support of the constitution?

Answer 45

his support meant people in his party (Peoples party) supported the new constitution

Question 46

when was Stresemann foreign minister?

Answer 46

1923-29

Question 47

What was the Dawes plan, when was it?

Answer 47

1924- loans to germany from USA, rearrange reparations payments

Question 48

when did the French withdraw from the Ruhr?

Answer 48

1924-25

Question 49

When was the Locarno pact, when was it?

Answer 49

1925- series of treaties, Germany recognised borders with surrounding European countries

Question 50

when did the LoN allow Germany to join?

Answer 50

1926

Question 51

what treaty was signed by Germany + USSR in 1926?

Answer 51

Treaty of Berlin, improve relations, encourage economic + military exchange

Question 52

what was the Kellogg-Brian’s pact, when was it?

Answer 52

renounced use of force to solve disputes, 1928

Question 53

what was the Young plan, when was it?

Answer 53

1929, rescheduled reparations payments

Question 54

how many times did Ebert use Article 48?

Answer 54

136 occasions

Question 55

why did Eberts use of Article 48 have a destabilising effect?

Answer 55

used against left but not against right, used it when no emergency, established precedent president could use it without emergency

Question 56

what parties supported the Republic + help it survive?

Answer 56

SPD, German Democrats + ZP

Question 57

why did the threat from the left help keep the Weimar republic going?

Answer 57

communist revolution seemed to be real threat, Weimar republic lesser of two evils

Question 58

what did the Ebert-Groener ensure for the army?

Answer 58

independence and respect

Question 59

what were the Freikorps?

Answer 59

demobilised soldiers, anti-communist force of volunteers

Question 60

what were the Freikorps motivated by?

Answer 60

right wing nationalist + anti democratic political goals

Question 61

what did the Freikorps do in the Sparticist uprising?

Answer 61

fought alongside army, crushed uprising,

Question 62

why were the actions of the Freikorps destabilising in the long term?

Answer 62

had widespread popular support, helped legitimise use of political violence

Question 63

what did the threat of the left lead to for pro-weimar parties?

Answer 63

significant support, won 76.2% vote 1919

Question 64

what happened when the communist threat receded?

Answer 64

support for pro-Weimar parties diminished