Paper 1 - Weimar Germany After the War 1919-23 Flashcards
Who were the Weimar Republic?
They were a fragile new government set up after the War.
What political voting system did they follow?
They followed the policy of proportionate representation. It was very democratic.
Who was the Weimar Republic lead by?
Friedrich Ebert
Why were they very unpopular at first ?
They immediately became unpopular by signing the Treaty of Versailles - “November Criminals”
Why did the signing of the Treaty of Versailles make people angry?
The German people thought that the terms of the treaty were way to harsh. They did not believe that they had lost the war
Why did the week coalition government make them unpopular?
The Weimar Republic had a president as head of state, and then a chancellor. Elections were decided by proportional representation. This meant it was very hard for any party to from a government of its own. Therefore it was very hard for laws to be passed and every party had a say.
What were the Communist treats to the Weimar Republic ?
How were they dealt with?
Spartacists (Lead by Luxemburg) were communists in Germany, and in January 1919, they seized control of Berlin. They were crushed by a right wing group (Freikorps), who were ex soldiers and bitter enemies of the communists.
How were the right wing extremest treats to the Weimar Republic ?
How were they dealt with?
March 1920, Wolfgang Kapp, and some Freikorp units siezed power in Berlin. The Army refused to intervene.
However the left wing workers went on strike, after 4 days Kapp and his supporters fled Berlin
What were some problems with the new constitution of Weimar Republic?
Through proportional representaion some extremist parties were represented in the Reichstag, giving them a voice
Proportional representation prevented overall control by one party. Coalition governments made it hard to pass laws.
Article 48 gave too much power to the President. giving the opportunity to act democratically, like Hitler
What was Article 48
Article 48 - this said that, in an emergency, the president did not need the agreement of the Reichstag,
What was the Issue in the Ruhr
When the reparations bill was announced, Germany claimed that they could not afford to pay. They payed in 1921, but not in 1922.
French and Belgian troops began to occupy the Ruhr.
The German workers in the Ruhr went on strike.
What did the issues in the Ruhr lead to?
The issues in the Ruhr lead to hyperinflation. As revenue began to decline, the German government began to print more money.
Some positives to the Weimar Republic
All men and women over the age of 20 were given the vote. This was even better than Britain where only women over 30 could vote.
A Bill of Rights guaranteed every German citizen freedom of speech and religion, and equality under the law.
How did the French react to the Ruhr
Very harshly - killed over 100 workers and expelled over 100,000 protesters
