People Flashcards
Erich von Ludendorff
Born 9 April 1865, died 1937.
Retired general.
He tried to direct the constitutional reform in October 1918. (The October reform), wanting to change germany into a constitutional monarchy.
Took part in Kapp putsch, and supported the early activities of the Nazi party.
Opposed to democracy.
Collaborated with Hitler and supported the Munich putsch, but was acquitted.
In 1925 he ran for president against Hindenburg.
From 1924-28 he was a Nazi member of the reichstag, and shared the party’s racial views.
Paul von Hindenburg
Born 1847, died 1934.
He was a field marshal and virtual dictator of Germany during WW1.
In 1925, he was elected president, despite his lack of sympathy towards the Weimar Republic. This was after Ebert’s unexpected death (Ebert had been expected to be re-elected). Hindenburg accepted the post reluctantly.
He was not a democrat - he looked forward to the return of the monarchy. However, he still performed his duties correctly, and there was no immediate swing to the right after his appointment.
He was persuaded to appoint hitler as chancellor in 1933, by Papen and Schleicher. He had no respect for Hitler, but he didn’t have the will and determination to make a stand against Nazism.
He remained in office until hid death in August 1934.
Prince Max von Baden
Born 1867, died 1929.
He was the last chancellor of imperial Germany - 3 October to 9 November 1918.
He was an had an international reputation due to his work with the Red Cross.
He was appointed chancellor in order to implement the Ludendorff plan - to establish a constitutional monarchy, and request an armistice and a peace treaty. He himself had expressed criticisms of democracy, but Kaiser Wilhelm persuaded him.
By early November it was clear that the creation of a constitutional monarchy would not defuse the revolutionary situation.
On 9 November, he announced that the Kaiser would renounce his throne and that’s a left wing provisional coalition government would be formed under Friedrich Ebert.
Friedrich Ebert
Born 1871, died 1925.
He was the leader of the SPD.
He was made chancellor of the provisional government by Prince Max von Baden, after the Kaiser abdicated in 1918.
He became the first president of the Weimar Republic in 1919, and he remained in office until he died in 1925 unexpectedly.
He oversaw the years of crisis and applied the emergency decrees of article 48 with success.
Philip Scheidermann
Born 1865, died 1939.
He led the SPD along with Friedrich Ebert.
Without any government or party authorisation, he made the Weimar Republic a fact - by proclaiming it from the balcony of the reichstag on 9 November 1918. It was only at this point in the evening of 9 November that the Kaiser accepted the advice of the leading generals and abdicated.
He became the republics first chancellor. He resigned in June 1919 rather than give his assent to the ToV.
In 1922, there was an attempt to assassinate him.
He emigrated from germany at the beginning of the Nazi party period (1933).
Wilhelm Groener
Born 1867, died 1939
He was a general (Ludendorff’s successor), appointed in 1918.
He worked with Ebert to stop a left wing takeover during the German revolution.
Under his command, the army violently surprised multiple uprisings throughout the country.
He tried to integrate the military into the new republic.
He then resigned from the army in 1919.
After that he served as minister of transportation, interior and defence for several governments in the Weimar Republic, until Kurt von Schleicher pushed him out of the government in 1932.
Gustav Noske
Born 1868, died 1946.
A SPD politician, and trade unionist.
He was the first minister of defence of the Weimar Republic, between 1919 and 1920.
Controversial due to his use of army and paramilitary forces to bloodily suppress the socialist and communist uprisings of 1919.
Walter Rathenau
Born 1867, died 1922.
Jewish businessman and politician.
Pro-democrat - founder of the DDP (German Democratic Party)
He served as minister of reconstruction, and then as foreign minister 1921-22.
He was assassinated by the Consul organisation (a terrorist gang) as he was seen as a traitor and a Jew, and committed to democracy.
Wolfgang Kapp
Born 1858, died 1922.
A Prussian civil servant.
A nationalist (he led found the right wing German Fatherland party. He wanted to see a restoration of the Kaiser as leader of Germany. He despised the republic.
He was the leader of the Kapp Putsch in 1920. The putsch failed, and he fledge Sweden. He returned to stand trial, but died awaiting trial in 1922.
Gustav Stresseman
Born 1878, died 1929.
Founded the DVP in 1919.
He was initially opposed to Weimar, but changed his view, and he and the DVP decided to support in by 1921.
He became chancellor in 1923 for 100 days.
He then was foreign minister from 1923 until he died in 1929.
He wanted the ToV to be revised. He saw the best way was to work with the allied powers. This brought about many foreign policy successes.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace prize in 1926.
Died of a stroke aged 51.
