Politcal Threats To WR 1919-23 Flashcards

1
Q

Aims of the Spartacus Uprising

A

Against Weimar Republic and parliamentary democracy (not participate in elections)

  • wanted to improve workers conditions
  • not support demo elected parliaments. Want workers’ councils (soviets) to run G
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2
Q

Leaders of the Sprtacist Uprising

A

Led by USPD and Spartacus league. Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxembourg

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3
Q

What happened during the Spartacist Uprising (6)

A
  • 5 Jan 1919 Spartacist launch armed uprising 1000 strong in Berlin to try overthrow Eberts provisional govt
  • occupied public buildings, called for general strike and formed revolutionary committee
  • 3 days savage street fighting
  • govt brutally put down uprising w help of Freikorps
  • Gustav Noske (SPD defence minister) ordered army to put down rising
  • 1000s killed incl Liebknecht and Luxembourg
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4
Q

Why did the Spartacist uprising fail

A
  • leaders badly divided over aims
  • no real strategy
    Layton says leaders “detached from political realities”
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5
Q

Impact of the Spartacist Uprising (5)

A
  • use of freikorps, who despised repub, showed weakness of govt and caused bitter recriminations within the left
  • govt had to relocate in Weimar Saxony
  • Spartacists (later KPD) never forgave govt and relations between SPD and KPD remained poisoned for years to come. Left wing divided
  • KPD kept challenging govt, secured 10-15% vote 1919-23
  • put military elite in a v good position as needed by govt
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6
Q

Why did the Bavarian Soviet Republic formed?

A

Inspired and modelled on communist govt in Russia, 18mts after Bolshevik revolution

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7
Q

How was the Bavarian Soviet Republic formed?

A
  • Bavarian monarchy collapsed and taken over by USPD leader Eisner on 7 Nov 1918
  • Soviet republic proclaimed March
  • made own Red Army and workers councils by Levine
  • lasted several weeks until 1 May 1919 when govt troops and Freikorps suppressed it
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8
Q

How many died in the suppression of the Bavarian Soviet Republic?

A

Over 600 killed by Freikorps and over 1000 govt volunteers killed

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9
Q

Impact of the Bavarian Soviet Republic

A

Spartacist uprising and this proved G in split between extreme LW and RW.
Moderates and govt had lil power unless side w RW and Army

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10
Q

Why did the Red Ruhr Rising happen?

A

Hoped to exploit fact that helped govt put down Kapp Putsch 2 days before. Hoped to force govt concessions

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11
Q

What happened in the Red Ruhr rising?

A

A ‘Red Army’ formed by 50 000 socialist workers

Ironically, rising suppressed by Freikorps

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12
Q

How many deaths occurred from the Red Ruhr rising?

A

Over 1000 workers and 250 policeman and soldiers killed

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13
Q

Impact of Red Ruhr Rising

A

Showed firm action if govt against LW via immediate action, brutality and numerous on the spot executions
Weak govt as still rely on Freikorps

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14
Q

What was the German October of 1923?

A

A wave of communist uprisings in Saxony, Thuringia and Hamburg

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15
Q

Why did the German October happen?

A
  • happened against a background of financial instability provoked by reparations crisis
  • Comintern (Russian revolutionary org to spread communism) wanted to org German October inspired by Bolshevik revolution of October 1917
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16
Q

What happened in the German October? (6)

A
  • SPD and KPD formed coalition in Saxony and communists pledged to use ‘Proletarian hundreds’ (paramilitary units)
  • Reich troops overthrew govt and suppressed strikers
  • Saxony and Thuringia uprising s crushed before off ground
  • Hamburg, army used to suppress uprising.
  • Saxony’s SPD prime minister Zeigner resisted and art 48 used to remove govt
  • All SPD govt then put in Saxony
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17
Q

Why did German October fail?

A
  • missed opportunity for communists

- KPD’s approach hesitant and foolish

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18
Q

Impact of German October (1)

A

Further proof for communists that the social democrats couldn’t be trusted

19
Q

Overall left wing threat? (7)

A
  • workers strike but uncoordinated, leaders not tap into support and isolated, no strong leadership (as Communists had in Russia), not exploit fragility WR.
  • govt had backing of army’s troops and Freikorps
  • by summer best chance for Commies to take govt gone
  • Left wing divisions between SPD and KPD. Moderates lil power unless sided w RW
  • Threats easily dealt with by govt
  • KPD continued to challenge govt w 10-15% vote in 1919-23 elections
  • engendered fear of communism amongst middle class drove many to RW
20
Q

Who was Matthias Erzberger

A

Germany’s representative on the Allied Reparations Commission so responsible for carrying out terms of TOV
Catholic and ZP member

21
Q

When and how was Matthias Erzberger murdered

A

Murdered by RW extremists January 1921

22
Q

WHO was Hugo Hasse and when killed?

A

A USPD member who was shot in front of the Reichstag Oct 1919, dying a month later

23
Q

WHO was Walther Rathenau

A

Foreign minister, leading republic govt member, who signed armistice and negotiated w Allies to try improve TOV. Jewish 😬

24
Q

WHO killed Walther Rathenau and in what year

A

1922 killed by RW army officers from the ‘Consul Organisation’

25
Q

How many attended Walther Rathenau’s funeral? What prison sent did his assassins get?

A

700 000, he was a popular demo politician. Even so assassins only got 4yrs in prison

26
Q

How many political assassinations were there in Germany 1919-22

A

376

27
Q

How many political assassinations did the RW commit from 1919-22 vs the LW? And punishments?

A

RW committed 354 murders, all unpunished (legal system sympathetic to RW)
LW committed 22, 10 of which sent to death

28
Q

Impact of Political Assassinations

A

Democracy weakened and destabilized, govt not want lose RW support as fear of communism and not want another putsch

29
Q

When was the Munich Putsch?

A

8-9 November 1923

30
Q

What situations in Germany encouraged the Munich Putsch to happen?

A
  • 1923 hyperinflation
  • Franco-Belgian occupation of the Ruhr
  • passive resistance
  • German October 1923
31
Q

What was Hitler’s inspiration for the Munich Putsch?

A

Successful Mussolini march on Rome 1922

32
Q

Why did Hitler think von Kahr would support the Munich Putsch?

A

The Bavarian govt, led by von Kahr, blamed G’s problems on the Berlin govt
Von Kahr was ultra conservative and want destroy regime

33
Q

What happened during the Munich Putsch?

A
  • 8 Nov 1923 Hitler and SA surround Munich Beer Hall where meeting being held by Bavarian leaders von Kahr and von Lossow
  • Hitler, w support respected Ludendorff, announced he was taking over Bavarian govt
  • Kahr and Lossow forced to support but escape
  • next day, w pressure Weimar govt and von Seeckt, Kahr orders Bavarian police to shoot on Hitler
  • 16 Nazis died and Hitler easily crushed
34
Q

Aftermaths of the Munich Putsch?

A
  • Hitler lenient sentence of 5yrs and only serves 9mts
  • Ludendorff acquitted (there ‘by accident’)
  • Hitler forbidden speaking in 6 German states until 1927
  • Nazi party temporarily banned until 1925
35
Q

How did Hitler exploit the Munich Putsch?

A
  • Used Jan ‘24 trial as a publicity stunt. Went from a regional to a National figure. Trial got blanket News coverage and got blanket news coverage and 24 days was front page news
  • Presented himself as a German patriot, unlike the Weimar govt.
  • wrote Mein Kampf in prison
  • changed tactics to focus on voting. Now want majority vote to destroy Weimar Republic from within…
36
Q

When was the Kapp Putsch?

A

March 1920

37
Q

Why did the Kapp Putsch happen?

A
  • Feb 1920 Allied Diaramament Commission demanded reduction of troops according to TOV
  • proposed to disband 2 Freikorps units comprised of 12 000 men
  • General von Luttwitz, general commander, refused so the govt ordered his arrest
38
Q

WHO were the leaders of the Kapp Putsch

A

General von Luttwitz and the monarchist journalist Wolfgang Kapp

39
Q

What happened during the Kapp Putsch?

A
  • marched on Berlin 1 March 1920
  • seized main buildings and installed new govt w virtually no opposition
  • General von Seeckt refuse to mobilize troops ‘troops do not fire on troops’ despite Ebert-Groener deal!
  • SPD govt members called for a general strike
    Over 12 million workers went on strike
    Capital paralyzed and spread rest country
  • after 4 days, Kapp govt exert no real authority and flee city. Kapp to Sweden
  • people not support and view as illegitimate
40
Q

Punishments from the Kapp Putsch

A

Of 705 prosecuted, only 1 punished. Govt still strong fear communism and not want lose RW support. Weak

41
Q

Impact of the Kapp Putsch

A
  • bolstered arrogance of antirepub Nats. Proved could get away w murder
  • democracy hit! After 1920 Kapp Putsch, only 48% vote for main 3 demo parties compared w 76% 1919 elections
42
Q

To what extent was the RW opposition a serious threat? (5)

A
  • no 1 ideology. Mixed collection of opponents and overall too divided
  • govt not able to punish properly due to fear communism, undermining demo
  • political assassinations, politicians lived in fear
  • Kapp Putsch significant. Unique as briefly did seize power. Showed weakness of WR and the importance of the army to political survival of regime.
  • ## powerful conservative forces against republic significant. Persistence of old attitudes in major traditional institutions.
43
Q

Overall extent of political threats to regime 1919-23 (5)

A
  • growth of political extremism. Moderates have lil power unless sided w army or conservative forces. Political violence became the norm
  • ‘a Republic without Republicans’ shown by elections
  • govt did have means to defuse and did put down all threats
  • long term issues more dangerous, acted like solvent in corroding support for democracy from the middle ground.
  • Ebert overestimated the LW threat and underestimated the RW threat as seen by his harsh LW punishments and lenient RW ones eg. Political assassinations.