Political and Governmental Change Flashcards
What were the 6 things that divided Germany?
- Regional. 2. Religious 3. Gender 4. Rural/Urban 5. Class 6. Race
What were regional divides in Germany like?
Inhabitants of one state often had a prejudiced view about another. For example some states saw Bavarians ad stupid. The regions had Lander which were allowed to make their own education, social welfare and other policy’s as long as they did not conflict with federal law.
What were religious divides like in Germany?
Religeon greatly influenced every day life. Church organisations could tax their parishioners a percentage of their income payment and also recieve goverment grants. Members of the lander were predominately Catholic in the South and protestant in the North. People tended to divide over confessional lines and it was unusual for friendships to be made across the divide.
What were gender divides like in Germany?
Girls were expected to be wives and mothers and there were gender specific associations for all activities from hiking to going to the opera.
What were Rural/Urban divides like in Germany?
By 1910, 150 German cities contained more then 100,000 citizens with more in the North. Many Germans stereotyped rural life as the idlyic dream and regarded cities as dirty and dangerous.
What were class divides like in Germany?
It was like everywhere in Europe and most significant in the German army which had a powerful influence in politics. Most army officers also took part in local goverment.
What were race divides like in Germany?
The German word volk refered to all people with German ancestry no matter where they lived. The majority were heavily racist despite regional differences they still saw Germans as superior.
How was Germany governed in the first world war?
It was essentially run as a military dictatorship at the start of the war as the Kaiser was incapable of military strategy. This took Germany almost to the point of collapse, economically and militarily.
What was put in place when America joined the first world war?
The revolution from above in order to calm things from the growing unrest.
What was the revolution from above?
The name given to the new government that yhe kaiser and the military introduced in 1917 to stop a revolution of the people from bellow. It was lead by Prince Max Von Baden.
When was the Treaty of versailles signed?
28 June 1919
What were the main terms of the treaty of verisalles?
Military, land, Rhineland, war guilt and reparations
What land did Germany lose with the TOV?
Upper silesia, land on the border of Belgium, land on the border with France and land gained at the treaty of brest litovsk
What was the problem with the land Germany lost?
European land taken from Germany included areas rich in coal and iron.
What was Germany forbidden from doing under the terms of the treaty of versailles?
Uniting with Austria
What were the 4 military consequences of the treaty of Versialles?
- The Rhineland became a demilitarised buffer zone for France, it remained German but German troops could not enter it. 2. The German army was limited to 100,000 troops that could not leave Germany and it was not allowed tanks or heavy artillery 3. The German fleet was not allowed any warships over 10,000 tonnes and could not have any submarines. 4. Germany was not allowed an airforce.
How much in reparations did Germany have to pay under the TOV?
In 1921 it was fixed at 132,000 million gold marks.
What reforms did the Prince introduce to try prevent a revolution?
It extended the vote to all men and made both ministers and the army responsible to the goverment not the kaiser.
What happened on the 28th of October 1918?
The navy refused sail against the British fleet. This set off strikes and mutanies across Germany. The spartacists wanted a revolution like in Russia.
What happened on the 8th of November 1918?
Bavaria broke from Germany and claimed itself an independent Republic. The kaiser abdicated and fled to Holland. Prince Maxs goverment had to resign, lasting only a month.
What happened on the 10th of November 1918?
A new government was set up, yhe Council of people’s representatives led by socalist groups which held the reichstag.
Who became chancellor?
Frederick Erbert
What parties was Erberts cabinet made up of?
The Social Democrats (SPD,) and the Independent Social Democrats (USPD.)
What pact was Erbert forced to join due to the unrest in Germany?
The Ebert Groener pact.
What was the ebert Groener pact?
The army would support the goverment as long as the goverment would oppose the more left winged views in the Reichstag
What was the first main Act of Eberts goverment?
They signed the treaty of versailles
What did the allies tell Germany after their surrender had been signed?
They could not take part in Treaty negotiations
After the end of the war what new policies did the goverment introduce to try deal with all the unease?
It set an eight hour working day, allowed indepedent trade unions, set up help for ex soliders to find work and widened health and unemployment benefits.
When did the government set a new election?
On the 19th of December they set a new election for the 19th of Januaey 1919
What happened whilst the SPD was setting up the elections?
The rift grew between it and the USPD and many members resigned and joined the KDP
What percent of the Electorate voted in the first Weimar election?
82.7%
Who won the election?
The SPD formed a party with the centre party and the German democratic party.
What was the most right winged party?
The DNVP, German National People’s Party
What was the DNVPs aims?
They did not want social reform and disliked the idea of a Republic. It supported the army and was created from older conservative parties and nationalist and monarchist. Many members were wealthy land owners and anti semetic.
What was the other right winged party?
The German people’s party DNVP
What was the DVP like?
It was a moderately conservative party newly constructed in 1919. It accepted without really supporting the new republic. Its members were mainly the conservative middle class who did not support reform but wanted a good economy for their business to carry on. It was nationalist and supported the army.
Who the Head of the DVP ?
Streseman
What was the centre party like?
It was a long-term established, mainly Catholic Party. It defended the church in its policies and drew people in from many social groups. It was very opposed to co.munism although supported some reform. Its election posters tended to show the horrors of communism
What was the DDP?
The German democrats
What was the DDP like?
It was made up of liberal, educated professionals who supported the idea of a Republic and a more representative Constitution. It was often part of coalitions. Its members believed in social reform like regulating industry to give workersa better deal and reforming the army.
How long was the SPD the biggest group in parliment?
1919-1929
How new was the SPD?
It was actually long standing and had not been anti monachisy until after the war after a split over it in 1917.
What was the SPD party like?
It believed in the Republic and moderate social reform but not revolution. Immediately after it attracted many workers groups although it also had a moderate Liberal middle class following.
What was the USPD like?
It split from the SPD in 1917. The party wanted a more radical system then the Republic and Luxembourg and Liebknecht were members of the USPD before joining the spartacists. They stood for social reform that included creating a more equal society?
What was the KPD like?
It wanted a workers revolution and a communist state. It mainly attracted the poor, young and unemployed. Holding a promise of a future that wad better then the rest of the parties.
What percent of the seats did the KPD get in 1919?
Non
What percent of the seats di d the USPD get?
7.8
What percent did the SPD get ?
37.9
What percent of the seats did the DDP get?
18.6
What percent did the centre party get?
19.7
What percent did the DVP get?
4.4
What percent did the DNVP get?
10.3
When was the Weimar Constitution passed?
31 July 1919
What 3 roles did the chancellor have in the Weimar Republic?
- Choosing the ministers that run the country. 2. Putting laws to the reighstag 3. Needing a majority in the reichstag to pass these laws.
What were the 3 features of the cabinet?
- Chosen from the ministers who give advice and administer laws. 2. Chosen by the chancellor 3. Formulates laws to the reichstag
Who was the Electorate made up of?
All men and women over 20
What were the 2 features of the reichsrat?
- Members sent by the 18 lander one for each 70,000 in the land 2. Could veto a law passed by the reichstag unless the reichstag law had two thirds majority or more
What was the Head of the government called?
The president
What the 6 features of the presidents role?
- Elected by a vote of all electors every 7 years 2. Chosen as a person not a party representative 3. Chosen the chancellor 4. Article 48 5. Can take control of army in emergency 6. Can dismiss reichstag and call new elections
How often was the reichstag elected?
Every four years by all electorates
How many votes got a party a seat in the Reichstag?
One seat for 60,000
What was the job of the reichstag?
To pass the laws of the country
How many local regions made up the lander?
18
What was land?
Each lander had its own local parliment to decide issues in the region.
What responsibilities did the land have?
They ran their own education, police, judiciar
What always overided the law of the land?
Federal laws, even if they were conflicted.
Why did right winged groups support the goverment?
They didn’t want to run the risk of getting an even more left winged one.
How many parties were then in the reichstag in the 1920s?
29
What was a problem with parties in the goverment which didn’t include Proportional Representation?
Members constantly moved between parties and some parties split all together which confused voters.