Political + Economic Crises

Question 1

P + E Crisis

Challenges from Left

3, 0H.

Answer 1

1. Spartakist Rising 1919 Ebert sacked Erhorn - 100,000 on strike and took over newspappers - Ebert FK attacked unarmed soldiers and 100+ dead.
2. Spring 1919 400,000 workers on strike, wanted shorter hours and council-run government - FK suppressed bloodily.
3. March 1920 50,000 Ruhr workers = Ruhr army - angry about Kapp Putsch, largest working class revolt 1919-23 - FK and army suppressed.

Question 2

P + E Crisis

Challenges from Right

3, 3H.

Answer 2

1. Kapp Putsch, March 1920 - government reduced army, 12000 FK march on Berlin - seized power and removed govt - von Seeckt refused to let army help gov as “troops do not fire on troops” - fell apart after 5 days due to strike and only 1 charged as had court support.
2. Munich Putsch, Nov 1923 - Hitler + SA in beer hall and force them to support Berlin march - caught by police, 14 killed and Hitler arrested.
3. Assassinations - Erzberger August 1921, represented democracy so upset afterwards.

TOLCHOSKY - “we have not had a rev but we are certainly having a counter rev”
LEE - KP is “potentially lethal”
LEE - “political terrorism was significant contributor”

Question 3

P + E Crisis

Economic Challenges

6, 2H.

Answer 3

1. BENEFITTED - renters (devalued payments), exporters (exchange rate fell), entrepreneurs e.g. Hugo Stinnes buying companies.
2. DIDNT BENEFIT - savings, war bond buyers, landlords, unskilled workers.
3. 1914 = 4.2 to $ // 1923 = 42 to $
4. Prices rose 20-100% in a day.
5. Huge food shortages - farmers hoarded as worthless money.
6. Worse by prinitng money - 1923, 3000 paper mills and 20,000 prinitng firms 24/7.

SNYDER - problems caused by reparation payments.
LAYTON - reps contributed but not ptimary cause.