Political Extremism under Weimar Republic (2) Flashcards
How did the voting system of proportional representation lead to political extremism?
- Resulted in a fragmented political spectrum, allowing various parties to gain seats in the Reichstag - especially easier for extremist parties to gain power.
- Faced opposition from powerful left and right wings parties.
What did left wings in the political spectrum demand?
- Believed the establishment of a new democratic system of the Govt wasn’t enough.
- Wished a one-party communist state, following Marxism, by a revolution and an upheaval of Germany society (inspired by the Russian revolution).
What did the right wings in the political spectrum demand?
- Rejected the new democratic republic, favouring a return to a more autocratic and powerful government.
- Anti-communist and feared revolution.
- Aimed to restore Germany’s ‘severely wounded’ national pride - betrayal of the Republic by the November Criminals and their acceptance of the Treaty of Versailles.
The Treaty of Versailles’s terms
(LAMB)
Territory: All German and Turkist colonies taken away and put under Allied control. Includes land gained at the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, Alsace Lorraine.
Arms/Military: Forced demilitarisation of Germany and the Rhineland. Banned conscription, airforce and submarines. Limited army to 100k troops that can’t leave Germany.
Reparations: Must pay 6.6 million marks in reparations.
Blame: Forced to accept the war guilt clause and were obstructed from joining the League of Nations which was established to prevent conflict.
Why did the Treaty of Versailles have such a negative response
- Shocked Germany - imperial war propaganda kept the majority of the public oblivious to Germany’s struggle towards the end of the war.
- Gave further credence to the ‘stab-in-the-back theory’, creating outrage at the Allies = first elected government resigned out of shame upon its announcement.
What is the stab-in-the-back-theory
- The ‘formidable’ German army was betrayed by unpatriotic, weak politicians (Nov criminals).
- Believed the anti-war agitators fomented unrest among civilians and the new government failed to support their military, weakening troop morale.
- Unrest culminated in the November revolution; the formation of the Republic, unnecessary armistice and acceptance of the Versailles peace terms.
What was the significance of the stab in the back theory
Distorted the public’s view for the reason of Germany’s defeat - used to criticise the democratic Republic due to its association of the defeat and their humiliating acceptance of the peace treaty.
Left Wing groups = the KPD
- Communist Party, supported by 10-15% of the electorate.
- They wished to replicate Russia’s communist revolution in Germany, changing the nature of society and economics.
Left Wing groups = the Spartacists
- Group which broke away from the more moderate SPD in 1915 = instrumental in the German revolution.
- Influenced by Communist theories of Lenin and Bolshevism - sought to create a Soviet republic in Germany run by workers and soldier’s councils.
Right Wing groups = DNVP
- Composed mostly of old Imperial Conservatives - the largest right-wing party.
- Made up of various right-wing groups, such as the Fatherland Party and the Pan-German League.
Right Wing = Freikorps
- Demilitarisation of Germany forced unemployed Imperial soldiers formed their own parliamentary groups led by their old regimental officers.
- Officers were staunch advocates of the conservative, right-wing and believed in the ‘stab in the back’ myth.
- Carried out numerous political assassinations and acts of violence on behalf of the extreme right and they aided the govt to bolster its limited military to crush left-wing uprisings - enjoyed brutal and violent tactics.
How were the Freikorps a problem to the government?
Despite obliging the requests to deal with left-wing activity, they continued to dislike the Republic, having no allegiance, as they desired a return to an authoritarian government - potential threat.
Between 1919-23, how many political assassinations was the Freikorps responsible for?
354 - many were high-ranking members of the Government.
Give an example of a political assassination under the Freikorps
- Walter Rathenau (foreign minister). He drew up the Rapallo Treaty to try improve relations between Germany (despised in global politics) and the USSR (treated with increasing suspicion by other Allies).
- Murdered shortly after agreeing upon the treaty on June 24th 1922 for the crime of being Jewish, his committment to democracy and helping Germany ally with a Communist power.
Crises caused by Political extremism: Spartacists’s Revolt in January 1919
- Local union officials united to overthrow the Government.
- Jan 6: thousands of armed workers overtook key buildings, such as the newspaper offices (similar to Soviet Rev).
- RESOLUTION = Freikorps crushed the rebellion, executing its leaders. Left-wing’s tactic to take over individual states, establishing communist governments failed - no popular support.
