Political instability and extremism. Flashcards
What was the problem with having a coalition government in the Weimar Republic?
Germany’s society became divided, and many parties were dedicated to overthrow the republic. This placed a burden on the moderate centre parties
Between Feb 1919 and Nov 1923 have many coalition governments were there?
No less than 10.
When did the Spartacus League stage an armed uprising in Berlin?
5 Jan 1919.
What did the Sparticists want to do?
Overthrow Ebert’s government and set up a revolutionary communist regime.
Why did the Sparticists’ uprising not work?
Poorly prepared, and had not secured the support of the majority of the working class in Berlin.
How did Ebert’s government end the Sparticists uprising?
Relied on the army but General Groener had few reliable military units under his command, so he used the irregular forces of the new Freikorps.
When was the Sparticists uprising squashed?
13 Jan 1919 after brutal street fighting in which many prisoners, including Liebknecht and Luxemburg were executed.
Who led the Sparticists uprising?
Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg.
What was the effect of the Sparticists revolt?
Left-wing rebellion continued:
-April 1919: Wave of strikes in Halle and Ruhr
-1920: Communists form red army of 50,000 workers and seized control of the Ruhr.
-1921: KPD tried to force revolution
What caused the Kapp Putsch?
Gustav Noske ordered 2 Freikrops units to disband, but General Luttwitz refused to disband one of them so the government ordered his arrest.
When was the Kapp Putsch?
March 12, 1920
(marched 12 miles on March 12th.)
How did Luttwitz start the Kapp Putsch?
Luttwitz marched his troops to Berlin in protest and other sympathetic officers offered their support as well as Wolfgang Kapp who intended to organise a putsch.
What Seeckt famously tell Ebert?
Troops do not fire on troops; when Reichswehr fires on Reichswehr. all comradeship within the officer corps has vanished.
What happened at the Kapp putsch?
Berlin was brought to a standstill and within four days the putsch collapsed. Kapp and Luttwitz were forced to flee.
What lessons did the Kapp Pustch teach?
-The army was not to be trusted
-Civil servants were disloyal
-The workers as a group could show their power
-Without the army’s support the Weimar government was weak
The assassination of Erzberger:
August 1921, Erzberger (Former finance minister), by 2 members of thr terrorist league Organistation Consul. Erzberger led the German delegation for the signing of the armistice and has signed the treaty of Versialles
The assassination of Rathenau:
24 June 1922.
His ‘crimes’ were to be a Jew and a leading minister in the republican government. He had participated in signing the armistice and had negotiated with the allies to try to improve Versialles.
What were the consequences of Rathenau’s assassination?
Over 700,000 protestors lined the streets if Berlin. The value of the mark fell as other countries feared repercussions.
Between 1919 and 1923 there were ___ political assassinations?
376, 22 carried out by the left and 354 by the right.
What did the Reichstag do to try and stop the political assassinations?
Passed a law ‘for the protection of the Republic’ which imposed severe penalties on those involved in conspiracy to murder and banned extremist organisations.
Who were outraged at the French invasion of the Ruhr?
Germans of all classes and political allegiances.
Why was Germany the most united during the French invasion?
Germany was swept by a wave of anti-French feeling.
Who did many people blame for the French invasion of the Ruhr?
The government and middle-class support for the Republic was severely damged.
How did the left use the Ruhr invasion to their own favour?
The communists tried to use the crisis to stage uprisings in certain areas.
Due to the occupation of the Ruhr and subsequent hyperinflation crisis, which small party tried to overthrow the republic (1923)?
National Socialist German Workers Party, the Nazis.
What did Gustav Stresemann do that was seen as an act of betrayal?
He called off the passive resistance in September without winning any concessions from the French.
Who was at the forefront of the agitation fro a ‘march to Berlin’ and what was it?
Adolf Hitler.
Overthrow the government an establish a national dictatorship.
Who’s support did Hitler need for him to believe the putsch would work?
Powerful figures so having secured the support of Ludendorff he set out to win over Ritter von Kahr, and Otto von Lossow (commander of local army).
When and how did the Munich putsch start?
8 November.
H burst into the Munich beer hall, where the two (Ritter von Kahr, and Otto von Lossow) were addressing a meeting of 200, surrounding it with stormtroopers and announcing the revolution has begun.
How did H convince Kahr and von Lossow to agree to the M putsch?
At gunpoint they were persuaded to agree to his plan to march Berlin and install Ludendorff as the new Commander-in-Chief.
Why did the Munich putsch not work?
Their support evaporated overnight and so did H’s chances of persuading others to join him. Stormtroopers were unable to gain control of the Munich army barracks and on November 9th H knew he failed.
How was Hitler arrested for the Munich putsch?
He went ahead with the march through Munich, ensuing gun battle with the police later became folklore for the ‘courageous’ nazis. H fell and dislocated his shoulder. He fled, only to be captured the next day, whilst Ludendorff walk to the police and allowed himself to be arrested.
