Political instability and extremism. Flashcards

1
Q

What was the problem with having a coalition government in the Weimar Republic?

A

Germany’s society became divided, and many parties were dedicated to overthrow the republic. This placed a burden on the moderate centre parties

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2
Q

Between Feb 1919 and Nov 1923 have many coalition governments were there?

A

No less than 10.

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3
Q

When did the Spartacus League stage an armed uprising in Berlin?

A

5 Jan 1919.

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4
Q

What did the Sparticists want to do?

A

Overthrow Ebert’s government and set up a revolutionary communist regime.

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5
Q

Why did the Sparticists’ uprising not work?

A

Poorly prepared, and had not secured the support of the majority of the working class in Berlin.

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6
Q

How did Ebert’s government end the Sparticists uprising?

A

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.

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7
Q

When was the Sparticists uprising squashed?

A

13 Jan 1919 after brutal street fighting in which many prisoners, including Liebknecht and Luxemburg were executed.

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8
Q

Who led the Sparticists uprising?

A

Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg.

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9
Q

What was the effect of the Sparticists revolt?

A

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

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10
Q

What caused the Kapp Putsch?

A

Gustav Noske ordered 2 Freikrops units to disband, but General Luttwitz refused to disband one of them so the government ordered his arrest.

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11
Q

When was the Kapp Putsch?

A

March 12, 1920
(marched 12 miles on March 12th.)

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12
Q

How did Luttwitz start the Kapp Putsch?

A

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.

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13
Q

What Seeckt famously tell Ebert?

A

Troops do not fire on troops; when Reichswehr fires on Reichswehr. all comradeship within the officer corps has vanished.

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14
Q

What happened at the Kapp putsch?

A

Berlin was brought to a standstill and within four days the putsch collapsed. Kapp and Luttwitz were forced to flee.

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15
Q

What lessons did the Kapp Pustch teach?

A

-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

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16
Q

The assassination of Erzberger:

A

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

16
Q

The assassination of Rathenau:

A

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.

16
Q

What were the consequences of Rathenau’s assassination?

A

Over 700,000 protestors lined the streets if Berlin. The value of the mark fell as other countries feared repercussions.

17
Q

Between 1919 and 1923 there were ___ political assassinations?

A

376, 22 carried out by the left and 354 by the right.

18
Q

What did the Reichstag do to try and stop the political assassinations?

A

Passed a law ‘for the protection of the Republic’ which imposed severe penalties on those involved in conspiracy to murder and banned extremist organisations.

19
Q

Who were outraged at the French invasion of the Ruhr?

A

Germans of all classes and political allegiances.

20
Q

Why was Germany the most united during the French invasion?

A

Germany was swept by a wave of anti-French feeling.

21
Q

Who did many people blame for the French invasion of the Ruhr?

A

The government and middle-class support for the Republic was severely damged.

22
Q

How did the left use the Ruhr invasion to their own favour?

A

The communists tried to use the crisis to stage uprisings in certain areas.

23
Q

Due to the occupation of the Ruhr and subsequent hyperinflation crisis, which small party tried to overthrow the republic (1923)?

A

National Socialist German Workers Party, the Nazis.

24
Q

What did Gustav Stresemann do that was seen as an act of betrayal?

A

He called off the passive resistance in September without winning any concessions from the French.

25
Q

Who was at the forefront of the agitation fro a ‘march to Berlin’ and what was it?

A

Adolf Hitler.
Overthrow the government an establish a national dictatorship.

26
Q

Who’s support did Hitler need for him to believe the putsch would work?

A

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).

27
Q

When and how did the Munich putsch start?

A

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.

28
Q

How did H convince Kahr and von Lossow to agree to the M putsch?

A

At gunpoint they were persuaded to agree to his plan to march Berlin and install Ludendorff as the new Commander-in-Chief.

29
Q

Why did the Munich putsch not work?

A

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.

30
Q

How was Hitler arrested for the Munich putsch?

A

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.