Political instability and extremism 1919-24

Question 1

What’s the difference between the SPD and the KPD?

Answer 1

SPD wanted support for a socialist governmental system. KPD wanted Communism. Didn’t like each other.

Question 2

What were the Spartacist’s aims?

Answer 2

.Bring Ebert’s government down.
.Soviets.
.Redistribute land and wealth.
.Nationalise and shorter hours.
.Revolutionary Communist Regime.

Question 3

How were the Spartacists dealt with?

Answer 3

.Freikorps quickly shut down - army not supportive.
.Executed both leaders.

Question 4

What was the Spartacist Uprising Jan 1919?

Answer 4

.Spartacus League - Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg.
.Republican government with councils.
.Jan 5th - Berlin Uprising, occupied places, crushed on 13th - no support.
.Left divisions widened.

Question 5

What was the Berlin and Bavaria protest March 1919?

Answer 5

.The Spartacists.
.Established a communist government based on councils of workers.
.Suppressed quickly.

Question 6

What was the Strikes in Halle and Ruhr valley April 1919?

Answer 6

.Workers.
.Shorter hours, control over own industries, government based on councils of workers.
.Strikes in Industrial heartlands.

Question 7

What was the General Strike of Berlin 1920?

Answer 7

.Workers.
.Response to Kapp Putsch.
.Communists formed Red Army - 50,000 and seized Ruhr - virtual civil war but couldn’t crush army/freikorps, self-defence units.
.Units shut down - 1000 workers, 250 soldiers and police died.

Question 8

What was the Saxony Hamburg and Ruhr problem March 1921?

Answer 8

.KPD.
.Force revolutions.
.Saxony rising spread to others.
.Crushed by police - 145 people killed.

Question 9

What was the Saxony and Hamburg problem 1923?

Answer 9

.Strikes during economic collapse.
.Suppressed quickly.

Question 10

What happened with the Freikorps?

Answer 10

.Hindenburg, Groener, units, NCOs, Junior demobilised officers, drifters, adventurers, students, Luttwitz.
.Right-wing ideas.
.Put down the Left’s revolts.
.Mostly successful, revolted in 1920, formed into Patriotic Leagues.

Question 11

What was the Kapp Putsch 1920?

Answer 11

.Freikorps.
.Overthrow government.
.2 units of 12,000 disbanded but Luttwitz refused, arrested, marched but Ludendorff and Seeckt non-committal, government withdrew, general strike, no widespread support.
.Standstill - 4 days collapsed, Luttwitz and Kapp flee, government back, army structure not changed like judiciary.

Question 12

What was the Munich Putsch 1923?

Answer 12

.Hitler.
.Seize power.
.Kahr and Lossow’s support wanted. Nov 8 surrounded Beer Hall with SA, Ludendorff commander, no control gained over army barracks, 9th - Marched anyway.
.Dislocated shoulder, fled, captured next day, Ludendorff purposefully arrested, Seeckt sent troops, Hitler in prison - served 9 months of 5-year sentence, speech, banned Nazis.

Question 13

What were the political assassinations?

Answer 13

.Politicians, Germany ‘betrayers’ ;eft-wing people targeted.
.Haase - Oct 1919 in front of Reichstag, Erzberger - signed treaty and armistice - Aug 1921, Rathenau - Jew, minister, signed treaty and armistice, 24th June 1922. Organisation Consul.
.376 in total - 22 were left.
.July 1922 - Law of Protection of Republic, disband OC but law failed, 4 years prison, 10 left death sentences, 326 right unpunished but 1 badly in 1923.