Rise and Fall of the Weimar Republic Flashcards
When did the last kaiser abdicate? What did this cause?
November 1918. A power vaccum.
When were the (WC) National Assembly elections held?
January 1919
What were the January 1919 National Assembly (NA) elections held for?
To draw up a new constitution.
Which three parties got the majority in the National Assembly of January 1919?
Social Democratic Party (SPD), German Democratic Party (DDP) and Centre who all wanted a new constitution.
What percentage of the vote did SPD, DDP and Centre secure in the Jan 1919 NA?
They polled 76%.
Who became chancellor, and who became president after the 1919 National Assembly?
Scheidemann and Ebert, respectively.
What was the Weimar Constitution and when was it drawn up?
Liberal democratic compromise between most parties. New plan for the political/economic future of Germany. Feb 1919.
What were the four main branches of the Weimar Constitution?
(1) Presidential leadership
(2) Reichstag
(3) Federal system of 17 governments
(4) Protection of civil rights.
What did the WC say about the presidential role?
(1) Elected every 7 years
(2) Pres appoints/dismisses chancellor
(3) Pres overpowers Reichstag (Article 48), dissolves Reichstag
(4) Pres commands the army.
How often was there a new government at the Reichstag?
New gov. every 4 years - w/ use of Proportional Representation
What were the problems with the Reichstag in the WC?
Many parties caused unstable coalitions - no single party had a majority, many governments within a short time lost faith in WR
How many chancellors and cabinets were there in 14 years?
11 Chancellors and 21 cabinets. This caused political chaos.
What were the problems with the federal system created by the WC?
Had many governments: 17.
Describe the hierarchy of governments and the head of state.
In descending power: President, Reichstag, Reichstrat. President could dissolve R.Stag and R.Stag could dissolve R.Strat.
Who governed the federal system put in place by the WC? What could this cause?
The national government and a state of 17 governments co-ruled the federal system. This could cause hostility and lead to overthrowing.
The fourth branch of the WC was responsible for what?
It protected basic human/civil rights, introduced greater democracy, public referendum is used to make decisions with support of Reichstag.
When was the Treaty of Versailes (TOV) signed and by whom, and what was it known as by the Germans?
June 1919 (4 mths aft. WC), signed by the allies without German representation present. Known as ‘diktat’ (dictated peace).
What did the TOV do to Germany’s military?
Germany excluded from agreement, only <100,000 armed forces, tanks, aircraft, submarines and heavy artillery forbidden, 6 battleships.
What did the TOV territorially and economically do to Germany?
Years of economic turmoil and strife due to £6.6billion in reparations. War Guilt Clause blamed Germany entirely. Territorial losses of Ruhr, Polish Corridor (PC), Port of Danzig, Alsace.
Examples of territorial losses for Germany because of TOV.
Ruhr, Polish Corridor (PC), Port of Danzig, Alsace
How was the WR economically unstable following WW1
Industrial and agricultural production drastically declined, increased inflation due to increased money production and borrowing. The income was now 2/3. Value of mark fell to 1%.
What was the left wing threat to the WR?
The Sparticist uprising of Independant Socialist Party (USPD) in January 1919. They were subdued by the Freikorps. Communists takeover of Bavaria in April-May 1919. Red Rising in the Ruhr showed German gov’s firm action on the left - army acted brutally using executions. Communist uprising of 1923 crushed by the army.
Who invaded the Ruhr and 1923 and why?
The French invaded the Ruhr in January 1923 since WR Germany was unable to keep up with reparations - WR failings.
When was Streisemann appointed as Chancellor?
August 1923.
