Second Reich

Question 1

How many seats did Prussia hold in the Reichsrat and how many were needed to veto a law?

Answer 1

Prussia held 17 seats and 14 votes were needed to veto a law.

Question 2

What voting system was used in Prussia?

Answer 2

3 tiered voting system- the more tax you paid the more your vote counts

Question 3

How did the 1908 general election show the problems with Prussia’s voting system?

Answer 3

The rich cast 418,000 votes for the conservatives equalling 212 seats however the poor cast 600,000 votes for the SPD but that only equalled 6 seats

Question 4

By what year did Britain import what percentage of its chemical dyes, mainly from Germany?

Answer 4

By 1914 Britain were importing 80% of their chemical dyes, mainly from Germany

Question 5

By 1914 Germany were producing what fraction of Europes steel and coal?

Answer 5

2 thirds of Europes steel and a half of Europes coal was produced by Germany by 1914

Question 6

What were the negative implications of the economic growth in Germany?

Answer 6

Overcrowding in cities=poor sanitation = lack of clean water = increase in disease such as cholera. Berlin’s homeless shelter were taking in 200,000 people a year.

Question 7

What were the positive implications of Germany’s economic growth?

Answer 7

Poor sanitation spurred on the building of a new sewerage system. Better medicine= improvements in infant mortality rates. Wages increased more than prices did.

Question 8

What years were chancellor von Bulow and then chancellor bethmann hollweg in power?

Answer 8

Chancellor von bulow was in power from 1900-1909 and chancellor bethmann hollweg was in power from 1909-1917

Question 9

What three laws did chancellor von bulow introduce?

Answer 9

1900: second navy law- proposed the building of 38 battleships over the next 20 years.
1903: sickness insurance law- sickness leave extended to 26 weeks instead of 16
1908: law on factory work- no children under the age of 13 to be employed and only a 6 hour working day allowed for 13-14 year olds

Question 10

Chancellor bethmann hollweg lost a vote of no confidence, what law did he induce?

Answer 10

1911: imperial insurance code- insured workers against sickness, old age and death

Question 11

What year was the daily telegraph affair and what year was the zabern affair and what did they show?

Answer 11

The daily telegraph affair was in 1908- showed that the Kaiser didn’t have to discuss with or answer to anyone, and the zabern affair was 1913- showed that the army didn’t have to answer to the Reichstag and neither did the kaiser- showed the limited power of the Reichstag

Question 12

Why and who did the kaiser blame for the daily telegraph affair?

Answer 12

The kaiser blamed and removed chancellor von bulow for failing to censor the interview.

Question 13

When tensions grew during the zabern affair the reichstag took a vote of no confidence against which chancellor and what were the voting outcomes?

Answer 13

The vote was against chancellor bethmann hollweg and the votes were 293 to 53 against him but he stayed in power

Question 14

Give examples of the lack of political change in Germany

Answer 14

No additions were made to the seats in the reichstag even though there had been huge urbanisation- e.g 1907 election: SPD and centre party received 3 million votes but got fewer seats than those who received less votes . The governments continued to refuse to work together towards change- still impossible to get a majority government due to proportional representation

Question 15

What were the powers of the reichstag?

Answer 15

Had control of government and army budget (set every 7 years), could agree to or reject laws by the Kaiser or government. Meant to be the democratic element of the constitution

Question 16

In 1900 Britain only had one company annually producing over how much steel whilst Germany had how many companies like this?

Answer 16

In 1900 Britain only had one company annually producing over 300,000 tons of steel whilst Germany had 10 companies like this

Question 16

By 1910 how much of the population live in urban areas? (Showing urbanisation)

Answer 16

By 1910 60% of the population lived in urban areas

Question 17

In what year were constituency boundaries set?

Answer 17

1871

Question 18

How did the 1907 Reichstag elections show the issues with the constituency boundaries not being altered despite mass population movement?

Answer 18

The 1907 Reichstag elections resulted in the SPD and Centre Party relieving 3 million more votes than the Bulow Bloc, however they still received less votes due to the unbalanced voting system?

Question 19

Why was the Kaisers position unchallenged?

Answer 19

Because political parties wouldn’t oppose him through fear of appearing unpatriotic

Question 20

Why did the SPD refuse to work with the National Liberals to push for change?

Answer 20

The National Liverals previously supported Bismarck’s anti-socialist law and so the SPD wouldn’t work with them

Question 21

How many members did the Bundesrat have?

Answer 21

58

Question 22

How did the Enabling Act help to narrow political divisions?

Answer 22

The Enabling Act stressed the concept of national unity based on shared suffering

Question 23

Why were corporations set up in the early years of the war?

Answer 23

To ensure the raw supply of materials for the war effort

Question 24

In August 1916 who took over control of the government and what idea did they reject?

Answer 24

In August 1916 Ludendorff and Hindenburg took over the government and rejected any idea of negotiated peace

Question 25

When were there disagreements between the army and the Reichstag and what was it over and what did it show?

Answer 25

In August 1916 there were disagreements between the army and the Reichstag about war strategy which showed a polarisation of beliefs in what should be done about the war

Question 26

When did a minority of the SPD vote against war credits and what did they form in order to push for an immediate end to war?

Answer 26

In March 1917 a minority of the SPD voted against war credits- got thrown out and formed the USPD- wanted an immediate end to war

Question 27

How many took part in the strikes in Berlin and other industrial areas for an end to the war and when did they occur?

Answer 27

In January 1918 there were strikes in Berlin and other industrial areas involving over 1 million people

Question 28

What was the impact of conscripting men and not women into the war?

Answer 28

It took up one third of the labour force

Question 29

When was rationing introduced?

Answer 29

In January 1915 rationing was introduced

Question 30

In 1915 what did the bureaucracy order and what was its impact?

Answer 30

In 1915 the bureaucracy ordered the killing of 5 million pigs as they were grain consumers, this meant there was less pork an fertiliser and so effected diets

Question 31

In 1918 how much percentage was the rationing of fats compared to pre war levels?

Answer 31

In 1918 the rationing of fats was 7% of pre war levels

Question 32

When was the German Fatherland party created and what did it promote?

Answer 32

The German Fatherland party was created in September 1917 and promoted the creation of rival groups

Question 33

When was the Auxiliary Labour Law passed as part of the Hindenburg programme and men aged what now had to work for the war effort?

Answer 33

I’m December 1916 the Auxiliary Labour Law was passed- all men aged 17-60 were expected to work for the war effort

Question 34

When was the turnip winter?

Answer 34

The winter of 1916-17