Section 1 - Constitution Of The Second Reich

Question 1

What powers did the Kaiser hold?

Answer 1

Commander-in-Chief of the army
In charge of foreign policy
Could dismiss the Chancellor (Prime Minister)
Could dissolve the Reichstag
President of the Bundesrat

Question 2

How were members of the Reichstag elected?

Answer 2

Democratic part of the constitution. Members were elected, all men over 25 could vote

Question 3

What was the main power of the Reichstag?

Answer 3

Could accept, reject it amend legislation.

Question 4

How was the Bundesrat formed?

Answer 4

All member states appointed a person

Question 5

What powers did the Bundesrat have?

Answer 5

Held legislative powers like the Reichstag. Could veto a law if 14 or more members voted

Question 6

How did Bismarck create Prussian dominance within the Bundesrat?

Answer 6

14 votes were needed to vote to veto a law

Question 7

Did States have much power?

Answer 7

Yes. Education, policing an health were under individual state control

Question 8

Who was the army accountable to?

Answer 8

The Kaiser, not the government. They swore an oath of allegiance

Question 9

What was the level of economic growth in Germany between 1890 and 1914?

Answer 9

4.5%

Question 10

What parts of the German economy expanded the most at this time? (Materials etc)

Answer 10

Coal and iron production double from 1890 to 1914.
Steel production exceeded Britain by 1900.
Germany’s share of world trade was equal to that of Britain
Germany excelled in new technologies and innovation and by 1914 Germany produced around 50% of electrical goods worldwide
The creation of an industrial economy: Gdp from the industrial sector rose from 33% to 40%
Improved infrastructure from trains, tramways and buses

Question 11

What were the social consequences of industrialisation?

Answer 11

Urbanisation due to a population boom and new jobs and opportunities in the city: by 1910 60 % of Germans lived in urban areas, highest in Europe.
Homelessness and overcrowding ensued
Poor living standards lead to a boom in trade union membership, 3 million by 1913
Class tensions increased
Competition from the USA and Canada squeezed the peasantry

Question 12

What political developments occurred in the left wing?

Answer 12

Expansion due to the growing urban working population. By 1900 Germany’s trade union movement was the largest in the world.
The SPD went from 0.03 % of the vote in 1987 to 28% by 1912 (larges tin the Reichstag).

Question 13

How were the left wing inhibited?

Answer 13

On 1987 anti-socialist laws were put in place to limit possible representation from the SPD.

Question 14

What political developments occurred in the right wing?

Answer 14

Economic changes led to more nationalist policies form he DKP, moving in a more extremist direction.
Parities representing the business elite become more conservative (NLP).
Right wing pressure groups sought to protect the social elite from free market policies while promoting nationalism, colonial and military expansion.

Question 15

Who was the architect of the constitution?

Answer 15

The leading politician, Otto Von Bismarck

Question 16

Name the political parties and pressure groups and who they represented etc. (10)

Answer 16

DKP (German Conservative Party): Represented the Junkers, strong in Prussia,often had links with the government. From the 1890’s more radical and anti-semitic elements were inserted into the parties constitution.

FKP (Free Conservative Party): Supported by industrialists and land owners, with broad geographical support.

NLP (National Liberal Party): Represented bankers and industrialists. Supported economic and political liberalism but over time became more similar to the DKP.

The (Catholic) Centre Party
Represented Catholics, around a third of Germans. Consistently received around a quarter of the votes in the Reichstag elections. Often worked with the conservative parties, however also sometimes worked with the SPD, giving it the balance of power in the Reichstag.

The SPD (Social Democratic Party)
Theoretically had revolutionary aims, however the party was mainly moderate and reformist.

The Central Association of German Industrialists
A powerful group that called for tariffs. Gave funding to many conservative Reichstag members.

The Agrarian League
Formed as a pressure group in 1893 by the Junkers seeking protectionist measures against competition. The league was also nationalist and anti-Semitic. Had links with the DKP.

The Navy League
Campaigned for German naval expansion. Was very popular and had over 1 million members.

The German Colonial League and the Pan German League
Two right-wing groups supported German colonial expansion. The Pan German League, who’s members in the Reichstag were often National Liberals, also sought a dominant role for Germany in Europe.

Question 17

What were the key attributes of the Kaiser?

Answer 17

Became Kaiser in 1888. Sought a dominant role in German politics. Moved against Bismarck in 1890. Often portrayed as an autocrat who sought political control and developed aggressive and militaristic foreign policies in the years leading up to WW1.

Question 18

What was John Röhl’s view on the Kaiser?

Answer 18

John Röhl argues the Kaiser developed a system of personal rule, appointing ministers that would further his conservative political agenda and sought control over his government and Chancellors. Bismarck replacement Caprivi, found the Kaiser difficult to work with and interfering. He attempted to retire 5 times until the Kaiser allowed him to in 1894. Hohenlohe replaced Caprivi but was old and largely controlled by the Kaiser and his ministers.
1896-97 Kaiser used his powers of Patronage (Power to bestow favours upon others) to remove more progressive (social progress or liberal reform) ministers and replaced them with more conservative ministers that shared his vision, such as von Bülow and von Tirpitz.

Question 19

Who was von Bülow and what did he achieve?

Answer 19

Chancellor from 1900-1909. The Kaisers conservative vision was shared by Bülow, who supported his imperial and military plans. Outwardly cooperated with the Kaiser but also sometimes succeeded in sidelining or defeating him, such as with the Tariff Law (a law in 1902 that restored tariffs to 1892 levels. Meant to appease conservatives however it was a compromise as the tariffs weren’t as high as the conservatives wanted). The Kaiser tried to reassure this authority in 1905-06 by making a series of ministerial appointments.

Question 20

What were von Bülow’s aims before resigning?

Answer 20

Von Bülow sought to align conservative and centrist political forces through unifying them around foreign policy (Sammlungspolitik - ‘Bringing together’ politics, used by Bülow to try and gain Reichstag support in his government and restrict the influences of socialists). He had some success in gaining support by creating a voting bloc (‘the Bülow bloc’) of all non-socialist parties. Bülow also tried to gain socialist support by issuing a series of social reforms (sickness insurance 1903, child labour 1908). However he faced a serious challenge to his authority from the Reichstag during the budgetary crisis and Hottentot election (an election held after the Kaiser dissolved the Reichstag. The Centre Party and SPD opposed the Kaisers imperial policy in Africa. Post election, the Reichstag was more pro-imperial conservative policies Hottentot is a word used by Europeans to describe southern Africans) 1906-07. In the end von Bülow resigned, having lost the support of the Kaiser in the Daily Telegraph Affair.

Question 21

Who was Bethmann Hollweg and what is he infamous for?

Answer 21

Successor to Bülow as Chancellor from 1909-1916. Represented the weakness of the Reichstag over the government. In 1913 following the Zabern Affair, Bethmann Hollweg lost a vote of no confidence in the SPD dominated Reichstag. However the Reichstag didn’t have the constitutional power to force him out of office, so he remained.
Earlier in1913 Bethmann gained the Reichstag support in passing the Army Bill expanding the army through progressive taxation.

Question 22

Why was the German political system seen as ineffective and why were there tensions by 1914?

Answer 22

By 1914, the political system didn’t really work effectively. As the Kaiser appointed the government they remained permanently conservative, upper-class and Junker dominated, whilst from 1912 the largest party in the Reichstag was the SPD. Resultantly the government failed to work with the Reichstag which can be seen in the next events:

Question 23

What was The Budgetary Crisis of 1906 and the Hottentot Election of 1907 and what were the results?

Answer 23

In 1906 the SPD and the Centre Party deputies in the Reichstag joined forces to vote against the government’s budget, in protest of Germany’s colonial policies. The Kaiser consequently dissolved the Reichstag and a new election was called for 1907, known as the Hottentot election and after the Reichstag was dominated by conservative imperialist parties. This demonstrated:
Reichstag trying to control the actions of the Kaiser, government and army.
tensions between a left-wing Reichstag and conservative government
The Kaisers power
Support from the public for an brutal imperialist agenda.

Question 24

What was The Daily Telegraph Affair, 1908, and what were the results?

Answer 24

Kaiser Wilhelm II had a conversation with a British colonel and it was published in the Daily Telegraph. The Kaiser made many unguarded comments, such as that the British were ‘mad, mad as March hares! for thinking that Germany presented a threat to peace. arguing that German naval build up was directed at the Japanese. The Kaiser was deemed to have exceeded his authority in talking to the foreign press in this way, receiving wide criticism from the Reichstag and the press. The Kaiser agreed with the Reichstag that he would no longer make similar pronouncements in the future. He avoided press from this point on but pressured Bülow to resign as he was deemed to be too supportive of the Reichstag. The event demonstrated that:
The Reichstag and press were prepared to criticise the Kaiser
Reichstag could gain concessions from the Kaiser
Kaiser couldn’t always act in an autocratic manor
Kaiser could remove his Chancellors

Question 25

What was the The Zabern Affair, 1913 and what were the results?

Answer 25

A German soldier based in Zabern, in Alsace, made a derogatory comment about the Alsatian locals. Tensions between the army and the local population escalated. The soldier was acquitted by a military court of injuring a man who jeered at him. The Kaiser backed the military, while the Reichstag criticised the conduct of the army and of Chancellor Bethmann, eventually passing a vote of no confidence against him. Scheidemann of the SPD called upon Bethmann to resign but he refused, saying he depended only on the authority of the Kaiser. This demonstrated:
The army operated independently of civil authority in Germany and were accountable to the Kaiser who, by 1913, was very supportive of them.
The Reichstag were not able to hold the Chancellor to account: the Chancellor only needed the Kaisers support.
The Reichstag could be ignored by the Kaiser and the army
Tensions existed between different parts of the German system, especially between the army and the Reichstag.

Question 26

What were the years of the Second Reich?

Answer 26

1871-1918

Question 27

What was John Röhl’s view of the Second Reich by 1914?

Answer 27

The Kaiser built an autocratic semi-absolute system within which his militaristic and conservative agenda was advanced, the liberal and democratic forces weakened.

Question 28

What was Christopher Clark’s view of the Second Reich by 1914?

Answer 28

The system was too fluid and the Kaiser too erratic for personal rule by Wilhelm to have been possible

Question 29

What would a general view of the second Reich be by 1914?

Answer 29

The Second Reich could be seen as a failing system that was unable to cope with the political and social changes that the modernising economy produced.

Question 30

Evidence that Germany was an Autocracy?

Answer 30

Kaiser had the power to appoint the Chancellor and minister whilst also being able to dissolve the Reichstag. He shaped the government in 1896-97 and 1905-06 and dissolved the Reichstag in 906. He also pressured von Bülow to resign after the Daily Telegraph Affair.
The Chancellor and minsters weren’t accountable to the Reichstag (Bethmann No-confidence vote).
Army only acceptable to the Kaiser(Zabern Affair).
The country followed the Kaisers political agenda (Weltpolitik)

Question 31

Evidence that Germany was Dominated by a Conservative Elite?

Answer 31

The agenda of conservative elite was a followed in naval, militaristic and colonial expansions. Reflected in colonial policies and in the Naval Bill 1906.
Conservative Pressure groups (Agrarian League and the Central Association of German Industrialists) successfully lobbied for increased agricultural tariffs in 1902.
The power of the Bundesrat meant the government was dominated by conservatives?.
A conservative Prussian elite dominated the state in the army, judiciary, civil service and government.

Question 32

Evidence of Democracy and Liberalisation in Germany?

Answer 32

Reichstag was democratic in the sense that all classes of men could vote
Reichstag able to reject legislation and did with the colonial policy in 1906 (Hottentot)
Reichstag increasingly assertive (1906 budget, criticism during Daily Telegraph Affair and their censure of Bethmann Hollweg 1913)
Ruling elite had to respond to pressure from below (from left wing political movement sand the working classes) for social reform.
The press critics the Kaiser (Daily Telegraph Affair)
Political participation was high: trade union movement was large, pressure groups influential and woman participated in political movements despite not having the vote.
Plurality of interest in the state: Catholics had Centre Party; workers the SPD; farmers the Agrarian League and conservative the DKP.

Question 33

Economic Impact of the War on Germany?

Answer 33

War was an incredible economic strain. Only 16% of the 8.4 million cost of war was covered by taxation. War bonds were used and money printed, leading to inflation and the mark value declining by 75% between 1913 and 1918. The KRA, Raw Materials Department, had some success in supplying the German army, but the German Agriculture was not mobilised properly, leading to food shortages.

Question 34

The Social Impact of War

on Germany?

Answer 34

Two million solders killed, 6.3 million injured. Living Standards fell by 20-30% due to the controls on wages and inflation.The ‘Turnip Winter’ caused by the food shortages and British blockade of German ports in 1917. Food and fuel shortages caused misery,and even starvation, and exacerbated the impact of the Spanish Flu in 1918

Question 35

Political Impact of the War during the at the beginning?

Answer 35

Initial Unity
Germany seemed politically unified at the start of war. A Burgfriede , or political truce was declared and the Kaiser, addressing the Reichstag, announced that ‘I know no parties anymore, I only know Germans’. This didn’t last, The left believed that only a defensive war was justified, whilst the right believed in a war of expansion and conquest (Siegfriede).

Question 36

Political impact of the War on Germany by 1917?

Answer 36

Growing Disunity
1917, 42 SPD deputies broke away to form the anti war and radical socialist USPD. mounting concern about the war led to a Reichstag vote, the ‘Peace Resolution’, urging the government to reach a peace settlement. The left and centre won with 212 to 126.

Formation of the Spartacist League who agitated for social revolution and an end to war. 1916 workers became angry as they were prevented from freely changing jobs under the Auxiliary Service Law 1916. In January there were large strikes, one in Berlin of half a million workers. By 1918 political polarisation was greater than it had ever been.

Question 37

What was the ‘Silent Dictatorship’?

Answer 37

During the war, the government became increasingly militant and authoritarian. The Kaiser was sidelined, and by 1916, Supreme Commanders Ferneries Hindenburg and Ludendorff were essentially in charge of the country, running what has become known as the ‘silent dictatorship’. An isolated Bethmann was force out of office by the generals and Georg Michaelis and then Georg von Hertling became Chancellors. These two were regarded as puppets to Ludendorff and Hindenburg. Military government exacerbated political and social tensions.

Question 38

The Impact of the Impending Defeat

Answer 38

Germany’s impending defeat came as a great shock to many Germans, contributing to the outbreak of a revolution and the acceptance of the ‘Stab in the back’ myth.