Section 1.3 - Democracy in crisis 1919-1923

Question 1

Treaty of Versailles signing

Answer 1

June 1919

Question 2

The Kapp Putsch

Answer 2

March 1920

• The limiting of the army by the treaty of Versailles meant that the 250,000 strong Freikorps were dissolved in order for the professional army to be prioritised, even though Noske had promised positions in the army to them
• When the ehrhardt brigade was ordered to disband, the leader and a few others (notably Wolfgang Kapp) marched on Berlin seizing power - however were halted by little support from the other extreme right and through the civil servants refusing to help
• All 3 main leaders then fled the country

Question 3

1921-1922 Organisation consul

Answer 3

• Murders of Erzberger and Walter Rathenau by Organisation Consul
• In 1921 Ehrhardt returned to Germany after the failed Kapp Putsch and formed the organisation consul, a right wing death squad
• Killed Erzberger due to his negotiating in the armistice
• Killed Rathenau mainly due to anti-Semitic reasons
• Crackdowns in security over the death of Rathenau led to the disbanding of the group

Question 4

Start of the French occupation of the Ruhr and passive resistance

Answer 4

January 1923 when Germany failed to pay reparations on time

• Workers ordered to strike, in promise of paid wages, to prevent French profiting which put even more stress on the German economy that had been strained by war, reparations and printing money to fill the gaps

Question 5

September 1923

Answer 5

Germany called off the failed passive resistance

Question 6

Hitler’s “Beer Hall Putsch”

Answer 6

November 1923 in Munich

18 people dead

Question 7

The extreme right strengths and members

Answer 7

• The German ruling class: Junkers, Army officers, Industrial tycoons Etc
• Had a large amount of influence and resources at their disposal so were able to manipulate the media and promote/smear causes e.g. Alfred Hugenberg
• Also had access to the army and paramilitaries

Question 8

The extreme right’s hate for Weimar

Answer 8

• Extreme right wingers and the general ruling class had infinitely more power in the Kaiser’s regime, leaving the socialist democrats a target of spite
• Weimar was viewed as a collection of the worst elements of society: Jews, Catholics and Socialists
• Deemed the politicians the “November criminals” as many believed in Germany’s ability to fight on, so obviously they had been “stabbed in the back” by the politicians who sought the armistice

Question 9

Treaty of Versailles terms: Territorial - West

Answer 9

• Alsace-Lorraine returned to France, who it had belonged to before 1871
• Rhineland was to be demilitarised and partially occupied
• Output of Saar coalfield was to go to France

Question 10

Treaty of Versailles terms: Territorial - East + Other

Answer 10

• Portion of Germany’s land given to Poland so it had access to the sea (Polish corridor)
• General loss of land to other countries (primarily Poland and Lithuania)
• All colonies were surrendered to the allies

Question 11

Treaty of Versailles terms: Reparations and War Guilt

Answer 11

• Germany accepted full responsibility for starting the war in 1914
• Had to pay reparations of 6.6 Billion, decided in 1921

Question 12

Treaty of Versailles terms: Disarmament

Answer 12

• Germany army restricted to 100,000 and not allowed tanks or heavy artillery
• Not allowed to have an air force
• Permitted a small navy with no submarines

Question 13

Reactions to the treaty

Answer 13

“Diktat”

• Many Germans objected to how the treaty had been made without Germany’s input or negotiation, and how it barely considered Woodrow Wilson’s 14 point plan
• “Diktat” = Dictated Peace

War guilt clause

• Allies demanded reparations based off of the clause where it stated Germany was solely responsible for the start of the war
• Put total blame on Germany which many though was unfair

The “Polish Corridor”

• Many Germans had been placed in Poland now due to border changing, and all of whom objected to it through either nationalistic views or prejudice towards Poles
• Sparked uproar and support for the nationalistic extreme right who now had ammunition as the softer treaty hoped for by the government had not been given

Question 14

KPD and their standing

Answer 14

• Events of 1918-1919 had made many socialists bitter
• KPD massively grew in size when the independent socialists disbanded
• Didn’t have the influence or resources or manpower of the extreme right
• Punishments were often harsher as revolutionary socialism was feared above all

Question 15

Winners and Losers of Hyperinflation

Answer 15

• Positively affected the rich who had material wealth and could now pay off huge debts due to the rate of inflation
• Negatively affected the middling class who had fixed incomes and savings in banks
• Temporarily negatively affected the working class who fund it harder to provide for families, but these people recovered quickly after