Section One: Establsihment And Early Years Of Weimar, 1918-24 Flashcards
What were the October Reforms and The Peace Note
Kaiser appointed Prince Max of Baden as new chancellor, responsible of new government based on the majority parties in Reichstag
Armed forces put under control of the civil government, overall a major constitutional transformation in Germany
Peace note- P max wrote to Wilson asking for an armistice, effectively demanded German surrender and the Kaisers abdication
Outline the November revolution of 1918
Response to the Peace Note
3 November 1918, sailors mutinied against their office and took control
6 November - workers and soldiers councils springing up
8 November - republic proclaimed in Bavaria and the Bavarian monarchy deposed
9 November 1918- SPD called workers in Berlin to join general strike and force Kaisier to abdicate, threatened to withdraw support from P max government
Outline the pressures from the left, army and the Ebert Groener Pact
USPD and socialist established a foothold in workers and soldiers councils , radical change from left.
Germany faced danger of a Bolshevik Revolution which would lead to civil war and possible occupation by Allied forces
Ebert Groener Pact - army leadership would support government in return Ebert resist the demands of the soldiers council to democratise the army
Outline the strengths and weakness of the Weimar Constitution
S- wider right to vote, system of proportional representation enabled even smaller parties to win seats and Influence government decision,full democracy in local government, ‘Fundamental Rights and Duties of German Citizens’
W- proliferation of small parties, coalition government
Outline the rule by Presidential decree and survival of undemocratic institutions
Article 48- rule by decree in exceptional circumstances, override opposition in the Reichstag, Ebert used 136 occasions
Army - 1920 General Hans von Seeckt 1920 believed army owed loyalty not to republic BUT to a timeless Reich
Civil service - freedom of political opinion, controlled government administration
Judiciary - Article 102: guaranteed independence of the judges
Why was it difficult to form stable collation government
Germany society divided,many parties were dedicated to overthrow of republic- placed greater burden of responsibility to centre parties E.G Scheidemann cabinet resigned because it could not agree on signing TOV
Times of social,economic and political crisis, society became more polarised, forming hard coz extreme parties would not join
Outline stats and figures about political instability and extremism
Between February 1919 and November 1923, no less than 10 coalition government
DNVP seats Jan 1919: 44, June 1920: 71
KPD: 0 seats Jan 1919: June: 1920
Outline the challenge from the left
5 Jan 1919 Spartacist led by Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemurg staged an uprising in Berlin, overthrow Ebert government , set up communist regime - poorly supported and prepared: not secured majorly of working class in Berlin . 13 Jan. crushed. Sting support in industrial centres in the Ruhr and Saxony, heavily influenced by Comintern and Russian Bolshevik Revolution
Outline the challenge from the right
Many competing right wing groups with different objectives- some sort to restore monarchy whilst others advocated for dictatorship Kapp Putsch, 1920- Lüttwitz and Wolfgang Kapp, ‘Troops do not fire on troops - Chancellor Bauer, putsch collapsed within 4 days, Political assassination - Organisation Consul, terrorist league killed former finance minister Erzberger - led Germany delegation for signing armistice and TOV 354 political assassination - July 1922 “for the protection of the Republic” , OC forced to disband, Bavaria conservative government refused to implement Political impact of the Ruhr invasion - effect of hyperinflation Evans ‘feeling in the more conservative sections of the population of a world turned upside down, first by defeat,then revolution and now by economics’ , middle class support servilely damaged
Explain the establishment of the Nazi party and the Beer Hall Putsch
Leader of NSDAP, Adolf Hitler
November 1923- secured support of Ludendorff, 9 November Hitler original plan failed
What was the terms of TOV
Territorial losses - removed 13% of German territory and all Germany overseas colonies
Disarmament - surrender all heavy weapons, army 100,000 men
War guilt - article 231, war guilt clause, pay reparation, 1921: £6.6 billion
Rhineland - perrmanetly demilitarised
The Saarland - LON control for 15 years, rich in coal
What was Germans reaction to the treaty
Separation of E. Prussia from the rest of Germany by the so called Polish corridor was a major source of resentment
‘War guilt’ was seen as an unjust humiliation
Disarming of Germany and its exclusion from the LON, unjust discrimination
What was the political impact of the Versailles treaty in Germany
Scheidmann and some ministers wanted to reject the treaty
Most sensible decision - policy of fulfilment: comply with terms of treaty whilst negotiating modifications
Right wing resentment intensified by the signing, couldn’t accept, lacked any legitimacy,
What was the TOV reaction from abroad
Britain - public opinion satisfied, Lloyd George privately believed Germany should not be so weak,unable to resist the expansion of the USSR,Keynes: reparation too high
France - too lenient, suffered the most, recovery of Alsace -Lorraine ,demilitarisation of Rhineland
US- unfair on Germany, 1920 retreated from involvement in EU affairs
US-
What were the financial problems in the aftermath of the war
1919- debt of 1.4 billion marks, rise in taxation - alienate support for the new republic
1921- unemployment Germany 1.8% compared to 17% in GB
