Source question- Assess the value of the source for revealing the splits between left wing politicians and the problems facing the new German political system in 1918 Flashcards
Assess the value of the source for revealing the splits between left wing politicians and the problems facing the new German political system in 1918
Assess the value of the source for revealing the splits between left wing politicians and the problems facing the new German political system in 1918
Split between left wing politicians
- USPD split away from the SPD in 1917, as they were more revolutionary and even more radically left wing. They were angry at Ebert for his agreements with the army and industrialists, as they were more right wing. They were pacifists and didn’t support the war.
KPD split away from the USPD under Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg in December 1918 after Eberts betrayal of USPD members of the council of peoples commissars. When the sailors barricaded themseleves into the palace, Ebert called on the army to attack a branch of his own party, causing the USPD to resign. The most revolutionary left wing split to form the KPD, communist party.
problems facing new Germany
The legacy of the kaiserreich- The DVP and DNVP represented the middle and upper class junkers in the reichstag and saw the new weimar republic as too democratic. Thought the new Germany had to be based on a strong economy and free trade. The judiciary was predominantly made up of right wing junkers who were biased against the left. Hitler was given a sentence of 5 years in 1924 for leading the Munich Putsch, which was punishable by death but only served nine months, whilst Fechenbach (eisners secretary) was given 11 years for violating press laws. The elitist classes still undermined democracy as they had done under Bismarck because it didn’t suit them.
The treaty of Versailles- Weimar was undermined from the outset following ww1 because of the harsh terms of the treaty of Versailles, in which they accepted total war guilt. The upper class and the army officers were angry that the terms were accepted, and opposed Weimar for other reasons as well, which further worsened the situation. Saar land was lost (Germanys main coal fields) and the Rhineland was demilitarised. They had to pay £6.6mn worth in gold/ raw materials but weren’t told this until 1921. Clause 231 saw them accept total guilt for the war and they were excluded from the league of nations until they could prove that they were peace loving
