The origins of the Republic 1918-1919 Flashcards
What was the legacy / result of WW1?
Debt had tripled - 50billion -> 150billion marks.
Food shortages as a result of the British blockade.
War weariness → collapse in support for Kaiser Wilhelm II.
Strikes and Mutinies, including the Kiel Mutiny in 1918
What were the causes of the Revolution, 1918 - 1919?
The legacy of World War One.
War weariness.
Support for what had happened in Russia in 1917.
The spreading of worker unrest including the Stuttgart Strike and the Kiel Mutiny in October 1918.
Why was the Kaiser forced to abdicate?
The legacy of World War One.
Armed rioters planned a Communist Revolution on the 9th November.
Max Von Baden made an agreement with Friedrich Ebert to quickly establish a Democracy in Germany.
How was the armistice signed?
On the 11th November with conditions that deeply weakened Germany - including the continuation of the British blockade of German ports.
What were the strengths of the new Weimar Constitution?
The voting system was Proportional Representation, which gave every Political Party one seat in the Reichstag for 60,000 votes received.
Checks and balances of power to avoid any one person getting total control of the country. The President would choose the Chancellor on the basis of votes for Political Parties (every four years) and the President would also be re-elected every seven years.
Parts of the Constitution guaranteed the health and safety of the German people.
What were the weaknesses of the new Weimar Constitution?
Article 48 - the President had the power to put an “emergency break” on Democracy.
Lots of stakeholders in Democracy - Trade Unions and big business - were wary of Democracy.
Proportional Representation
- This led to lots of coalitions and did not allow strong and stable government.
- It also led to extreme parties getting into the Reichstag (eg. the Nazis).
