The Weimar Consitution Flashcards
What was the role of the Chancellor
Equivalent to prime minister
In charge of daily running of country
Chosen from the Reichstag by the President
Who was the President of Weimar Germany
The adored Paul von Hindenburg
What was a problem with the Weimar constitution relating to the President’s power
He had too much and could dissolve the Reichstag and pass any law
What was a problem with the Weimar constitution relating to proportional representation of votes
Small and extreme parties mobilise and get votes while major parties relied on coalitions with the small parties beacuse they couldn’twin a majority
Weak governments were created
What was a problem with the Weimar constitution relating to separate state traditions
Some states were hostile towards the government and wanted to overthrow it
Many states were jealous towards Berlin
Why was the Weimar government so weak
(Coalitions)
Why was this an advantage for Hitler’s political policies
Coalitions were constantly forming and breaking beacuse parties disagree
The voters soon thought of voting as pointless and irrelevant
Hitler appeared independently and hoped to destroy democracy which began to seem attractive (democracy wasn’t ‘working’) and would vote
What happens in the Reichstag
German political building
Laws are passed here
What was Gustav Stresemann’s role in weimar government
What was his opinion on the treaty of versailles
In 1923 he was appointed Chancellor and Foreign Minister of a coalition government
He hated the treaty of Versailles but agreed meeting the terms was the only way Germany could negotiate the reparations
What plans did Gustave Stresemann set up to aim to help Weimar Germany’s problems
1924 Dawes plan- US loaned 800 million marks
1925 Locano Treaty- Britain, France and Belgium promised no invasion
1926 Germany joins League of Nations
1928 Kellog-Briand pact- no more war to solve conflict
1929 Young Plan- reduced reparations 60% second loan from USA
What were Gustave Stresemann’s strengths including the pacts and plans he created
Called of the resistance at the Ruhr in 1923 as strikers caused more money to be printed during hyperinflation (Germany couldn’t pay them)
Introduced the Rentenmark with Hans Luther assuring people democratic system was willing and able to solve problems
Dawes plan, Locano Treaty, creates Leauge of Nations, Kellog-Briand pact, Young plan
What were Gustave Stresemann’s weaknesses
What disrupted his work
He couldnt deal well with the Kapp putsch losing support from social democrats
1929 (year of his death) the wall street crash meant loans from the USA were refused, leaving Germany again in economic crisis and very unstable
How did left wing see the new weimar culture
Gender equality was important
How did right wing or conservatives see the weimar culture
Unsettling as their role might change with the new equality
Who was Brüning
Austerity chancellor who raised taxes using emergency powers
cuts wages and benefits
Hugely unpopular
Who suffered under the wall street crash of October 1929
Why was this significant for Nazi party
Businessmen- income fell, businesses close
Young- unemployed largely
Farmers- lots of debt, had to pay taxes
Unemployed- suffered under extreme povery
These people would look to Nazi party for help and vote for them
What was the role of the President
Completely in charge of Germany
Elected every seven years
Controls army
Rules in conjunction with Reichstag (legislature)
In Weimar culture, what was cinema like
The rise of the femme fatale (Marlene Dietrich) showing women as outgoing and racy in new roles
Epics such as Metropolis produced
In Weimar culture what was the nightlife like
There was risqué songs, dances and conversation with sex discussed
Transvestite balls and sexuality discussions (taboos before war)
(Berlin famed for its nightlife)
What was music like in Weimar culture
Jazz was popular with afro american roots
What was art like in Weimar culture
Society seen in an objective way, uglier sides of human nature seen after the war
Soldiers not glorified
What did Communists think about Weimar culture?
Women’s roles and transvestites etc
Showed equality
Who frowned upon the new culture
Rich upper classes and right wing critics
Preferred traditional German values and frowned upon the change
What was architecture like in Weimar Germany
Rise of modern Bauhaus Architects
Stark buildings
“Art and technology, a new unity”
How did the Wall street crash affect Germany
Young plan loans 1929 were recalled leaving Germany with no money
International trade decreased rapidly, Germany could get no funds for exports so factories closed as a result (mass unemployed)
German farmers affected
What group was used in the Spartacist uprising
Freikorps
What did leader of spartacist uprising (Luxembourg) 1919 want to achieve
Communist revolution
What was the voting system for Weimar constitution
Proportional representation
The golden years
1924-1929 with Stresemann in place
Slight economic recovery with Dawes plan, Rentenmark etc
Before Wall street crash
Less support for Hitler/Nazis No extremism,
Stable government in coalition supporting Weimar republic
