The weimar republic 1918-29

Question 1

impact of the first world war on germany

Answer 1

-two million german troops died
-gov debts increased from 50 billion marks to 150 billion marks
- 750,000 germans died due to food shortage

Question 2

when was the abdication of kaiser wilhelm ll

Answer 2

9-10 nov 1918

Question 3

when was the armistice signed

Answer 3

11 nov 1918
terms of the treaty of versailles became a big issue for Germany

Question 4

the weimar constitution:
head of state

Answer 4

-head of the weimar republic
- elected by the people every 7 years
-could pass laws by decree

Question 5

the weimar constitution:
the government

Answer 5

chancellor- head of the gov
- chooses all gov ministers
cabinet- main decision making body

Question 6

the weimer constitution
the parliament

Answer 6

reichstag- more powerful
- controlled taxes
-elected by people ever 4 years
reichsrat- elected every 4 years
- represented germans regions

Question 7

the weimar constitution
electorate

Answer 7

-men and women 21+

Question 8

strengths of the constitution

Answer 8

-women were able to vote aswell
-voting age reduced from 25-21
-no group/person could have too much power
-both aspects of the gov controlled each other eg denying new laws

Question 9

weaknesses of the constitution

Answer 9

-not the choice of the people so was not that popular
-lack of a strong gov which led to weakness in a crisis. this allowed laws to be passed without govs say

Question 10

The treaty: reparation

Answer 10

-£6600 million had to be paid in yearly instalments

Question 11

the treaty: military forces

Answer 11

-army was limited to 100,000
-all planers were destroyed/ no air force
- limited to six battleships,cruisers etc.

Question 12

the treaty: land losses

Answer 12

-alsace and lorraine were lost to france
-overall germany lost 13% of its european territory

Question 13

challenges from the left: spartacists

Answer 13

• jan 1919, took over gov neswpapers
  -tried to organise strike but was stopped by freikorps

Question 14

challenges from right:
the kapp putsch

Answer 14

-march 1920, freikorps fear unemployment so decide to marh
-army refuse to get involved and stop them
-wolfgang kapp was given control but couldnt handle it so fled seeking safety

Question 15

political assassination

Answer 15

• 1919 to 1923 politicians were worried about assassinations
• 376 took place in early years

Question 16

challenges of 1923: hyperinflation

Answer 16

1919= bread was 1 mark
1923= bread was 200,000 billion marks

Question 17

reasons for hyperinflation

Answer 17

-gov lacks money forced to print more after ww1
-french troops invade ruhr and take what they are owed in goods and raw materials
- forced to print more money
- nov 1923 mark is now worthless

Question 18

effects of hyperinflation: positive

Answer 18

-farmers benefited as they were paid more
- people could pay off loans and mortgages
-fixed rent became cheaper
- foreign visitors gained more for their money

Question 19

effects of hyperinflation:
negative

Answer 19

-cant afford essentials
-wages rose but not as fast as prices of produce
-people with fixed/ monthly incomes suffered the most
-savings became worthless

Question 20

reasons for recovery: rentenmark

Answer 20

nov 1923-stresseman set up the rentenmark= new currency
august 1924- reichsbank was given control of the currency

Question 21

reasons for recovery: the dawes plan 1924

Answer 21

-charles dawes, designed a plan for germany to pay its reparations
- instalments were temporarily reduces to £50 million a year
- us banks agreed to make loans to german industries.

Question 22

reasons for recovery: the young plan 1929

Answer 22

-committee set up by allies and owen younger proposed a plan:
- total reparations reduced from £6.6 billion to £2 billion
- payments can be made over a longer period
- lower reparations meant lower taxes for german people

Question 23

stressemans success: locarno pact 1925

Answer 23

-agreement between germany, britain ,france, italy and belgium
-germany agreed to new borders
-germany membership of league of nations was in a discussion
- improved relations between france
-helped boost confience in political parties

Question 24

stressemans success: league of nations

Answer 24

1920= germany excluded from it
1926= germany was invited to become a member
- showed germany’s view counted
-boosted confidence held by germans regarding weimar gov.

Question 25

stressemans success:
kellogg-briand pact 1928

Answer 25

-agreement between 62 nations
- avoided use of war to achieve objectives
-showed germany had some power once gain
-increased public confidence in germany

Question 26

changes in standard of living: wages and work

Answer 26

working hours reduced
wages rose
working conditions improved
hyperinflation made employment insecure

Question 27

changes in standard of living: housing

Answer 27

• 15% rent tax was introuduced to fund building associations
• 1925-1929 101,000 homes were built
  -still a housing shortage but it improved

Question 28

changes of standard of living: unemployment insurance

Answer 28

• 3% of workers earnings were deducted to be put towards insurance in case they were ill

Question 29

women at work

Answer 29

-some of the equality for women within the war was lost
- most women gave up work when married 1918= 75%
1925= 36%
- few women secured high status jobs
-increase in part time work
-women were encouraged to go to uni

Question 30

women at leisure

Answer 30

women were less interested in marriage and family/ more focused on having a good time
-behaviour of ‘new women’ was not liked by the men and women with traditional values

Question 31

women in politics

Answer 31

-earned the right to vote in 1918
90% turned out at elections
article 109 said women could vote and could enter professions on an equal basis
marriage was an equal partnership

Question 32

cultural changes: art

Answer 32

• artists focused on modern day art
• made it about issues within germany
  -expressionism which focused on raw emotions
  -otto dix/ george grosz were influential

Question 33

cultural changes: cinema

Answer 33

• expressionism flourished in film making especially in weimar germany due to lack of restrictions