The Weimar Republic, 1918-29 Flashcards
How much in reparations was Germany obliged to pay according to the Treaty of Versailles?
£6.6 billion
What is the Dolchstoss?
The stab in the back theory. Politicians in Germany had betrayed the army, who were willing to fight on, by signing the Treaty of Versailles.
Describe Germany’s territorial losses decided in the Treaty of Versailles.
Alsace and Lorraine was lost to France. Posen and West Pressure were given to Poland - disconnecting East Prussia from the rest of Germany. In total, Germany lost around 13% of its European territory.
Which article allowed the Weimar President to suspend the constitution and rule by decree?
Article 48
Why did some people consider the constitution of the Weimar Republic to be flawed?
Proportional representation meant that even smaller, less popular parties could gain seats in the Reichstag. As a result, coalitions of many parties were needed; this made stable government difficult. During the 1920s, there were 28 different parties in the Reichstag!
Name three economic problems faced by German between 1918 and 1923.
- Bankruptcy (falling income and loss of gold reserves).
- Ruhr occupied by the French (loss of industry) because Germany no longer able to pay reparations.
- Inflation (in 1923, it becomes hyperinflation)
Why was the French occupation of the German Ruhr a bad thing for the economy?
The Ruhr was a key industrial area, and the French confiscated lots of equipment, manufactured goods and raw materials. Around 80% of coal, iron and steal were based in the Ruhr. This was hugely damaging for the German economy.
Passive resistance (through strikes) was attempted, but ultimately failed as the French brought in their own workers.
What caused inflation from 1919-23?
Initially, the loss of goods as a result of the war and occupation in the Ruhr meant that prices rose. Furthermore, with Germany unable to pay its reparations, the government decided to print more money. In 1923, the government had 300 paper mills printing money!
As a result, prices rose even further. Toward the end of the cycle, the printing of money lead to an even more damaging form of inflation - hyperinflation.
What issues did inflation cause for the Weimar economy (1919-23)?
- Germany became unable to import goods as its currency exchange rate collapsed against other currencies. Foreign suppliers refused to accept marks for goods.
- The pace of inflation made it hard to keep up with prices; this made it really difficult to buy goods.
- People with savings in the bank (e.g. the middle class) lost out massively. This was because their savings became worthless.
Describe features of the violent political unrest between 1919 and 1922.
Political parties had their own private armies - for example, the Communists had Red Front Fighters.
The Freikorps, disgruntled soldiers returning home, were aggressively anti-communist and carried out a variety of assassinations and raids against communist figures.
Between 1919 and 1922, there were just under 400 political murders.
The Spartacist League (1918-1919)
In 1918, workers setup soviets (councils) throughout Germany to challenge the moderate government of Ebert.
The movement was led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht. In 1919, the communists had taken over key buildings and newspaper offices in Berlin.
Ebert employed the Freikorps to put down the communist revolt. Soon after, over 2000 communists had been arrested or killed. Rosa Luxemburg was shot in the head and dumped into a river; Liebsknecht was also killed.
The Kapp Putsch (1920)
5000 right-wing supporters of Dr Wolfgang Kapp gather in Berlin and try to overthrow the Reichstag. They want to bring back the Kaiser.
Kapp controlled the city for a while, but the government urged workers not to co-operate with Kapp’s coup. As a result of strikes, key services stop running, and Kapp was forced to leave.
Dr Kapp was later arrested and put in prison.
Describe causes of the Munich Putsch (1923).
- German people were angry that the French had occupied the Ruhr. They wanted someone who would stand up for Germany.
- People resented the Weimar Republic for hyperinflation, so began supporting the Nazis.
Describe key events during the Munich Putsch (1923)?
In November, Hitler storms into the capital of the Bavarian government and demands that three leaders, von Lossow, von Kahr and Von Seisser, that they support him.
However, by the next morning, all three withdrew their support. Hitler decided to continue with the coup anyway.
3000 Nazi supporters tried to control key buildings int he city, supported closely by the SA. They were, however, defeated by state police. A bodyguard saved Hitler’s life by taking a bullet for him.
Hitler was arrested and found guilty of treason.
Describe features and consequences of the Dawes Plan (1924).
- Annual reparations reduced.
- US banks would give loans to German industry.
The plan convinced allies that Germany could improve, so the French agreed to leave the Ruhr.
As a result, the German economy improved:
- Industrial output doubled by 1928.
- Imports and exports increased.
- Employment went up.
- Government income went up
