The Weimar Republic 1918-29 Flashcards
What does Revolution mean?
When a group of people strike back against trouble
Give 5 impacts of WW1
1) . Industrial production was 2/3 of what it had been in 1913
2) . 600,000 new widows and 2 million children without fathers
3) . By 1925 the state was spending about 1/3 of its budget on war pensions
4) . The stresses of war led to a revolution in October - November 1918
5) . The Kaiser abdicated on the 9th of November 1918
Name of the Kaiser until 1918
Kaiser Wilhelm II
Define monarchy
A government of state ruled by a king or queen
Define Republic
A government in which elected representatives posses power
Define Constitution
The set of basic laws by which a nation, state or other Organization is governed
Describe the Weimar constitution’s parliament
President at top The chancellor Then Reichstag Then German people Also Article 48
How often is the President elected?
Every 7 years
What is Article 48?
Article 48 states that if in an emergency, the president could make laws without having to consult the reichstag first
How often is the Reichstag elected?
Every 4 years
What was the voting criteria for the German people in the Weimar Republic?
Only men and women over the age of 21 could vote
What was the name of Weimar Germany’s voting system?
PR (Proportional representation)
Give two pro’s of PR
1) . You always get part of your own party
2) . Everyone’s views are represented
Give two con’s of PR
1) . Extremist parties are represented
2) . Because there’s so many parties, it’s hard to work together due to contrasting views
Describe the Political Spectrum
Far left = Communism Left = Socialists Centre = Liberals Right = Conservatives Far right = Fascism
What does “Diktat” mean?
Dictated peace
Describe 3 military restrictions Germany faced because of the TOV (Treaty Of Versailles)
1) . No Air Force
2) . Their army was limited to 100,000 soldiers
3) . Only 6 battleships
How much land did Germany loose?
Hint: its’s a percentage! ;)
13%
What year was the Treaty of Versailles (TOV)?
1919
Define the phrase “Stab in the back”
A powerful myth that the Army was “stabbed in the back” by weak politicians
Who were the two leaders of the Spartacists?
Karl Leibneckt and Rosa Luxemburg
On what day were the leaders of the Spartacist’s shot?
The 15th of January 1919
Define “Putsch”
An attempted over-throwing of the government
Who were the Freikorps?
A paramilitary group formed from de-mobilised soldiers at the end of WW1. sought to save Germany from Communism. Didn’t support the Weimar Republic.
When was The Kapp Putsch?
March 1920
Quickly describe the events of The Kapp Putsch
1) . In march 1920, the Freikorps, led by Wolfgang Kapp, marched into Berlin and declared a new national government
2) . Ebert’s government was forced to flee to Dresden
3) . Due to a lack of support, the Putsch collapsed.
Who was the Freikorps led by?
Wolfgang Kapp
Who was the president during the Weimar Republic?
Ebert
Who was the worst affected during the HyperInflation?
The middle class
When did Hyperinflation begin?
1923
Give two examples of people who benefited from Hyperinflation
People with debts and Foreigners
Give two examples of people who suffered from Hyperinflation
Pensioners on a fixed pension and Workers who had lost their jobs
What years did the Golden age cover?
1924 - 1929
Give 3 examples of how the Weimar Government dealt with the crisis of 1923?
1) . Streseman came into power
2) . They introduced a new, temporary currency (ultimately a fixed one later aswell)
3) . They kept the army on their side
4) . America - via the Dawes plan - gave Germany money
What was the temporary currency called?
The Rentenmark
What was the later, permanant currency called?
The Reichsmark
When was The Dawes Plan agreed?
April 1924
When was the TOV signed?
June 1919
When did the French occupy the Ruhr?
1923
What was the Dawes Plan?
The Dawes plan was a treaty signed by Germany and America stating that America will give Germany loans to help pay the reparations
When was the Young Plan signed?
1929
When was the Kellogg-Briand Pact?
1928
When was the Locarno Pact?
1925
When did Germany join the League of Nations?
1926
When was the Wall Street Crash and how did it affect Germany?
1929 - it caused hyperinflation
Give 3 ways to show Society in the Golden age
Culture, Standard of living and Women
Under Standard of Living, by 1928, homelessness had been reduced by more than …………%
60%
From 1924 - 1931, there were more than …………….. homes built
2 million
When was the Unemployment insurance Law passed?
1927
There were ………….. women in the Reichstag by ………………
There were 32 women in the Reichstag by 1926
When was the Munich Putsch?
1923
Why was the Munich Putsch significant?
Because it made Hitler change his tactics from violence to democracy
How may seats did the Nazi gain in the election of 1928?
12 seats
