The Weimar Republic, 1918-29

Question 1

2 impacts of WW1 on Germany

Answer 1

2 million German troops dead

Government debts increased from 50 billion marks to 150 billion marks

Question 2

What year did WW1 end?

Answer 2

1918

Question 3

When was the German Republic declared?

Answer 3

November 1918

Question 4

What was the armistice?

Answer 4

The peace agreement between Germany and the Allies

Question 5

When was the armistice signed?

Answer 5

November 1918

Question 6

2 strengths of weimar constitution

Answer 6

Proportional representation (parties had fair share of seats)
Women able to vote

Question 7

Why was the weimar republic unpopular

Answer 7

They signed the Treaty of Versailles with the allies

Question 8

3 factors of the Treaty of Versailles

Answer 8

Germany to pay £6600 million in annual instalments
German army limited to 100,000 (internal use only) and all air force destroyed
Germany lost 11 colonies and 13% of European territory

Question 9

What was the ‘stab in the back’ theory?

Answer 9

Germans believed that their army was not defeated and that it was betrayed by Weimar politicians

Question 10

2 points of the Spartacists

Answer 10

Left-wing

Led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht

Question 11

2 points of the Freikorps

Answer 11

Right-wing

Made of ex-soldiers who kept weapons; 250,000 men in March 1919

Question 12

Describe the Spartacist Revolt

Answer 12

January 1919, Spartacists took over government’s media to organise a strike in Berlin
The government sent the Freikorps to put this down and Luxemburg and Liebknecht were shot

Question 13

Describe the Kapp Putsch

Answer 13

March 1920, Freikorp troops marched to Berlin as they feared unemployment
Dr Wolfgang Kapp was put in charge of rebellion
Government, having fled Berlin, ordered the trade unions to strike to put the Kapp Putsch down as it caused chaos so Kapp could not rule

Question 14

How many political assasinations from 1919-23?

Answer 14

376

Question 15

Hyperinflation timeline (reasons)

Answer 15

1914-18 - government was bankrupt, so printed money to pay for WW1
1918-22 - Weimar government prints more money for reparations
January 1923 - French troops invade the Ruhr to take reparation payment in materials. Weimar government print more money to make up for this.
By November 1923, the German mark was worthless

Question 16

2 effects of hyperinflation

Answer 16

Unsuccessful businesses went bankrupt

People could not afford essentials as wages did not rise as quickly as prices

Question 17

Who was Gustav Stresemann

Answer 17

Chancellor in 1923

Question 18

Describe the formation of the Rentenmark

Answer 18

In Nov 1923, Stresemann formed the Rentenbank and issued a new currency called the Rentenmark. Supply of this note was controlled, ending hyperinflation.

Question 19

2 points of the Dawes Plan

Answer 19

1924, Charles Dawes formed plan:
£50 million annually reparations
US banks make loans to German industry

Question 20

3 weaknesses of the Weimar Constitution

Answer 20

Proportional representation meant unstable coalition governments fell apart
Lack of strong government led to crisis in which the president passed laws without Reichstag consent
It was unpopular

Question 21

2 points o the Young Plan

Answer 21

1929, Owen Young planned:
Reduce total reparations debt from £6.6 billion to £2 billion (less taxes for Germans)
Had until 1988 to make debt

Question 22

Describe the Locarno Pact

Answer 22

1925, Germany, Britain, France and Belgium agreed:
Allies and Germany agreed to demilitarise Rhineland
Discussed Germany’s membership in the League of Nations (international body to discuss avoiding war)

Question 23

What was the Kellogg-Briand pact

Answer 23

Agreement between 62 nations, committing countries to avoid war. Germany was once again a major power

Question 24

3 changes in living standards, 1924-28

Answer 24

1925-29 saw 101,000 homes built
By 1925, 36% of women worked
Wages rose and hyperinflation made employment secure