The Weimar Republic 1918-39 Flashcards

1
Q

What was the Reichswehr?

A

German armed forces during Weimar Republic.

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2
Q

What was the Freikorps?

A

Groups of ex-military with substantial power in Weimar Republic.

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3
Q

What were the main 3 types of terms for the treaty of versailles?

A

Military terms, Economic terms, Territorial terms.

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4
Q

Why was it not immediately clear to Germany they had lost The First World War?

A

They were not immediately invaded like in The Second World War.

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5
Q

What was the Spartacist Uprising?

A

A left-wing, communist uprising in Germany.

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6
Q

What were the causes of the Spartacist Uprising?

A

Communist Uprising in Russia, Many Germans feeling unhappy with the new democracy.

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7
Q

What were the aims of the Spartacist Uprising?

A

To overthrow central government with workers and soldiers councils using violent methods.

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8
Q

Why was the Spartacist Uprising a threat to the Weimar Republic?

A

• Left wing parties had significant support from the people
• Potential for Russia to support left-wing uprisings
• Uprising caused the government to relocate
• Trade unions causing lots of disruptions and industries going on strike.

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9
Q

What was proportional representation?

A

A method to elect the reichstag whereby the percentage of seats a party gained was the same as percentage of votes they recieved.

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10
Q

What did using proportional representation lead to?

A

Fragile coalition governments.

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11
Q

What was federal structure?

A

When 18 local governments (lander) within Germany each had a local region to govern, limiting the power of national governments?

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12
Q

What did using federal structure lead to?

A

It made Germany very difficult to govern.

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13
Q

What was the role of the chancellor?

A

• Chancellor appointed by the president
• Presents laws to the reichstag but needs majority of support to pass laws
• Has some power but can be easily undermined.

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14
Q

What were the economical consequences of the treaty of Versailles?

A

• The financial terms crippled Germanys economy
• Standard of living worsened • Hyperinflation.

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15
Q

What were the military consequences of the treaty of Versailles?

A

Made Germany weaker and unable to defend themselves.

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16
Q

What were the territorial consequences of the treaty of Versailles?

A

•Led to a loss of land resources and people
• Germany speakers no longer had German territory.

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17
Q

What were the political consequences of the treaty of Versailles?

A

• Made Germany appear to be weak
• They were embarrassed to take full blame.

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18
Q

Why did the reparation payments cause economic problems for Germany?

A

They had to pay £6.6 million a year and did not make payments on time so the French said they would take what they owed.

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19
Q

Why did the occupation of the Ruhr cause economic problems for Germany?

A

The Ruhr was in the Rhineland so the German forces couldn’t stop the French, French could take resources such as coal and steel, Workers went on strike and in some cases changed mine resources to stop the French, German government paid the workers by printing more money.

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20
Q

Why was Hyperinflation so present in Germany?

A
  • Less goods being produced and more money in circulation - huge increases in prices.
  • Every day items became affordable, People on salaries suffered,
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21
Q

What were the causes of the Kapp Putsch 1920?

A
  • Many people disliked the government and supported Dolchstass theory
  • People were unhappy with the terms of the treaty of Versailles and felt Germany were unfairly blamed for the war
  • Weimar government began to implement military terms of ToV and disband the Freikorps.
22
Q

What were the key features of the Kapp Putsch 1920?

A
  • Government buildings seized by the Putsch
  • Government forced to relocate to another city-Dresden and Sturtyart
  • The German army refused to help “Reichwehr does not fire on Reichwehr.”
  • Government asked the people to go on strike
23
Q

Who were the key people involved in the Kapp Putsch?

A

*Ehrhardt-leader of Berlin Freikorps
*Wolfgang Kapp-Right-wind politician in Berlin that drew up the plan.
*Von Seeckt - Comander of the Reichwehr in Berlin.

24
Q

What were the consequences of the Kapp Putsch?

A

*Very few were punished - extremely lenient compared to Spartacist
*Further uprisings took place and were encouraged, which undermined the government and made them look weak.

25
Q

Why was the Kapp Putsch 1920 seen as a threat?

A

*Caused the government to relocate
* Right wing had support from wealthy, therefore sources of power.
*Military sympathetic to the right and refused to put down uprisings if they involved ex military.
*Judiciary courts sympathetic to right and more lenient in punishing uprisings.

26
Q

How successful was the NSDAP?

A

Very, grew from 1,100 in 1920 to 55,000 in 1923

27
Q

What was the Rentenmark?

A

*New temporary currency
*Issued in limited amounts
*Based on property, not gold reserves
*Replaced eventually by Reichmark 1924HH

28
Q

How did the Rentenmark help Germany to recover?

A

*Stopped

29
Q

What was Dawes Plan?

A

*Changes to payments of reparations-started at 1bil marks per year and rose to 2.5 bil per year over the next four years
*The Ruhr area was to be evacuated by French and Belgian troops, meaning it could produce resources for Germany again
*Reichsbank restructured under German supervision
*USA loaned Germany significant sum of money

30
Q

How did Dawes plan help Germany recover?

A
  • Made the reparation payments more affordable, meaning Germany could spend money on other areas to improve their economy
  • Increased production of materials and goods via ruhr
  • Made Germany more attractive trading partner.
  • Gave Germany injection of cash to invest in economic growth e.g increased welfare provision, investment in economic areas for Job creation
31
Q

What was the US loans given to German?

A

$3 billion of loans given to Germany via loans from USA

32
Q

How did US loans help Germany recover?

A

*Provided money to invest in economic recovery e.g new equipment, stimulus loans for business.
*Helped to support reparation payments

33
Q

What was the young plan 1929?

A

*Amount of reperations owed reduced by 75% from 6.6 billion to 1.85 billion
*The time to pay reparations was extended to 59 years
*Annual payments were 2.05 million marks

34
Q

How did the young plan help Germany recover?

A

*Significantly reduced burden of the reparations
*Gave Germany more capacity to spend on their own economy
*Politically was seen as undoing some of the harshest ToV terms (although Hitler and right-wing extremists still opposed it)

35
Q

What were the aims of Stresemann’s foreign policy?

A

*Improve relations with Britain and France
*Restore Germany’s international prestige
*Gain support to reduce the more repressive elements of the Treaty of Versailles

36
Q

What did Stresemann do to achieve his aims of the foreign policy?

A

*Joined the League of Nations
*The Kellogg-Briand Pact
*Locarno treaties

37
Q

Why did joining the League of Nations help Germany’s foreign policy?

A

*September 1926 Germany given permanent seat on the Council of League of Nations
*Confirmed Germany’s return to Great Power status
*Gained considerable prestige for Stresemann
*Helped bring about the

38
Q

Why did the kellog-briand pact help Stresemann’s foreign policy?

A

*Signed in 1928 with 64 other nations
*agreed to keep armies for self-defense and solve international disputes peacefully
*showed further improved relations and confirmed Germany was once again a leading nation

39
Q

Why did the locarno treties help Stresemann’s foreign policy?

A

*Stresemann determined to improve relations with Britain and France to restore internationalkly prestige and gain their co-operation reducijng features of ToV
*Signed in 1925 Britain France Belgium Italy
*Agreed to keep existing borders set out by ToV

40
Q

Why was Germany considered a golden age 1924-29?

A

*Strict censorship removed
*Weimar republic had the most advanced rights for women in Europe - equal pay in government, voting rights, active role in government
*wages increased
*More women in work and higher up jobs
*Over 2 million new homes built

41
Q

What were the effects of the Nazi party being banned?

A

*Hitler persuaded president of Bavaria to lift the ban
*Party relaunched

42
Q

How did Hitler manage party divisions in his absence?

A
  • Hitler won over rivals by giving them important roles or areas to lead
  • Other opponents removed from the party
  • Strengthened the party by ensuring loyalty to Hitler
43
Q

What was the effects of the Nazi party being poorly structured and policies varying over Germany?

A
  • Regional parts of the party controlled by party figures close to Hitler were introduced
  • This meant more control for Hitler
  • Ensured the same message across Germany
44
Q

What were the effects of the Nazis lack of control over the SA?

A
  • The leader of the SA was removed (Ernst Rohm)
  • SS created to protect Hitler
  • stopped the threat of the party being banned again
45
Q

What happened at the Bamburg party confrence in 1926?

A
  • Hitler confirmed as leader
  • Ideaology and key messages established
  • Confirmed legal route to power (winning elections)
46
Q

What happened to unemployment in Germany 1928-32?

A
  • Relatively low in 1928, due to jobs created by US loans
  • By 1932 over 6 million unemployed, almost all families effected
47
Q

What happened to the role of the Reichstag and president 1930-1932?

A

*Presidential decrees increased from 5 to 66
*Government/parliament couldn’t agree on laws
*Germany becoming more authoritarian - 1 person in charge
*Government struggled to maintain conditions, which made them look weak

48
Q

What happened to German industrial production 1929-33?

A
  • Significant decrease as Germany not self sufficient
49
Q

What happened to Reichstag seats after the elections 1928-1930?

A
  • Clear increase in extremist party votes and influence as unemployment increases
  • Increased instability
50
Q

How did the Weimar government try to halt the depression?

A
  • Unemployment benefit cut by 60%
  • Wage cuts of civil servants of 2.5% introduced - by 1931 pay decreased 23%
  • Tax rates of things like income, beer and sugar
  • New taxes introduced
  • Believed the best way to deal was reduce spending and raise taxes