The Weimar Republic (1919-29) Flashcards
On what day was the Armistice signed?
11th November 1918
What day did Kaiser Wilhelm abdicate?
9th November 1918, after public disapproval
Who was the Kaiser that abdicated shortly before the Armistice was signed?
Kaiser Wilhelm II
What was the first national government established in Germany after the abdication of the Kaiser?
The Council Of People’s Representatives (consisted of SPD and USPD) - controlled Germany until Jan 1919
Who was the first president of democratic Germany?
Friedrich Ebert
Who was Chancellor under Ebert?
Phillip Scheidemann
When did the members of the newly formed Reichstag meet in Weimar to create a new constitution for Germany?
February 1919
Why was the Weimar constitution formed in Weimar?
Berlin was too unsafe due to the Spartacist uprising which occurred previously
What did the Weimar constitution say with regards to Presidency?
- They were elected every 7 years
- They chose the Chancellor
- They could dissolve the Reichstag, call new elections,
and suspend the constitution (Article 48)
What did the Weimar constitution say with regards to the Reichstag?
`- Elected every 4 years using proportional
representation
- German “parliament”
What was the Reichsrat?
A legislative body similar to the upper body of Parliament
What were the strengths of the Weimar Republic?
- Democratic (all Germans over 20 could vote)
- The Bill Of Rights (guaranteed every German freedom
of speech and religion under the law)
What were the weaknesses of the Weimar Republic?
- Proportional representation meant that even parties
with a small number of votes were guaranteed seats
in the Reichstag, meaning that it was difficult to pass
laws as many parties had different POVs - Article 48 gave the president the power to act without
parliament’s approval in an emergency. However, it
did not clearly define what an ‘emergency’ was, so
the power was overused, which weakened Germans’
confidence in democracy - The German army didn’t support the constitution
What was proportional representation?
The number of votes a party receives is proportional to the number of seats they win in the Reichstag
When was the Treaty of Versailles signed?
28th June 1919
Who were the terms of the Treaty of Versailles mostly decided by?
The “Big Three”
- Lloyd George (Britain)
- Woodrow Wilson (America)
- George Clemenceau (France)
Which German president signed the Treaty Of Versailles?
Friedrich Ebert
What was the German government called after signing the Armistice?
The November Criminals
What were some military terms of the Treaty of Versailles?
- German army reduced to 100,000 men
(only volunteers could join)
- Rhineland forcibly demilitarised
(allowed France an extra buffer zone)
- No air force allowed
- Only allowed 6 battleships
- No submarines allowed
- No planes/tanks allowed to be builtWhere was the Rhineland?
An area of Germany on its Western border with France
What terms of the Treaty of Versailles blamed Germany for the war?
- Article 231 (War guilt clause) - Forced Germany to
accept all blame for the war - Germany forbidden from joining the League Of
Nations
What was an economic term of the Treaty of Versailles
- Germany forced to pay £6.6 billion in reparations to
the countries it had damaged, the main benefactors
were France and Belgium, whose economies had
worsened due to the war
What were some territorial terms of the Treaty of Versailles?
- The Tsar was given to France for 15 years
- Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France
- All German empires were taken away and given to
the allies - ‘Anchluß’ (Anschluss) the union of Germany and
Austria was forbidden.
What were the 4 other treaties made to punish countries that aided Germany during the war, and which countries did they target?
Austria - Treaty of Saint-German
Bulgaria - Treaty of Neuilly
Turkey - Treaty of Sèvres
Hungary - Treaty of Trianon
(All paid reparations and lost land)
What did German citizens call the Treaty of Versailles?
A “Diktat”
an order or decree imposed by someone in power without popular consent
Describe the status of Germany at the start of 1919
- Thousands poor and starving
- Influenza endemic had killed thousands
- Government seen as weak (Dolschtoss theory)
When was the Spartacist Uprising?
January 1919
Describe the events of the Spartacist Uprising
- During 5 – 12 January 1919, 50,000 members of the
post-World War One Communist Party, known as the
Spartacists, rebelled in Berlin in an attempt to
overthrow Ebert, led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl
Liebknecht. - The government was saved when, through the army,
it armed bands of ex-soldiers, known as the
Freikorps, who defeated the Spartacist rebels. - In the aftermath, communist workers’ councils seized
power all over Germany, and a Communist People’s
Government took power in Bavaria. - Liebknecht and Luxemburg were killed by the
Freikorps after being arrested on the 15th.
Luxemburg’s body was dumped in a canal. - By May 1919 the Freikorps and Reichswehr had
crushed all of these uprisings.
Which two communists led the Spartacist Uprising?
Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg
How many Communists were involved in the Spartacist uprising?
50,000
Who were the Freikorps?
Ex German soldiers who refused to hand in their weapons after WW1
(Pro Kaiser, Anti communist, Pro traditionalism)
Who were the Reichswehr?
The regular German army
When was the Kapp Putsch?
13-17th March 1920
Which two people led the Kapp Putsch?
Dr Wolfgang Kapp and Hermann Erhardt
Right wing nationalists
Describe the events of the Kapp Putsch
- In crushing the communists the Freikorps had saved
the government, but the terms of the Treaty of
Versailles meant Germany’s army had to be
significantly reduced (100,000 men) and the Freikorps
had to be disbanded. - During 13 - 17 March 1920, as a reaction to this, the
right-wing nationalists, Dr Wolfgang Kapp and
Hermann Erhardt led a Freikorps takeover in Berlin. - The Reichswehr refused to attack the Freikorps as
they’d fought alongside each other against the
communists; Kapp was only defeated when Ebert
ordered civilians in Berlin to strike, and due to a lack
of workers/support, the rebellion collapsed.
What term in the Treaty of Versailles triggered the Kapp Putsch?
The army being reduced to 100,000 men
When did Gustav Stresemann become Chancellor?
1923
When was the French and Belgian occupation of the Ruhr?
January - August 1923
Describe the occupation of the Ruhr
- In November 1922 Germany defaulted on its
reparations payment. (Was influenced by striking
workers during the Kapp Putsch, which worsened the
German economy - In response, France and Belgium sent troops into
Germany’s main industrial area, the Ruhr Valley. - They occupied coal mines, railways, steel works and
factories – all things that were important to
Germany’s economy.
Explain why Hyperinflation occurred as a result of the occupation of the Ruhr in 1923
- The German government ordered workers to follow a
policy of ‘passive resistance’ – refusing to work or
co-operate with the foreign troops and in return the
government continued to pay their wages. - ‘Passive resistance’ meant that whilst the workers
were on strike fewer industrial goods were being
produced, which weakened the economy still further. - The government had to print more money in order to
pay their workers who were striking, and the value of
the Mark soon became virtually worthless
How did French soldiers respond to German workers’ “passive resistance” in the Ruhr?
The French responded firmly – in the Krupp steel works, workers refusing to take orders were shot at. Other people were expelled from the Ruhr region
altogether. Overall, 132 were killed and approximately 150,000 expelled from the area
How many German workers were killed and expelled from the Ruhr by the French
132 were killed and 150,000 were expelled
Describe how the value of the Mark changed from 1918 to 1923
hint - egg
In 1918, an egg cost 1/4 of a Mark, but in 1923 it cost 80 Million Marks
What were the effects of Hyperinflation on the German working class?
Bank savings became worthless, and during the crisis, workers were often paid twice per day because prices rose so fast their wages were virtually worthless by lunchtime.
How did Stresemann aid German recovery?
- Ended strike in Ruhr (reducing tension)
- Replaced German Mark with Rentenmark
- Created the Great Coalition (allowed parliament to
make faster decisions) - Signed Dawes & Young plans, Locarno Pact and
Kellogg-Briand Pact - Joined League of Nations
When was the Dawes Plan signed and what did it entail?
- 1924
- French and Belgian troops left Ruhr
- Persuaded Allies to lower reparations
- US lent Germany $40 million
- Reichsbank reorganised to further aid stability
When was the Young Plan signed and what did it entail?
- 1929
- Allies reduced reparations by 3/4 (£6.6bil to £1.85bil)
- Germany given 59 years to pay them
- Reparations reduced by American banker Owen
Young
When was the Locarno Pact signed and what did it entail?
- 1925 October
- Germany, France and Belgium agreeing to respect
existing borders
When was the Kellogg-Briand pact signed and what did it entail?
- 1928
- Germany and 64 other countries promised to settle
disputes peacefully
When was Germany allowed to join the League of Nations?
1926, re-establishing Germany as an international power
When was the Wall Street Crash?
October 1929, just after Stresemann’s death
How much were Germany’s reparations reduced by due to the Young Plan, and how long were they given to pay them?
- From £6.6bil to £1.85billion (3/4)
- 59 years
How did unemployment improve under Stresemann?
In 1927 the government introduced compulsory unemployment insurance that covered 17 million workers, so workers could pay into the scheme and receive cash benefits if they became unemployed
How did wages improve under Stresemann?
Hourly wages rose every year from 1924 to 1929 and by 10 per cent in 1928 alone
How did industrial production improve under Stresemann?
- IG Farben, a German chemical manufacturing
company, became the largest industrial company in
Europe - By 1928 industrial production levels were higher than
those of 1913 (before World War One)
What were signs of continued weakness under Stresemann?
- Their economy was dependant on US loans
- Agricultural production did not recover to its pre-war
levels - unemployment did not fall below 1.3 million and in
1929 increased to 1.9 million - The government ended up spending more than it
received in taxes and so continued to run deficits
from 1925 onwards
How many German people were unemployed by 1929?
1.9 million
How did Women’s lives change positively under Stresemann?
- Between 1919 and 1932, 112 women were elected
into the Reichstag - Traditional role of women began to change - female
sports clubs and societies sprang up - Divorce became easier and the number of divorces
rose
How did women’s lives stay the same under Stresemann? (negatives)
- By 1933 women made up just 4.6 per cent of the
representatives in parliament. - No women held cabinet posts during the Weimar
Republic’s 14 year existence and no women sat in the
upper house of parliament, the Reichsrat.
How did architecture improve under Stresemann?
The “Bauhaus” school of design was very influential, and had a different approach to the decorative style of pre-war Germany
What movie did Marlene Dietrich star in that had an anti militarian message?
The Cabinet Of Dr Caligari
How did German cinema improve under Stresemann?
- Plays began to show strong, glamorous women
- Fritz Lang produced “Metropolis”, which was
acclaimed as the most technologically advanced film
of the decade
How did the arts improve under Stresemann?
- Freedom of expression generated new ideas, artists
began to question traditional forms and styles that focused on authority and militarism
Which right wing authors were highly critical of German democracy, and glorified the war experience?
Arthur Moeller and Oswald Spangler
Which left wing authors were anti war and wrote novels describing the horrors of war?
Erich Remarque and Ludwis Renn
Remarque wrote “all quiet on the Western front”
What book was written by Erich Remarque criticising war?
“All quiet on the Western Front”
What was “The Great Coalition”?
A coalition formed by the 4 main pro democratic parties in the Reichstag in 1923
What percentage of women made up the Reichstag in 1933?
Only 4.6%
Which German director produced Metropolis, and when was it produced?
Fritz Lang in January 1927
