the weimar republic Flashcards
political challenges faced by Germany after WW1
Stresses of war led to a revolution in October - November 1918. There was fighting between right-wing groups and left-wing groups
Many ex-soldiers and civilians despised the new democratic leaders and came to believe that the heroic leader Field Marshal Hindenburg had been betrayed by weak politicians
economic challenges faced by Germany after WW1
Industrial production was about two-thirds of what it had been in 1913
There were acute shortages of food. By 1918 Germany was producing only 50 percent of the milk and 60 percent of the butter and meat it had produced before the war. Fuel was short and people were cold. Nearly 300,000 people died from starvation and hypothermia in 1918
National income was about one-third of what it had been in 1913
War left 600,000 widows and 2 million children without fathers - by 1925 the state was spending about one-third of its budget in war pensions
social challenges faced by Germany after WW1
One and a half million demobilised soldiers returned to society, many disillusioned
Many Germans were angry about losing the war. There was a wave of unrest, especially in cities like Berlin. Law and order was breaking down in a country where people were used to order and discipline
There were huge gaps between the living standards of the rich and the poor
Many German workers were bitter at the restrictions placed on their earnings during the war while the factory owners made vast fortunes from the war
when was the kiel mutiny
3rd november 1918
what happened in the kiel mutiny
By Autumn 1918, it was clear that Germany would lose the war, however, the Kaiser still ordered attacks against the allies as he had full control of the army and military
On 3 November at the main German naval base in Kiel frustrated German sailors mutinied instead of following orders to attack the British Royal Navy.
The sailor’s mutiny sparked rebellions all over Germany and in a matter of days led to the collapse of the German government which forced the ruling monarch, Kaiser Wilhelm II, to abdicate on 9 November.
Following his abdication Friedrich Ebert, leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) became Chancellor (the equivalent of Prime Minister in Britain) and took power over Germany.
when did Kaiser Wilhelm 2 abdicate
9th novmeber 1918
when was the armistice
11th november 1918
what happened after Kaiser Wilhelm 2 abdicated
Following his abdication Friedrich Ebert, leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) became Chancellor (the equivalent of Prime Minister in Britain) and took power over Germany.
who signed the armistice
The armistice was signed by representatives of the new, civilian government, including Ebert and members of the SPD.
This meant that later, their opponents started to call them the ‘November Criminals’ – people who had signed the armistice behind the German army’s back.
when did the weimar republic start
what became known as the Weimar Republic took place in June 1920, electing Ebert as Germany’s new President.
who was the first president of the weimar republic
friedrich ebert
basic rules of the weimar constituition
- all germans (all genders) over the age of 20 could vote
- president elected courts, chancellor and controlled the armed forces
- the german people elected the president every 7 years as well as the reichstag representatives and the local governments
- system of proportional representation
- article 48
advantages and disadvantages of proportional representation
Advantages
All parties get their say
Unifies the government and people of germany
Less conflicts and tensions between political parties
Disadvantages
Parties that have different ideologies will disagree with each other, making it difficult to make decisions
Coalition
In emergency situations, a decision can take time to come to
what is proportional representation
Proportional representation is an electoral system in which the percentage of votes a party receives is reflected directly or proportionally in the number of seats they have in the parliament. This often means that no party gets the majority of the vote and parties have to work together in a coalition
when was the occupation of the ruhr
jan 1923- (aug)1925