The Years of Challenge 1920-1923

Question 1

How did right-wing (conservative) groups view the new republic?

Answer 1

They did not accept the new republic, as it was associated with military defeat and humiliation.

Question 2

Who were the November Criminals?

Answer 2

The politicians who signed the armistice in November 1918. They were blamed for Germany’s defeat.

Question 3

In what year did the Kapp Putsch take place?

Answer 3

1920

Question 4

What is a putsch?

Answer 4

An attempt to take power through force.

Question 5

What was the cause of the Kapp Putsch?

Answer 5

The government tried to reduce the size of a Freikorps Brigade (group) outside Berlin. Their commander, General von Luttwitz, refused to obey and ordered the Freikorps to march on Berlin.

Question 6

What did President Ebert expect the army to do when the Freikorps occupied Berlin?

Answer 6

He expected the army to defend the republic, but they refused to fight against the Freikorps. Both groups had fought side by side in WWI.

Question 7

What happened to the government in Berlin during the Kapp Putsch?

Answer 7

They fled the city and were replaced by a new government, led by Wolfgang Kapp.

Question 8

Why did the Kapp Putsch fail?

Answer 8

The workers, unions and bankers in Berlin went on strike. Kapp could not get control of the city and fled. The democratic government returned once the putsch was over.

Question 9

Why was the Kapp Putsch important?

Answer 9

It showed that the government of the republic was quite weak, as they had to flee the capital. It also showed that the army could not always be relied upon to protect the new republic.

Question 10

What was the White Terror?

Answer 10

Threats to the new republic from right-wing extremists.

Question 11

How many political murders were there in Germany between 1919 and 1922?

Answer 11

370. Most were carried out by right-wing groups, who were a growing threat to the new republic.

Question 12

Why was Matthias Erzberger assassinated?

Answer 12

He was one of the ‘November Criminals’ and was blamed for German defeat in WWI.

Question 13

Why was Walter Rathenau assassinated?

Answer 13

He believed that Germany should follow the conditions of the Treaty of Versailles (called the policy of fulfilment).

Question 14

How did the government respond to Rathenau’s assassination?

Answer 14

Chancellor Wirth announced that ‘the enemy stands on the Right’ and used Article 48 to introduce the Law for the Protection of the Republic. This law was to crack down on right-wing extremists.

Question 15

Why were many right-wing groups treated lightly by the courts?

Answer 15

The judicial (justice) system was also right-wing (conservative).

Question 16

Was the German army left-wing or right-wing?

Answer 16

Right-wing. They supported the old Germany under the rule of the Kaiser.

Question 17

How did the German army view the new republic?

Answer 17

They tolerated it. While the army wanted a return to the old German system, they wanted to stop left-wing extremists like the communists (KPD).

Question 18

Who was commander of the German army from 1920 to 1926?

Answer 18

General von Seeckt.

Question 19

How did General von Seeckt view the Treaty of Versailles?

Answer 19

He wanted to overcome the military restrictions and make Germany a strong nation again.

Question 20

How did General von Seeckt maintain the German military structure?

Answer 20

He gave officers civilian (non-military) titles, he encouraged soldiers to join the police force, he made sure all members of the army could perform the job of the rank above.

Question 21

How did the Treaty of Rapallo (1922) help Germany to build up its army?

Answer 21

General von Seeckt trained German soldiers in the Soviet Union. Air force pilots were trained near Moscow.

Question 22

How did Germany secretly manufacture military equipment and supplies?

Answer 22

Armaments (weapons) were built at factories in the Soviet Union and Sweden. Submarines were built in Holland. The Treaty of Versailles had no power in these other countries.

Question 23

When did the Allies present the reparations figure to Germany? What happened as a result?

Answer 23

1921. The government fell and a new government was formed led by Chancellor Wirth.

Question 24

What policy did Chancellor Worth follow with the Allies?

Answer 24

The policy of fulfilment. Wirth believed that cooperating with the Allies would allow Germany to re-negotiate the Treaty of Versailles.

Question 25

What did Germany fail to do in 1922?

Answer 25

It failed to make its second reparations payment as the economy was very weak.

Question 26

How did France respond when Germany missed the 1922 reparations payment?

Answer 26

France sent 60,000 troops o occupy the Ruhr - the most important industrial (manufacturing) area of Germany.

Question 27

Why did the French occupy the Ruhr?

Answer 27

To prove that they were strong enough to make Germany follow the conditions of the Treaty of Versailles.

Question 28

How did the German government respond to the French occupation of the Ruhr?

Answer 28

They ordered ‘passive resistance’ - German workers went on strike and refused to cooperate with the French forces.

Question 29

How did the German government try to cover the massive costs of reparations and paying the striking workers?

Answer 29

They kept printing more money, which led to a fall in the value of the German Mark (currency).

Question 30

What was hyperinflation?

Answer 30

The German currency became worthless in 1923 and Germans struggled to buy basic items.

Question 31

How much was 1 US Dollar worth in Germany in November 1923?

Answer 31

4 200 000 000 000 German Marks. Before the war, 1 US Dollar was worth 4 Marks. This shows how worthless German money was in 1923.

Question 32

How were many workers paid in 1923?

Answer 32

Large trucks delivered cash to workplaces. Some workers took home their daily pay in wheelbarrows. The currency was so worthless that an enormous amount of paper money was required to buy the cheapest items.

Question 33

What is shown in this picture?

Answer 33

A German woman is using money to light a fire in her kitchen. It was cheaper to burn money than to buy firewood.

Question 34

What happened to the German government in August 1923?

Answer 34

The government fell. Ebert asked Gustav Stresemann to lead a new government as Chancellor.

Question 35

How did Stresemann try to solve the problem in the Ruhr?

Answer 35

He ended passive resistance - he knew that Germany would have to cooperate with the French forces.

Question 36

How did Stresemann deal with the problem of hyperinflation?

Answer 36

He introduced a new currency called the Rentenmark. It was tightly controlled so that it remained valuable.

Question 37

How successful was the Rentenmark?

Answer 37

It helped to stabilise the German economy. The German currency was now under control.

Question 38

How did the problems of 1923 threaten government control over Germany?

Answer 38

Left-wing and right-wing extremists tried to take control of different parts of Germany.

Question 39

How did Stresemann deal with new threats from extremists?

Answer 39

A state of emergency was declared and Article 48 was used to give the government emergency powers. The army removed threats from left-wing groups.

Question 40

Which right-wing leader and group tried to take power in Munich in 1923?

Answer 40

Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. The attempt failed.