Topic 1 The Impact Of The First World War

Question 1

What event led to the collapse of the German Government?

Answer 1

The Kiel Mutiny

Question 2

Who became Chancellor and took power over Germany after the kaiser abdicated?

Answer 2

Friedrich Ebert (leader of social democrat party)

Question 3

When was the armistice with the allies agreed?

Answer 3

11 November 1918

Question 4

Who was the first president of the Weimar Republic?

Answer 4

Friedrich Ebert

Question 5

When did Germany sign the Treaty of Versailles?

Answer 5

28 June 1919

Question 6

What was article 231?

Answer 6

The war guilt clause (Germany accepted blame for ww1)

Question 7

How much was the reparations bill?

Answer 7

£6.6 billion

Question 8

How many men were allowed in the German army?

Answer 8

100,000

Question 9

How many battleships and submarines were Germany allowed?

Answer 9

Battleships = 6 Submarines = 0

Question 10

Which area was demilitarised?

Answer 10

The Rhineland

Question 11

What was Germany banned from forming with Austria?

Answer 11

Anschluss (union)

Question 12

Who were German colonies given to?

Answer 12

The allies

Question 13

Who were the Sarr Coalfields given to for 15 years?

Answer 13

France

Question 14

What were the 3 strengths of the Weimar Republic?

Answer 14

• Bill of Rights
• Representative Democracy
• The Reichstag

Question 15

Why was proportional representation a weakness of the Weimar Republic?

Answer 15

Lots of small parties meant it was difficult to pass laws and led to weak coalition governments

Question 16

What was article 48?

Answer 16

The President could act without parliamentary approval in an emergency, an ‘emergency’ was not clearly defined so the power was overused and weakened democracy

Question 17

What percentage of land did Germany lose due to the Treaty of Versailles?

Answer 17

13%

Question 18

How many German citizens were absorbed into other countries?

Answer 18

Over 6 million

Question 19

What did German people think the Treaty of Versailles was?

Answer 19

A diktat (dictated peace)

Question 20

How did the German people feel about the government signing the armistice?

Answer 20

that Germany and the German army had been stabbed in the back (dolchstoss) by politicians

Question 21

What did the government become known as by the German people?

Answer 21

The November criminals

Question 22

Who did the Weimar Republic face threats from due to its unpopularity?

Answer 22

Both left and right wing groups

Question 23

Who were the leaders of the spartacists?

Answer 23

Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht

Question 24

When did the Spartacist Uprising take place?

Answer 24

January 1919

Question 25

What was the Spartacist Uprising?

Answer 25

50,000 members of the Spartacists rebelled (led by leaders) in Berlin and attempted to overthrow the government

Question 26

How was the Spartacist Uprising defeated?

Answer 26

Easily crushed by the Freikorps

Question 27

When did the Kapp Putsch take place?

Answer 27

March 1920

Question 28

Who led the Kapp Putsch?

Answer 28

Wolfgang Kapp

Question 29

What was the Kapp Putsch?

Answer 29

Wolfgang Kapp led a Freikorp takeover in Berlin in attempt to overthrow the Weimar Republic

Question 30

Why did the army refuse to attack the freikorps?

Answer 30

The freikorps were made up of ex soldiers (army had to be reduced due to Treaty of Versailles)

Question 31

Why did the Kapp Putsch collapse?

Answer 31

The government encouraged German workers to go on strike

Question 32

In what year did Germany fail to make its reparations payment that led to the occupation of the Ruhr?

Answer 32

1922

Question 33

When did the French and Belgian troops occupy the Ruhr?

Answer 33

January 1923

Question 34

How did the German Government respond to the occupation of the Ruhr?

Answer 34

• ordered the workers to follow a passive resistance and refuse to cooperate with foreign troops

Question 35

How did the government continue paying the striking workers in the Ruhr?

Answer 35

By printing more money

Question 36

When did hyperinflation occur?

Answer 36

1923

Question 37

What were the reasons why hyperinflation occurred?

Answer 37

• Germany was already suffering from inflation due to war and increasing government debts
• passive resistance in the Ruhr meant production of industrial goods fell
• the gov continued paying striking workers by printing more money
• as the value of the German mark decreased, prices increased

Question 38

Which people/groups benefited from hyperinflation?

Answer 38

• rich businessmen- could takeover small bankrupt businesses
• borrowers - could pay back loans and debts easily

Question 39

Which groups/people were the worst affected by hyperinflation?

Answer 39

• people on fixed incomes
• pensioners and those with savings - these became worthless

Question 40

How were workers affected by hyperinflation?

Answer 40

Workers were relatively safe as they were just payed higher and higher wages

Question 41

How were farmers affected by hyperinflation?

Answer 41

There produce remained in demand so received more money as prices increased

Question 42

How were the rich affected by hyperinflation?

Answer 42

Had land, possessions and foreign currency so were able to protect their wealth