TOPIC 1 The Impact Of The First World War Flashcards
When was WW1 armistice signed?
November 1918
When was the Weimar Constitution drawn up + finalised
August 1919
Why was the Weimar Constitution created?
The Kaiser abdicated
What did the Weimar Constitution mark in Germany?
First time they experienced democracy
Under Weimar Republic who could vote?
Men and women who were 20+
Who was head of the government in Weimar Germany
The chancellor
How was chancellor picked?
They had the support of most of the politicians in the reichstag
How did they decide how many seats each party had in Reichstag
Proportional representation
Number of seats of each party = percentage of votes they received
What was Article 48
Gave powers to the president to suspend the constitution in an emergency
When was treaty of Versailles signed
June 1919
What did Germany think about the terms of the Treaty of Versailles?
They were extremely harsh
Treaty of Versailles terms
- lost 13% of its land
- lost 48% of its iron
- lost 6 million citizens absorbed into other countries
- reparations at £6.6 billion
- Rhineland demilitarised
- army not to exceed 100,000
- no union (Anschluss) with Austria
Treaty of Versailles - Article 231
The War Guilt Clause
Stating that Germany had to accept full blame for starting the war in 1914
Diktat meaning
Dictated peace
In terms of treaty of Versailles, Germany had no say in these terms
Dolchtoss
Stabbed in the back
Term used by many to describe the politicians who signed the armistice (known as the November Criminals)
Weimar Republic faced constant threats from….
Both left and right wing political groups
What did the Weimar government fear?
A repeat of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia in 1917
Weimar was dependent on ……. to support it against revolution. This …….. its authority
The army
Weakened
The spartacist league was led by…..
Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg
The aim of the Spartacist League was…
To establish a communist state
Spartacists uprising date + details
6th Jan 1919
Attempt to overthrow the Weimar government was put down by the freikorps
Name of the March 1920 uprising
Kapp Putsch
Was the Kapp Putsch successful?
Yes they seized Berlin for a short time but after Ebert and Scheidermann called on the people of Berlin to not support + go on strike (the trade unionists supported the government) the Putsch collapsed due to lack of support
What happened in 1923 relating to the French
The occupation/invasion of the Ruhr
Why was the Ruhr important to Germany
It was the industrial heartland and was vital to its economic growth
Why were France and Belgium annoyed at Germany in Jan 1923
Germany failed to pay reparations
After Germany failed to pay reparations, France and Belgium….
Took goods from the Ruhr rather than wait for German payment
Why were Germany put at a disadvantage when France and Belgium invaded the Ruhr
The Ruhr was situated in the demilitarised zone: the Rhineland, so German couldn’t defend themselves as they were not allowed any German military personnel there
What was the French occupation of the Ruhr met with?
Passive resistance and industrial sabotage
German Ruhr workers….. to help
Went on strike
People who lost from hyperinflation
People with savings or on a fixed income who found themselves bankrupt
People who benefitted from hyperinflation
- Businessmen who had borrowed money from banks were able to pay off debts at a fraction of the price
- food shortages meant an increase in prices which benefitted farmers
- foreigners in Germany had a economic advantage, they could afford things most Germans could not
