Topic 1: The Weimar Republic, 1918-29 Flashcards
Between 1919 and 1923 how many coalition governments were there?
9
What was an advantage of proportional representation?
Smaller parties were given a fair share of seats in the Reichstag as every party was allocated one representative for each 60,000 votes in its favour.
What was article 48?
Article 48 allowed the German president to declare a state of emergency in Germany in times of national danger and to rule as a dictator for short periods of time.
Why was the Republic unpopular?
The politicians who set up the Weimar Republic were the same ones who surrendered at the end of the First World War and accepted the unpopular peace treaty. The Weimar Republic was therefore always linked to surrender and harsh peace treaty terms.
What was Article 231 in the Treaty of Versailles?
Article 231 stated that Germany had caused the war which meant they had to pay reparations to victorious nations.
How much money did Germany have to originally pay in reparations?
£6.6 billion
How many colonies did Germany lose after the War?
11
What was Germany’s army limited to after the war?
100,000 men, 6 battleships and no submarines or airforce
What percentage of its territory did Germany lose?
13% of its European territory
What is the Dolchstoss myth?
The idea that Germany was ‘stabbed in the back’ and betrayed by politicians.
Who were the ‘November Criminals’?
The ‘November Criminals’ was the name given to the German leaders who signed the Treaty of Versailles.
How many left-wing workers took to the street in the Spartacist Putsch?
100,000
What sparked the Spartacist Putsch?
Ebert sacked police chief Emil Eichhorn who was popular with the workers.
How did Ebert put down the Spartacist Putsch?
Ebert called upon a group of retired soldiers, the Freikorps, who were mainly right wing, to stop the Putsch. It is estimated that 25,000 Freikops members were used.
What caused the Kapp Putsch?
Ebert’s government were due to disband the Freikops. Fearing unemployment, the Freikorps turned their arms against the Republic and 5,000 men marched into Berlin.
