Treaty of Versailles and WW1 impacts and the establishment of the Weimar Republic

Question 1

When did the news that Germany had lost WW1 reach the people and how did it affect them?

Answer 1

-late October/early November 1918
-people were shocked as German army commanders had been telling people they were close to victory

Question 2

What were there an increased shortage of?

Answer 2

-food

Question 3

Who disagreed with the Armistice and what did they do?

Answer 3

-the Navy
-they ordered the fleet to sea but this led to a mutiny followed by the establishment of soviets in many cities across Germany

Question 4

When did the Kaiser abdicate?

Answer 4

-9th November

Question 5

Who did the power go to after the Kaiser abdicated?

Answer 5

-to the council of peoples representatives->a temporary government led under Ebert (leader of SDP)

Question 6

How did Ebert prevent the revolution?

Answer 6

-he maintained the support from the army by not reforming or creating a new force
-he kept the support of industrialists who negotiated with trade unions the Central Working Association Agreement->gave workers an 8 hour day and established workers’ councils in large companies

Question 7

Who was the working class divided between?

Answer 7

-between the communists (KPD) who wanted a Soviet style government and the supporters of the SPD who wanted a parliamentary style

Question 8

When war ended what financial impact did it have on Germany?

Answer 8

-industrial production was 2/3rds of what it was in 1913
-national income was 1/3rds of what it was in 1913
-there were 600,000 widows and 2 million children without fathers which resulted in the state spending 1/3rd of its budget on war pensions by 1925

Question 9

What divisions were caused by war?

Answer 9

divide in living standards between rich and poor

Question 10

how was the divide in living standards made worse?

Answer 10

-restrictions were placed on workers earnings during the war while factory owners were able to make larger profits

Question 11

What did women working in factories believe the divide caused?

Answer 11

damaged family values

Question 12

What did Ebert promise when he made the Weimar Republic?

Answer 12

-freedom of speech
-freedom of worship
-better working conditions

Question 13

What opposition did the creation of the republic cause?

Answer 13

-it helped create the ‘stab in the back’ theory as Germans felt betrayed by the signing of the armistice because they thought this meant Germany lost the war

Question 14

What did Germany want to do after the war?

Answer 14

-create global peace

Question 15

What did they not want to do about the Treaty of Versailles?

Answer 15

-pay 6.6 million in reparations

Question 16

What did Germany expect to join?

Answer 16

-the League of Nations and remain a great power

Question 17

How were Germany affected by the Treaty of Versailles?

Answer 17

-lost 10% of land
-lost 12.5% of its population
-lost 16% of coal
-lost 48% of its iron industry
-weakened military
-having to pay reparations

Question 18

What were Germany’s military reductions?

Answer 18

-the army was reduced to 100,000 men
-the navy was reduced to 15,000 men
the General Staff was disbanded
-Germany wasn’t allowed tanks, aircraft, submarines or poison gas
-the number of ships was limited

Question 19

What made it harder for Germany to pay reparations?

Answer 19

-seizure of industrial land and loss of colonies

Question 20

What created a long term bitterness towards the Weimar Republic?

Answer 20

-they signed the Treaty and most people disliked it
-stab in the back theory/Dolchstoss

Question 21

What happened to many Germans as a result of the treaty?

Answer 21

they lived under allied occupation while others were forced to live in other countries such as Poland

Question 22

Why could the Treaty of Versailles be seen as harsh?

Answer 22

-Germans thought they were winning the war so there was going to be opposition anyway because they would’ve lost either way
-the creation of new, smaller states in Central Europe also meant that Germany was still the strongest power there

Question 23

What were the economic impacts of the Treaty of Versailles?

Answer 23

-GB naval blockade had ruined the German export trade
-war expenditure was financed by loans and printing money rather than taxation
-inflation increased and prices rose 250%
-the government was 250.7 billion marks in debt by November 1918

Question 24

What were the political impacts of the Treaty of Versailles?

Answer 24

-the Weimar Republic was blamed for signing it
-they became known as the ‘November Criminals’
-forever associated with the hatred of the Treaty
-reinforced the ‘stab in the back’ myth (Dolchstoss)

Question 25

What were the social impacts of the treaty of Versailles?

Answer 25

-the middle class and those on fixed incomes lost out on interest on the savings
-owners of war industries made a lot of money
-people looked to extremist groups for solutions