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History > Unit 1 (The establishment of the weimar republic and its early problems) > Flashcards

Unit 1 (The establishment of the weimar republic and its early problems) Flashcards

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1
Q

What triggered the start of World War I?

A

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914.

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2
Q

Which alliances were involved in World War I?

A

The Allies (including Britain, France, Russia) and the Central Powers (including Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire).

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3
Q

Why did the war cause political instability in Germany?

A

Prolonged suffering, food shortages, economic collapse, and military defeat led to widespread unrest.

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4
Q

Who was the Kaiser during World War I?

A

Kaiser Wilhelm II

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5
Q

How did World War I lead to the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II?

A

As Germany faced defeat in 1918, public protests and pressure from military leaders forced Wilhelm to abdicate on November 9, 1918.

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6
Q

What was the result of the Kaiser’s abdication?

A

The establishment of the Weimar Republic and the end of the German monarchy.

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7
Q

What role did the military have in the abdication of kaiser

A

They mutinied and would not follow orders from him.

Carried out protests and strikes

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8
Q

What role did the public have in the abdication of kaiser

A

Carried out protests and strikes.

Blamed Kaiser for the country’s defeat

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9
Q

What role did the Allies have in the abdication of kaiser

A

Insisted there would be no peace unless the Kaiser abdicated

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10
Q

Who was Friedrich Ebert

A

-Head of social democratic party
-First president of the Weimar republic

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11
Q

What was Friedrich Ebert’s approach to governing the country?

A

Friedrich Ebert’s aims were idealistic and ambitious, as he sought to balance workers’ demands with business interests while keeping both the left and right satisfied

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12
Q

Proof that the Weimar republic was popular at the start

A

-Ebert’s party won 40% of seats- he was the new president

-there was 82% turnout for the first election

-Moderate parties got the most votes

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13
Q

Proof that the Weimar republic was unpopular

A

wanted the Kaiser back

-Politicians like Ebert who signed the armistice were called the November criminals (seen as traitors)

-Erzberger who signed it was assassinated

-Senior figures (judges, army leaders) were opposed to the government

-many germans
#wanted a communist revolution
#felt Germany should not have lost the war

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14
Q

Exam tip How do you answer a 6 marker

A

2 marks- Answer the question generally, overview

3 marks- quotations explaining your prev. judgement (overall)

1 mark- Something that opposes the writers statement or quote from your knowledge

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15
Q

What was stated in the Weimar constitution

A

-The president
Elections for the head of state happened every 7 years

-The chancellor
Appointed by president, must hold support of the Reichstag majority

-The Reichstag
Political parties allotted seats according to the % of votes gained proportional representation

-The german people
All adult women and men could vote

-Article 48
In an emergency the president held powers to pass laws without Reichstag approval

-State governments
Were kept but had more limited power

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16
Q

Strengths of democracy

A

-more inclusive
-voting represents all germans

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17
Q

weaknesses of democracy

A

-faced opposition from public as some did not believe in its benefits

-They did not fully understand how it worked

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18
Q

strengths of president’s role

A

-Stability for the nations
-elected- democratic

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19
Q

weaknesses of president’s role

A

-Ultimately did not hold much power
-most power held by the chancellor- threat, danger

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20
Q

Strengths of Chancellors role

A

-Holds power and strength-stability

-elected democratically, comes from biggest (most popular) party

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21
Q

Weaknesses of Chancellors role

A

-Might have to appease president
-power could be exploited

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22
Q

Strengths of proportional representation

A

-All parties therefore all voices were represented

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23
Q

Weaknesses of proportional representation

A

-clashing views between parties- very hard to achieve majority
-extreme parties holding power due to major party’s dependence on them for coalitions

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24
Q

Strengths of Article 48

A

In emergencies, government can still function

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25
Q

Weaknesses of Article 48

A

-Vague definition of emergency- can be exploited

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26
Q

Strengths of States rights

A

-Local issues can be addressed better
-different states can express themselves

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27
Q

Weaknesses of states rights

A

-richer states may outperform poorer states
-Germany may not feel united

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28
Q

What was proportional representation

A

A system whereby political parties get seats in the Reichstag based on the percentage of votes they get.

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29
Q

What was the Reichstag

A

A parliament, government building

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30
Q

What was the peace treaty of WW1 called

A

Treaty of Versailles

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31
Q

Why did most germans believe the treaty would not be harsh

A
  • they believed all countries should accept responsibility
    -They expected some mercy
    -They expected the treaty to be based on Wilson’s 14 points
    -The kaiser was no longer involved
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32
Q

What did Clemenceau want from the treaty

A

-vengeance
Germany caused suffering, deaths and destruction of france

-reparations
Wanted to rebuild france

-Taking away military power
Stops germany from invading again

-Breaking apart Germany
-territories

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33
Q

What did Lloyd George want from the treaty

A

-German colonies
more power

-German navy
Control the seas

-Not too harsh of a punishment
As Germany could be kept as a valuable trade partner

Reparations
to please the enraged public
-Balance of power

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34
Q

What did Woodrow wilson want from the treaty

A

-Peace
America to be safe (avoidant)

-league of nations

-disarmament

-self determination

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35
Q

What was germany not invited to

A

The treaty of versaille discussion

36
Q

What were the terms of the treaty of versailles

A

G- guilt
Article 231 stated that germany had to accept blame for starting the war

A- arms
limited to 100,000 soldiers, 6 battleships, no air force, no submarines, no tanks

R- Reparations
6.6 Billion pounds had to be paid

G-German territory
Alsace lorraine to france, Eupen and malmedy to belgium etc

L- league of nations
germany not included

E- extra
Germany and Austria not allowed alliance, some territories given independence

37
Q

What were some of the notable 14 points of Wilson’s

A

-disarmament
-advocated for less colonislaism
-self determination
the principle that people have the right to choose their own government, free from external powers
-league of nations

38
Q

What were German’s reactions like to the treaty of versailles

A

-Shocked by the harshness
-Unaware as they hadn’t been allowed in negotiations
-Humiliated by reduction in army, territory loss
-Humiliated and angered by article 231
-Angered by high reparations
-Blamed Weimar for signing the armistice

39
Q

What are some things the allies justified the harshness with

A

-In 1917 when Russia left the war Germany gained a lot from the Brest-Litovsk treaty which essentially treated them similarly if not worse

-The germans “wouldve done much worse to the allies if they’d lost” they believed

40
Q

Why might the treaty (factually) not have been as harsh

A

-for reparations Germany had not suffered much damage during the war and its economy boomed in the 1920s. The allies had debts as well

-As for army, It was not so necessary for germany to have a large army anyway

-It was not unfair compared to the terms imposed on russia by germany and intended to impose on the allies if germany won the war

41
Q

Who did the left want to hold power in germany

A

-Workers should hold power
-everyone treated equally

42
Q

Who did the right want to hold power in germany

A

-Strong authoritarian leader
-capitalism (private businesses and land owners)

43
Q

Who did the left promote the interests of

A

workers

44
Q

Who did the right promote the interests of

A

capitalism- private businesses and land owners

45
Q

What was the main left political party

A

KPD communist party

46
Q

What was the main right political party

A

National people’s party

47
Q

Who were the left inspired by

A

-Marx
-Russian bolsheviks

48
Q

What was the right inspired by

A

Hatred towards the communists whod opposed the kaiser

49
Q

What was the spartacists uprising

A

The Spartacist Uprising was a 1919 communist revolt in Berlin, led by the Spartacist League, aiming to overthrow the Weimar government and establish a socialist state

50
Q

What was the Kapp putsch

A

The Kapp Putsch was a 1920 right-wing coup attempt by Wolfgang Kapp and the Freikorps to overthrow the Weimar Republic and restore authoritarian rule

51
Q

Who led the Spartacists uprising

A

Rosa luxembourg, Karl liebknecht

52
Q

Causes of the spartacists uprising

A

-power vacuum
-1917 russian revolution

53
Q

Causes of the Kapp putsch

A

-The terms of the treaty of versailles
-Humiliation, need for new leader

54
Q

Initial successes of spartacists uprising

A

-Occupied headquarters of Government
-took control of newspaper and telephone office headquarters

55
Q

Initial successes of Kapp Putsch

A

-Took over Berlin

56
Q

Reasons Weimar gov. found it hard to put down Spartacists uprising

A

-Weimar gov, was new and lacked stability

-Weak army

57
Q

Reasons Weimar gov. found it hard to put down Kapp putsch

A

-The soldiers refused to fight the friekorps as they were both in the army

58
Q

How did the spartacists uprising end

A

-the friekorps were former soldiers from WW1 who hated communism.
They were paid to put down the communists

59
Q

How did Kapp Putsch end

A

-The army refused to partake in the fighting but the people of Berlin refused to support Kapp putsch and went on a strike

60
Q

Positive and negative consequences for the Weimar gov. after SP uprising

A

Negative
-people didn’t feel protected and the government seemed week

Positive
-Proves that majority of people did not want a communist revolution

61
Q

Positive and negative consequences for the Weimar gov. after Kapp putsch

A

Negative
-Weimar shown to be weak again
-Does not have army’s support

Positive
-The majority of people aren’t in support of friekorps or the two extremes for that matter

62
Q

Why was Germany close to bankruptcy by the end of 1918?

A

due to the cost of WW1.

63
Q

How did the treaty of versailles exacerbate germany’s economic state

A

-The allies insisted on huge reparation payments (6.6 Billion pounds)

  • Took away Germany’s income generating areas. (coal and iron reserves)
64
Q

Why did the allies need the payments from Germany?

A

To repay the money they owed to countries such as US

65
Q

When did Germany fail to pay reparations which led to French retaliation?

A

In December of 1922

66
Q

When did Belgian and French troops march in the Ruhr

A

January of 1923

67
Q

What was the Ruhr to Germany

A

The centre of Germany’s production of iron, steel and coal.

68
Q

Why did the French and Belgians barge into the Ruhr

A

Germany failed to pay the reparations due during that time so they decided to take industrial products instead of cash.

69
Q

How did the Weimar government attempt to stop the invasion of the Ruhr?

A

Because they had no military power, it encouraged workers to go on a strike to cut off production and carry out passive resistance

70
Q

What did some germans do in the Ruhr to sabotage the French

A

-arson and sabotage to damage the factories and mines so that production had to stop

71
Q

What was France’s response to the strikes in the Ruhr? What did this cause

A

-to bring in their own workers
-conflict between the French and Germans

72
Q

When did French and Belgian forces leave the Ruhr

A

in July of 1925 after the Dawe’s plan was signed

73
Q

what did the germans government’s reaction bring it

A

temporary popularity and in a way, people were united against the invading forces

74
Q

What were the consequences of the government supporting the strikes

A

-To support and pay the striking workers, Germany had to print more money.

-The more notes were printed, the more the value fell and Germany entered a period of hyperinflation.

75
Q

What was the income during the years 1919-1923 for Germany?

What did the German government do to compensate for this deficiency?

A

-only 1/4 of what it needed.

-The government decided to print more notes

76
Q

What was Germany’s state of economy through 1919-23

A

The government experienced a significant decline in revenue and struggled with a shortage of funds.

77
Q

What system did countries use to determine the value of money

A

At this time countries linked the value of their banknotes with gold.

-If the government has 10 million marks in gold, it should only have 10 million marks in banknotes in circulation . More banknotes reduce value.

78
Q

What happens if there are 20 million marks worth of banknotes and 10 million of gold?

A

Each banknote is worth half as much so that the total value still adds up to 10 MIL

79
Q

Why did hyperinflation hit germany

A

Because the government had started to print more money during WW1 as well as reparations and to pay the striking workers. This accumulated to an economic disaster.

80
Q

What were the effects of hyperinflation

A

-it forced millions of Germans into poverty

-millions of middle class germans were thrown into poverty

81
Q

Who did hyperinflation affect the most

A

People on fixed incomes (who received the same amount of money each week or month) such as pensioners

82
Q

Why was it not as bad for people who worked?

A

their wages rose as well, but the increases in wages were always slower than the price raises.

83
Q

Which groups benefitted from hyper inflation?

A

-People with loans and mortgages could pay them off more quickly because the value of the loans had fallen so much

-people who owned possessions such as land or buildings were protected as the value of these rose in line with inflation

-Farmers could sell their produce at higher prices.

84
Q

Who did the people blame for their struggles?

A

The Weimar government (even though these struggles had started before the republic was formed).

There was a real danger of the government being overthrown if this wasn’t resolved

85
Q

what did Germans call the Treaty of versailles?

A

diktat

86
Q

Who were the friekorps?

A

Armed, right wing paramilitary groups of ex-soldiers

History (5 decks)

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