Weimar and Nazi Germany Textbook - Topic 1 Flashcards
how many germans died WW1
2 million
what happened to Germany’s debts 1914-1918
tripled
50 billion marks to 150 billion marks
over how many germans died due to food shortages in WWI
750 000
why did many germans starve in wwi
British navy blockaded German ports creating food shortages
by __1918 Germany was crumbling
November
when did the German navy mutiny
October 1918
when did workers in Munich declare a general strike and protest in the streets
7 November 1918
when did the kaiser Wilhelm abdicate
9 November 1918
where did Wilhelm go to in exile
holland
what were the SPD fearful of in the early days after the abdication of the kaiser
armed rioters announcing a commuist government in berlin
how did the SPD take control of Germany after the abdication of the kaiser
10 nov - Friedrich Ebert made an agreement with general groener of the army to work to keep communists out of pwoer
and suspended the old reichstag
and made a council of people’s representatives as an interim government
when was armistice signed
11 Nov 1918
explain how Ebert increased people’s confidence in the new republic -
(army - economics - governmental structure/keeping normal)
civil servants under kaiser stayed in office - Ebert arranged this
Ebert reassured general groener the army wouldn’t be reformed and soldiers would keep their ranks - in return for groener agreeing to use the army to keep the republic in power
reassured leaders of industry he wouldn’t nationalise and confiscate land - to ensure the businesses kept going
won support of trade unions and promised 8 hour working day
when was the new constitution created by the National Assembly (which had been voted in)
31 July 1919
how often was president elected
every 7 years
did the president play a part in day to day politics
no
who chose the chancellor
the president
who could vote
men and women over 21
what was the chancellors role
head of government
chose all ministers
what were the 2 house so the parliament
reichstag and reichsrat
which house was more powerful
reichstag
how often was the reichstag elected
every 4 years
which house was directly elected by the people and which sent representatives from regions of Germany with numbers of representatives proportional to size of region
reichstag
reichsrat
give 2 general strengths of the constitution
democratic
checks and balances
what system was the reichstag using for elections
proportional representation
every party had one seat for each ____votes in its favour
60 000
explain 3 checks and balances in the weimar constitution
president could choose chancellor
dismiss reichstag
assume control of army
chancellor decided which laws could be passed but only if majority or reichstag and reichsrat voted for them
local parliament called land - plural Lander controlled police, schools etc
give 3 weaknesses of the weimar constitution (general)
coalitions + PR
weakness in crisis
based on division and violence
how many coalition governments were there 1919-1923
9
what was the article number which said that in a crisis the president could rule by decree without reichstag support
48
give an example of how the weimar constitution was based on division and violence
government relied on army to subdue riots - such as feeling to weimar during the creation of the government due to riots in berlin
some parties were anti democratic
when was the treaty of versailles signed
28 June 1919
what is the word for the German people’s dislike of the treaty of versailles as the allies refused to let German representatives into the treaty discussion
diktat - germany had 15 days to make comments and the germans asked for concessions but all were refused
what article of the T of V said Germany had cause the war
231
how much money in reparations did Germany have to pay to the allies
6.6 billion £
how many German colonies were given to the allies
11
what was the Germany army limited to
100 000men
how many battleships in the navy
6
how many submarines allowed in the navy T of V
0
was there an air force allowed
nope
what area was demilitarised(German army not allowed in)
rhineland
the output of ___was to go to France for ___years as part. of T of V
the rich saar coalfields
15
give an example of Germany losing territory T of V
alsace and Lorraine lost to France
what % of Germany’s population did it lose as part of T of V
10%
what % of its iron and what % of its coal reserves did Germany lose in T of V
50 15
what is Dolchstoss
stab in the back - the army was retreating not defeated
the T of V made the republic __and___weak
economically and politically
what did the leaders of the German republic become known as
the November criminals - as they signed armistice in November
give the main right wing party in 1919
DNVP
what did extreme right wing groups want
return to strong government and army headed by dictatorial leader
what was the main communist party 1919
KPD
in 1920 what % of the seats in the reichstag did the main moderate. parties have
45
what were the 3 main moderate parties called
SPD - social democrats
democrats - DDP
centre party - ZP
give a slightly right wing moderate party backed by upper middle classes which sometimes supported Weimar Republic
DVP - people’s party
who backed the DDP
intellectual middle classes
which was more left wing - SPD or DDP
SPD
who supported the DNVP
landowners and wealthy people
why was the KPD well funded
backed by the Soviet Union
