Weimar Constitution - Chapter 1 - Challenges of Weimar Constitution Flashcards

1
Q

1) How many members of SDP in 1919?

A

1 million

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2
Q

1) What was Ebert’s fear for new Germany?

A

Germany would follow Russia’s route into a revolution

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3
Q

1) Economic Impact of War

A

fall of industrial production, national income was 1/3 of what it was in 1913, 2 million children without fathers (war pensions costly) and war bonds eroded by inflation

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4
Q

1) Social Impact of War

A

huge gap between rich and poor, continued food shortages due to British naval blockade, women working “damaged traditional values”, Dolchstoss Theory harmed reputation

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5
Q

1) How did Ebert attempt to maintain stability?

A

Defended democratic system from bolshevism, cooperated with both working class and social elite, made a deal with Groener to ensure army’s loyalty

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6
Q

1) How many KPD members in 1919?

A

5,000

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7
Q

2) When was the Treaty of Versailles?

A

28 June 1919

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7
Q

1) How many USPD members in 1919?

A

300,000

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8
Q

2) When was the armistice?

A

11 November 1918

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9
Q

2) What did Germany expect from the Treaty?

A

Only pay reparations for France and Belgium and be allowed to join the League of Nations

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10
Q

2) Why were Germany forced to sign the Treaty?

A

Naval blockade still in place and Allied troops in Rhineland threatened to invade

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11
Q

2) What did a lot of Germans call the Treaty?

A

diktat - new government lost further respect and support

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12
Q

2) Why did millions of Germans lose their national rights?

A

Fourteen Points applied selectively and self determination not given to Germany (many people forced into different states)

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13
Q

2) In what ways was Germany still powerful?

A

Successor states and collapse of Austro - Hungarian Empire

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14
Q

2) Land Lost

A

13% territory lost, Alsace-Lorraine (rich in iron ore and agriculture), Polish corridor, Memel, Rhineland demilitarised, occupation of Ruhr

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15
Q

2) Reparations

A

pay for physical damage (mostly toward France) and for war pensions, April 1921 - total amount was 132,000 million gold marks over 30 years

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16
Q

2) War Guilt

A

Article 231 - 4 million French wounded, 1 million British dead

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17
Q

2) Loss Of Empire

A

12% of population lost, lost 48% of iron ore, 1.5 million became part of new Polish states

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18
Q

2) Disarmament

A

Section V - military reduced to 100,000 and navy not allowed to have submarines, no tanks no aircrafts

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19
Q

3) Germany went from an authoritarian state to what?

A

A democracy/republic where sovereignty lies with the people

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20
Q

3) Who was part of coalition government?

A

SDP, Centre, German Democratic Party with Ebert as president (75% voted for them)

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20
Q

3) Ebert’s SDP party progress

A

largest party, won 38% of the vote

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21
Q

3) Features of the constitution

A

Republic, sovereignty based on people, federal state, central government controlled tax, armed forces, foreign affairs

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21
Q

3) Features of reichtag

A

Members elected every 4 years, members elected by proportional representation chancellor and ministers must have their support, approves legislation

21
Q

3) Features of president

A

Every 7 years, head of armed forced, summons and dissolves reichtag

22
Q

3) Issues with president and reichtag relationship?

A

Presidency could limit reichtag, Article 48 - can override reichtag, suspend civil rights

22
Q

3) What can reichsrat do?

A

veto legislation, made of delegates from each state but their decisions could be overturned if 2/3 of reichtag disagree

22
Q

3) Issues with proportional representation?

A

Small parties gained representation (nazis), no majority so coalition government often changing, conflicting and unstable

23
Q

3) Issues with continuity of Imperial institutions?

A

Civil service upheld Imperial German values, army not sympathetic of democracy and still held loyalty to Kaiser, traditional values

24
Q

4) Why did the KPD start?

A

workers hoped industries would be nationalised, lack of reform, wanted society style government

25
Q

4) 5 January Uprising

A

3 days of brutal street fights, over 100 people died, Luxembourg and Liebknecht murdered

26
Q

4) Why was Spartacist Uprising easy to crush?

A

Had little support, army and friekorps had 400,000 troops so Noske could handle uprising easily

27
Q

4) Why was Spartacist uprising unserious?

A

Government able to suppress it, leadership was poor, leaders killed

28
Q

4) Any other threats from the left?

A

Strikes over 4 months, collapse of Bavarian monarchy, ‘White Terror’ crushed Eisner

29
Q

5) What beliefs did far right often have?

A

Anti-semitic, patriotic

30
Q

5) What happened during Kapp Putsch?

A

Disbandment of friekorps sparked outrage, Kapp led 12,000 troops to Berlin and seized main buildings in capital, forcing government to flee

31
Q

5) How did Kapp Putsch end?

A

Trade unions strike, paralysed public services, Kapp fled after 4 days

32
Q

5) Significance of Kapp Putsch?

A

Crushed but army acted as a “state within a state” with its own mind, weak republic reinforced, elections in 1920 showed less democratic support and more right wing support

33
Q

6) Nationalism

A

Beliefs in Lebensbraum, overturn affects of Treaty

33
Q

6) Beginning of Hitler’s participation in DAP?

A

Drew up 25 point programme with Drexter, anti-capitalism, anti-semitic views

34
Q

6) Racism

A

Beliefs in Social Darwinism, Aryan master race, Slavs and Jews inferior

35
Q

6) Anti-semitism

A

scapegoat for troubles, by 1900 anti semitic groups won reichtag seats

36
Q

6) Anti Democracy

A

Blamed democratic government for loss of war and Treaty, “November Criminals” theory supported, convinced of betrayal

37
Q

6) Socialism

A

Wanted change, supported Volksgemeinschaft

38
Q

6) Growth of Nazi Party

A

1921 - SA set up to intimidate parties and acts of violence
1921 - People’s Obsevers Newspaper
1923 - 20,000 members

39
Q

6) Munich Putsch (1923)

A

To establish military dictatorship, 8 November Hitler stormed into Munich beer hall and declared national revolution

40
Q

6) What happened day after 8 November 1923?

A

30,000 nazis attempted to take Munich, 16 killed and Hitler arrested and sentenced to five years (out in 10 months)

41
Q

6) Aftermath of Munich putsch?

A

Ludendorff acquitted and Hitler writes ‘Mein Kampff’ in Landsberg prison

42
Q

7) Before WW1 Germany was good at:

A

advanced engineering, well educated workforce, advanced banking system,

43
Q

7) After WW1 Germany had:

A

lost valuable resources in land, national debt and reparation costs, 144,000 million debt in 1919

44
Q

7) Causes of hyperinflation?

A

Debts, reparations, paying strikers during Ruhr occupation

45
Q

7)Short Term?

A

invasion of Ruhr sent marks into freewill and economy became reliant on bartering and black market

45
Q

7) Long Term Causes?

A

No increased tax for WW1 instead sold war bonds, by the end of WW1 only 16% of cost was taken from tax

46
Q

7)Medium Term?

A

Solution of deficit financing ensured inflation continued, hard currency required prompted Germany to print off more marks which sent value of marks declining

47
Q

8) What did French do in Ruhr?

A

Stopped coal transport to different German states, forced fuel importation

48
Q

8) What mode of rebellion did workers in Ruhr use?

A

Passive Resistance

49
Q

8) Why was money worthless by 1923?

A

Government forced to print off more money, decreased value. Bartering prevalent and starvation occurred in many towns

50
Q

8)Stresseman era starts - what happens in Ruhr?

A

Coalition government formed, ends passive resistance and nationalists become enraged

51
Q

8) Decline in value of marks caused?

A

People could pay off debts with worthless money, properties bought from financially desperate, industrial workers saw real wages