Weimar Germany Flashcards
Give 2 reasons why there was a high lack of support for democracy 1918-29
Army openly disliked republic, army had lots of respect from German republic
Dolchtoss
How did the republic creation mark change, what was the republic unfamiliar with and why
Marked change of organisation and structure of power
Unfamiliar with democracy- previously had limited power to pass or reject laws
When did Ebert announce the creation of the Weimar Republic
November 9th 1918
Why was the creation of Weimar Republic difficult
External pressure, unrest in country (due to defeat and treaty of Versailles and abduction of kaiser)
What happened to Germany’s military under ToV
Only allowed 100,000 men, conscription band, six battleships, no submarines no air force, no soldiers
What was article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles
War guilt clause
What happened to Germany’s land under ToV
Lost 10% of land, lost empire, coalfields
How many assassinations were there from 1919 to 21
376
When was the Sparticist uprising
January 1919
What caused sparticist uprising
January 4, Eichorn sacked 2000s of what workers went on strike (100,000 January 6th)
What happens in the sparticist uprising and what was the goal
Took over government newspaper aim to take over Germany as a communist country
How did the sparticist uprising end
Ebert ordered Freikorps to stop 13th January it stopped, 16th January leaders killed
Who are the freikorp
Group of right wing nationalist ex-soldiers. They hate the treaty of Versailles and felt they never lost World War One
When was the kapp putsch
March 1920
How did the kapp putsch happen
March 20th freikorp, led by Wolfgang kapp, due to being disbanded and fear of unemployment. 5000 of them marched in Berlin and put forward kapp as politician and declared new government
Why did the kapp putsch happen
Freikorps hated Weimar Republic
How did the kapp putsch end
Old government fled, strikes and essential services ended. After 4 days kapp couldn’t govern.
When was the Ruhr crisis
January 1923
How did the Ruhr crisis start and why
Germany couldn’t pay reparations in 1922 December . They failed to send Ruhr coal to France.
What happened first in the Ruhr crisis
French send troops to Ruhr, to take payment in raw materials. 11th jan 1923, 60,000 french takeover.
What were the events of the Munich putsch
9th nov 1923 hitler, lundendorff and 1000 SA members march to Munich, police are prepared and kill 14 and hitler is arrested.
How did Germany react to Ruhr crisis and what did France do
Workers went on strike, Ruhr production stops. So french bring in their own workers (causes violence) and arrests them
How many soldiers did the French army have
750,000
What did the Ruhr crisis cause for Germany other than hyperinflation
Increased debts, unemployment, worsened shortages
How does the Ruhr crisis and hyperinflation link
Weimar Republic print more money to pay strikers and make up for the loss of coal/iron
3 reasons Munich putsch failed
Hitler failed to get army support, lack of support from kahr/lossow (prepared munich) no support of people
Short term consequences of Munich putsch
Nazis banned, Hitler in jail and looks like a coward. 32 seats in 1924
Why was Hitlers trial positive for nazis
National press (used to attack republic), short time in prison, Hitler wrote mein kampf
What’s included in the 25 point plan
Destroy treaty of Versailles, expel Jews, build army, racist and socialist ideas
When did nazi party relaunch
1925
How did the price of bread change during hyperinflation
One mark in 1919 to 200 billion marks in 1923
What are the positives and negatives of hyperinflation
Positives: owed money value decreases, workers do well, wages increase
Negatives: normal living impossible, mass poverty, starvation, bankruptcy
When did stresemann become chancellor
August 1923
What were four things stresseman did to fix economic problems and how
- Dawes plan 1924 - reduced reparations to 50 million a year, industry grows by 40%
- Introduces new currency - rentenmark to end hyperinflation, once reset prices, replaced by reichsmark, trusted currency
- Ends Ruhr crisis
- Young plan 1919 - 6 billion to 2 billion and +59 years to pay off reparations. Gov can reduce taxes
What is the Locarno treaty
1925 UK, Belgium, and France accepted new border, and France promised peace
What was signed in 1928 by stresemann
Kellog braind pact - peace talks
What are the results to stresemann actions
Germans happier with government, restored national pride and Europe see Germany as respectable
How did the work of stresemann bring stability to German politics
Coalitions work together, decisions can be made
Hindenburg president 1925
German people are happy
How many cinemas were there in the golden age
3800 in 1932
How much did the nazis get of the vote in 1928 during the golden age
2% 12 seats
What were the negatives of the golden age
Germany very reliant on the US loans/money ‘we are dancing on a volcano’
What change was made for women during the golden age
Equal rights, fashion, smoking, drinking
How did wages and housing change during the golden age
Wages increased by 10% and hours drop
New housing built
60% less homeless
When and how did the Wall Street crash happen
1929, USA asks for Dawes loans back, causes serious economic problems - Great Depression
How much did the depression affect industrial production
Fell by 40% by 1932
What else changed or was affected by the Great Depression
Business collapse, trade stopped, unemployment rose, banks collapsed