Weimar Germany Flashcards
3 political reasons why Weimar Republic is unpopular
- stab in the back theory
- treaty of versailles
- left wing and right wing revolutions
( and political assassinations )
stab in the back theory
- most germans though they were capable of winning war
- army stabbed in back
- weimar politicians : November criminals
treaty of versailles conditions
- Article 231 - accept blame
- reparations : 6600 mill pounds
- Germany lost its territory
- Anschluss was banned
effect of stab in back and treaty
- german public outraged as it felt like Diktat
- weak and unpatriotic
- made weimar unpopular from start
- higher chance of government being attacked
no. of political assassinations in weimar
376
Spartacist revolt
- jan 1919
- left wing communist revolt
- luxemborg and liebknecht
- 50 K communist took over newspaper headquarters
- right wing freikorp stopped rebellion
kapp putsch
- march 1920
- right wing uprising where freikorps marched into berlin
- german workers staged general strike which paralysed city
munich putsch
- nov 1923
- hitler organised a far-right revolt in munich beer hall
- news had released to police and Hitler was arrested
effects of munich putsch
- nazi party banned
- hitler arrested
- however hitler gained fame in his court case and got his ideas to public - wrote his ideas in mein kampf
effects of uprisings
- showed the level of discontent amongst population
- reliance on other groups helping them out
3 economical reasons why Weimar Republic is unpopular
- treaty of versailles
- invasion of Ruhr
- hyperinflation
treaty of versailles economic impact
- 6600 million in reparations
- crippled germany’s weak economy
- led to political uncertainty and the two revolts
invasion of ruhr valley
- france and belgium invaded main industrial area
- 80% coal, iron and steel was in the Ruhr
- had to pay workers who were passively resisitng
hyperinflation
- prices of essential items skyrocketed
- piece of bread : 1 mark in 1919 to 200 k billion marks in 1923
- wages didn’t rise as fast as prices
- working class couldn’t afford bread
effects of hyperinflation
- loss in trust of weimar who looked indecisive
- working class began to turn on weimar
- backbone of support
- made people even less likely to listen and co-operate with them
3 economic developments in Stresseman Era
- ending hyperinflation
- dawes plan
- young plan
ending hyperinflation
- stresseman stopped strike in ruhr
- new currency : rentenmark which increased public trust in economy
- 1924: hyperinflation was over
dawes plan
- 1924
- withdrawal of france + belgium from ruhr
- germany could sell produce again
- usa lent germon 800 mill Marks to rebuild
young plan
- 1929
- reduced total reperations
- 59 years to pay it
- loans continued to come in from usa
impact of economic recovery
- hyperinflation solved, biggest priority
- reduced tensions between other nations as they felt more confident
- industrial output doubled by 1928
- weimar gained popularity and support
3 international relations
- locarno pact
- league of nations
- kellogg-briand pact
locarno pact
- 1925
- germany agreed to respect their borders
- demilitarisation of rhineland
- improved relations with france
league of nations
- 1926
- germany was allowed to join
- once again world power
- increases status and popularity
- more confidence in how country run
kellogg- briand pact
- 1928
- signed by germany and 65 other countries to promise not to use violence
limits of international agreements : cons
-extremist parties didn’t approve of how friendly germany was being with other nations
- still angry that treaty was still there
changes of working- class under weimar
- wages rose every year from 24-30 with a 10% increase in 1928
- 1927 : unemployment insurance which covered 17 mill workers
- 101K new homes built with modern facilities. solved housing crisis
changes of women under weimar
- 112 women elected to reichstag
- number of young women working increased
- fashion changed: more freedom to wear short skirts, etc
- divorces had become easier
weimar culture
- art
- cinema
- music
weimar art
- expressionism
- paint everyday life and wanted to comment on problems and the mood
weimar cinema
- german films became more popular
- exciting and challenged traditional german values
weimar music
- became modern
- popularity of jazz increased due to American influence amongst youngers
changes in weimar culture
- lack of censorship as weimar was very democratic
- challenged traditional ideas in new and unique ways
when was the wall street crash and what was it
- oct 1929
- companies lost billions of dollars in value overnight
consequences of great depression
- industrial production halved
- all factories had to close
- both owners and workers unhappy
- 1933 : 6 mill people unemployed
- families had no source of income and were living in poverty
political failure
- bruning cut unemployment pay and government expenditure (july 1930)
- recihstag didn’t agree to actions
- hindenburg used article 48
effect of political and economic failure
- lost support of all sectors of german public, particularly the working-class
- discontent for not solving problems
- weak and indecisive
- desperate so they turned to extremist parties
appeal of nazis
- appeal to many groups in society
- personality of hitler : decisive, charismatic, one of the people
- SA : gave a organised military feel
what political deal did hitler devise?
- he struck a deal with von Papen
- if he convinced hindenburg to make him chancellor, papen would be vice
how did hitler consolidate his power?
- reichstag fire
- other actions
- night of the long knives
- hindenburg dies
reichstag fire
- 1933 : fire broke out in reichstag
- blamed on a dutch communist which whipped up anti communist feelings
- increased support for nazis while intimidating communist voters
- justified his enabling act
when were trade unions banned
may 1933 : communists also put in concentration camps
night of the long knives
- eliminate any internal opposition
- assassinate SA and ernst rohm
- june 1934 : 400 SA and rohm killed
- consolidating his position as leader of the party
hindenburg dies
- chancellor + president = der fuhrer
- forced army to swear oath under him
