Weimar Germany Flashcards
Weimar Origins
What was the Kiel Mutiny and what did it cause?
A naval mutiny - caused rebellions all over Germany, and the collapse of the German government
Weimar Origins
When did Kaiser Wilhelm abdicate?
What happened two days after?
9th November 1918
Signing of armistice and the end of WWI
Weimar Origins
Why was the new Weimar Government called “November criminals”?
They had signed the armistice behind the army’s back - dolstoss theory
Weimar Origins
When were Friedrich Ebert and the SDP elected?
January 1919
Weimar Republic
What were some of the strengths of the Weimar republic?
i.e. what differed before and after the war?
- Bill of Rights gave Germans more freedom e.g. freedom of religion
- Genuine democracy
- Reichstag was more powerful, which differed from the autocratic rule of a kaiser
Weimar Republic
What is proportional representation?
Why was it not ideal in the Weimar Republic?
Each party gets the same percentage of seats as their percentage of votes
It created coalitions of smaller parties, which were weak and discordant
Weimar Republic
What were the terms of the Treaty of Versailles?
Think of a baby farm animal
Land - Germany lost a significant amount of land e.g. Ruhr and overseas territories
Army - limited to 100,000 troops
Money - £6.6 billion in reparations
Blame - accepting full blame for the war, “war guilt clause”
LAMB
Weimar Republic
When was the Spartacist Uprising?
What happened?
How many troops? Baravia, Freikorps, what of the leaders?
January 1919 - 50,000 communists lead by Luxemburg and Liebknecht rebelled in Berlin, sparking communist uprisings in even conservative areas e.g. Baravia
Ebert created the Freikorps who thwarted all of the uprisings by May
The leaders were arrested and killed
Weimar Republic
Why did the Freikorps show that Ebert’s government was weak?
They had to rely on an “external” militia, rather than their own forces, to defeat uprisings
Ebert had little authority over the actual German army
Weimar Republic
What triggered the Kapp Putsch?
Why?
The disbandment of the Freikorps and the restrictions placed on the German army
Wolfgang Kapp was a nationalist, he did not agree with the signing of the Trety of Versailles
Weimar Republic
When was the Kapp Putsch?
What happened?
March 1920 - Kapp gathered ex-Freikorps to stage an uprising in Berlin
The regular army did not want to attack the Freikorps - Ebert had to order regular people to strike in order to defeat the rebellion
Weimar Republic
The Kapp Putsch and the Spartacist Uprising were punished differently. How were they punished, and why?
Spartacist leaders were both killed
Wolfgang Kapp had no real punishment, besides arrest
Weimar courts were always less harsh on the right, rather than the left
Weimar Republic
Germany missed a reparations payment in 1922. What did this trigger?
Why was this damaging to Germany?
French and Belgian troops occupying the Ruhr
The Ruhr was a highly industrial area, so the occupation meant they could confiscate industrial goods
Weimar Germany
What was “passive resistance”?
Think of The Ruhr
German workers refusing to work and cooperate with French and Belgian troops occupying the Ruhr
Weimar Germany
How did “passive resistance” in the Ruhr lead to the hyperinflation crisis?
It crippled Germany’s economy as they were paying workers while getting fewer goods from them. They decided to print more money to be able to pay them, more than they had
Weimar Germany
How much did a loaf of bread cost in January 1923?
How much did it cost in November 1923?
January 1923 - 250 marks
November 1923 - 200,000 million marks
Weimar Germany
Who benefitted from the hyperinflation crisis? Why?
Farmers, as their products remained in demand and they got more money from them
Borrowers, e.g. landowners as they were able to pay loans easily with worthless money
Weimar Germany
Who did not benefit from the hyperinflation crisis? Why?
People on fixed incomes e.g. pensioners as their incomes would not rise with rising prices
People with savings, as their money became useless
Weimar Republic
When was Gustav Stresemann appointed as chancellor?
August 1923
Weimar Republic
How did Stresemann end hyperinflation?
- Called off “passive resistance” in the Ruhr
- Introducing the Rentenmark, which was printed sparingly
- Promised to begin reparations payments again
Weimar Republic
When was the Dawes Plan introduced and what did it do?
1924:
- Lowered reparations instalments
- Secured 800 million marks in US loans
Weimar Republic
When was the Young Plan introduced and what did it do?
1929:
- Lowered total reparations by 20%
Weimar Republic
What were some signs of economic recovery during the Streseman Era?
Industry, exports
- By 1928 industrial production was higher than before WWI
- Between 1925-1929, exports rose by 40%
- A German chemical company became the largest company in Europe
Weimar Republic
How did Stresemann improve international relations?
1926, 1828
- Joining the League of Nations in 1926, from which they were previously excluded
- Kellog-Briand Pact 1928 - its signatories pledged to settle disputes peacefully, rather than instigating wars
Weimar Republic
What were some signs of continued economic weakness during the Stresemann Era?
Goods, jobs, Dawes Plan
- Agricultural production did not recover to pre-WWI levels
- Unemployment increased to 1.9 million in 1929
- German Industry became dependent on US loans
Weimar Republic
How did the standard of living increase in the Weimar Golden Age?
- Pensions and sickness benefit schemes introduced
- Construction of leisure facilities such as parks and sports centres
- Rising wages
Weimar Republic
What were some qualities of the “new woman” in the Weimar Golden Age?
- Enjoying nightlife, cinema, dressing more “provocatively”
- Becoming increasingly involved in democracy - being able to join the Reichstag
- Younger women having white collar jobs
