Weimar Germany Flashcards
The establishment and development of the Weimar Republic 1919-Jan 1933
When were the elections for the Constituent Assembly?
January 1919
What were the issues after the first elections which indicated fragility in the constitution?
Parties were very different. Disagreements occurred and the Democrats lost votes from the extremists
What were the results from the Reichstag election (Jan 1919)? - turnout/ democratic parties/ dnvp
83% voted for democracy (high turn out) 76% were pro-democratic parties There were solid votes for SPD, DDP and Zp, resulting in a coalition government. DNVP received 10% with conservative support.
When was the Weimar Republic declared?
February 1919
What were the circumstances under the Weimar declaration?
Kaiser fled. The new democratic government was declared in the small town of Weimar as it was too dangerous in Berlin due to the amount of revolutions.
What were the issues surrounding Weimar’s proportional representation?
Not many laws were passed due to no strong parties.
When was the Treaty of Versailles signed?
June 1919
What were the main issues in the Treaty of Versailles?
Rhineland was demilitarised There were limitations enforced of the Army and Navy Wages fell, prices doubled (inflation). Indebtedness from cost (84% was borrowed) Exclusion from League of Nation, lost 30% of territory
What was the Treaty of Versaille general descriptions from the public?
The people viewed the government as ‘November criminals’
Described the TOV as the ‘Dikat’
Who were the Spartacists?
Established in January 1919 Saw themselves as Communist revolutionaries Marxists Rejected the Weimar system. Key member Rosa Luxemburg
What did the Spartacists do?
They prevented the government from meeting in Berlin.
What other left-wing uprisings happened in 1919 (not the Spartacists)?
Red Bavaria- crushed by the Freikorps which killed 1,000
How were the Spartacists crushed?
They were easily crushed. The government had to flee and request assistance from the right. Rosa Luxemburg were arrested and murdered in Berlin , by members of the Freikorps.
How big was Freikorps membership?
400,000
What happened in Kapp Putsch?
In March 1920, the Freikorps and Wolfgang Kapp marched into Berlin to declare a new national government.
What were the Kapp Putsch’s aim?
They attempted to stop Treaty’s military dictatorship (‘Dikat’), blaming Weimar.
How were the Kapp Putsch crushed and who was punished?
Workers from the left and Comrades went on strike to ‘shut down the economy’ Wolfgang Kapp died and the government took no action against the army, only one was punished.
How many people served a prison sentence from the Kapp Putsch?
out of the 705, 1 served a sentence
How many different cabinets were there over the course of the Weimar Republic?
20
Who were the DNVP?
German Nation People Party- right wing from old conservatives.
Who were the DVP?
German Peoples Party- conservatives and monarchists
Who were the KPD?
Communist anti-republicans
Who were the NSDAP?
Nazi Party- anti-republican and anti-semitic nationalists.
Who were the SPD?
Social Democrats - moderate, trade unionists, working class
Who were the ZP?
a Central Party- Catholics
What did the government fall out over which shows how much the Constitution was chaotic?
Fell out over the flag in 1926
Fell out over religious schools
What did Germany ask for in 1922 from the Allies?
They asked for a payment holiday, which the allies refused
What happened to the German government in 1923 after allies rejected their request for a payment holiday?
Government defaulted on the payments.
Workers also went on strike- which Cunor (Chancellor) supported passive resistance in the Ruhr.
When was Hyperinflation?
In the year of 1923. It never returned, but people was always scared that it would.
What were the causes for Hyperinflation?
France occupied to Ruhr as Germany couldn’t keep up with Reparations The Government printed more money and the German Mark got devalued. The government were avoiding unpopular policies such as taxation.
What were the initial results in Hyperinflation? What were the initial responses?
The confidence in currency was lost, resulting in bartering.
Increased profits, continued investments, people could pay increased wages for an increased price, there was economic growth.
What were the stages leading up to Hyperinflation?
The French occupied the Ruhr in Jan 1923 Caused a loss in economic resources causing passive resistance. The economy was disrupted, massive new demands were made to support the strikers, increasing welfare need.
Who benefitted from Hyperinflation? (three)
Workers were protected and had a job were paid higher wages. People who rented The unemployed as benefits increased weekly. Owners of foreign exchange People in debt as they paid money at a fraction of the real cost Rich businessmen could take advantage of bankrupted small companies and entrepreneurs Cheap credit cards, using loans to extend holding and were easily repaid.
Who lost from Hyperinflation (three)
Old people with fixed pensions The majority Those with savings Unskilled workers who lost 30% of spending power Normal businesses as it was impossible to trade, resulting in unemployment. Prices rose faster than wages Middle class with savings and had businesses (destroyed) Civil servants lost income.
What events caused the Munich Putsch?
Nazi Party grew to 55,000 members. Key nationalists politicians supported them. Helped Hitler give the SA army something to do.
The Weimar was in crisis, almost losing control of the population. Stressman ended Passive Resistance, which they percieved as a ‘betrayal’ The Bavarian Government encouraged them.
What happened in the Munich Putsch?
November 1923. Meeting of 2000 right wing supporters met in Munich Beer Hall, persuaded by Lundendorff. 2000 armed Nazis marched to Munich and met with police and Bavarian soldiers. Hitler was arrested and tried from treason in 1924.
How many Nazis were shot dead in the Munich Putsch?
14
What happened in the trial after the Munich Putsch?
Hitler used the trial as a platform to attack the Weimar. This caused great fame and he got minimum possible sentence of 5 years which he managed to get it down to 9 months. Released in December 1924.
Whats the significance ins Judge Georg Neithardt in the Munich Putsch?
He was a judge who sympathised with Hitler, changing his time in prison. He changed it from 3 months to 1 month with probation. He is potentially a key member that changed history.
The negative consequences of the Munich Putsch
The Nazi Party was excluded. Hitler was prohibited from speaking to public until 1927 Easily crushed and resultabley powerless The party nearly fell to pieces in Hitlers absence
The positive effects for the Nazis from the Munich Putsch
Hitler wrote Mein Kampfe in prison. It sold millions. Propaganda campaigns grew. Especially from the trial. Hitler Youth Merges with right wing partys, gaining more seats SS in 1925 Strategy in securing a successful rise to power Hitler became famous, the face of the Nazi party. Nazi party reorganised to prepare for power legally under the all-powerful Fuhrer
What was the difference in assassinations between the two extremes which suggests the government were more lenient on the right?
22 assassinations by the political left on the right- 10 received the death sentence
354 right assassins on the left- 28 found guilty but 0 were executed
When was the Dawes plan created?
1924
What was the fixed rate of the Dawes plan?
The overall amount was fixed to 132,000 million marks in 1921. A schedule was formed for a five year annual payment rise varying levels according to economic performances.
What were the conditions of the Dawes Plan?
Allies maintain railway control and Reichsbank and custom duties sanctions for non payment must be agreed. 800 million marks loan to help stabilise the currency
What was the impact of the Dawes Plan?
Helped economic recovery. Led to reparations being paid as schedule
When was the Young Plan established?
1929
What were the new fixed rates in the Young Plan?
Overall amount meant the total was reduced to 37,000 million marks (1/4 of the 1920 figure). The schedule became an annual payment Lower that the Dawes Plan, To be paid off fully in 1988. Final settlement
What were the new conditions of the Young Plan?
Allied supervision was discontinued. Demiliterisation of the Rhineland. Evacuation of the Ruhr from the French.
What was the impact of the Young Plan?
Germany participated in negotiations for the first time Allied troops were withdrawn in June 1930 Major internal opposition, resulted in a referendum campaign.
What were critics views of Stressmanns overall outcomes?
His conciliatory diplomacy was seen as a ‘sell-out’ by nationalists. His rearranged reparations were opposed by the the nationalists. They saw his economic recovery too dependent on US loans. Saw Germany not strong enough to exert real pressure Saw there being very few concessions achieved in the changes to Versaille Saw the support for Weimar as too fragile.
Examples of Stressmanns golden reforms:
Unemployment insurance established in 1927 for Labour exchanges Locarno Pact - reassuring Germans of the French and assured the French about borders Joined League of Nations in 1926 with a permanent seat in the council Ending the ineffective passive resistance caused world sympathy. Kellog-Briand Pact- an international effort to avoid war, signed by Germany, France and Britain as a peaceful settlement 5 million put back into Germany from international trades.
- German exports rose by 40%
- Industrial production (by 1927)- returned to the level at 1913
- 5 billion invested into Germany from overseas investors
How was Stressmanns economy golden?
He Stabilised the currency to Rentenmark from reichsmark (which was devalued) in 1924 Between 1924-1928 there was modest recovery. In 1927m the industry production became the same as 1913. Increase in welfare state- a period in relative prosperity
How was Stressmann’s economy not golden?
The proposal of loans meant Germany relied of them too much. German industry were too dependent. Severe economic issues- peoples savings were destroyed during inflation and the government couldn’t afford to fix it There were compensated investments in war bods with 12.5% of its original value spreading through 30 years German exports were higher- industrialists reduced techniques to reduce workers Available jobs decreased and an increase in unemployment (especially young men). 2 million unemployed.
2 million unemployed before the Wall Street Crash.
US economy having high tariffs
A slump in farmers income- 1/3 of the German population were farmers and peasants and their income 44% below national income.
How did the non-golden aspects of Stressmanns economy affect the occupational environments?
Wages disputes caused strikes to become more bitter Employers and workers fought over distribution over profits (to wages / reinvestments). Employers resulted to authoritarian movement
