Weimar Germany

Question 1

When was the WW1 Armistice signed?

Answer 1

November 1918

Question 2

What did the Kaiser do, before the armistice?

Answer 2

Abdicate

Question 3

When was the Weimar Republic established?

Answer 3

August 1918

Question 4

What were the strengths of the Weimar constitution?

Answer 4

1) Proportional representation gave smaller parties a voice
2) Women able to vote as well as men
3) Voting age reduced from 25 to 21
4) No one group or person could have too much power
5) There was an election for president every 7 years
6) The Reichsrat could regulate the power of the Reichstag by delaying new laws

Question 5

What were the weaknesses of the Weimar Constiution?

Answer 5

1) Proportional representation led to unstable coalition governments
2) Lack of strong government made the government weak in a crisis.
3) Article 48 allowed the president to bypass the Reichstag in extreme circumstances
4) It was unpopular. It was not the choice of the people.

Question 6

Why was the Weimar Republic unpopular?

Answer 6

1) Acceptance of the Treaty of Versailles
2) Seen as ‘November Criminals’ for surrendering in WW1
3) ‘Stab in the back’ - betrayal of soldiers

Question 7

When was the Treaty of Versailles signed?

Answer 7

1919

Question 8

What were the key terms of the Treaty of Versailles?

Answer 8

Land: Lost colonies, and 13% of European territory
Army: Only 100,000 in army, six battleships, no air force
Money: Reparations of £6600 million
Blame: War guilt clause

Question 9

When was the Spartacist Revolt?

Answer 9

January 1919

Question 10

Who were the Spartacists?

Answer 10

Communists, led by Rosa Luxembourg and Karl Liebknecht

Question 11

What did the Spartacists attempt, and why did they fail?

Answer 11

Called for a general strike to shut down the city of Berlin. The Freikorps were called in to defeat them.

Question 12

When was the Kapp Putsch?

Answer 12

March 1920

Question 13

What happened in the Kapp Putsch?

Answer 13

The freikorps, scared of losing their jobs, marched on Berlin and tried to set up a new government. The Weimar government fled Berlin. The government organised trade unions to go on strike and the freikorps were defeated as a result.

Question 14

When was the ‘year of crisis’?

Answer 14

1923

Question 15

What sparked hyperinflation?

Answer 15

French invasion of the Ruhr due to Germany falling behind on reparations. Germany printed money to pay the striking workers in the Ruhr. This weakened the currency.

Question 16

How much was a loaf of bread worth in 1923?

Answer 16

200, 000 billion marks

Question 17

What were the effects of hyperinflation?

Answer 17

1) Essentials became hard to afford
2) Businesses went bankrupt
3) People with fixed monthly incomes (eg pensioners) suffered most
4) Savings became worthless
5) The government was blamed and became more unpopular
6) People who owed money could now pay it back easily
7) Farmers benefited as they were paid for food

Question 18

What was the name of the chancellor who supported Germany to get out of the period of hyperinflation?

Answer 18

Stresemann

Question 19

What new currency was introduced in November 1923?

Answer 19

Rentenmark

Question 20

What was the name of the two plans set up to support Germany financially?

Answer 20

Dawes Plan & Young Plan

Question 21

When was the Dawes Plan signed and what were its terms?

Answer 21

1924.

Temporary reduction in the installments for reparations, US banks loaned Germany money so they can pay.

Question 22

When was the Young Plan signed and what were its terms?

Answer 22

1929
Reduced total reparations from £6.6 billion to £2 billion. Germany had longer to pay. Lower reparations meant lower taxes for the German people.

Question 23

Why had Germany’s economy improved by 1929?

Answer 23

Industrial output had increased, employment and trade had increased.

Question 24

When was the Locarno Pact signed?

Answer 24

1925

Question 25

What were the terms of the Locarno Pact?

Answer 25

1) Germany agreed to its new borders with France, improving relations between the countries
2) Permanent dimilitarisation of the Rhineland agreed
3) German membership of the League of Nations was up for discussion

Question 26

When did Germany join the League of Nations, and why was this important?

Answer 26

1926

Showed that Germany’s views counted and boosted the confidence people had in the Weimar government

Question 27

When was the Kellogg-Briand Pact signed?

Answer 27

1928

Question 28

What were the terms of the Kellogg-Briand Pact?

Answer 28

Agreement between 62 countries promising to avoid the use of war to achieve foreign policy objectives.

Question 29

How had the standard of living improved after 1924?

Answer 29

1) Working hours reduced
2) Higher wages
3) Working conditions improved
4) Unemployment insurance introduced
5) Tax to fund housing associations
6) 1925-1929 101,000 new homes built

Question 30

How did lives change for women in the Weimar Republic?

Answer 30

1) Women could vote
2) Women had equal rights to men & could enter professions on an equal basis
3) More independence among young, single women
4) Women were encouraged to go to university
BUT
5) Most women still gave up work after they were married
6) Fewer working women in 1925 than 1918 (36% from 75%)

Question 31

What evidence is there that there was a cultural boom in Germany after 1924?

Answer 31

1) Art eg Otto Dix & Paul Klee
2) Film eg Marlene Dietrich
3) Architecture eg Bauhaus