Weimar Germany Flashcards
(31 cards)
When was the WW1 Armistice signed?
November 1918
What did the Kaiser do, before the armistice?
Abdicate
When was the Weimar Republic established?
August 1918
What were the strengths of the Weimar constitution?
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
What were the weaknesses of the Weimar Constiution?
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.
Why was the Weimar Republic unpopular?
1) Acceptance of the Treaty of Versailles
2) Seen as ‘November Criminals’ for surrendering in WW1
3) ‘Stab in the back’ - betrayal of soldiers
When was the Treaty of Versailles signed?
1919
What were the key terms of the Treaty of Versailles?
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
When was the Spartacist Revolt?
January 1919
Who were the Spartacists?
Communists, led by Rosa Luxembourg and Karl Liebknecht
What did the Spartacists attempt, and why did they fail?
Called for a general strike to shut down the city of Berlin. The Freikorps were called in to defeat them.
When was the Kapp Putsch?
March 1920
What happened in the Kapp Putsch?
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.
When was the ‘year of crisis’?
1923
What sparked hyperinflation?
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.
How much was a loaf of bread worth in 1923?
200, 000 billion marks
What were the effects of hyperinflation?
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
What was the name of the chancellor who supported Germany to get out of the period of hyperinflation?
Stresemann
What new currency was introduced in November 1923?
Rentenmark
What was the name of the two plans set up to support Germany financially?
Dawes Plan & Young Plan
When was the Dawes Plan signed and what were its terms?
1924.
Temporary reduction in the installments for reparations, US banks loaned Germany money so they can pay.
When was the Young Plan signed and what were its terms?
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.
Why had Germany’s economy improved by 1929?
Industrial output had increased, employment and trade had increased.
When was the Locarno Pact signed?
1925
