Weimar Germany - ToV & The constitution Flashcards
What were the economic impacts of WW1 on Germany
The Mark declined in value by 75%
Printing more money which contributed to inflation
What were the social impacts of WW1 on Germany
- Living standards fell by 20-30%
- Poor health - Spanish Flu of 1918
- 6.3 million injured by war
- 2 million soldiers killed
What were the political impacts of WW1 on Germany
- Polarised politics more than ever
- Agitated the Spartacist League from social revolution
- Strikes between 1917-18 due to political discontent
- Silent Dictatorship emerged under Hindenberg & Luden
What were the impacts of impending defeat of WW1 on Germany
- In Autumn 1918, many Germans felt like they had been betrayed and shocked, initiating the stab in the back myth
- which contributed to the outbreak of revolution
Why did Imperial Germany collapse in November 1918
A growing working class became increasingly unhappy with the conservative political system of the Second Reich and the power of the Kaiser.
How did Imperial Germany collapse in November 1918
4. WW1
- WW1 caused inflation, declining standards of living and increased political polarisation.
- By the end of the war, the nation had become more divided, making revolution more likely
How did Imperial Germany collapse in November 1918
3. Riots
- German sailors aware of Germany’s impending defeat, mutinied.
- This led to further riots and disturbances across Germany, the government had lost control
How did Imperial Germany collapse in November 1918
2. Final Months
- In the final months of the war, the german army became exhausted and overstretched
- Defeat was likely
How did Imperial Germany collapse in November 1918
1. Blame on government
- Generals of the German army worked to shift the blame of Germany’s impending defeat on to a new government.
- A new liberal left wing government was formed
Summarise how the collapse of Imperial Germany coincided with the end of WW1
- Fearing a violent revolution, and with political parties calling for the creation of a democratic republic,
- Kaiser Wilhelm I abdicated.
- Friedrich Ebert, leader of the SPD, was appointed leader of Germany.
- His first action was to sign the armistice agreement, bringing an end to the war.
Define Imperial Germany ( for the Second Reich)
The title given to Germany from 1871 (the unification of Germany)
to 1918,
the end of the First World War (November 1918).
Define Kaiser
The German word for “emperor”.
Define abdicate
To give Up power and/or responsibility
Define autocracy
A political system where one person has absolute or total control / power over a nation.
Define The Weimar Republic
The title given to the regime which governed Germany between the end of the First World War and the election of Adolf Hitler in January 1933.
Define what is meant by a “republic”
A country in which the power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected or nominated President rather than a monarch.
Define democracy
A form of government in which the power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected representatives.
Define Constitution
The set of political principles / laws outlining how a nation is governed.
Define The Reichstag
The German parliament
Define legislation
The process of making or passing laws OR laws that are proposed by a government and passed by a parliament (e.g. “Parliament introduced legislation on…”)
Define “Stab in the back myth”
- The right-wing myth
- coined by World War One General Hindenburg in November 1919
- which declared that the German army could have won the war
- but were “stabbed in the back” by the government that replaced the Kaiser.
Define SPD
- The Social Democratic Party. The SPD was a left-wing leaning political party.
- It was the largest political party in the Reichstag from 1919 to 1929
Define Inflation
When prices rise and the value of a currency decreases (i.e. one can buy less with the money they have)
Define Armistice
A truce or an agreement made by opposing sides to stop or delay fighting a war.
Define The Allies
In World War One, the Allies consisted of Britain, France, Russia and their empires
Rule by decree
Power to pass any law without having to consult any other person or body, such as parliament
What are features of the Weimar Constitution
- Electors
- Reichstag
- The Cabinet (Ministers)
- Chancellor
- President
- Reichsrat
- Lander (Local Government)
What is the role of electors in the Weimar Constitution
- All men and women over 20 years of age can vote
- Individual rights for all are granted under a new Bill of Rights:
- personal liberty, free speech, forbidden censorship, equality before the law and religious freedom
- It also provides a range of social rights
What is the role of the Reichstag in the Weimar Consitution
- Elected by a secret ballot of all electors every four years
- Votes cast for a party, not a person (proportional representation)
- parties get one seat for every 60,000 votes cast for them
- Passes the laws of the country
What is the role of the The Cabinet (ministers) in the Weimar Constitution
• Gives advice and administers the laws.
• Chosen by the chancellor.
• Formulates laws to pass to the Reichstag for a vote.
What is the role of the Chancellor in the Weimar Constitution
- Head of government.
- Chooses the ministers which run the country.
With his ministers, puts laws to the Reichstag. - Needs a majority in the Reichstag to pass these laws.
What is the role of the President in the Weimar Constitution
- Head of state and armed forces, who runs foreign affairs, does not take part in day-to-day government.
- Elected every seven years (chosen as person not party representative).
- Chooses and appoints a chancellor
- Under Article 48 rule via presidential decree in the event of an emergency.
- power to dismiss the Reichstag and call new elections.
What is the role of the Reichsrat
- Members sent by the 18 Länder
- Can veto a law passed by the Reichstag UNLESS the Reichstag law has a two-thirds majority or more.
What is the role of the Länder (local government) in the Weimar Constitution
- 18 local regions each of which has a local parliament (Länd)
- Runs own education, policy and judiciary.
- Federal laws overrule the laws of the Länd if they conflict.
What did Friedrich Ebert do on February 7th 1919
He gave a victorious speech to the new assembly proclaiming victory for democracy
What did Friedrich Ebert do on February 10th
He was elected the first President of the Republic
When was the Weimar Constitution passed by the Reichstag
July 31st 1919
How often is a new president elected in the WC
Every 7 years
What were the powers of the President in the Weimar Constitution
- Could Appoint and dismiss
- Could Dissolve the lower house of German Government
- Had the power to rule by Presidential Decree in an emergency (Article 48)
What is protected in the Weimar Constitution
- Universal Suffrage for men and women over 20
- The Bill of Rights protected many basic civil rights
- such as personal liberty, free speech, forbidden censorship, equality before the law & religious freedom
The Weimar Conservative introduced __________ ________ to conduct elections
Proportional Representation
How often were the Reichstag elected
Every 4 years
In the Weimar Constitution the Reichstag had…
Increased Powers ( reduced power of Reichstrat; have to support new chancellor)
Describe the Federal System in the Weimar Constitution
Germany was divided into 18 stated (Lander - local) which had their own parliament and local powers
What are the positive features of the Weimar Constitution
- Proportional and representative voting system
- Men and Women had suffrage
- Checks & balance system
What are the negative features of the Weimar Constitution
Extremist parties get into power through proportional representation
Too much power for president
Summarise what is meant by Proportional Representation
A system that allocates parliamentary seats in proportion to the total number of votes (e.g. if a Party receives 10% of the votes, they will receive 10% of seats Parliament [Reichstag]).
Summarise the relationship between the President and the Reichstag
- Article 48 provided the President with the authority to suspend civil rights and, in an emergency, to rule by decree, without consulting the Reichstag.
- The President had the right to dissolve / dismiss the Reichstag.
Summarise the continuity of traditional institutions - the army
- The army enjoyed great status and generally did not favour the republic.
Summarise the continuity of traditional institutions - the judiciary
- The judiciary (judges) continued to enjoy traditional independence, and favoured the extreme right over left.
Describe the level of continuity of traditional institutions
The Weimar government made no attempt to reform traditional, right-wing institutions of the Second Reich, which was apparent within the judiciary, universities & the army
Summarise the continuity of traditional institutions - universities
- Universities were more sympathetic to old political ideas and rules.
Why might proportional representation pose a challenge?
stability
Makes it difficult for one party to form a stable lasting majority government
Why might proportional representation pose a challenge?
Coalitions
Parties have to form coalitions which are often unstable & slow to respond to national crises due to disagreements over how to run Germany
Why might proportional representation pose a challenge?
Extremists
Allows extremist parties (e.g anti-democratic extremists) to receive seats in parliament
For which 3 reasons might proportional representation pose a challenge?
Stability of Government
Coalitions
Extremism
Why might the relationship between the President and the Reichstag pose a challenge?
Civil rights
civil rights are almost a privilege in this system which can be revoked
Why might the relationship between the President and the Reichstag pose a challenge?
autocrat
- Gives the President a lot of power under Article 48 to pass laws without consulting the Reichstag.
- In times of emergency, he could behave like an autocrat, which was undemocratic.
- The President could over rule the decisions of the electorate
Why might the relationship between the President and the Reichstag pose a challenge?
undermine
undermining the democracy
For which 3 reasons might the relationship between the President and the Reichstag pose a challenge?
Civil rights
Behaving like an autocrat
Undermining democracy
Why might the continuity of traditional institutions pose a challenge?
unis
Conservative universities don’t allow for new challenges to the government, which oppresses people’s viewpoints, meaning there may be tension
Why might the continuity of traditional institutions pose a challenge?
Conservative influences
Conservative forces influenced the running of the Weimar Republic & sometimes worked to undermine democracy
Give an example of Conservative forces influencing the running of the Weimar Republic & working to undermine democracy
The army didn’t support the government during the Kapp Putsch 1920
& the Judiciary’s response to right wing rebellions, such as Munich Putsch 1923
For which 2 reasons might the continuity of traditional institutions pose a challenge?
Universities and Conservative Forces can be very influential
Who were the KDP
- The German Communists
- Formed Jan 1919
- Wanted the overthrow of society and social revolution
- Extreme left wing
Who were the USDP
- Independent Social Democrats
- Split from SPD
- Also known as Spartacists
- Extreme left wing
Who were the DDP
- The German Democrats
- One MP was Walter Rathenau
- Support from the working class
- Wanted social reform
- More Left Wing
Who were the SDP
The Social Democrats
President was Ebert
Moderately socialist
Wanted Democracy
Ruling party
Who were the DVP
German Peoples’ Party
Quite right wing but did support the idea of democracy
Got middle and upper class support
Who were the centre party (z)
Long established party
Largely catholic
Got support from all social groups
Quite conservative but also wanted some social reform
Right Wing
Who were the National Socialist German Workers’ Party
The Nazis
Leader was Hitler
Formed in 1919
Anti-Weimar and anti-Semitic
Nationalist
Extreme right wing
Who were the DNVP
The German National People’s party
Right Wing
Anti-Semitic
Monarchist
Support heavy industry and army
Who were Ludendorff and Hindenburg
Generals who effectively ran the ‘silent dictatorship’ from 1916 which produced opposition
Huge _____ in 1917 and 1918 showed the extent of people’s discontent over the silent dictatorship
Strikes
Define legitimacy
Legitimacy is commonly defined as the belief that a rule, institution, or leader has the right to govern
Define Diktat
A “dictated peace” - a harsh settlement imposed on a defeated nation
Define Treaty
A formal agreement between two or more states / nations.
Define “November Criminals”
A name given to the Weimar politicians who signed the armistice agreement in November 1918.
Define “Stab in the back myth”
The right-wing myth coined by World War One General Hindenburg which declared that the German army could have won the war but were “stabbed in the back” by the government that replaced the Kaiser.
Define Cede
To give up
When was the Treaty of Versailles signed
June 28th 1919
What was the Treaty of Versailles
The peace agreement signed by Germany and her opponents, following their defeat in WW1
Why was the Treaty of Versailles widely condemned as a diktat
As Germany was forbidden to negotiate the terms of the treaty
What did the Treaty of Versailles state
Army
Germany’s army was restricted to 100,000 men
The Navy was reduced to only 6 battleships with no submarines
No airforce was permitted
What did the Treaty of Versailles state
Territory
- Germany lost territory, including its overseas colonies.
- Germany also lost West Posen and West Prussia to newly created Poland,
- and Alsace-Lorraine to France
What did the Treaty of Versailles state
demilitarisation
the Rhineland, which bordered France, was demilitarised and the Saarland placed under League of Nations control
What did the Treaty of Versailles state
Austria
- Union with Austria was banned (Anschluss).
- Germany had to accept liability for the war in the ‘war guilt’ clause and pay reparations (eventually set at £6600 million in
- 1921) to the victors for damages incurred during the war.
Who was at the Treaty of Versailles meeting
The Big Three - USA, France and England
What was the USA’s view on Germany’s punishments at the Treaty of Versailles
Opposed to harsh punishment
What was England’s view on Germany’s punishments at the Treaty of Versailles
In between - tough enough to make Germany pay, but allow for Germany to keep trading
What was France’s view on Germany’s punishments at the Treaty of Versailles
Wanted huge reparations as France had been badly damaged
How did Germany finance much of the cost of WW1
By printing more money
Germany printing more money to finance WW1 led to
The currency declining in value, inflation
Why did spending remain high for the Weimar Government after the war
After the war, Weimar government spending remained high as they had to support war widows, injured veterans and demobilised soldiers. By 1924, about 10% of the Germany population were receiving federal welfare payments. More were on regional poor relief.
The new Weimar Constitution made _______ _________ a constitutional right so the government had to support the unemployed
Social security
The Treaty of
Versailles committed
Germany to pay _______ in reparations starting in 1921.
£6,600 million
Reparations had to be paid for in _______ which held its value against the declining Germany currency (mark).
Gold
As the value of the mark became weaker, paying for reparations became ever more
expensive
How did the Weimar Government initially try to pay the reparations
By borrowing and printing more money
In 1922, the German government sought to __________their reparation payments but _____________________________
Pause
were refused permission
By early 1923, the German government__________ to pay its reparations
failed
How did French and Belgian governments respond to German failure to pay reparations
by ordering an invasion of the Ruhr, a key German industrial region.
Their armies seized raw materials and goods to the value of the reparations.
How did the Weimar Republic respond to the French Invasion of Ruhr
- The German govt stopped all reparation payments to France
- & ordered all German workers and business owners to follow a policy of passive resistance (e.g. working slowly, strikes, sabotage).
When was the French Invasion of Ruhr
11 January 1923
How did the Weimar Government support workers who followed a stance of passive resistance
The Weimar government paid the wages of workers who went on strike and compensated owners for lost revenue.
In addition to paying the workers wages, the Weimar Government also had to import______
Necessary stocks of fuel which added to their debt
How did the Weimar Government meet spending obligations from importing more stocks of fuel and paying wages of workers on strike
Printed more and more money
Following the Ruhr crisis, confidence in the __________ ___________ collapsed meaning the mark became ___________
Following the Ruhr crisis, confidence in the German currency collapsed meaning the mark became worthless
What was the marks value in Autumn 1923
it cost more to print a bank note than the note was worth
What was the result of it costing more to print a bank note than the note was worth
Germany had to resort to the black market & barter (exchanging goods)
How were pensioners and those on fixed income impacted by the hyperinflation crisis
Income lost value
How were debtors impacted by the hyperinflation crisis
benefitted from the boom as they could pay their debt off
How were people with savings impacted by the hyperinflation crisis
savings lost value
In the early years (1919-23) of the Weimar Republic, which groups displayed opposition
Spartacists
Members of the USPD
local union officials
