Weimar & Nazi Germany 1918-1939 Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

When did the First World War end?

A

November 1918

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Who was the Kaiser at the end of the war?

A

Wilhelm II

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Which left wing party took over to try and stop the country being taken over by extremists?

A

SPD

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Who were described as the ‘November Criminals’ and why?

A

POLITICIANS WHO HAD SIGNED THE ARMISTICE, WHEN IT WAS REALISED GERMANY HAD LOST THE WAR AND TERRIBLE TERMS OF PEACE TREATY AGREED PEOPLE WANTED TO BLAME SOMEONE.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What was the first act of the new republic and why had the politicians agreed to it?

A

ARMISTICE – ON ADVICE OF GERMAN GENERALS – GERMANY COULD NOT WIN THE WAR AND THEY DID NOT WANT TO BE SEEN AS A DEFEATED ARMY OR THE GENERALS LOSE THEIR INFLUENCE.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What do you understand by the term ‘The German Revolution’?

A

THE CHANGE FROM GERMANY BEING A MONARCHY LED BY A STRONG KING TO BECOMING A REPUBLIC

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Who was the First president of the Weimar Republic?

A

EBERT

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

How did people view the new republic?

A

SOME WITH HOPE BUT MANY AGAINST IT.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What was the stab in the back myth?

A

BELIEF THAT GERMAN ARMY COULD HAVE WON THE WAR, MYTH SUPPORTED BY GERMAN GENERALS WHO SAID THE NEW REPUBLIC’S POLITICIANS BETRAYED THEM

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What did ‘Article 48’ of the Constitution allow?

A

President could use special powers in an emergency to suspend democracy ie not have an instruction(decree) agreed by Parliament/could ignore Reichstag

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

How often were elections held for:
a) the Reichstag?
b) President

A

a) the Reichstag - Every 4 years.
b) President - Every 7 years.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What do you understand by these terms:
a) Reichstag
b) proportional representation
c)Coalition government

A

a) Reichstag - German Parliament

b) proportional representation - Seats in parliament allocated for so many votes (60,000)

c) Coalition government - Different political parties working together to form a government

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What was the Treaty of Versailles?

A

Peace treaty signed between Germany and the Allies (Big Three-France, Britain, USA (4with Italy).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Why was the Treaty of Versailles called the ‘Diktat’?

A

Germany forced to sign it ‘dictated peace’ – there had been no negotiations.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Why did the German representatives have to sign the treaty?

A

Otherwise allies would start war and/or continue a naval blockade to stop supplies reaching Germany.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What was the ‘War Guilt Clause’?

A

Term of the Treaty which said Germany was to blame for starting the war and so had to accept full responsibility and pay compensation to Allies.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What does the term ‘reparations’ mean?

A

Compensation for war damage.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What was the amount of reparations finally decided and when was it agreed?

A

1921 £6,600 million.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What did France gain from the Treaty?

A

Regained control of Alsace-Lorraine & reparations.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Give 4 reasons why the German people hated the Treaty of Versailles. –STATE REASON ONLY.

A

TERRITORIAL TERMS (L) MILITARY TERMS (A); REPARATIONS (M); WAR GUILT (B);

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What was the Spartacist Revolt? Give main points: date, left or right wing, key events, why it failed

A

JANUARY 1919, COMMUNISTS ATTEMPT TO SEIZE POWER (EXTREME LEFT WING), SEIZED CONTROL OF IMPORTANT BUILDINGS EG NEWSPAPER & RAILWAY OFFICES, EBERT’S GOVERNMENT HAD TO ASK FREIKORPS FOR HELP TO STOP REBELLION WHICH THEY DID VIOLENTLY MURDERING LEADERS – LUXEMBURG & LIEBKNECHT.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

How did moderate political parties do in the Reichstag elections of 1920 and what problem did it cause?

A

ONLY 45% OF SEATS SO FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO FORM A COALITION GOVERNMENT WHICH MADE IT HARD TO GET LAWS PASSED.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Why did the Communist Party refuse to support (ie join a coalition) with the Social Democrats after the Spartacist Rebellion and why was this a problem?

A
  • BECAUSE EBERT HAD USED FREIKORPS AGAINST COMMUNISTS;
  • SOCIAL DEMOCRATS (SPD) NEEDED SUPPORT IN A COALITION BUT THIS OTHER LEFT WING PARTY WHICH SHOULD HAVE SUPPORTED & HELPED THEM GOVERN BUT REFUSED TO SUPPORT IT – THIS MADE THE GOVERNMENT WEAK AGAINST RIGHT WING GROUPS
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What was the Kapp Putsch? Give main points: date, left or right wing, key events, why it failed, what happened after.

A

MARCH 1920 EXTREME RIGHT WING WOLFGANG KAPP LED FREIKORPS UNITS AND MARCHED ON BERLIN FORCING GOVERNMENT TO FLEE; BERLIN WORKERS WENT ON STRIKE AS A PROTEST AGAINST THIS RIGHT WING ATTEMPT TO SEIZE POWER; KAPP COULD NOT RULE WITHOUT WORKERS SO FLED AND GOVERNMENT RETURNED; NO-ONE WAS PUNISHED FOR UPRISING.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Who were the Freikorps and what did they think of the Republic?

A

EX-SOLDIERS WITH EXTREME RIGHT-WING VIEWS; HATED COMMUNISM; HATED REPUBLIC FOR SIGNING ARMISTICE THEN TREATY OF VERSAILLES WHICH MADE GERMANY WEAK

16
Q

Why was there an economic crisis in 1923?

A

|*| GERMANY DID NOT PAY REPARATION PAYMENT – paid first installment in gold & industrial goods but could not pay 2nd

|*| TROOPS INVADE & OCCUPY THE RUHR – Jan 1923 French and Belgian troops invade the Ruhr the richest industrial region to seize goods as payment.

|*| PASSIVE RESISTANCE INTRODUCED IN RUHR - German government told workers not to work for the French – Passive Resistance, French expelled 150,000 workers from Ruhr

|*| INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION STOPS - Germany had no access to the 80% of Germany’s industrial reserves eg coal, iron & steel

|*| GOVERNMENT PRINTS MORE MONEY AND IT BECOMES WORTHLESS – shortages lead to inflation and government-needed money so prints more money

|*| HYPERINFLATION - CAUSED SERIOUS ECONOMIC PROBLEMS FOR EVERYONE – people on fixed income, pension or with savings lose money; problems buying goods as prices rise during the day;

17
Q

The economic crisis affected the middle classes in Germany worse than other groups – why?

A
  • middle classes had businesses, savings, and income from pensions & investments
  • hyperinflation resulted in savings, pensions, and other fixed incomes becoming worthless
  • normal business and trade were impossible so many businesses closed down
17
Q

Why was the Republic seen as weak?

A
  • revolts from extremist groups (Spartacists & Kapp)
  • French invaded and there was no armed resistance from Germany
18
Q

Why was the lack of support from the middle classes a concern for the future of the Republic?

A
  • middle class groups should have been the strongest supporters of a democratic state
  • if democracy was threatened these groups should defend it
  • because so many were critical of it loyalty not guaranteed in the future if democracy threatened.
19
Q

How did the attitudes towards the Republic impact on extremist parties?

A

increased support for their views both left and right wing.

20
Q

What 2 government positions did Gustav Stresemann hold?

A

CHANCELLOR AND FOREIGN MINISTER

20
Q

What 3 ECONOMIC problems needed solving and how did they solve them?

A
  • MONEY BEING WORTHLESS - HYPERINFLATION = NEW CURRENCY ‘rentenmark’ temporary to stabilize currency then Reichsmark.
  • FRENCH IN RUHR SO NO INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION = PROMISED TO PAY REPARATIONS SO FRENCH LEFT

-GERMANY NEEDS TO REBUILD HER ECONOMY = DAWES PLAN (1924), YOUNG PLAN (1929)

21
Q

What were the main points of the Dawes Plan of 1924?

A
  • REORGANISED REPARATION PAYMENTS TO $50MILLION FOR A TEMPORARY PERIOD
  • US BANKS WOULD MAKE LOANS TO GERMAN INDUSTRY
22
Q

What vulnerability did the Dawes Plan create for Germany?

A
  • RELIED ON USA – IF USA HAD ECONOMIC PROBLEMS THEN SO WOULD GERMANY
23
Q

What were the main points of the Young Plan of 1929?

A
  • Lowered reparations to £2 billion.
  • Lengthened time to pay.
24
Q

Which countries signed the Locarno Pacts (1925) and what did they agree?

A
  • Germany, Britain, France, Belgium and Italy.
  • Accepted Western borders and would not invade each other.
25
Q

What was the main term of the 1928 Kellogg-Briand Pact?

A

63 countries would not use war to achieve a foreign policy aim.

25
Q

Extremist parties hated the economic & foreign policies as they believed they made Germany look weak. What specifically did they hate?

A
  • ECONOMIC POLICIES – anger at reparations still being paid, hated relying on USA loans
  • FOREIGN POLICIES – hated confirming land terms of Versailles, anger at giving into French in Ruhr.
26
Q

Who was Hitler?

A
  • leader of the Nazi Party
  • Ex-soldier in German army so understood soldiers’ views & believed ‘stab in the back’ myth
27
Q

Who were the NSDAP?

A
  • NSDAP means NAZI party – (if you see this on a poster then it is referring to the Nazis!)
  • Nazis are extreme right wing.
28
Q

Who were the brownshirts?

A
  • paramilitary (like an army) group of Nazis called the SA and led by Rohm
29
Q

How did you know someone supported the Nazis?

A
  • swastika symbol & one-armed salute
  • Member of SA (brownshirts)
30
Q

Give 4 details about the Munich Putsch.

A
  • 8 November 1923
  • Hitler forced leaders in Munich to support his attempt to seize power (they were in a Beer Hall)
  • the next day Hitler & SA marched through Munich but were stopped by police and the army who did not support the putsch
  • Hitler was sent to prison for 5 years but only served 9 months
31
Q

Give 3 reasons why Hitler attempted the Munich Putsch.

A
  • French invasion of the Ruhr – angered people that the army did not fight back
  • hyperinflation – angered people that money was worthless
  • Mussolini had done it in Italy
32
Q

Give 3 reasons why the Munich Putsch failed.

A
  • Hitler overestimated the support from German people
  • badly organized
  • army stayed loyal to the state government
32
Q

What were the key ideas in Hitler’s book ‘Mein Kampf’?

A

NATIONALISM, ANTI-DEMOCRATIC, EXTREME RACISM, TRADITIONAL RIGHT-WING GERMAN FAMILY VALUES

33
Q

How did Hitler reorganise the party after release from prison?

A
  • determined to get voted in
  • different sections of the party responsible for different things eg publicity, education
  • got support = money from wealthy businessmen who were worried about communists eg Bosch
  • set up SS black-shirted bodyguard
34
Q

Why are the years between 1924-1929 called ‘lean years’ for the Nazis (NSDAP)?

A
  • not very popular
  • not many votes so few seats in Reichstag
  • not a large party membership
35
Q

Why between 1924-1929 were the Germany people not willing to vote for extremist parties like the Nazis?

A
  • generally content ie Stresemann’s policies made life better for most Germans
  • economic policy ended hyperinflation, increased employment and many people were better off
  • foreign policy – Germany more respected internationally eg joined League of Nations
  • Hindenburg as President reassured people – respected war hero so people stayed loyal to moderate parties
36
Q

How did Wall Street Crash affect Germany?

A

America wanted the money back that USA had loaned to Germany after the 1923 economic crisis

36
Q

What did the Wall Street Crash cause?

A

an economic problem in USA

37
Q

How were Germany and the German people affected?

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL IMPACT

A
  • businesses closed down
  • people lost jobs (unemployed)
  • higher taxes
  • homelessness, theft/violence
38
Q

Why was the economic crisis so bad for the Weimar Republic?

POLITICAL IMPACT

A
  • government could not find an answer to the problem because it was such a difficult situation
  • people wanted help but government did not know what to do
  • people lost faith in democracy
39
Q

How did the government pass laws and why was this not good for democracy?

POLITICAL IMPACT

A
  • President issued emergency decrees
  • Chancellor was not consulting elected Reichstag
40
Q

Which political parties did well out of the economic crisis and who voted for them and why?

POLITICAL IMPACT

A
  • Communists – extreme left wing – workers – unemployment/falling wages
  • Nazis – extreme right wing – middle & upper classes – fear of communism/nazis would protect them from communists
41
Q

Why did people vote for Hitler and the Nazis after 1929?

A
  • ECONOMIC CRISIS/UNEMPLOYMENT/FAILURE OF GOVERNMENT
  • APPEAL OF HITLER AND NAZIS /FEAR OF COMMUNISM
  • PROPAGANDA/CAMPAIGN/TACTICS
  • WORK OF SA
42
Q

When did Hitler become Chancellor?

A

30 JANUARY 1933

43
Q

Who appointed Hitler Chancellor?

A

PRESIDENT HINDENBURG

44
Q

Why was Hitler considered for the position of Chancellor?

A

Nazi Party had many seats in Reichstag (Parliament) so could get laws passed.

45
Q

Give 3 reasons why Hitler was appointed Chancellor.

A
  • fear of communism – increased votes for Nazi Party
  • seats in Reichstag – 1932 230 Nazi seats
  • role of Hindenburg and politicians – believed they could use Hitler & Nazis to get laws passed
46
Q

Describe the political situation which influenced Hitler being chosen as Chancellor.

A
  • 1932 - Chancellors could not get laws passed.
  • President having to use article 41 - emergency decree.
  • Hindenburg did not want to appoint Hitler as Chancellor as he thought the Nazis were too violent.
  • He appointed Von Papen and then Von Schleicher but they could not get laws passed.
  • Von Papen persuaded Hindenburg to appoint Hitler as Chancellor.
  • Von Papen believed they could control and use Hitler and the Nazi Party to get laws passed.