Weimar - political

Question 1

When were the first Weimar elections?

Answer 1

19th January, 1919

Question 2

What was the result of the first Weimar elections?

Answer 2

There was an 85% turn out, 76% voted for parties supporting parliamentary democracy. Ebert was elected president of Germany. Coalition government (SDP - DDP - Centre) led by Schiedeman (SPD) as Chancellor. DVNP were highest polling party opposing democracy with 10.3% of votes.

Question 3

What was the significance of the first Weimar elections?

Answer 3

Left a compromise government, combining moderate socialist change with liberal democracy.

Question 4

When was the Treaty of Versailles signed

Answer 4

June 28th, 1919

Question 5

What was the result of the Treaty of Versailles?

Answer 5

Germany lost land in the East, West and North - Polish Corridor, separated East prussia from Germany. France took Alsace and Lorraine, were given the right to mine coal in Saar. Rhineland - demilitarised zone and occupied by ally troops. No alliance between Germany and Austria, end of Germany’s colonial empire. Army reduced to 100,000. No military aircraft, tanks or submarines. $6,600 million of reparations.

Question 6

Why was the Treaty of Versailles significant?

Answer 6

Extreme Nationalists felt that Germany could have won the war, angry at the government for signing the arm desist and Treaty of Versailles, led to the stab in the back myth.

Question 7

When did Germany fail to pay reparations?

Answer 7

1922

Question 8

When did France enter the Ruhr with troops following Germany’s failure to pay reparations?

Answer 8

1923, January 11th

Question 9

How did Berlin respond to the French occupation of the Ruhr?

Answer 9

On 14th January, 1923, Berlin banned all coal and coke deliveries to France and Belgium.

Question 10

What were the consequences of the French occupation of the Ruhr?

Answer 10

In order to support striking Germans, the Reichstag produced more marks in order to pay them, led to an increase in marks in circulation and thus the value of the mark spiralled until its collapse following the hyperinflation.

Question 11

When did the Ruhr passive resistance end?

Answer 11

September 26th, 1923

Question 12

When was the Ruhr uprising?

Answer 12

March, 1920

Question 13

What happened in the Ruhr Uprising?

Answer 13

A left workers’ revolt in the Ruhr region of Germany, took place initially in support of the call for a general strike issued by the Social Democrat members of the German government, in response to the Kapp Putsch

Question 14

What was the result of the Ruhr Uprising?

Answer 14

After the collapse of the Kapp Putsch, the German government sent in the German army and Freikorps to crush the 50,000 workers of the “Red Ruhr Army”. Done with brutality and numerous executions.

Question 15

What was the significance of the Ruhr Uprising?

Answer 15

Showed that the government relied upon unreliable sources in order to maintain order.

Question 16

What was the Ebert-Growner agreement?

Answer 16

In return for the government promising to maintain the authority of the existing officers, the army would defend the new government. Ebert also asked the existing civil servants to stay in their positions - a move towards unity between the government and the army.

Question 17

What was the Dawes Plan and when was it introduced?

Answer 17

1924, Confirmed the reparations sum of 132,000 million marks. Over 5 years annual payments would rise from 1000 million marks to 2500, then at varying levels depending on economic performace. Germay given 800 million mark loan to hep stabilise the economy.

Question 18

What was the significance of the Dawes Plan?

Answer 18

Payed reparations as scheduled. Help stimulate economic growth; aided Germany’s economic recovery. Opposed by right-wing groups as a comrpomise and an acceptance of the haed reparations payment.

Question 19

What were the Locarno Treaties?

Answer 19

In 1925, a series of treaties signed at Locarno with Britain, France, Belgium and Italy, accepting Germany’s western borders and requiring all countries to renounce use of force with exception of self-defence. Pact reassured France about its borders.

Question 20

What was the significance of the Locarno treaties?

Answer 20

Protected Germany from French invasion such as the Frano-Prussian war in 1923. Allowed Germany to keep plans for expansions while remaining protected from Western powers and avoiding having to fight on two fronts.

Question 21

What was the Treaty of Berlin?

Answer 21

In April 1926, Stresemann signed the treaty with the USSR. The treaty had both public and secret clauses.

Question 22

Why was the Treaty of Berlin significant?

Answer 22

Stresemann used it to put mild pressure on the West to improve its relations with Germany through fear of Germany moving closer to the USSR. Helped develop good relations between Germany and the USSR, with further economic and military exchanges.

Question 23

When did Germany join the League of Nations?

Answer 23

September 1926

Question 24

What was Germany’s position in the League of Nations?

Answer 24

Were given great power status on the League Council with veto power, allowed not to participate in collective action against aggression if it was unrealistic, given its military limitation. Uses its position to raise matters of German interest.

Question 25

What was the Kellogg-Briand Pact?

Answer 25

In 1928, Germany signed this Pact renouncig the use of force, had little affect on the strength of the Weimar state due to its lack of practical application.

Question 26

What was the Young Plan

Answer 26

In 1929, reduced current payments and total burden of reparations. Scheduled over a longer period, allied supervision was discontinued and reduced total to 37 billion marks.

Question 27

What was the result of the Young Plan?

Answer 27

Allied troops withdrew, created further division in the Weimar state, nationalist groups mouonted opposition to the plan. Hitler rose to fame based on his opposition to the plan and his condemnation of the plan led to a jump in the Nazi plan. Showed that the silent minority of Germany felt that Stresemann had not sucessfully restored German pride.

Question 28

What was the result of the 1925 presidential election?

Answer 28

Ultra conservative Hindenburg became president - encourage conservatives to support the republic.

Question 29

What replaced mass uprisings as Weimar progressed?

Answer 29

Frequent street fights between KPD and Nazis. Over 50 people killed.

Question 30

What was the impact of proportional representation?

Answer 30

Allowed many small parties with narrow sectional interests into government.

Question 31

What was the impact of voting from a party list?

Answer 31

There wasn’t a close tie between voters and their deputies.

Question 32

How many governments were there between 1924 and 1929?

Answer 32

6 governments, all short lived coalitions

Question 33

What signs were there that Weimar was becoming more stable?

Answer 33

After 1923, there were no attempted coups, from right or left. Following the stabilisation of the economy, Germans switched to voting for the main democrateic parties, these made gains in the 1928 elections.

Question 34

How did division impact the Republic?

Answer 34

Given the presence of radical parties, governments had to be built around the center, however, moderate left and right would join forces with the radicals to defeat government policies. Parties were often divided amongst themselves. Growth of narrow sectional interest parties furthere reflected the instability.