Weimar Politics and government

Question 1

Why was the Weimar Government created?

Answer 1

Revolution from above to overthrow Kaiser and create democratic state, also it hoped being democratic would encourage sympathy from the Allies.

Question 2

Name the left wing political parties?

Answer 2

SPD - Social Democratic Party
USDP - Indépendant Socialists
KDP - German Communist party

Question 3

Name the right wing political parties?

Answer 3

Centre party - Catholics 
DDP - German Democratic Party 
DVP - German peoples party 
DNVP - German National People's Party 
NSDAP - National Socialist German Workers Party

Question 4

Name 4 aspects of the constitution?

Answer 4

.President - elected every 7 years could rule without decree
.Reichstag - elected by men and women over 20
.Reichstat - represented states
.Free speech, Freedom of Religion

Question 5

What Voting system was used in Weimar?

Answer 5

Proportional representation

Question 6

What emergency powers where available?

Answer 6

Article 48 - temporary rule by decree

Question 7

What is the idea of a constitution?

Answer 7

Make government stay within founders beliefs and protect peoples rights.

Question 8

Give 3 ways the government was strengthened by the constitution?

Answer 8

.Freedom of speech/Press
.Anyone over 21 can vote
.Equal rights for women

Question 9

Give 3 ways the government was weakened by the constitution?

Answer 9

.Proportional representation meant a weak coalition government.
.Reichstag members chosen by party and not the people.
.President could rule by decree (article 46)
.President can dissolve the reichstag (article 25)

Question 10

Name three things about the SA?

Answer 10

.Intimidate Nazi opponents
.Fight communists
.Many unemployed men joined the SA.

Question 11

Name two ways extremist parties weekend weimar?

Answer 11

.Military wings caused violence and unrest

.1930’s extremest parties gained more support

Question 12

Name 2 strengths/weaknesses of President Ebert (1919 - 1925)?

Answer 12

Strengths - 
.kept republic going through crisis.
.Stressed compromise and reform 
Weaknesses 
.Gave army too much independence
.Used emergency powers every time

Question 13

Name 1 strengths/weaknesses of Gustav stressemann?

Answer 13

S - Oversaw economic reforms

W - Unpopular foreign policy with the right

Question 14

Name 2 strengths/weaknesses of President Hindenburg?

Answer 14

Strengths 
.war hero, huge support
.Respected Weimar Republic 
Weaknesses 
.Rules by decree a lot 
.Used powers to dissolve reichstag

Question 15

Name 1 strength/weakness of Herman Muller?

Answer 15

S - successes with nationwide state controlled insurance, reduction in reparations and introduction of the young plan.
W - Coalition only lasted two years, resulting in another election in which extremists did well

Question 16

Name 2 strengths/weaknesses of Heinrich Brüning?

Answer 16

S -
.Supported by businesses
.Reduced debts
W -
.Cut unemployment benefits, introduced spending cuts which worsened economic crisis.
.Lost support from both Hindenburg and general Schleicher in 1930.

Question 17

Name 2 strengths/weaknesses of von Papen

Answer 17

S -
.Links with businesses
.close with Hindenburg
W -
.never commanded support in the reichstag and lost a vote of no confidence in September 1932.
.He listen ban on SA to win hitlers support.

Question 18

Name 2 strengths/weaknesses of Kurt von Schleicher?

Answer 18

S - 
.Protected military budget 
.Friends with military 
W - 
.End power of reichstag 
.Anti democratic

Question 19

Under the new constitution who became the head of state and how was this different to the old constitution?

Answer 19

President - elected rather than hereditary Kaiser

Question 20

Who was allowed to vote under the new Weimar constitution?

Answer 20

All men and women over 20

Question 21

Which political party was socially conservative, supported by many women and the Roman Catholic Church?

Answer 21

Centre Party (ZP)

Question 22

Which party gained 38% of the vote in the first Constituent Assembly elections ( the biggest share but not enough to rule outright)?

Answer 22

SPD

Question 23

Which conservative, anti-semitic political party opposed democracy and wanted to a return to the monarchy?

Answer 23

DNVP

Question 24

A key feature of the Weimar constitution was a voting system using Proportional Representation (PR) - name two potential problems with this system…

Answer 24

Need for coalitions

Allows extremist parties into Reichstag

Question 25

Name one achievement of Muller’s Grand Coalition 1928-29.

Answer 25

Young Plan

Unemployment assurance

Question 26

Due to not being able to form a strong majority in the Reichstag, what was used to enable these Chancellors to pass laws?

Answer 26

Article 48

Question 27

The first chancellor after the fall of Muller’s Grand Coalition was Bruning. Who were the two next chancellors?

Answer 27

Von Papen and then von Schleicher.

Question 28

Give a specific example of how the judiciary failed to support the Weimar republic…

Answer 28

Hitler - 5 years for treason

354 far right murders - only 28 ever sentenced for their crimes

Question 29

Who where the leaders during the weimar years?

Answer 29

Baur 1919 - 1920 SPD 
Muller - 1920 SPD 
Fehrenbach - 1920 - 21 Centre
Wirth - 1921 - 22 Centre
Cuno - 1922 - 23 Non partizan 
Streserman 1923 People's party 
Wilhelm Marx - 1923 - 35 Centre 
Luther - 1925 - 26 Non partizan 
Wilhelm Marx - 1926 - 28 Centre 
Muller - 1928 - 30 SPD 
Bruning - 1930 - 32 Centre
Von Papen - 1932 Non Partizan 
Von Schleicher - 1932 - 33 Non Partizan