Weimar Politics and government Flashcards
Why was the Weimar Government created?
Revolution from above to overthrow Kaiser and create democratic state, also it hoped being democratic would encourage sympathy from the Allies.
Name the left wing political parties?
SPD - Social Democratic Party
USDP - Indépendant Socialists
KDP - German Communist party
Name the right wing political parties?
Centre party - Catholics DDP - German Democratic Party DVP - German peoples party DNVP - German National People's Party NSDAP - National Socialist German Workers Party
Name 4 aspects of the constitution?
.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
What Voting system was used in Weimar?
Proportional representation
What emergency powers where available?
Article 48 - temporary rule by decree
What is the idea of a constitution?
Make government stay within founders beliefs and protect peoples rights.
Give 3 ways the government was strengthened by the constitution?
.Freedom of speech/Press
.Anyone over 21 can vote
.Equal rights for women
Give 3 ways the government was weakened by the constitution?
.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)
Name three things about the SA?
.Intimidate Nazi opponents
.Fight communists
.Many unemployed men joined the SA.
Name two ways extremist parties weekend weimar?
.Military wings caused violence and unrest
.1930’s extremest parties gained more support
Name 2 strengths/weaknesses of President Ebert (1919 - 1925)?
Strengths - .kept republic going through crisis. .Stressed compromise and reform Weaknesses .Gave army too much independence .Used emergency powers every time
Name 1 strengths/weaknesses of Gustav stressemann?
S - Oversaw economic reforms
W - Unpopular foreign policy with the right
Name 2 strengths/weaknesses of President Hindenburg?
Strengths .war hero, huge support .Respected Weimar Republic Weaknesses .Rules by decree a lot .Used powers to dissolve reichstag
Name 1 strength/weakness of Herman Muller?
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
Name 2 strengths/weaknesses of Heinrich Brüning?
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.
Name 2 strengths/weaknesses of von Papen
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.
Name 2 strengths/weaknesses of Kurt von Schleicher?
S - .Protected military budget .Friends with military W - .End power of reichstag .Anti democratic
Under the new constitution who became the head of state and how was this different to the old constitution?
President - elected rather than hereditary Kaiser
Who was allowed to vote under the new Weimar constitution?
All men and women over 20
Which political party was socially conservative, supported by many women and the Roman Catholic Church?
Centre Party (ZP)
Which party gained 38% of the vote in the first Constituent Assembly elections ( the biggest share but not enough to rule outright)?
SPD
Which conservative, anti-semitic political party opposed democracy and wanted to a return to the monarchy?
DNVP
A key feature of the Weimar constitution was a voting system using Proportional Representation (PR) - name two potential problems with this system…
Need for coalitions
Allows extremist parties into Reichstag
Name one achievement of Muller’s Grand Coalition 1928-29.
Young Plan
Unemployment assurance
Due to not being able to form a strong majority in the Reichstag, what was used to enable these Chancellors to pass laws?
Article 48
The first chancellor after the fall of Muller’s Grand Coalition was Bruning. Who were the two next chancellors?
Von Papen and then von Schleicher.
Give a specific example of how the judiciary failed to support the Weimar republic…
Hitler - 5 years for treason
354 far right murders - only 28 ever sentenced for their crimes
Who where the leaders during the weimar years?
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
