Weimar Republic

Question 1

Causes of German Revolution

Answer 1

Debt had tripled from 50 billion to 150 billion.
Food shortages led to 750,000 starvations.
War weariness- 2 million dead, 4 million wounded
Kiel mutiny 1918

Question 2

Weimar Republic

Answer 2

Kaiser abdicated, so Fredrich Ebert was placed in power.

Question 3

The armistice and TOV

Answer 3

Signed on 11th Nov from position of weakness.
6.6 billion reparations
army limited to 100,000+ no air force
Article 231 accepted blame
lost 13% of land
Caused the stab in the back theory.

Question 4

Constitution strengths

Answer 4

Women able to vote.
Voting from 21.
Power was checked and balanced.
President elected every 7 and chancellor chosen every 4.

Question 5

Constitution weaknesses

Answer 5

Allowed extremists to gain seats.
Coalitions led to an unstable government.
Article 48 allowed President autocracy again.

Question 6

Sparticist revolt 1919

Answer 6

Left wing grab for power in Berlin.
Government sent Freikorps to end revolt.

Question 7

Kapp Putsch 1920

Answer 7

Freikorps marched on Berlin.
Led by Wolfgang Kapp.
Government organised general strikes and this is what ended the revolt peacefully.

Question 8

Political assassinations

Answer 8

Between 1919 and 1923 there were 376 political assassinations.

Question 9

Invasion of the Ruhr

Answer 9

Germany couldn’t pay reparations so France invaded the Ruhr land to take goods and raw materials.
Workers were put strike as passive resistance.
Damaged the economy.

Question 10

Hyperinflation

Answer 10

Germany printed more notes to pay reparations and striking workers wages. The mark became worthless.

Question 11

Consequences of hyperinflation

Answer 11

Food shortages worsened.
Savings became worthless.
Bread cost 200 billion.
Bartering replaced the currency.
Debt wiped off.
Support for extremism increased.

Question 12

Recovery

Answer 12

Stresemann became chancellor in 1923 and introduced the new rentenmark and Rentenbank. This was tied to gold and so was more trustworthy.

Question 13

Dawes plan 1924

Answer 13

Reparations reduced to 50 million a year.
US banks loaned to Germany.
Meant taxes could be lowered in Germany and increased trust of Germany’s ability to make payments.

Question 14

Locarno Treaty 1925

Answer 14

Agreement between European nations.
Agreed to new borders and stabilised relations.

Question 15

Young Plan 1929

Answer 15

Reparations reduced from 6 to 2 billion ( 122 gold marks ).
Given until 1988 to pay, under 500 million a year.
Allowed taxes to be lowered.

Question 16

League of Nations ‘26 and Kellogg-Briand Pact ‘28.

Answer 16

62 nations agreeing against the use of war.
Strengthened Germany’s international position.

Question 17

Society in Recovery

Answer 17

100,000 homes built.
Better working conditions and an unemployment insurance.
Farmers struggled as industry boomed.
Middle class resentment and industrial grew.

Question 18

Women during Recovery

Answer 18

A drop in 75% to 36% of women working from ‘18 to ‘25, and few secured high status jobs.
Women were encouraged to go to university.
Women had more independence and socialised more.
Earned the vote in 1918 and 90% voted.
Article 109 meant they had equal rights.

Question 19

Culture

Answer 19

Expressionism- reflecting thoughts and feeling in art.
New Objectivism- honest pessimistic views
Modernism- embracing the future
Cinema- world famous expressionist films e.g metropolis
Architecture challenged traditional designs.