Weimar Republic Flashcards
Why was there tension between the KPD and the SPD?
What did it cause?
-At the outbreak of WW1 the SPD backed the war which caused Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht formed the Spartacus League which became the KPD
-Luxemburg & Liebknecht caused the Spartacus revolt (January 1919) so were murdered by the Freikorps at the order of Ebert (SPD Leader)
-A KPD-SPD coalition would have wo the November ‘32 election instead of the NSDAP (SPD - 121, KPD - 100, NSDAP - 196)
What was the revolution from above?
The Kaiser was pressured to step down by Hindenburg and was replaced by Prince Max of Baden who then passed power to Ebert (SPD). This meant the SPD was blamed for the surrender.
What was the revolution from below?
3/11/1918 -Mutiny at Kiel - Communist uprising
Communism gaining support as KPD promised to end the war and were inspired by the Russian Revolution.
Crushed by the Freikorps after orders from Ebert
What was the Dolchstoßlegende
‘Stab-in-the-back myth’
Thought that Germany could have won the war if the SPD didn’t surrender
Those who signed the Treaty of Versailles were called the ‘November criminals’
Matthias Erzberger (November criminal) assassinated in 1921.
What was the Kapp Putsch?
In March 1920 the Government ordered 2 of the largest groups of Freikorps to voluntarily disband which they refused to do.
Kapp joined forces with the Freikorps after the Treaty of Versailles as he saw it as a betrayal of Germany.
As far as Kapp and the Freikorps were concerned the government were the enemy.
17th March 1920, 6000 Freikorps troops marched on Berlin and regular army units disobeyed orders to fire.
The government didn’t know what to do so fled to Dresden while Kapp declared himself chancellor.
The ousted government called for a general strike - Over 12million workers striked and all essential services collapsed.
The Kapp government collapsed on 17th March.
Ebert used communist workers to crush a right revolution, opposite of Mutiny at Kiel.
What did Stresemann do?
The Locrano Pact (1925) - Won the Nobel Peace Prize with his French counterpart Aristide Briand
Fixed the economic problems of 1923 (Hyperinflation, Ruhr Crisis etc.)
Joined League of Nations 1926
What was the Treaty of Locarno?
French, Belgian and German borders would remain the same. Both Italy and Britain agreed to intervene if anyone tried to change these borders. This made people in Western Europe relieved as it meant an immediate war was unlikely and Germany’s relations with Europe were improved
What was the federal structure of The Weimar Republic
The President - Elected by popular vote every 7 years
- Under Article 48 could suspend parliament and rule as a dictator
Reich Chancellor - Chosen by president
- Whole government must resign if lost confidence in Reichstag
Reichstag - Elected every 4 years by proportional representation
- Primary job was making laws and holding government accountable
Länder - 17 state governments
- Power over local police, education and judicial systems
-Elected every 4 years
- Had to obey the will of the federal government
Reichsrat - Members from Länder
- Could block or amend laws - could be overridden if 2/3 support from Reichstag
- Each state had 1 vote in Reichsrat for every 700,000 citizens
Universal suffrage - Men and women over 20
What caused hyperinflation in the 1920s?
-Started during WW1 because of economic mismanagement - Instead of raising tax, took loans from people and foreign banks
-ToV demanded annual repayments of 2billion gold marks and 1/4 of Germany’s exports
-Due to this the value of the mark decreased (800marks to $1 - December 1922)
-January 1923 Belgian and French troops invade the Ruhr when Germany missed a
payment - The Government urged the people there to ‘passively resist’
The government had to pay the striking workers something so they didn’t die so they printed money decreasing its value (4trillion marks to $1 - October 1923)
What was the Dawes Plan?
American sponsored economic initiative to solve reparations and rebuild the German economy
-Ruhr valley de-occupied by France and Belgium
-Repay 1billion marks a year rising to 2.5billion after 5 years
-Under allied supervision - especially the new Reichsbank which was made to administer the plan
-Currency changed to Rentenmark - America promised to invest 800million marks into the German economy
-Problems - Short term fix and wasn’t a solution to the long term economic problem
What was the Munich Putsch?
Influenced by the March on Rome, Hitler decided to attempt a takeover of Germany, starting in Munich.
08/11/1923 - SA surrounded a beer hall where important officials were meeting
Failed and resulted in many Nazis being arrested
Hitler used his trial as propoganda and his time in prison to write Mein Kampf
Why did extremist groups dislike Weimar?
Involvement in the Treaty of Versailles
Liberalism and democratic
Failed to give a strong, decisive government with a clear leader
Failed to unite Germany
How did Weimar control extremist groups?
Concessions - 10/11/1918 - Ebert-Groener Pact - Army would support the government if it didn’t pursue more left-wing ideas
Regional Distribution - Giving more power to regional areas helped to stop regional independence movements in Saxony and Bavaria
What were the living standards like in Weimar?
Severe shortages from WW1
Many lived in cramped housing with shared toilets
Benefits were provided for the poorest
What was life like for women in work in Weimar?
Had a policy of women giving up their jobs for returning soldiers.
In 1925, 36% of the workforce were female. On average paid 33% less then men
