Weimar Republic Flashcards
Who led the Spartacist uprising (left)?
Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg
When was the Spartacist uprising?
January 1919
What did the Sparticists want?
Germany ruled by workers council or soviets
How was the Sparticists uprising?
Set base in many different places in Germany, destroying relics of the Kaiser, trying to overthrow the government
How were the Sparticists defeated?
Ebert recruited Freikorps (armed right wing ex-military) to fight Spartacists. Many were hurt but Spartacists were no longer a threat
He fought the left wing using the right wind
Who led the Kapp Putsch (right)?
Dr. Wolfgang Kapp
When was the Kapp Putsch?
March 1920
What was the Kapp Putsch’s course of action?
gathered in Berlin streets protesting against the government
Why did the army not want to fight the Kapp Putsch?
A
they were not completely against the idea of the Kaiser returning: somewhat agreed with the Kapp Putsch
How was the Kapp Putsch defeated?
general strike called: everyone anti-Kaiser did not work. showed lack of popular support for Kapp Putsch
What did the Kapp Putsch people want?
the Kaiser and everything he stood for back (army, empire, power, industry…)
Who led the Munich Putsch (right)?
Hitler
When was the Munich Putsch?
November 1923
What was the Munich Putsch?
an attempted government coup led by the Nazis wanting to go back to the Kairser’s rule
Long term successes of the Munich Putsch?
Hitler becomes national figure (trial reported nationally, he gave a political speech: publicity)
Very short prison sentence
Hitler wrote ‘Mein Kampf’ in prison
Focus on taking power legally
What were some short-term failures of the Munich Putsch?
16 Nazis and 4 policemen die
failed at overthrowing government
Hitler and Ludendorff arrested
Hitler went to jail
In the golden years (1924-1930), how far had the republic recovered economically?
- Recovered to its pre-war industrial level, second best power behind the USA
- economic boom was unequal: big land owners values 70% while small businesses struggles
In the golden years (1924-1930), how far had the republic recovered politically?
- situation stabilized: polar opposites decreased
- despite stabilization, many politicians in the government didn’t support the republic: 30% of the vote always went to an opposition party, president didn’t believe in government
In the golden years (1924-1930), how far had the republic recovered culturally?
- Increase in freedom of expression: new artistic and creative development (Bauhaus movement)
- Rural countrysides felt a moral decline: Wandervogel movement protested again industrialization
In the golden years (1924-1930), how far had the republic recovered in terms of foreign policy?
- Germany started to be seen as a peaceful nation: accepted into league in 1926
- Republic was criticised for agreeing with the terms of the treaty
Impact of the Treaty on Germany
- Reparations + Guilt Clause:
Felt like blame had to be shared, bitter they had to pay - Non-representation:
Were not represented at the peace talks and were forced to sign the Treaty. Felt like they had the right to send their own representatives. - League of Nations/ Wilson’s 14 points:
Not invited to the League of Nations and were not given self-determination. Felt insulted, and that their treatment was unfair. - Disarmament:
Felt like the terms were unfair because the army was the pride of the country.
Could not defend their own country. - German Territories:
Major blow to their pride and to Germany’s economy.
Flaws in the Weimar Constitution
- With its proportional representation, it had produced a situation where it was impossible for a political party to form a majority in the Reichstag.
- These disagreements in the Reichstag while people suffered in the economic crisis made the Republic lose even more confidence
- Hindenburg had to use his emergency powers to pass laws – this was a violation of the democratic system.
Occupation of the Ruhr
- By 1922, Germany ran out of money to pay reparations
- Despite’s Ebert’s efforts to negotiate, the French ran out of patience
- In January of 1923, French and Belgium troops invaded the Ruhr (legally under the terms of TofV) and. Began to take what was owed to them in raw materials
- The German government ordered the workers to go on strike
- The French reacted harshly by killing over 100 workers
- The halt in industrial production in Germany’s most important region caused the collapse of the currency
Recovering after 1923 (Stresemann)
- By August 1923, Germany was in a serious hyperinflation crisis
- Gustav Stresemann took over
- He called off the passive resistance in the Ruhr
- Replaced the currency with the Rentenmark
- Negotiated to receive American loans under the Dawes Plan
- Renegotiated reparations payments
economic impact of war on germany by 1918
- National income was about 1/3 of what it had been in 1913
- There were acute shortages of food.
- War left 500,000 widows and 2 million children without fathers.
- Cost of war, hyperinflation, loans
- Industrial production was about two-thirds of what it had been in 1913.
social impact of war on germany by 1918
- Huge gaps between living standards of rich and poor
- One and a half million demobilized soldiers returned to society
- Many German workers were bitter at the restrictions placed on their earnings during the war while the factory owners made vast fortunes from it.
- Many Germans were angry about losing the war. There was a wave of unrest.
political impact of war on germany by 1918
- Stresses of war led to a revolution in October-November of 1918. There was fighting between right-wing and left-wing groups.
- Many ex-soldiers and civilians despised the new democratic leaders and came to believe Hindenburg had been betrayed by weak politicians.
