Weimar Republic (1918-1929)

Question 1

1918

Answer 1

• End of WW1
• 9 Nov. the Kaiser abdicated the throne and left Germany for the Netherlands
• The Socialist leader Fredrich Ebert became the new leader of the Republic of Germany
• Nov. Signed the Armistice with the allies
• Creation of the Weimar Republic

Question 2

1919

Answer 2

• January - free elections were held. Ebert’s party won a majority and became President of the Weimar Republic.
• Spartacists - communist party started a revolution in Berlin (January) against the goverment. In May another revolt took place in Bavaria.
• May - the term of The Treaty of Versailles were announced

Question 3

What was the impact of the Treaty of Versailles in Germany?

Answer 3

Germany lost:

• 10% of its land
• all of its overseas colonies
• 12.5% of its population
• 16% of its coal and 48% of its iron industry
• army was reduced to 100,000.
• not allowed to have an airforce; its navy was reduced
• Germany had to accept blame for starting the war and was forced to pay reparations

Question 4

1920

Answer 4

• March - Dr Wolfgang Kapp led 5000 Freikorps into Berlin in a rebellion known as the Kapp Putsch.
• The industrial workers declared a general strike and brought the capital to a halt with not transport, power or water.
• After a few days Kapp realised he could’t win so he left the country. He was hunted down and died while awaiting trial.

Question 5

1921

Answer 5

50 million paid reparations

Question 6

1922

Answer 6

• Ebert’s foreign minister Walter Rathenau was murdured
• Germany could not pay reparations

Question 7

1923

Answer 7

• Hitler led an attempted rebellion in Munich, known as the Munich Putsch.
• Hitler received a short prison sentence.
• French invade the Ruhr and take what is owned to then in the form of goods and raw materials.
• Workers went on passive resistance which caused the collapse of the German currency
• August - Stresemann took over. Replacing the old money with a new currency the Rentenmark.

Question 8

Hyperinflation

Answer 8

• The goverment printed more money - depts including war loans were paid. The great industrialists were able to pay off their depts as well.
• Prices and wages rised
• Money became worthless
• The richer Germans suffered most - all of their savings could not even buy a loaf of bread

Question 9

1924

Answer 9

• Stresemann negotiated to receave loans from America
• 800 million marks
• Removal of French/Belgian troops from the Ruhr

Question 10

Stresemann era - Economy (good)

Answer 10

• He was leading member of every goverment from 1923 to 1929
• 1928 - Germany achieved the same production level as before the war
• Reparations were spread over a longer period (Dawes Plan)
• Reparations were being paid and exports were on the increase

Question 11

Stresemann era - Culture (good)

Answer 11

• Writers and poets flourished
• Bauhaus style of architechture developed
• New and exciting buildings were created and designs were produced for houses, shops, galleries and factories.
• Golden age for cinema - Marlene Dietrich (international star) and most celebrated director Fritz Lang
• 900 dance bands in Berlin - 1927 ( going to clubs was a popular pastime)
• Song mocking politicians were sung and even songs about sex which would have been banned during the Kaiser

Question 12

Stresemann era - Politics

Answer 12

• Politics became more stable
• Parties that suppoerted Weimar did well
• The Nazi’s got less than 3% in the 1928 elections

Question 13

Stresemann era - Foreign policy (good)

Answer 13

• 1925 - Locarno treateas were signed guaranteeing not to try and change Germany’s western borders with France and Belgium
• 1926 - Germany was accepted in League of Nations
• 1929 - Young Plan, which further lightened the reparations which led to British, French and Belgian troops leaving the Ruhr

Question 14

Spartacists 1919

• when?
• who was fighting?
• what did they want?
• what did Ebert do?
• who was involved?
• what happened to the leaders?
• who supported them?
• where else did Communists rebel?

Answer 14

• January 1919
• Freikorps and the Spartacists
• They wanted to get rid of the Weimar Republic - wanted to establish a communist soviet to rule Germany
• Ebert made the Freikorps and the army to put down the communist rebellion
• Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg
• The leaders were captured and killed
• Soldiers and sailors supported them
• In 1920 Communists rebelled in the Rhineland (Ruhr) with 2000 casulties

Question 15

Kapp Putsch 1920

1. when?
2. who was fighting?
3. what did they want?
4. what did Ebert do?
5. who was involved?
6. what happened to the leaders?
7. who supported them?
8. where else did right wing rebellions take place?

Answer 15

1. March 1920
2. Dr Wolfgang Kapp and 5000 Freikorps
3. A strong army. A powerful Germany with an empire. A dictatorship.
4. Nothing. Instead the people of Berlin stopped the right wing uprising by going on strike. Army refused to fire at the Freikorps.
5. Kapp fled the country. He was later captured but died while awaiting trile.
6. Nationalists and right wing people
7. November 1925 in Munich, Hitler and Nazis tried to take power in the Minich Putsch.