Weimar Republic 1918-29 Flashcards
Impacts of WW1 on Germany
Two million German troops died and over four million were wounded.
Government debts increased from 50 billion marks to 150 billion marks.
More than 750,000 Germans died due to food shortages.
Abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm
9th November 1918, ministers told the Kaiser the only way to restore order was for him to abdicate due to lack of popularity with the German army and officers at the army headquarters.
In the Reichstag, Phillip Scheidemann, leader of the SDP was told armed rioters were preparing to announce a communist government, so he ran to the window announcing that Kaiser Wilhelm had fled to Holland on the 10th November and declared there would be a new German Republic.
Armistice
Signed on the 11th November 1918
One of the first major decisions of Ebert’s new republic to stop warfare between Germany and allies.
The terms of the peace, Treaty of Versailles was a very big burden for the country
Setting up of the Weimar Republic
July 1919 a democratic government was established in the creation of a new constitution in the town of Weimar.
Friedrich Eibert took 4 steps to increase support and confidence of the German republic:
⚫️ Won support of trade unions
⚫️ Ensured government officials returned to work
⚫️ Reassured the army they wouldn’t be reformed
⚫️ Reassured leaders of private industries
Advantages of the Weimar constitution
A genuine democracy - elections took place every 4 years and those above 20 could vote, while the Reichstag appointed the government and made all the laws
A bill of rights - granted each german freedom of speech
Disadvantages of the Weimar constitution
Proportional representation - parties receive a % of seats in the Reichstag for the % of votes received in elections - small parties struggled to pass laws
Article 48 - gave the president permission to act without the Reichstags approval
Unpopularity of the Weimar Republic
The Treaty of Versailles damaged the German economy making Weimar weak from the very beginning. People blamed the leaders who signed the contract and named them the ‘November criminals’ as they surrendered in November 1918.
Terms of the Treaty of Versailles
- £6.6 billion paid yearly in compensation to the allies for reparations
- army limited to 100,000
- Navy limited to 6 battleships and no submarines
- Planes destroyed and no Air Force was allowed
- No military was allowed on the Rhineland bordering france
Dolchstoss (the ‘stab in the back’ theory)
Many Germans never believed the army had been defeated in the war and they the army had been betrayed by politicians. Those who criticised the treaty said that they were ‘stabbed in the back’ and they were forced to surrender when they could’ve won.
Spartacist Uprising
January 1919, police chief Ebert sacked who was popular with workers - 100,000 Workers went on strike protesting in the streets which spartacists took as an opportunity to seize government newspaper offices. Freikorps set up to take control and rebels driven off the streets by the 13th January. Luxembourg and Liebknecht arrested.
Kapp Putsch
March 1920, Freikorps fearing unemployment marched into Berlin, putting forwards a nationalist politician Wolfgang Kapp who invited the Kaiser back. Government officials fled to Weimar encouraging workers to go on strike who obliged as they had no socialist leanings. Essential services stopped and Kapp realised he couldn’t govern and was arrested.
hyperinflation (1923)
shortage of goods in Germany led to rising prices. Less money going to the government due to less taxation, failing factories and increased unemployment led to printing of banknotes for reparations / payments to the allies.
French occupation of the Ruhr
Germany bankrupt after WW1 and quickly falling behind with its payments. December 22nd, failed to send coal to the French who retaliated by occupying the Ruhr and seizing raw materials / goods.
Negative impact in Germany as loss of materials, rise in employment and shortages of goods led to hyperinflation.
Rentenmark (1923)
New state owned bank - Rentenbank introduced new currency called the Rentenmark
Strong basis for economic recovery however couldn’t solve the damage from hyperinflation
Dawes plan (1924)
reduced reparation to 50 million per year and introduced US bank loans to German industries.
Industry output doubled however, German government relied on US bank loans for payments
