Weimar Republic (1919-1933) Flashcards
Content revision
What were the key terms of the Treaty of Versailles?
Blame; Army (100,000 men / 6 ships / no airforce); Reparations (£6.6billion); Territory (13% land taken away). (LAMB)
Why were the German people so angered by the Treaty of Versailles?
They felt it was too harsh
What is the ‘stab in the back’ theory?
The belief that the army could have won the war and the politicians who signed the treaty had ‘stabbed the army in the back’.
How were the key features of the Weimar Republic constitution?
It was a Democracy. They used Proportional Representation which led to many parties but no majority, so many weak coalitions. Contained the Emergency Law Article 48.
How did the Spartacist Uprising threaten the Republic?
It was a left-wing or Communist challenge to the new government.
Why was the Kapp Putsch not a success?
The right-wing challenge did not have the support of the public and were defeated by a general strike.
How did Hitler become involved in and then become leader of the Nazi Party?
He was sent to spy on the party by the army but liked their ideas so joined and took over.
What was the 25 Point Programme?
It outlined the beliefs and promises of the Nazi Party.
Why did the French occupy the Ruhr in 1923?
To try and reclaim the money Germany owed in unpaid reparations.
How did the Invasion of the Ruhr lead to hyperinflation?
The government told the people to go on strike but kept paying them. They printed more money. Money then became worthless, people lost all their savings.
Why did Hitler carry out the Munich Putsch?
It was an attempt to seize power in the belief that there was lots of public support for the Nazis.
How did Hitler benefit from the Putsch?
The trial gave him a platform to speak and he wrote Mein Kampf in prison. He also realised he must gain power by legal means.
Explain the role of Gustav Stresemann in bringing about German economic recovery.
He stabilised the economy by introducing the Rentenmark and then the Reichmark. He helped gain loans from America through the Dawes and Young Plan.
How did Gustav Stresemann help improve foreign relations?
Germany was involved in signing the Locarno Pact which led to them being allowed to join the League of Nations. They also signed the Kellogg-Briand Pact showing Germany was respected and stable.
Why was there limited support for the Nazi Party between 1924-28?
Germany was relatively stable so people were less desperate. Hitler was in jail/re-planning so the party were not so active.
How did the Wall Street Crash increase support for Hitler?
People became desperate so looked for extreme solutions to the problems. They lost trust in the Weimar Government. Hitler was promising jobs and to destroy the Treaty of Versailles.
How did Hitler become Chancellor of Germany?
Von Papen made a deal with Hindenburg in the belief that they could control Hitler.
Why was the Reichstag Fire an important event in the rise of the Nazi Party?
The event gave Hitler the excuse to initiate Article 48 and ban the Communist Party.
How did the Enabling Law help Hitler secure power?
The Enabling Law meant he could make laws without support of the Reichstag.
Why did Hitler initiate the Night of the Long Knives in 1934?
Hitler needed the support of the army and to remove the threat of the SA.
What key event helped Hitler turn his rule into a dictatorship?
The death of President Hindenburg.
How did the Nazis control the people of Germany?
Through Propaganda and Fear.
Explain the use of Indoctrination (propaganda) and the role of Goebbels.
Nazis took control of all media – cinema, art, music, theatre, newspapers so they only printed the Nazi message. Radios were produced cheaply which meant the message could go into every home/workplace. Mass rallies were held which encouraged participation.
Explain the use of Fear (terror) and the role of Himmler.
People were frightened they would be reported to the gestapo, people were sent o concentration camps, the legal system was under Nazi control.
