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AS History Germany > Weimar Republic > Flashcards

Weimar Republic Flashcards

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1
Q

What were the fundamental laws within the Weimar Constitution?

A

1) Personal Freedom - no one can be arrested unless they have broken the law
2) Freedom of Expression - All Germans can express their opinion in speech, writing or picture
3) The freedom to hold peaceful meetings and form unions and societies

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2
Q

What was Article 48?

A

The President may take matters into his own hands when dealing with problems where public security and order are endangered

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3
Q

What were the strengths and weaknesses of the Weimar Constitution in providing a base for democracy in Germany?

A

Strengths:

  • Proportional representations is democratic/inclusive
  • The Lander would know what their areas need
  • The President is a stabilising influence
  • Germans can form unions to stick up for their rights

Weaknesses:

  • Proportional representation can create a diverse/unstable government
  • President has too much individual responsibility (Article 48 could be abused)
  • Reichstag is unstable- hard to form a majority
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4
Q

What were the different positions within the Weimar Constitution?

A

President
Chancellor Courts The Reichswehr (armed forces)
Reichstag (Parliament-elected every 4 years)
Reichstrat (senate-members appointed from the 17 Lander-local governments)
All Germans over 20 can vote

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5
Q

What did the Weimar Republic face after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles (ToV)?

A 
(LAMB)
Land
Armaments 
Money 
Blame
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6
Q

What were the agreements on land in the ToV?

A
  • Alsace Lorraine returned to France
  • Germany split in two- Poland given access to Baltic Sea
  • Danzig made a free city
  • Upper Silesia coal and & steel works given to Poland
  • Saar Coalfield under League of Nations control for 15 years before a plebiscite
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7
Q

What were the agreements on armaments in the ToV?

A
  • 100,000 soldiers only
  • No airforce
  • No submarines or tanks
  • No conscription
  • 15,000 sailors only
  • 6 battleships only
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8
Q

What were the agreements on money in the ToV?

A
  • Reparations bill to cover family allowances and pensions for the wounded
  • Set in May 1921 at £6.6 billion
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9
Q

What were the agreements on blame in the ToV?

A

-Germany and allies were responsible for starting the war

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10
Q

What were the economic, political and social consequences of the war and ToV?

A

Economic:

  • The GB naval blockade had ruined German export trade
  • The government was 250.7 billion marks in debt by November 1918
  • War expenditure was financed by printing money
  • Inflation increased and prices rose by 250%

Political:

  • Weimar Republic were blamed for signing ToV
  • They became known as the ‘November Criminals’
  • Reinforced ‘stab in the back’ myth

Social:

  • Middle Class and those on fixed incomes lost out on interest on savings
  • Owners of war industries made money
  • People looked to extremist groups for solutions
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11
Q

What were the names of the significant threats from the right of the political spectrum to Weimar Republic?

A

Kapp Putsch

Munich Putsch

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12
Q

What was the Kapp Putsch?

A

March 1920
12,000 Freikorps marched to Berlin after the socialist led government saw less need for the Friekorps
Government fled Berlin and Friekorps took over for 4 days
They gained no support and were challenged by left wing parties- the working class didn’t want authoritarian right wing government and electricity/water/gas were cut off so the different parts of the army couldn’t communicate, this caused the Friekorps to flee and Ebert returned.

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13
Q

What was the Munich Putsch?

A

1923- Hitler’s attempt to overthrow the government
Hitler forces Otto von Lossow and Gustav von Kahr to state their support for a march on Berlin to impose a new government
Ebert declared a state of emergency in Berlin
General Seecht orders Lossow and Kahr to crush revolt and they denounce the putsch
Ludendorff encourages Hitler to keep going and march to Munich and seize power
2000 men marched to Munich but Ludendorff and Hitler were both arrested and the trial gave Hitler national fame

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14
Q

What were the two significant threats from the left side of the political spectrum to the Weimar Republic?

A

Spartacist Rising

Ruhr Rising

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15
Q

What happened in the Spartacist Rising?

A
  • Organised by members of the USPD and KPD to launch a communist revolution
  • General strike in Berlin - 500,000 involved
  • Key buildings were seized and there was a stand off with the government
  • Freikorps attacked and workers surrendered
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16
Q

What happened in the Ruhr Rising?

A
  • Left wing workers’ revolt in Ruhr region of Germany in March 1920
  • Response to right wing Kapp Putsch
  • Workers’ parties decided on a spontaneous alliance against the putschists - SPD, USPD, KPD drafted a joint appeal to wining political power
  • Red Ruhr Army (50,000)- 17 March 1920 they attacked an advanced party of the Friekorps & captured 600 Friekorps
17
Q

Explain the inflation crisis (May 1921 to August 1923)

A

May 1921: Reparations bill set at £6.6 billion
Autumn 1921: First installment of reparations paid but no attempts to stabilise the currency/cut expenditure/increase taxes
January 1923: Germany default on the payments of timber and coal, passive resitance begins in the Ruhr
August 1923: To pay the strikers the government had to print money, inflation becomes hyperinflation and government struggles to manage the situation

18
Q

What were the positive and negative effects of hyperinflation?

A

Positive:

  • Poorest gained from crisis- all debt written of
  • German government debt significantly decreased
  • Radical right wing groups couldn’t gain mass support
  • Unemployment rates were unaffected

Negative:

  • Political unrest and doubt with the governments ability
  • Poverty deepens- psychological distress associated with Weimar’s rule
  • Increasing antisemitism (Jews used as a scapegoat)
  • Class system disrupted
  • Industrialists exploit workers
  • People on fixed income were effected
19
Q

When was the Great Coalition formed and who formed it?

A

Gustav Stresemann formed a Great Coalition of the Z, SDP, DDP, DUP and ends passive resistance on teh 26th of September 1923

AS History Germany (4 decks)

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