Why was the weimar republic doomed from the start? (2) Flashcards
Before the war Germany was ruled by a
kaiser
Germany was in……… in 1918
distress - econ and living standars
1918 the national income was
1/3 of what it saws in 1914
People angry in 1918 bc…
loss of the war
gaps between
rich and poor
1918 X amount died bc of
300,000 dead bc starvation
1918 X was X amount of 1915
industry was 2/3 of 1915
there were … demobilised
1/2 million demobilised soldiers
1918 fighting between
left wing and right wing
9th November 1918
kaiser abdicated…triggered revolts (socialists)
10 november 1918
Ebert new leader = freedom of speech and worship
What were peoples attitudes towards democracy in november 1918
- unenthusiastic
- comms wanted revolution
January 1919
Free elections - ebert new president of weimar (berlin to unstable + violent)
Stab in the Back myth…who was behind it….what was the myth
-believe that if army kept fighting they could’ve won = LIE
weimar blamed for defeat of war
-LUDENDORFF - new gov took blame = military didn’t nor politicians who pulled out
7th may 1919
Treaty of versailles
2 reasons how the weimar was affected by TOV
- tov bc of feeble leadership = weak = low support
blamed for giving into allies
How did the LW (comm) threaten the WR - ‘19- ‘24 ( 4 things)
- liebknecht + rosa luxembourg = leaders
- wanted ger to be run by: workers soviets and councils
- 1919 failed election
- anti gov force was powerful in 1920s
How did the RW threaten the WR (4 points)
- supported kaiser
- wanted strong army + expansion
- resented TOV
- 1922 foreign minister mudered
- 1923 Ah rebeled MUNCIH PUTSH OCT 23
When was the RUHr entered and by who and why?
January 1923 - french and belgiums
Germany owed 50 mill in repar- none had been paid ‘21-‘22…took payments in raw materials
What did the FR and belgiums do in the ruhr ( 3points)and what did this cause for GER
-Took payments in raw materials and goods
- 100 workers killed
-100,000 protesters expelled
caused a halt in econ- most important region
Hyperinflation = (3points)
- gov printed money
- paid 2,200 mill reparations in worthless mark
- savings lost- poor suffered
Stressmann
august 1923 became chancellor
how did he solve hyperinflation? (4)
- passive res in ruhr ended
- reinmark new currency
- loans through dawes plan
- renogotiated reparations
How did the economy thrive under stressmann? (5)
Dawes plan = repair paid
- 1927 industry recovered
- 1928 - production rate same as before war
- living standards ^^
- exports ^^
How did politics thrive under stressmann (4)
WR widely supported
- after 1923 = no revolution attempts
- in 1928 modern parties had 138 more seats in reichstag
nazis decreased support 3% in 1928 election
How did culture thrive under stressmann (6)
- artists bloomed
- freedom of speech
- bauhaus style design
- 1920s golden age cinema
- 1927 900 dance bands in berlin alone
- bauhaus 1st exhibit 15,000 turned up
When and what was the lorcano treaty?
1925- peace treaty Germany accepted the borders with France and Belgium
- Germany accepted that the Rhineland would remain a demilitarised zone
- France and Germany agreed to settle any disputes through the League
+ foreign policy under stressmann
- young plan + dawes plan
- reversed treaty
- ‘25 lorcano treaty
- 26 germany joined LON
negative for economy under SMANN (5)
- landvalue berlin ^ 700%
- unemployment ^
- farmers had decreased demand for food
- ^ pay/ conditions
- Us loans could be called in at any time
(-) SMANN- politics (3)
- nazis/comm parties built up
- 30% of votes went to opp parties
- hindenburg ‘26 democracy opposed
culture (-) under SMANN (3)
- loss of morals
- wanted decline of decadence
- nazzis harness this later on
Foreing policy (-) under SMANn
Nationalists against - LON
- loracno treaty
- hated TOV
