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Flashcards by Grace Bennett, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by Grace Bennett
almost 8 years ago
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| Question | Answer |
| When did Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicate? | -9th November 1918. |
| What was the revolution from above, and the motivation of the elite behind it? | -The revolution from above is when Prince Max during September/October 1918 became Chancellor, and the Kaiser became head of state (ceremonial) -The motivations behind this was to prevent a 'real' revolution, and to get better terms for an armistice. But also to distance themselves from German defeat by putting blame on new government. |
| What was the November Revolution? | -In 1918, Admiral Scheer planned a 'breakout', a final attack on Royal Navy blockade, despite Germany had already lost in October. -However this backfired as the sailors of Kiel mutinied. -The SPD then called for a general strike in Berlin. And Prince Max in hopes to prevent revolution announced the Kaiser's abdication and resigned. |
| What happened after Prince Max resigned? | -Ebert (SPD leader) became Chancellor. -Groener withdrew his support for the Kaiser. -And on 10th November the Ebert-Groener Pact was formed-a secret deal with the army and the government. |
| What was Der Dolchstoss? | -It was the stab in the back myth. -As on 11th Nov. 1918, many on the right and in the army believed, the army was on the verge of winning the war, however were 'stabbed in the back' by the socialists, communists. |
| What was the Spartacist Revolt? | -January 1919, Spartacists organised anti-government protests on the streets, seized government buildings and declared the overthrow of government. -Led by Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxembourg. |
| What was Ebert's response to the Spartacist revolt, and the consequences of it? | -Ebert used the Freikorps to stop and destroy the revolt. -As a consequence of this, the communists on the left felt betrayed by Ebert's actions and the left became divided, led to hostility between SPD and the KPD. -The use of the Freikorps also led to more hostility between the right and the left. |
| What other deals were made to protect interests of the elites which split the left? | -Ebert-Groener pact-Betrayal of the left, divided left wing, elites still in power in the military. -Stinnes-Legien Agreement- undermined and dismissed the powers of workers' councils/trade unions. |
| What were strengths of the Weimar Republic? | -Proportional representation-made the people of Germany more politically aware and involved in electoral processes. -Coalition governments-moderate centrist policies which helped to maintain stability. -Ultra democratic-proportional representation, full franchise, elected president, local regional and federal government, also required majority in Reichstag to change constitution. |
| Weakness of the Weimar Republic? | -Proportional representation led to weak coalitions due to differing policies and ideologies. Also allowed extremist groups to be represented and to get into the franchise. -Article 48 allowed the President to bypass the Reichstag to pass a decree, and constitution didn't outline emergencies.In 1932, 66 laws passed by decree. |
| How also were the survival of undemocratic institutions, undermined the stability of the Weimar republic? | -The Army; the officer corps of the army was still intact in the new republic, so was far from being politically neutral, conspirators from the right were supported by elements within the army. -The civil service; given a guarantee of their freedom of political opinion as long as it didn't conflict their duty. So government administration left in the hands of the anti-democratic. -The Judiciary- constitution guaranteed their independence, this was fine however most of the Judges were staunchly monarchist and anti-democratic and often showed their bias in their legal judgements |
| Was the left a serious threat to the Weimar Republic? | -Never a threat, but a fear instead, left was divided, and the elite/right still maintained key positions after the establishment of the republic. |
| Was the right a threat to the Weimar Republic? | -Electorally no, but powerful and wealthy, maintained key positions, and control of media. |
| Why did Germany call the treaty of Versailles a DIKTAT? | -As Germany had no room to negotiate and was only invited to see the terms, they had to sign/agree. |
| What were some terms of the treaty? | -Reparations-£6.6 billion. -Disarmament- 100,000 men only, 6 battleships, no submarines or air force. -War guilt clause 231-forced to sign declaration saying they were at fault for the war. -Territorial losses in the West; Alsace Lorraine,and the Saar. Losses in the east were the Polish corridor, Upper Silesia,and Danzig under LofN, so Germany lost 13% of its land. -Germany was also forbidden Anschluss with Austria, and was not allowed to join League of Nations. |
| What was the political impact of the treaty of Versailles? | -The cabinet of Fehrenback resigned in protest, so the new government signed unwillingly. |
| What was the economic impact of the treaty of Versailles. | -The burden of the reparations made repayment of government debt even more difficult. Some of the reparations also had to be payed in coal reserves, this was difficult as due to the treaty of Versailles Germany had lost 26% of its coal. |
| What were the cases of inflation before 1919? | -Loss of industry ie. 75% of iron. -The government itself was in debt 1.44Billion marks. -Loss of territory. -Loss of population and territory. -£6.6 billion in reparation was demanded. |
| What was the government response in 1919, to the post war financial problems? | -No raise in taxes due to worry that the right would believe they were trying to repay the reparations. Government was mostly left wing, so no cuts in spending, and kept welfare benefits. |
| What was the situation in 1921? | -Unemployment was 1.8%, low, however the government was paying to keep them in work i.e. public services. -Prices doubled between 1918-1919, and quadrupled in 1920. |
| What were the economic difficulties in 1922? | -German government in November asked for a 500 million gold mark loan and 3-4 years release from payments. -France were suspicious and believed it to be an excuse, so led to occupation of the Ruhr in 1923. |
| What was the government response to the economic impact of the Reparations? | -print more money- led to inflation. |
| What were the problem in coalition governments? | -In event of crises votes polarised, making it harder to form coalitions. -10 coalition governments from 1919 to 1923-loss in faith in democracy. |
| Apart from the Spartacist uprising what was another Left wing try at overthrowing the government? | -Raterepublik in 1919 after SU- in Bavaria seized government building. -Freikorps sent in -Led to escalation of violence between right and left. -As well as strikes in Saxony and Hamburg in 1923. |
| When was the Kapp Putsch? | -March 1920- 12,000 Freikorps marched on Berlin. -Bauer's SPD led government fled -A new government was proclaimed however the army remained neutral, left organised an General Strike and the civil service refused to work= paralysis. -Kapp fled the country. |
| What did the Kapp putsch show about the Republic? | -Army loyalty not to be taken for granted. -Government's control was limited. -Right was a farrows threat to the Republic. |
| How else was the right a threat to the Republic? | -Organisation consul-political assassinations by the far right, i.e Walter Ratheneau in 1922. -354 assassinations by the right, only 22 by left. -Only 1 from the RW was severely punished, all LW were given the death penalty. |
| When was the Munich putsch, and why did it happen? | -The Grand coalition, need the passive resistance in the Ruhr and returned to fulfilment and tackled hyperinflation. -However the right believed that the government had given in to French. -In Munich, HItler believed he had secured the support of Ludendorff as well as Von Kahr. -However when Hitler and his Nazis marched through Munich, police were still loyal to kahn and fired on the Nazis. -Hitler was arrested but due to Judge's sympathy only spent 9 months in prison, and the trial provided a platform for Hitler. |
| When was the Franco-Belgian occupation of the Ruhr, and why did it happen? | -The occupation of the Ruhr happened in January 1923, as Germany had fell behind on coal payments. |
| What was the German response to the occupation of the Ruhr? | Chancellor Cuno called for Passive Resistance. And government paid for striking workers- this was a problem. -However the French treatment got worse, and 132 germans were shot in 8 months. -However the passive resistance worked as it prevented the French from getting what they wanted. |
| What was the economical impact of the occupation of the Ruhr? | -Paying wages for unproductive strikers drained Government finances further, and tax revenues were lost. -And as the government did not increase taxes, it had to print ore money to meet its outgoings=hyperinflation. -In November 1923, a loaf of bread was 428billion marks. |
| How did Stresemann stabilise the German economy? | -Called off passive resistance in Sept 1923. -Issued a new currency in November 1923, called the Rentenmark, which was remained Reichsmark in 1924. -Cut spending by reducing salaries of civil servants. -Confidence returned to Germany economy. |
| When was the Dawes plan, what was it, and the reaction to it? | -April 1924. -A loan from American banks of 800 million gold marks, to kickstart Germany. -The right claimed the Dawes plan was unjust, as they didn't want to repay reparations. |
| Was Germany's economy as stable and prosperous as it seemed by 1925? | -It did have a new stable currency however industrial output only reached pre-war levels by 1929, which showed extent of damage by war and reparations. -Germany's economy relied on the Americans, if the loans stopped Germany would crumble.- dancing on a volcano. |
| What was the Young Plan? | -The Young plan in 1929,was the continuation of the Dawes Plan. -It reduced reparations to £1.8billion, and lent more lans to Germany. |
| What were the political responses to the Young Plan in 1929? | -Nationalist outrage, conservative groups led by DNVP by Hugenburg launched a campaign, and demanded a referendum . -The petition for this attracted 4 million signatures, however easily defeated in Reichstag. |
| How golden were the golden years of 1924-28 actually politically? | -Less political violence, decline in votes for extremes, Hindenburg was President so far right less hostile. -So definitely more golden and stable than 1919-1923. -However golden years were reliant on American loans, government was unstable owing to coalitions. |
| What was Germany's international position in 1924-28 with Europe? | -Locarno Pact 1925-improved relations between Germany and : France and UK, -Guaranteed borders with Belgium, France and Italy. Also ended Germany's isolation and GER entered League of Nations in 1926. -Kellog-Briand pact 1928- international agreement to renounce war. |
| What was Germany's international position from 1924-28 concerning USSR? | -Treaty of Rapallo 1922- restored diplomatic relations, Germany and Russia resumed economic cooperation, Russia allowed Germany to develop weapons and train pilots on Russian territory. |
| What and when was the Wall street crash? | -Wall street crash was in October 1929, NewYork stock exchange had worst collapses. -American banks were ruined and stopped lending money. -Germany suffered greatly as Germany's recovery of 1924-28 depended on US loans. |
| What was Germany's economic position before the crash? | -Economy had been stagnating since 1928, with problems within industry and agriculture. |
| Effect of crash on Germany? | -US had been a major market for German goods, between 1929 to 1932 exports dropped by 2/3s, and the German economy entered a deep depression. -German banking system went into crisis, in 1931 Government closed all banks, and by 1932 1/3 of all German workers were unemployed. |
| How bad was German unemployment? | -In 1926 unemployment was roughly 2 million, compared to after the crash in 1933 the true figure was actually probably 8 million. -Key industrial areas were the worst affected, the Ruhr. -Agriculture also collapsed, it had already been in decline in 1928. |
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