Was the Weimar Republic doomed from the start? KEY WORDS

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Quick run-through of all the key words you need to know for Focus Point 1.1 on "Was the Weimar Republic doomed from the start?". You will up your grade if you are able to use all these in your exam.
Louisa Wania
Flashcards by Louisa Wania, updated more than 1 year ago
Louisa Wania
Created by Louisa Wania almost 10 years ago
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Question Answer
Mutiny Rebellion amongst members of the military against their commanding/superior officers
Kaiser The German Emperor
Abdicate When a monarch (king/queen/Kaiser) steps down from the throne and no longer rules
Republic A country without a monarch
Armistice When countries at war agree to stop fighting; "cease-fire"
November Criminals The name Hitler gave to the politicians who signed the armistice. He claimed that this was a betrayal to Germany and that Germany could have actually won WW1
Spartacists Communist (potically left-wing) group who tried to take control of Germany during 1918-1919. -> caused a lot of fear amongst the middle classes
Freikorps Groups of soldiers who were not officially part of the army
The Weimar Republic The government of Germany 1919-1933
Parliamentary Democracy Political system in which the public get to vote in elections for the people who run the country. Those who are elected are grouped in a parliament to discuss issues and pass laws.
Proportional Representation Voting system in which each political party gets a percentage of seats in the parliament (Reichstag) that reflects the percentage of votes they receive in an election, e.g. if 20% of people vote for a party, then that party gets 20% of the seats in parliament. Each seat gives that party a vote when passing laws. The party with most seats is most powerful.
Chancellor Leader of the Reichstag (like a Prime Minister)
Reichstag The German Parliament
Coalition Government Group of parties join together so they have a majority of seats in the Reichstag. Often was hard to agree which made the governent weak.
"Suicide Clause" Article 48: gave the president the right to take charge and rule by decree in an emergency. However, it wasn't stated what an emergency was. -> Hitler later used this to gain more power
Decree A law issued by the leader of a country. It does not have to be passed through the parliament
Treaty A formal signed agreement between different countries
"Diktat" Germans called the T. of V. this as they felt like Germany had been forced (dictated) into signing it.
"Stab in the Back" Some Germans thought that the Weimar politicians had betrayed Germany by signing the treaty.
"War Guilt" The clause in the treaty that Germany signed to accept blame for WW1.
Reparations Payments Germany had to make to compensate for the damage caused by WW1.
Demilitarised Germany wasn't allowed to have their army in the area known as the Rhineland which was next to France.
Putsch Attempt to overthrow the government.
Nationalists A political point of view; Nationalists believe in the greatness of their own country and want it to be stronger than others.
Communists A political point of view. Communists believe that all property should be shared. This caused much fear to the middle classes in Germany who feared losing everything if the communists came to power. Hitler exploited this fear.
SA (Sturmabteilung) Hitler's private army, often referred to as the "brown shirts" because of the colour of their uniform.
Passive Resistance Non-violent resistance to a government, occupying force, law, etc. by for example fasting, striking, refusing to cooperate, etc.
Hyperinflation Massive inflation that is out of control: prices rise very quickly and money loses its value.
Stresemann Era Period of stability from 1923-29 during which Germany began to recover politically and economically.
Rentenmark New German currency that was introduced to end hyperinflation.
Dawes Plan Agreement with America that reduced reparation payments and in which Germany borrowed huge amounts of money from the USA.
Locarno Pact 1925 treaty in which Germany agreed to accept that France now owned the territory in the West that Germany had lost in the T. of V. France agreed to remove some troops from the Rhineland.
Young Plan 1925. Reduced reparations further by lengthening the deadline by another 58 years.
Kellogg-Briand Pact 1928. 60 countries denounced the use of war.
Bauhaus Movement A movement centred on the Bauhaus art school that revolutionised architecture.
Cabaret Performances involving dance, song, comedy. Often performed in nightclubs.
Degenerate The Nazi's called the art during this period "degenerate" meaning that it was lacking in desirable qualities.
Permissive A permissive society is one where there is a great deal of freedom, e.g. of sexuality, religion, belief, expression.
Bertold Brecht Important writer who left Germany when the Nazis came to power because he feared getting persecuted for his views.
Marlene Dietrich Famous singer and film actress. She had strong political views and hated anti-Semitism. She became an American citizen in 1939.
Albert Einstein Leading Scientist who had to leave Germany in 1933 when the Nazis came to power because he was Jewish.
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