The Weimar Republic

The German Revolution 1918
1. Causes
  1. Failure in WW1
    1. 2 million German troops died
  2. Hardship in War
    1. Influenza epidemic
    2. Food shortages due to allied blockade
  3. Russian Revolution 1917
2. Events
  1. 29 Oct - Sailor's mutiny
  2. 4 Nov - Workers and Soldiers council set up in Kiel
    1. 40,000 workers
  3. 7 Nov - Bavaria revolt
    1. King fled
    2. Declared to people's state
  4. 9 Nov - Kaiser abdicated
3. Effects
  1. Armistice - 11 Nov
  2. Weimar government formed
The New Constitution
1. Weaknesses
  1. Coalitions
    1. Unstable government
  2. Article 48
    1. Unlimited power
  3. Small parties with few votes got into govt
2. Strengths
  1. Democracy -> elections
  2. Checks and balances made sure power was divided
  3. Men AND women over 20 could vote
Treaty of Versailles
1. Terms
  1. Pay reparations (6600 million pounds)
  2. Lost colonies
  3. Military forces cut
    1. Army limited to 100,000,
    2. No airforce
  4. Lost land
    1. 13% of European territory
    2. 50% of iron reserves
2. Reactions
  1. Politicians
    1. Not able to negotiate, but were forced to agree
    2. Diktat
    3. Requested changes - not accepted
  2. German people
    1. Way too harsh
    2. Dolchstoss (stab in the back)
    3. Believed army had not been defeated, could have gone on
    4. Called politicians The November Criminals
Political Problems
1. Spartacist uprising
  1. Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg
  2. 100,000 communists demonstrated in Berlin
  3. took over key buildings
  4. Freikorps put down uprising
    1. 250,000 anti - communist demobilised soldiers
2. Kapp Putsch
  1. 5000 right wing supporters of Kapp marched on Berlin
  2. Planned to overthrow govt.
  3. Government fled, urged workers to go on strike
  4. Berlin life stopped - Kapp realised he could not govern and fled
Economic problems
1. Causes
  1. Bankruptcy
    1. Reparations from TOV
    2. Lost land with coal
    3. Used gold reserves in wars
  2. Occupation of the Ruhr
    1. Germany could not pay reparations
    2. French sent troops to Ruhr
    3. Workers went on strike
    4. 80% of German coal and iron were in Ruhr
    5. Hyperinflation, govt. kept on printing money
2. Effects
  1. Savings became worthless
  2. People had to be paid by the hour
  3. Shortages for everyone
  4. Businesses able to pay off loans

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The Weimar Republic

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	Created by Eva Something about 5 years ago