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Flashcards

Weimar Republic

D D Modern History International Baccalaureate Inglês 44 flashcards

Flashcards do conjunto (44)

  1. 1Why was the republic called the Weimar Republic?Weimar, a city in Germany, is where the Assembly met. They couldn't meet in the capital (Berlin) because of the communist uprisings there (dangerous conditions there).
  2. 2Describe the situation in Germany when the new republic was born.* Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated (he died in 1941 in Holland),
    * There was a worldwide economic depression (the Great Depression) that hit Germany hard and millions of Germans were out of work,
    * Many remembered the defeat in WWI,
    * The socialist movement was divided,
    * Chaotic situation,
    * No trade allowed with Germany,
    * Mutinies in the fleet,
    * Allied blockade on Germany and only in 1918, 3.000 000 Germans died.
  3. 3One reason for Hitler's success was the hostility between German social democrats and the communists (= the left). In what way can this hostility be explained by referring to 1919? How about the willingness from the communists, with their ideology and with this event in mind, to support the republic?Communists wouldn't support the republic due to ideological reasons (there should be no nations, hence no republic is needed).
    "On the left extreme of the Republic's enemies stood the KPD, separated from the regime by a gulf of bitterness formed during the risings of 1919, and by the brutal murders of communist leaders Karl Liebknect and Rosa Luxemburg by Freikorps men." (Freikorps were anti-communist paramilitary units).
  4. 4Why was the Weimar constitution described as a "considerable democratic advance"? Was there support for democracy in the beginning?Despite the Spartacus revolt, the majority of Germans voted for parties (January, 1919) that favored the new democratic republic, i.e. the SPD, liberal DDP and the Catholic Center Party. Ebert was elected President in February 1919.
    - Universal suffrage (women can vote),
    - All over 20 can vote,
    - Proportional system of representation.
  5. 5Describe the power of the President? (His "special powers" = the right to issue presidential decrees will be extremely important during the crisis, which started after the Wall Street Crash in 1929).The head of state was to be President, who was elected every seven years. The president was the commander of the armed forces and was designed to a largely figurehead position. He did have the power to dissolve the Reichstag and to nominate the Chancellor under Article 48, the president could declare a state of emergency and rule by decree (it was not clearly defined when a decree ought to and could be used). He could also veto laws that passed through the Reichstag that he did not like, and he didn't necessarily have to "like" democracy and the parliamentarism.
  6. 6"German resentment" is probably one of the reasons for the failure of the Treaty of Versailles. Why did the Germans resent the Treaty?- Forbidden to maintain an air force,
    - Had to surrender territories to Belgium (Eupen-Mamédy), Czechoslovakia (the Hultschin district), as well as Alsace-Lorraine, annexed in 1871 after the Franco-Prussian war, to France. Danzig became a free city.
    - Germany was not allowed to have any colonies, not to join the League of Nation, nor was Wilson's 14 points of national self-determination applied to Germany.
    - Germany was not allowed to have no offensive weapons and they had to pay an indemnity that was fixed at 6.600 British pounds.
    - The Rhineland was to be demilitarized and became occupied by other powers.
    - Arguably, the most humiliating was Article 231, the "war guilt clause", Germany had to take full responsibility for initiating the war.
  7. 7It has been argued that the Republic was doomed from the very beginning due to the Treaty of Versailles. Is this true?It is not fair to imagine that the regime was doomed by the circumstances of its birth. For all its losses, republican Germany still had potentially the strongest economy in Europe, and its' recovery was rapid. Germany in the treaty of Versailles lost 13% of its territories and 12% of its population. In 1927, Germany was backed on its feet, and thus, one can conclude that it was not doomed, but punished strongly.
  8. 8Describe the opponents on the left.On the left extreme of the Republic's enemies stood the KPD, separated from the regime by a gulf of bitterness formed during the risings of 1919, and by the brutal murders of Communist leaders Liebknecht and Luxemburg by Freikorps men. Many converted from the USPD to KPD in December 1920 when they joined the International. The KPD could boast membership of 400.000 with 33 daily newspaper at its' disposal.
  9. 9Describe the relation between KPD and Moscow.KPD had closely tied itself to a pro-Moscow policy, but pursued a cautious policy.
  10. 10Fear of socialism was very strong during the reign of Wilhelm II. Now, in the Weimar Republic, Wilhelm had fled to Holland and Germany had a government dominated by Social Democrats. Describe the "opponents on the right."The nationalists, grouped especially around the German National People's Party (DNVP) represented the brand of conservatism that desired a return to the principles and institutions of Wilhelmine Germany. The DNVP had influential support in the civil service, in the judiciary (legal system), among industrialists, and in the churches. The nationalists were hostile to the Republic, but their threat was limited by several factors. The leadership of the DNVP was divided over the issue of cooperation with the republican regime, and the whole emphasis of the party's policies was upon principles partly compromised by the defeat of the old Germany in the First World War. In the course of the later 1920s, the nationalists began to surrender the leadership of the right-wing opposition to NSDAP.
  11. 11Account for the background of the Nazi party.It was founded in 1919 by Anton Drexler and was soon dominated by the brilliant orator Adolf Hitler, who was asked by Drexler to be the party leader. The Nazis came close to ruin in their early life, by placing trust in a policy of putschism (violent insurrection = violent uprising against an authority/government). Local organizations strong in Bavaria, especially Munich. They were ideologically divided, as nationalism and socialism don't really go hand in hand.
  12. 12Describe the attitude of the army? (Remember: According to the Treaty of Versailles = Germany was only allowed to have 100.000 men in the army.)The army had done a lot to enable the Weimar government to survive its' first weeks, but there was much in the principles of the traditional officer class, which still drew 21% of its' membership from the nobility, that was at odds with the philosophy of the social-democratic republic.
    They felt betrayed, they wanted to be non-political and officers didn't really like the republic.
  13. 13In the beginning of the Weimar period, Germany was in chaos. There were coup d'états from the left and from the political right. Why did the Spartacus uprising in Berlin (1919) fail? What was the Kapp Putsch (March 1920) and why did it fail?Spartacus uprising: Left wing (communist) uprising in Berlin. It failed because the army and the Freikorps (right wingers) fought it down.
    Kapp Putsch: Named after an officer, it was a violent right wing assault. The immediate trigger was the government's attempts to disband Freikorps unit under Captain Ehrhardt at the request of the allies. This was an assault from the right (army). Wolfgang Kapp's plans were frustrated instead by Berlin workers and civil servants who refused the orders of the rebels and denied them transport facilities and publicity. The army refused to help the government in the Kapp putsch.
  14. 14Describe the important year in the history of the Weimar Republic and in Nazi history: 1923.Economically, Germany and other countries who had been involved in the Great War had problems in the beginning of the '20s. In Nov. 1922 the Germans asked for a four-year suspension of her reparation payments. The United States had not ratified the TOV and consequently it was up to France and Britain to make sure that Germany fulfilled her obligations. The whole settlement was at stake, according to France. In January 1923 France sent her troops across the Rhine and started to occupy the Ruhr, the industrial heart of Germany. The Germans responded with "passive resistance", they didn't produce anything. In Feb. 1923 the coal production in the Ruhr fell to 2.5 million tons, where 90 million tons had been mined in 1922. Without a German production, the French occupation would be useless. The result was economically that France was able to get much of coal etc. from the Germans. The allies, especially Britain, didn't support France. Thus, France became politically isolated. The Germans were, if possible, even more hostile towards the TOV and the German gov. started to print money.
  15. 15Why did the German government start to print money?The Germans started printing money as the Rhineland was occupied by France and Belgium. The Germans began "passive resistance", in which they didn't produce anything. As they didn't produce anything, they received no money and the government began to print money. The most sensational of the domestic effects on Germany was the acceleration of the decline of the Reichsmark (German currency) that had been in progress since the war. The initial blame lay with the crippling cost of the war, the pressure of reparation demands and the Republic's misguided policy of printing money to meet budget deficits.
    CONSPIRACY THEORIES:
    - Take advantage of German government,
    - Germany growing too strong.
  16. 16How did the hyperinflation affect savings and the reputation of German politicians? What groups were mainly affected by this?Hyperinflation affected the Germans, by their loans being easier to pay off and debt was gone. The biggest beneficiaries of this enormous redistribution of wealth were feudalistic industrial leaders who distrusted democracy and who proved willing to deal with Hitler, thinking they could control him. The democratic parties and the labor unions lost their capital and were weakened. The liberal democratic regime was discredited and the Mittel stand was most badly affected, who were traditionally supporters of German democracy.
  17. 17But from 1924 there was an era of recovery in Germany. There were two main factors contributing to this recovery, which ones?1. Financial stability:
    - Foreign help,
    - The first achievements of the revived Republic were the rescue of the German currency and the regulation of reparations. At the end of 1923, thanks to the work of Hans Luther at the Ministry of Finance, the discredited Reichsmark was replaced by the Rentenmark. The new currency was backed in theory by Germany's agricultural and industrial resources.
    2. Political stability:
    - After the appointment of General Gruener (Dec. 1927) as defence minister, 1928-29 provided two pieces of electoral comfort for the gov. The Reichstag elections in May 1928 provided the worst results for a decade for the parties of the political extremes. In Dec. 1929 a referendum took place, forced by a coalition of nationalist and Nazis. Stresemann was the foreign minister from 1923-29 (up to his death). From 1925 the President was Hindenburg.
  18. 18Describe the financial system.It was created to restore the economical stability in Europe. The Dawes plan made it possible, with the help of American money, to rebuild Europe and especially Germany. It was extremely important for Germany and, by making Germany able to pay reparation payments, important to France and Britain was well (and Europe). But suppose there would be an economical crisis in America - what would happen in Europe and Germany (= the Wall Street Crash and the rise of Nazism in Germany). To conclude, financial stability was achieved because of the new German currency and the Dawes plan. It was, together with the industrial strength of Germany, the explanation to the stability and recovery of Germany during the Stresemann years.
  19. 19What was the Rentenmark and the Dawes plan?1. The Rentenmark (RM) was a currency issued on Oct. 15 1923 to stop the hyperinflation of 1922/23 in the republic.
    2. Dawes plan: Germany borrowed money from the US. The Dawes plan, which was to operate for five years, reparation payments would be guaranteed by the two mortages, one on Germany's railways and the other on certain German industries, supplemented by deductions from certain German taxes.
  20. 20How did the recovery affect the political situation in Germany? Was it stable?Stresemann approached the allies with the boldest proposal of his political career and one that was by no means popular in Germany. At a meeting in Locarno, in Switzerland (Feb. 1925), he proposed a voluntary German guarantee of its Western borders. For France and Belgium, this meant that Germany freely gave up its claims to Alsace-Lorraine and to Eupen and Malmedy.
    Elections Nazi support:
    '24: 6.6%
    '28: 2.6%
    Support for extremism:
    14% DNVP
    2.6% NSDAP
    10% KPD
    --> 26.6%
  21. 21In short terms, why did the Weimar Republic fail? Was only the Treaty of Versailles to blame?The Treaty of Versailles is important. It created German resentment and the reparation payments affected the German economy severely. But, on the other hand, there was a considerable recovery in the years '24-29. After the occupation of the Rhineland and the inflation crisis in 1923 the Nazis (=German nationalists) got 6.6.% support in the Reichstag elections. But in 1928, after 4 years of recovery and political stability, they only got 2.6% support in the elections. It can be argued that, yes, the treaty was important, but if it wasn't for the wall street crash in Oct. 1929 the Weimar republic would have survived and there would be no Nazi regime and there would be no etc...
  22. 22German foreign policy after the Great War and the Treaty, what was the first method that the Germans used?Obstruction/Passive resistance
    1919-1923: Policy of obstruction:
    - Policies against war criminals was not enforced.
    - The dissolution of the army was very slow (unless the allied controlled it, it didn't happen).
    - Disarmament was done only if the allies controlled it.
  23. 23What was the "fulfillment" policy and what was the idea behind it? Did it "pay off"?Over the next six years, as foreign minister, Stresemann sought to improve Germany's international position, to cooperate with France and Britain in order to secure a revision of some of the terms of the TOV -> "good neighbors" - renegotiate terms. It can be debated if it payed off, it did in the short-run Dawes Plan '24 and Young Plan '29, but it made Germany dependable on American money.
  24. 24There were also weaknesses in the republic. Account for the these weaknesses.1. Proportional system of representation: many tiny parties.
    2. Article 48: in an emergency, the president did not need the agreement of the Reichstag, but could issue decrees (this eroded the system).
    3. Paul von Hindenburg, the president, was loyal to the monarchy and did not like democracy.
    4. The republic was forced to sign the peace treaty.
  25. 25Describe the status of Germany and communist Russia in Europe after the Great War?They were totally isolated. It was logical that these two pariahs found each other. In the treaty of Rapallo from 1922, they signed an agreement which opened their markets and made it possible for Germany to evade some of the military restrictions imposed at Versailles (Germany could develop technology for an airforce in Russia!).
  26. 26The most important German agreement in the '20s was the Locarno Pact of 1925. What did the Germans recognize and what did they not recognize?RECOGNIZED:
    - Reparation payments,
    - Alsace-Lorraine permanently part of France,
    - Germany accepted and recognized the boundary changes of Versailles,
    - Agreed to resume reparation payments.
    NOT RECOGNIZED:
    - Eastern borders.
    --> Stresemann challenged his own people with the Locarno pact.
  27. 27The idea of fulfillment was to achieve a revision of the Treaty of Versailles. In both the Dawes Plan and the Young Plan of 1929, reparation payments were reduced - this was so important for Germany. Were there more signs that Germany now was more accepted in the international community?- Germany was admitted to the League of Nations (through the Locarno Pact (October, 1925).
    - Dawes Plan (1924).
    - Young Plan (1924).
    - In 1927, the Inter Allied Control Commission left Germany. This had been the "watchdog" over the TOV.
    - In 1929, French troops left Germany.
    (Treaty of Rapallo was a violation against the TOV).
  28. 28Why did Stresemann say "Germany is dancing on a volcano"?Stresemann meant that the state of the economy could crash at any moment, given that Weimar was relying on foreign money (American aid).
  29. 29What happened in October 1929? Why was this so crucial/dangerous? (The crisis actually began before 1929).On October 3, 1929, Gustav Stresemann died of a heart attack (unexpectedly), at the age of 51. Exactly three weeks later, on "Black Thursday" share values on the Wall Street Stock Market went into a disasterous decline. The "Great Depression" had begun. U.S. wanted loans back --> loans began to be called in. It created massive unemployment in Europe, specifically Germany, and the US.
  30. 30How did the development affect the election results?After the Wall Street Crash, the election development looked like this:
    - Nazi party gained much support,
    - The USPD (independent social democratic party of Germany) lost support,
    - KPD (communist party) gained little support,
    - SPD lost some support and the Center Catholic party lost some support.
    Reichstag elections Sept. 1930:
    NSDAP: 18.3% (2.6% -> from May 1928 elections).
    USPD: 0.0% (0.1%).
    KPD: 13.1% (10.6%).
    Z: 11.8% (12.1%).
    SPD: 24.5% (29.8%).
    --> Rise of extreme parties.
    NAZI SUPPORT:
    '28: 2.6%
    '30: 18%
    '32': 37%
    (Later) '32: 33%
  31. 31(1) An analysis of different groups and their support for democracy and the republic: COMMUNISTS.Hostile against the Weimar democracy (Spartacist uprising 1919).
  32. 32(2) An analysis of different groups and their support for democracy and the republic: CONSERVATIVE GERMANS/RIGHT WINGERS.DVP: Loyalty to Weimar democracy was doubtful.
    DNVP: Loyalty doubtful as well as hostile to Weimar democracy (opposed, never liked it).
  33. 33(3) An analysis of different groups and their support for democracy and the republic: MIDDLE CLASS GERMANS.DDP: "Deutsche Democratische Partei". For the democracy, traditionally strong support for democracy, but turned against it after the hyperinflation.
  34. 34(4) An analysis of different groups and their support for democracy and the republic: THE WORKING CLASS (SOCIAL DEMOCRATS).SDP: "Social democrats". Traditionally for democracy, but turned against it after the Wall Street Crash.
    NOTE! Middle class (liberal) voters and working class voters (social democrats) were historically the groups who most profoundly supported the introduction of parliamentary democracy. After 1929 German politics got polarized as these groups seized to support the government. It's very important. Who supported the government after '29?
  35. 35Brüning ruled Germany between 1930-1932. Describe his policies and why he had to resign?Brüning tackled Germany's domestic crisis by orthodoxy, deflationary any economic tactics. Reductions in social services and in unemployment benefits, at the time when they were needed most, were unlikely to rally wide support, and they led to Brüning's damaging reputation as the "Hunger Chancellor". Brüning's greatest political error was the dissolution of the Reichstag seats. Continued failure to curb economic depression, and to achieve ministerial stability, finally encouraged the president to replace Bruning with Franz von Papen in May 1932. Bruning was the leader of the Catholic Center party since 1929. He was hostile to the principles of social democracy.
  36. 36Describe the political situation in Germany from 1930-1933 (from Brüning to Hitler).The parties in the middle lost support to the extremes. No one was really interested in being responsible for the government during the crisis. So Germany had a very narrow-based government. If the government have no mass-support and no support in the Reichstag, how do you get support for difficult decisions? There are two alternatives: the Weimar constitution opened the possibility for the president to rule by presidential decrees (it means that the president issued a decree = a new law without asking the Reichstag). It can be described as a Presidential dictatorship. It was impossible to continue with this in a long term perspective. Germany was after all an advanced state. The other alternative was to invite someone to form a government which gave gov. mass support. The communists were not an alternative to the conservative establishment in Germany. But what about the brutal Nazis? "Don't worry, we have hired him." - Papen to Hindenburg.
  37. 37Von Papen was appointed Chancellor in May 1932. Describe his support and policies.Franz von Papen's responsibility for the advent of the Nazis was great. In June, he lifted the ban Bruning had placed on the SA. In July, he used the resultant street violence, and the spate of deaths in clashes between Nazis and communists, as the pretext to dismiss the Social Democrats provisional government in Prussia.
  38. 38General von Schleicher was Chancellor for only two months. What was his plan?His plan was to split the Nazi leadership by negotiating with Gregor Strasser (a Nazi).
  39. 39Why was Hitler appointed Chancellor in January 1933? How much power did he have?When Kurt von Schleicher failed in his brief Chancellor period, Hindenburg at last accepted Adolf Hitler as the only alternative to political chaos and possible civil war.
  40. 40Account for Hitler's background and political abilities.- Born in Austria (Braunau am Inn, near the German border) on April 20, 1889.
    - Academically and socially -> a failure.
    - Failed to get into the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, twice (1907).
    - Claimed the formation of intense hatred of Jews and Judaism in Vienna (Austria a multi-national state).
    - Propagated the "stab in the back" myth, not only for propaganda but because he actually believed it.
    - Chairman of the NSDAP from July 1921, and had joined the party in Sept. 1917.
  41. 41How would you describe "the ancestry of Nazism" and the main ideas of Mein Kampf?* The ancestry of Nazism: Essentially a distillation of resentments and fears, Nazism was a rag-bag of elements borrowed from most of the major political tendencies of the last century. It's racial theories leaned heavily upon those of Houston Stewart Chamberlain (Foundations of the Nineteenth century, 1899) and of the Comte de Gobineau (Essay on the inequality of the human races, 1855).
    * Mein Kampf: A primary duty of the German state to unite within its borders all those of common racial origin, and to eliminate alien elements that might weaken or corrupt ethnic community (Volkgemeinschaft).
  42. 42What was the Führerprinzip?"Leader principle" = Führerprinzip. Each level of Nazi organization was committed to unquestioning obedience to its chief, with ultimate allegiance owed to the man at the apex of the pyramid of command, the Führer.
  43. 43How much support for socialism was there in the movement? Who supported the Nazis?60% of 4800 party members in 1923 originated from the lower, middle or skilled working classes. Shopkeepers and tradesmen (14%), clerks and minor officials (17%), skilled craftsmen (20%) and specialist workers (9%), were prominent on party lists. The Nazi share of the rural vote rose from 22.6% (1930) to 52.4% (1933), while their share of the urban vote never rose higher than 39.6% (1933).
    63% didn't support Nazism. People who supported mostly lived in rural areas, were young people and many women included. Those who didn't often lived in towns and were workers.
  44. 44Describe what the impact of the French occupation had in German political life.Resulted in increase of support for German right-wing political parties. In Nov. 1923 Hitler tried to do the same as Mussolini in 1922, to March on Berlin (Rome). It started in Munich with an attempted coup - the Beer Hall Putsch. Hitler got support from the ex-general Ludendorff but not from the army/police. The coup failed but Hitler and the Nazis got so much support and publicity: they were the German nationalists who wanted to restore order and to make Germany great again! So in 1924, in their first Reichstag elections, the political breakthrough for the Nazis came: 1924 May - 6.6%.

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International Baccalaureate Modern History (Germany) FlashCards sobre Weimar Republic, criado por D D em 13-12-2015.
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