Lesson 4: Challenges to Weimar from left and right wing

Cards (24)

  • When was the Treaty of Versailles signed?
    28th July 1919
  • What feelings did the Treaty of Versailles evoke in the German people?
    Defeat, humiliation, bitterness, and weakness
  • How did the German people feel about their government after the Treaty of Versailles?
    They felt betrayed and let down
  • What are the main political ideologies in Germany during the Weimar Republic?
    • Left-wing
    • Centre
    • Right-wing
  • What type of political parties threatened the Weimar Republic?
    Extreme left and right-wing parties
  • What was the role of the Reichstag in the Weimar Republic?
    It was the German Parliament
  • What was the name of the extreme left-wing party in Germany?
    Communist Party (KPD)
  • What did the extreme left-wing parties want for workers?
    Rights and support for trade unions
  • What was the name of the extreme right-wing party?
    Nationalist DNVP Party
  • What did the extreme right-wing parties want for Germany?
    Return of the Kaiser and traditions
  • What were the key challenges to the Weimar Republic?
    1. Political parties challenging the government
    2. Spartacist Revolt
    3. Freikorps and Kapp Putsch
    4. Political assassinations
    5. Armed guards causing violence
  • Who led the Spartacist Revolt?
    Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht
  • What was the strength of the Spartacist movement?
    40,000 members and Russian support
  • When did the Spartacist Revolt occur?
    January 1919
  • Why did the Spartacists revolt?
    Ebert sacked the police chief of Berlin
  • How did the Weimar Government respond to the Spartacist Revolt?
    Ebert sent in the Freikorps to stop protests
  • What was the Freikorps?
    Ex-WW1 soldiers organized into a free army
  • Why did Ebert organize the Freikorps?
    To combat the growing power of communists
  • What was the Kapp Putsch?
    An attempt to overthrow the Weimar government
  • How did Ebert stop the Kapp Putsch?
    Called for a general strike in Berlin
  • What was the significance of the extreme parties gaining 20% of seats?
    It allowed them to challenge Ebert's actions
  • How many political assassinations occurred of left-wing politicians?
    376 assassinations
  • Why were no right-wing murderers sentenced?
    Judges were right-wing and biased
  • What was the impact of armed guards organized by political parties?
    They caused more violence for Ebert to manage