Weimar Republic 1918-29

• What years did the Weimar Republic exist?

  1918-1929
• What types of opposition did the Weimar Republic face?

  Opposition from both left and right wings
• Who led the Spartacists?

  Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht
• What was the Spartacist Revolt?

  A left-wing uprising against the Weimar government
• What did the Spartacists take over in January 1919?

  The government's newspaper and telegraph bureau
• How did the Weimar government respond to the Spartacist Revolt?

  Sent Freikorps units to suppress the revolt
• What happened to the Spartacist leaders after the revolt?

  They were shot
• What were the Freikorps?

  Ex-soldiers who fought for the right-wing
• How many men were in the Freikorps in March 1919?

  250,000 men
• What was the Kapp Putsch?

  A right-wing coup attempt against the Weimar government
• Who was Dr. Wolfgang Kapp?

  A nationalist politician in charge of the rebels
• How did the Weimar government respond to the Kapp Putsch?

  Organized trade unions to go on strike
• How many political assassinations occurred from 1919-1923?

  376 political assassinations
• Who was sympathetic to right-wing extremists during political assassinations?

  Conservative judges
• What economic crisis did Germany face in 1923?

  Hyperinflation
• What is hyperinflation?

  Rapid increase in prices making currency worthless
• What caused hyperinflation in Germany?

  Excessive printing of money without gold backing
• What happened to the German mark by November 1923?

  It became worthless
• How did hyperinflation affect people with fixed incomes?

  They suffered the most due to rising prices
• Who benefited from hyperinflation?

  Farmers, as they were paid more for food
• What did Gustav Stresemann do in November 1923?

  Set up the Rentenbank and issued the Rentenmark
• How was the value of the Rentenmark controlled?

  Its value was tied to the price of gold
• What was the Dawes Plan?

  A plan to help Germany pay reparations
• What did the Young Plan propose in 1929?

  Reduced total reparations from £6.6 billion to £2 billion
• What was a significant risk of Germany's economic recovery?

  Dependence on American loans made it fragile
• What was Stresemann's main aim as foreign secretary?

  To stabilize the political situation in Germany
• When did Germany join the League of Nations?

  In 1926
• What was the Locarno Pact?

  An agreement to improve relations with France
• Why was the Kellogg-Briand Pact significant for Germany?

  It showed Germany was a major power again
• What were the positive effects of hyperinflation on Germany?

  • Farmers benefited from higher food prices
  • Some could pay off loans and mortgages
  • Fixed rents became cheaper
  • Foreign visitors found goods cheaper
• What were the negative effects of hyperinflation on Germany?

  • Essentials like bread became unaffordable
  • Wages rose slower than prices
  • Many businesses went bankrupt
  • Fixed incomes suffered greatly
  • Savings lost value, affecting the middle class
• What were the main challenges faced by the Weimar Republic?

  • Opposition from left and right political groups
  • Spartacist Revolt in January 1919
  • Kapp Putsch in March 1920
  • Political assassinations from 1919-1923
  • Economic crisis due to hyperinflation in 1923
• What were the key policies of Gustav Stresemann?

  • Issued the Rentenmark to stabilize currency
  • Implemented the Dawes Plan for reparations
  • Introduced the Young Plan to reduce reparations
  • Strengthened Germany's international relations
  • Joined the League of Nations in 1926