WEIMAR REPUBLIC & ITS EARLY PROBLEMS

• what were the key features of the Treaty of Versailles?

  • Germany lost all their colonies - e.g Chad, Namibia, New Guinea, Togo
  • War guilt (Article 231) - Germany blamed for starting war and had to reduce their armed forces and territory
  • Reparations - in 1921 the figures was eventually fixed for Germany to pay 136 billion marks (£6.6 billion)
  • Disarmament - the army was limited to 100,000 with no air forces allowed and destroyed
• what were the national impact in Germany from WW1?

  • real earnings fell from 20-30%
  • 1917 Winter called 'turnip winter' - the only fodd to eat
  • deaths from starvation and hypothermia - 1916 = 121,000, 1918 = 293,00
  • industry made vast profit which ordinary Germans resented - beginning of antisemitic and government blame
• when was the German Revolution?

  1918 - 1919
• what does armistice mean?

  truce to stop war
• when was the Kaiser abdicated?

  9th November 1918
• what does Article 48 state?

  in emergency situations the chancellor could pass laws without the permission of the Reichstag in a crisis as long as the President permitted it
• what were the strengths of the new German Constitution?

  • Article 41 - The National president is chosen by the whole German people
  • Article 23 - The National Assembly is elected every 4 years
  • Article 1 - men and women over 21 could vote for the first time
• what were the weaknesses of the new German Constitution?

  • Local government (eg Prussia) maintained power through Lander (local) governments - ability to control key services such as police and schools
  • Reichstag was elected under s system of proportional representation - ends up in coalition
• when was the Spartacist Uprising?

  January 1919