Germany and the growth of democracy

• what is militarism and how did prussia show it

  beleif that a country should have strong armed forces

  prussia had a mighty army that was well equipped witht he most advanced weaponary
• when was germany unified and how did prussia play a role

  unified in 1871, the kaiser ruled over all the states in germany

  prussian generals, army officers and tactics formed basis of new unifed german army

  the kaiser was the army supreme commander
• the parliamentary government

  chanellor--> chief minister that advised kaiser

  bundesrat-->made up of representatives from each state

  reichstag-->elected by all men over age of 25, they discussed and voted on laws kaiser and his advisers drew up
• what was kaisers problem with the parliamentary government

  tended to not listen and ignored their advice

  made all decisions he wanted on his own related to the army, navy and foreign countries
• who is wilhelm and when did he become kaiser

  29 year old, grandson of britian queen victoria, cousin of future king george v

  became kaiser in 1888
• why was his dream of making germany like britian

  britian was world's most powerful country ; largest empire, dominated world trade, navy twice the size of 2 closest rivals added together
• industrialisation of germany and acheivements

  began to build up german industry

  he was supported by powerful german businessman

  by 1913, producing more iron and steel than britian and same amount of coal

  areas of industries such as electical goods and chemicals, german companies dominated britian
• kaiser wilhem

  very energetic with strong outgoing personality

  could be charming and kind

  quite impatient and rude

  would sack ministers if didnt live up to his standards

  keen to maintain a powerful army nd build large navy

  most of youth in army

  took interest in military tactics

  great pride in leading army
• positives of industrialisation

  success made many landowners, business and factory owners rich

  nole army officers had influene over kaiser and wanted to preserve their posistions
• negatives of industrialisation

  many workers in new factories, mines and workshops were unhappy

  wages were low, bad working condition

  food was expensive
• response of unhappy workers

  more working class joined trade unions

  organised strikes

  hope that may force kaiser, his advisers and politicians in reichstag to improve conditions
• what did workers begin to vote for

  social democratic party (SPD)

  socialism-->idea power and wealth should be shared equaly among the people
• what did the social democratics beleive and hope

  kaiser may share some of his power

  allow reichstag to make more social reforms and lows to imporve workers rights and working conditions

  disagreed with power and privelged posistion held by land and factory owners
• why was rise of SPD a problem

  1 in 3 germans voted for them

  a potential major problem for the government

  some took more extremist view such as

  • rebel agianst kaiser
  • start revolution, take over country
  • cities and towns to be governed by council of workers
• what is weltpolitik


  world policy

  kaiser wanted

  • an extensive overseas power like other european superpowers
  • transform germany into a global power
  • a place in the sun
• the naval laws

  from 1898 to 1912

  intended to increase germany navy and army size rapidly

  rival and wanted to surpass britians navy

  protect the countried in german empire

  taxes rasied and money borrowed

  led to germany being in debt at 490 billion marks
• reasons for joining WW1

  very popular

  patriotic germans thought it would end quickly
• what did WW1 soldiers experience

  worn down by

  • bombing
  • machine gun fire
  • poisonous gases
• naval blockade and effect

  when british used large navy to prevent supply ships entering germany

  terrible shortages of food, medicines and clothing
• result of naval blockade

  in 1915, 500 women gathered in front of the german parliament buildings

  demanded their men back from the trenches

  a year later, 10,000 workers assembled in berlin to shout ' down with war, down with the government'

  led to police moving in to make arrests and calm situation
• impact of war

  • by 1918, germany close to collapsing
  • german people surviving barely on bread and tunips, a deadly flu epidemic sweeped country, killing thousands already weak from poor diet
• wht did general ludendorff advise to kaiser

  in october 1918

  • he told politicians germany has no chance of winning
  • advised kaiser britian, french and americans may treat then better if germany became more democratic
  • kaiser should share more of his power with german parliament
• kaiser response to genera ludendorff

  though reluctant

  • allowed main political parties to form new government
  • more power given to reichstag
• people response to kaiser's changes

  • didnt accept as chnages came too late to satisfy germans
  • more demonstrations held against the war
  • some said kaiser shoud give up throne
  • some taked of overthrowing him in revolution
• mutiny and revolution

  in 28 october 1918

  • german navy order out to sea from kiel to attak british ships but sailors on ships refused to do so as no longer wanted to fight
  • news of their mutiny began to spread
  • in ports nearby other sailors refused to folow orders
  • workers in town supported them
  • soldiers sent to deal with them joined with workers and sailors
  • took over towns and set up special councils to run them
• result of the mutiny

  in just 6 days, workers, soldiers and sailors were governing cities al over germany like hamburg and munich.

  country in chaos

  little kaiser could do
• why kaiser abdicated

  • lost control of germany
  • army generals no longer supported him
  • 9 november 1918 he abdicated
• who was leader of SPD

  friedrich ebert
• result of abdication of kaiser

  FE as leader of SPD, took control of germany in temporary basis

  promised to hold elections soon

  ge gave people what they wanted; end to the war

  11 november 1918, armistice signed, germany surrendered
• econmics impact on germany by 1918

  • owed vast amount of money that had borrowed to fund for the war
  • lent some money to their allies
  • factories were exhausted by war; unable to sell goods abroad as making guns
  • war pensions would cost government a fortune
• social impact on germany by 1918

  • war had left 600000 war widows and 2 million children fatherless
  • big gap between workers and factory owners : factory owners made a fortune during war as workers had restrictions on wage
  • women worked in factories, beleived it damaged traditional family values
• politial impact on germany by 1918

  • before gemany was a stable rich nation
  • mutiny and revolution all over germany
  • many ex soldiers and civillians felt could have won the war
  • felt betrayed by the november criminals
• what did ebert oder when he became leader

  • improvements to working conditions
  • help for unemployed
  • improed housing
  • more food suplies
• what did ebert guarantee

  • freedom of speech
  • freedom of religion
  • arranged elections for new german parliament
• what did ebert declare

  • germany was to be a democratic republic
  • no kaisers
  • ordinary germans chose leaders by voting

  ebert seen as leader who supported equality, allow ordinary people to vote and voice in politics if wished
• who was the spartacists

  commusit group

  led by rosa luxembourg and karl liebknetcht

  wanted germany to be run by small council of soldiers and workers, not parliament
• spartacits revolton

  • 6 january 1919, they tried to take over berlin
  • thousands of them roamed streets, firing guns, taking over important buildings
  • ebert repsonded violently
  • 2000 freikorps dealt with situation
  • 3 days of brutal street fighting
  • freikorps managed to recapture buildings and arrest the leader
  • leaders beat savagely and murdered
• birth of weimar republic

  late january 1919, eletion held, SPD party won

  newly elected politicians and ebert met in weimar on 11 feb 1919 to discuss hwo to run country
• weakness of weimar constituion

  proportional representations

  • led to many political parties having seats in reichstag
  • made law making very slow as hard to decide
  • one party unable to gain majority
  • 1919-1933, no party could hold more than half votes in elections

  disliked new way of governing

  • some groups didnt like the new democratic system of governng
  • those with high roles in society wished for the 'good old days' with kaiser again
  • examples = rich factory owners, old army generals

  novembr criminals

  • linked to surrender of germany
  • didnt like they were changing way of living in germany
• article 48 is where laws can be passed without the reichstag's approval by order of the president