Monarchy to Weimar Republic

• When was Germany unified

  1871
• What is the Bundesrat?

  Upper house appointed by the rulers of the German states
• What is the Reichstag?

  German Parliament elected by en over 25 - debated and voted on laws drawn up by Kaiserslautern and minister
• What is the kaiser

  Could ignore government advice and make own decisions - made all military and foreign policy decisions
• Who was Kaiser Wilhelm II?

  - became kaiser in 1888 for 29 year

  - queen victorias grandson
• How much had Germany industrialised by 1913

  - as much coal as Britain

  - more iron ans steel

  - dominated trade of electrical goods and chemicals
• How many Germans were in trade unions by 1914

  Over 3 million
• 2 aspects of Kaiser Wilhelms rule

  Military expansion - had a deep fascination in uk empire specifically navy

  Relationship with the people of Germany - a majority of Germans didn't want a democracy and supported the Kaiser. Provided security if there was a rebellion it wouldn't succeed
• How did Germany industrialise

  1835- railways begin modernising - rail system reflected power

  1896 - new technology encouraged 'trade schools'

  1900- German empire is 3rd most powerful economic power
• Who was the Social Democratic Party (SPD)?

  - believed in socialism

  - hoped Kaiser might allow the reichstag to make more social reforms

  - around 1/3 of Germans voted for them

  - some took extreme views and wanted to rebel kaisers rule, start a revolution
• When was the SPD formed?

  1890
• When were the SPD the strongest party

  1912
• When was the USPD formed?

  April 1917
• How had Germany industrialised by 1913

  - 1/3 of worlds electrical good

  - led chemical and steel industries
• Why did Germany need to expand the navy

  - unprotected without sea power

  - imperialism was prominent and they wanted to overpower Britain

  - tactical necessity if Germany wanted to become a global power

  - political necessity to increase national influence
• What is imperialism?

  To gain control of land and people around to world and build an empire
• Germany and imperialism

  Germany wanted to increase the size of its empire this would make it look even more powerful

  Saw British empire as direct competition
• What is nationalism

  pride in one's country
• When were the naval laws

  1898

  1900

  1906

  1908

  1912
• 1898 Naval Law

  - 7 new battleships built in 3 years, in addition to the current 12

  - were not enough to rival British or French navy

  - turning point in foreign policies
• 1900 naval law

  - boer war in South Africa

  - doubles fleet to 38 battleships
• 1906 amendments

  - 5 large cruisers for foreign fleet

  - 1 extra large cruiser in reserve

  - 48 torpedo boats
• 1908 amendments

  - decreased replacement age of battleship to 20 years

  - sped up construction of modern vessels
• Germanys navy in 1912

  - 41 battleships

  - 18 large cruiser

  - 40 small cruisers

  - 144 torpedo boats

  - 72 submarines.
• What is Weltpolitik?


  World Policy - to be a great power, grow army, expand navy and expand empire supported by German colonial league
• What was germanys empire called d

  'Place in the sun
• What did Hillman and von tirpitz believe

  Hillman - Germany should invest in cruiser ships- more affordable

  Von tirpitz - invest in battleships to rival Britain
• Germany during the war

  1914- poplar and patriotic, British navy stopped imports

  1915-16- demonstrations increase from 500 to 10,000
• How was Germany politically unstable in the war

  - flu epidemic killed many already weak from poor diet

  - in October general Ludendorff stated Germany could not win the war, advised the kaiser to make the country more democratic so allies would treat Germany fairly
• When did the navy in the keil mutiny

  28th October 1918 - soldiers sent to deal with the protest also joined the sailors and workers - in 6 Sydney workers and soldiers were governing towns and cities
• When did the Kaiser abdicate?

  9th November 1918
• When did Germany surrender?

  November 11, 1918
• Impact of WW1 on economy

  - owed vast sums that it borrowed to fund war

  - lent money to its own allies

  - factories drained

  - war pensions
• Impact of ww1 on society

  - workers had restrictions placed on their wages

  - women worked in factories during war and some thought this damaged traditional family values

  - left 60,000 widows and 2million children fatherless
• Impact of ww1 on politics

  - mutiny and revolution

  - many ex soldiers and felt they were betrayed by November criminals
• When was the Treaty of Versailles signed?

  28th June 1919
• Was Germany involved in the treaty of Versailles

  - new government was not invited

  - ordered to sign - diktat or they would face invasion
• 4 clauses of treaty of Versailles

  - had to accept blame - "war guilt clause" - article 231

  - army reduced to 100,000 , navy to 6 battleships

  - forbidden end to unite with Austria

  - had to pay £6.6 billion in reparations over 66 year
• How many french and British were killed

  1 million British

  1.5 million french
• Why did Germans dislike thr treaty

  - harsh - took away large areas of land which meant loosing people, factories, farms and mines

  - were ordered to sign in a diktat

  - many felt they didn't loose but were betrayed - could have kept fighting- hindenburg "the German army was stabbed in the back"