Quiz Germany

• What was Germany like before WWI?


  - v. high population due to nationalistic ideologies

  - v. strong economy after 1870

  - Weak democracy with a kaiser
• Who had the most power during WWI?

  Ludendorff and Hindenburg
• What made it clear to Ludendorff was on the brink of defeat?


  Although the Allied forces had not entered German territory, they were in retreat along the Western Front.
• Why did Ludendorff choose the route of partial democratisation of the political system?


  Because Wilson's fourteen points offered a potential basis for a negotiated peace settlement but the autocratic political system would be an obstacle to this.
• Who persuaded the kaiser to create a democracy and ask for an armistice?

  Ludendorff
• What were the 3 key 'october reforms'?


  Prince Max of Baden was appointed as chancellor

  The chancellor was responsible to the Reichstag

  The armed forced were put under control of the civil government
• Who were the first president and chancellor?


  Ebert as president and Prince Max as chancellor
• When did Ebert become chancellor?

  November 1918
• What was the first thing Ebert did?

  Hold elections for the constituent assembly
• What started the revolution from below?

  
  

  When did this occur?

  
  

  What party called this?

  Workers striked against the Kaiser

  
  

  9 Nov 1918

  
  

  SPD
• How did the SPD also pose a threat?


  They threatened to withdraw support unless the Kaiser abdicated.
• What did this cause Max to do? What caused it?

  
  

  What happened in the same day?

  He announced the Kaiser's abdication in a press statement.

  
  

  Prince Max resigned and gave it to Ebert, leader of the SPD.
• Where and when did naval mutiny occur?

  Wilhemshaven into Kiel in October 1918
• What happened on the following day?

  The revolt spread to the city and workers' and soldiers' councils were formed.
• What happened to the revolt?


  It spread quickly to other ports and cities. despite the government trying to meet their demands
• Who were the members of these revolts?


  Patriotic Germans who wanted the Kaiser to abdicate and for the creation of a democratic government.
• What happened on 8 November?


  A republic was proclaimed in Bavaria and the Bavarian monarchy was deposed.
• Who also announced the abdication?

  Phillip Scheidemann
• What finally caused the Kaiser to realise he had lost control and abdicate?

  He was told by General Groener that the army would no longer fight for him.
• Who was a peace note sent to?

  Woodrow Wilson in November 1918
• What was the peace note asking for?

  An armistice
• Why did he take 3 weeks to reply?


  Because he was suspicious that they were using the request to buy time and regroup and prepare for a new offensive.
• What did Wilson demand?

  
  

  Did Ludendorff accept?

  - End of submarine warfare

  - Full democratisation of the political system

  - Returning of all territory gained.

  
  

  It was too much for Ludendorff to accept.
• What did Ludendorff try to raise instead?

  
  

  What did he eventually do after this failed?

  A last ditch military effort to resist.

  
  

  He resigned and fled to Sweden.
• How big was the Reichsrat?

  67 representatives from 17 states, proportionate to population
• What did the president do?


  appoint ministers, dissolve the reichstag and call elections
• What were the strengths of the constitution?


  - Wider right to vote

  Women allowed to vote and become deputies

  
  

  - Proportional representation allowed even smaller parties to win seats in the Reichstag

  
  

  - Full democracy in local and central government.

  Prussia could dominate the rest of Germany.

  
  

  - Clearly set out the terms of rights of the individual

  "all equal before the law"

  "censorship is forbidden"

  
  

  - Referendums could be called for by the president, Reichsrat or by people's request.
• What were the weaknesses of the constitution?


  - Proportional Representation

  Smaller parties (anti-republican) were able to exploit the system to gain publicity, emphasised divisions in society.

  
  

  - Coalition governments

  Because of the smaller parties and PR, no one could gain a majority, just short lived coalitions.
• What did the Chancellor have to have and what did they do?


  - Support of half the Reichstag at least

  - Propose new laws to Reichstag.
• What did the Reichstag do?

  Vote on the budget.

  New laws had to originate through them.
• What was the national debt in 1919?

  
  

  How would this usually be paid back?

  
  

  Why couldn't this be used here?

  1.44 billion marks

  
  

  By increasing taxes or cutting down expenditure

  
  

  RISK!

  rise taxes: alienating public away from gov as they would say it was going to rep payments.

  cut expen: civil servants needed payment to keep their support.
• When was the treaty of Versailles signed?


  June 1919
• How much land did Germany lose?

  13% and 60 million people
• What was the German word for the annexation of another country?

  Anschluss
• What article was the war guilt clause?

  231
• Coal production in the Saar was given to which country?

  France
• Why did Phillip Scheiderman resign?


  The German cabinet members had decided that Germany had no option but to sign it, causing Scheidemann to resign.
• What did the SPD ask their main opponents to do?

  
  

  Why?

  To state to their members that signing it would be unpatriotic.

  
  

  Because they were so concerned about the backlash it would have on them.
• What did the treaty cause in the government?

  Political demoralisation in the centre of the government.
• What did many right supporters do as a result of the signing of the treaty?

  
  

  What did they call those who signed it?

  What were their actions of betrayal called?

  They felt it was the last straw after the military defeat and the creation of a republic and it led them to join extremist parties committed to overthrowing the republic.

  
  

  November criminals

  'the stab in the back