Weimar Germany

• Defeat in 1918 led to the Kaiser's abdication, a republic and a new constitution
• The new Germany faced huge problems, not least those caused by its punishment in the Treaty of Versailles
• The German Revolution


  1. Kiel Mutiny

  2. Rebellions all over Germany

  3. Collapse of the German government

  4. Kaiser Wilhelm II abdication
• Friedrich Ebert


  Leader of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), became Chancellor (the equivalent of Prime Minister in Britain)
• World War One ended when an armistice was agreed with the Allies and Germany surrendered


  11 November 1918
• The armistice was signed by representatives of the new, civilian government, including Ebert and members of the SPD</b>
• The opponents of the new government

  Started to call them the 'November Criminals' - people who had signed the armistice behind the Germany army's back
• Dolchstoßlegende


  The 'stab-in-the-back' theory
• Elections had given the SPD party the most power

  January 1919
• Friedrich Ebert

  Became the first democratically chosen President
• When was the armistice signed?

  November 11, 1918
• How many German troops died in WW1?

  2 million
• How many germans died because of food shortages?

  750,000
• When did the Kaiser abdicate?

  9th November 1918
• Who is Friedrich Ebert?


  Leader of the Social Democratic movement in Germany
• What was the armistice?

  The peace agreement between Germany and the allies
• Strengths of the Weimar Constitution

  -'Proportional Representation'

  
  

  -Women could vote

  
  

  -Voting age reduced from 25 to 21

  
  

  - President election every 7 years
• Weaknesses of Weimar Constitution

  -Proportional Representation led to unstable parties and weak policies-often fell apart

  
  

  -Article 48, president could pass laws without the consent of the Reichstag

  
  

  -Not choice of people - not popular
• How much was to be paid to the allies in the TOV?

  £6600 million
• What was the military forces limited to because of TOV?

  -100,000 soldiers

  
  

  -Navy, 6 battleships, 6 cruisers, 12 destroyers and 12 torpedo boats

  
  

  -No submarines

  
  

  - No military on the Rhineland (Land bordering France)
• What land did Germany lose?

  13% of European territory

  
  

  11 of its colonies
• What is article 241?

  War guilt clause
• What are the Spartacists?

  -Left wing

  
  

  -Had soviet banking

  
  

  -Based in Berlin

  
  

  -Led by Rosa Luxembourg and Karl Liebknecht

  
  

  -Came from Independent Socialist party
• What are the Friekorps?

  -Right wing

  
  

  -Made up of ex-soldiers who still had weapons

  
  

  -Had 250000 men in March 1919

  
  

  -Organised by regular army
• What was the Spartacists Revolt?

  -January 1919

  
  

  -Took over newspapers and tried to organise a strike in Berlin

  
  

  -Spartacist leaders were shot

  
  

  -Weimar governments sent Freikorps units to put down revolt
• What was the Kapp Putsch?

  -March 1920

  
  

  -Freikorps troops, fearing unemployment marched on Berlin

  
  

  -Head of army refused to resist Friekorps

  
  

  -Caused so much chaos with strike, Kapp would not rule Germany and was forced to flee
• What were some political attacks on the Weimar Republic?

  -Political assassinations

  
  

  -Right winged parties in the Reichstag

  
  

  -Left winged parties in the Reichstag

  
  

  -Spartacists Revolt

  
  

  -Kapp Putsch
• Negative effects of hyperinflation

  • People couldn't afford essentials

  
  

  • Wages rose up

  
  

  • Business went bankrupt

  
  

  • Savings became worthless

  
  

  • Weimar government became unpopular
• Positive effects of hyperinflation

  • Farmers benefitted

  
  

  • Able to pay off loans and mortgages

  
  

  • Rooms/shops became cheap

  
  

  • Foreigners got more for their money
• What happened in January 1923?

  French troops invaded the Ruhr, to take reparations in goods and raw material. German workers went on strike.
• What years did Germany make a recovery?

  1923-29
• Who made the new currency and what was it called?

  The new chancellor - Stresemann

  Rentonmark
• What was the Dawes Plan?

  In 1924, Charles Dawes an American banker made a plan so Germany could pay reparations.

  
  

  Instalments were temporarily reduced to £50m a year

  
  

  US banks gave them loans
• When was the Young Plan?


  August 1929
• What did the Young Plan do?

  -Reduced reparations to £2 billion

  
  

  -Payments could be made until 1988

  
  

  -Lower reparations=lower taxes

  
  

  -Opposition=burden for future generations
• What was the Locarno Pact?

  -1925

  
  

  - It was also known as the Rhineland Pact

  
  

  -It was a treaty between Germany, GB, France, Italy and Belgium

  
  

  -They agree to the borders

  
  

  -The allied troops leave the Rhineland and promise peace

  
  

  -They discuss Germany joining the league of nations
• What is the Kellogg-Briand Pact?


  an international agreement, signed by 62 in 1928, to stop using war as a method of national policy
• What was the League of Nations?

  an international association whose goal would be to keep peace among nations
• Changes in wages and work after 1924

  -Working hours reduced

  
  

  -Wages rose

  
  

  -Hyperinflation made employment insecure

  
  

  -Working conditions improved
• 1924-29


  "golden years" - changes in art, cinema and architecture