Booklet 1 - Weimar Republic

• effects of World War I national income was about one third of what had been in 1930s Germany was virtually bankrupt to cost of war meant that Germany’s government deduct increase from 50 to 150 billion marks.
• another effect on impact of World War I was the effect on people the British Navy blocked Germany port so that no food could be brought into the country. This meant that 750,000 German citizens died from the combined effects of hunger and disease. Killed 2 million men and wounded 4,600,000 widows and 2 million children without fathers.
• Another effect of World War I on Germany was the political effect leaders of government and businesses. Men were afraid that protesting workers would return to communism and create a revolution as brutal as the body as that of 1917 in Russia furthermore the experience of losing the war made the Germans better and angry and they wanted someone to blame
• kaiser abdicated on 9th Nov 1918


  because he lost support of German army
• philipp scheidemann


  was the leadIng member of SPD and became chancelloe on 9th nov
• 10th Nov


  ebert made an agreement with General Groenor for the army to work with government to keep communist out of power

  Ebert suspended the old reichstag and names 6 politicians who would form the council of people's representatives-till new constitution.This was done to prevent the communists taking over
• Armistice-11 nov


  Signed by Erzberger.The agreement to end of war
• Armistice 


  seen as a great betrayal for the men who had sacrificed their lives. For many more it was a betrayal of a Germany that had not lost the war in battle
• Ebert


  -Kept all existing civil servants

  -kept up communication with the leaders of the army

  -reassured leaders of the industry

  -he won support of the trade unions
• dolchtoss


  "stab in the back"
• Strengths of the Weimar Constitution

  • Proportional representation made sure small parties had a fair share of seats. Evey party was given 1 seat for every 60,000 votes it got.
  • Women able to vote as well as men
  • Voting age reduced from 25 to 21
  • No one group or person could have too much power
  • There was an election for president every seven years
  • Central government was more powerful than before, but local government still retained power in the regions
  • The Reichsrat could regulate the power of the Reichstag by delaying new laws
• Weaknesses of the Weimar Constitution

  • Proportional representation led to coalition governments that were unstable, or found it difficult to have strong policies and often fell apart
  • Lack of strong government led to weakness in a crisis that ended up with the president passing laws without the prior consent of the Reichstag
  • Article 48 of the constitution enabled the president to do this
  • It was not the choice of the people so was not that popular
• The elections were a huge sucess and 83% of those eligible voted and SPD won 40% of the votes centre part 20%
• treaty of versailles


  28th june 1919