Challenges to the Republic From Left to Right

• What did extreme right-wing groups in Germany want after World War I?

  They wanted to return to a strong government, with a strong army, headed by a powerful leader such as a Kaiser.
• What was the main goal of extreme left-wing groups in Germany?

  They wanted Germany to be controlled by the people and opposed capitalism.
• What percentage of seats did the three main moderate parties hold in the National Assembly in 1919?

  77%
• What was the change in the percentage of seats held by moderate parties in the Reichstag after the elections of 6th June 1920?

  They decreased from 77% to 45%.
• How much of the seats did the extreme left and right-wing groups hold in the new Reichstag after the elections of 6th June 1920?


  About 20% each.
• What challenges did moderate centre parties face in the 1920s in Germany?

  • Struggled to form majority coalitions
  • Constantly attacked in the Reichstag by extremists
• Extreme right-wing groups wanted to return to a strong government, with a strong army, headed by a powerful leader such as a Kaiser.
• Extreme left-wing groups wanted Germany to be controlled by the people and opposed capitalism.
• In 1919, the three main moderate parties (SPD, DDP, and Centre Party) had 77% of the seats in the National Assembly.
• After the elections of 6th June 1920, they only had 45% in the new Reichstag. The extreme left and right-wing had about 20% of seats each.
• This meant that for most of the 1920s, moderate centre parties struggled to form majority coalitions, while being constantly attacked in the Reichstag by extremists.