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Was the Weimar republic doomed from the start? - Coggle Diagram
Was the Weimar republic doomed from the start?
how did Germany emerge from the defeat at the end of world war one
the revolution of 1918 and the establishment of the republic
October 1918 Germany was losing the war and retreating in disorder
on 11 Novemeber Ebert's collague Matthias Erzberger signs the Armistice
November Kaiser Wilhelm II ordered the German army to attack the Allies
9 November sailors at Kiel mutinied and uprisings all over Germany begin
Kaiser realizes he couldn't rely on his army and abdicated, he handed power to his chancellor who passes it to Friedrich Ebert of the Social Democrats
the weimar constitution
in January 1919 Germany adopted a new consitution, the Weimar Repubic. The country was a democratic republic
justice: the President appointed judges. Anyone who tried to overthrow the new system could be targeted with treason
regions: Germany made up of 17 individual states called Lander which had power over, for example police and education
chancellor: the president was the head of state, head of the army and protector of the constitution. They could appoint and dissmis the chancellor. In a crisis the president allowed the chancellor to use Article 48 to pass an emergency decree
rights: every German citizen had freedom of speech, freedom of religion and equality before the law
democracy: everyone over the age of 20 could vote. Political parties are represented in a parliament called Reichstag. Voting in elections was by proportional representation
what was the impact of the Treaty of Versailles on the Republic
the Versailles Settlement and German reactions to it
the politicians who signed the Armstice were known as November Criminals
they refered to it as a diktat, a dictated peace
many ex-soliders felt like the army had been betrayed by corrupt politicians in October and November 1918. This became known as stab in the back or Dolchstoss
believed the League of Victors, as they called it, existed only to keep Germany weak
German political factions
left
believed in an equal society based on communism. They were inspired by Lenin's Bolsheviks in Russia who achieved a revolution in 1917
supported by the working class and the poor. They were represented by the Sparcist party (later the KPD)
centre left centre right
believed in democracy and the new constitution. They wanted to reform and democracy, not a revolution
supported by working class and middle class. Included Social Democrats, Centre and various liberal and conservative parties
right
believed in the return of the monarchy, protection of private property, defeat of communism, strong goverment, rebuilt German prosperity and power
supported by conservatives, nationalists, moncarchists, big businesses, the army and the Freikorps, people who lost savings in inflation or job during unemployment
the French occupation of the Ruhr
in 1922 the goverment reported they couldn't pay the reparations
April 1921 reparations set at 6.6 billion dollars
in January 1923 French and Belgiam troops enter the Ruhr to get goods in place of payments that were overdue
goverment ordered passive resistance
French soldiers killed 100 protesters and expelled 100,000
goverment started printing money creating an inflation, the allies refused German currency
Gustav Stresemann ended the campaign of passive resistance, continued making patments and ablosiehd worhtless currency
French and Belgian withdrew from the Ruhr
to what extent did the Republic recover after 1923
events in the Ruhr gained sympathy for Germany all over the world
in 1923 Stressman changed currency to Rentenmark and then in 1924 to Reichsmark
in 1924 he negotiated the Dawes Plan, occupation in Ruhr would stop, reparations payed when they could, able to make loans to US
in 1929 reparations were cut and more loans given by US
what were the achivements of the Weimar republic
Ebert died and the German's replaced him with right-wing Paul von Hindenburg
by 1928 support for the system increased and there was little opposition
Berlin became more liberal