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Germany: Politics - Coggle Diagram
Germany: Politics
Weimar in practice
President elected once every 7 years,
Reich Cabinet/Chancellor(appointed by President) needed the Reichstag's favour to stay in power
Reichstag members elected once every four years by PR
Reichsrat, lower house, it members were representatives from each of the lander states such as Prussia, 1 vote per 700,000 people.
Every German over 20 had the vote
Bill of rights; Weimar constitution securred rights
Article 48: President had the right to declare a state of emergency then rule by decree and suspend freedoms.
Article 109: all Germans are equal before the law.
Article 114: Personal Liberties guaranteed
Article 135: Religious freedom and protection.
Article 124: the right to form unions in society.
Issues 1918-19:
Food shortages, which were worsened by cold winters nicknamed the 'turnip winter' pressure increased when British blockades prevented supplies from reaching Germany
Hypothermia and starvation caused 293000 suvillan deaths Germans low emmune system meant the Spanish flu imoacted them worse
ww1 2 million deaths, 5 million psychologically and physically injured
Prices doubled, real wages rose by 100%
Key terms:
Polycratic governance; overlapping institutions which competed for Hitler's favour e.g. Police and the SS
Volksgemeinschaft: People's community, the strength through joy scheme which provided day trips
Gliecshaltung: the notion that central government should co-ordinate everything, Process of Nazification
Authoritarian Dictatorship; when all other parties were banned
Germany Divided:
Germany was split into east and west tension rose between the territories as the communist USSR and the western allies disagreed on how to govern their respective zones of Germany
In the west parties were established each with the goal in mind of keeping Germany moderate. Even the KPD the countries first party to re-emerge did not aim for a soviet-style system. The west also saw the return of the SPD, and the creation of CDU and the CSU. Then in 1947 (having learnt from weimar mistakes) smaller liberal groups formed together the FDP
The division widened when the USSR expanded its control over eastern countries including Yugoslavia and Poland. In response the USA launched the Marshall plan which gave aid to prevent nations from falling under communist control.
Political In/Stability
Instability: between 1919 and 1932 there were 21 different government, Misuse of Article 48: 1930 3 times as many laws were passed via President Hindenburg than were passed by the Reichstag.
SPD resisted coalitions with the DDP and DVP which meant between 1924-28 there were DNVP anti-republic members sitting in the leading coalition.
1925 Hindenburg refused to allow SPD to form coalitions
1919-23 there were six different government each with a different Chancellor and made up of three parties
Post 1930 votes for Pro-constitution parties decreased only 35% Nov
Stable: 1924-28: 74% of the population voted
1924 saw an increase in votes for moderate parties CDU gained 31 seats and KPD lost 17 seats
1918 Armistice: ceasefire
1918 Armistice: ceasefire
Lead to the 'stab-in-the-back-myth' and the idea of the 'November Criminals' which portrayed Jews and Left wing politicians as traitors to Germany
Treaty of Versailles:
limited to 100,000, no aircraft, no submarines, no Anschluss
Land lost: 20% of coal production e.g. Saar coal land, 15% of agricultural land
Land was lost to Poland in 1922
1930-33 Reichstag was paralysed
1933 288 Nazi seats increase from 1930 when they had 107 seats
Hitler was referred to as a 'Little Bohemiuan Corporel' by Hindenburg
1932 62 decree, 5 Reichstag laws and the Reichstag only met for 13 days
Nazi Origins
July 1932: Nazi's were the largest party in the Reichstag but did not have the majority
Von Papen was made initially made Chancellor then Von Schleider and finally Hitler with Von Papen as Vice, only two other Nazi's were allowed to be in the cabinet
Origins of the
Weimar Republic
3rd Oct 1918, Prince Max of Baden was appointed Chancellor: he created a revolutionary Parliament democracy,
29th Oct 1918: Sailor's Mutiny and worker riots in Berlin and Munich.
'Revolution from Below' Kaiser will abdicate announced by Prince Max
Feb 1919, Government met in Weimar because Berlin was too violent
Aug 1919 New constitution was drawn up
Political Parties
Three left wing Parties: KPD, the communist party, USPD, (Rosa Luxemburg), SPD, Social welfare
Central Parties: DDP, middle class intellectual supported democracy, ZP, Centre party
Right wing Parties: DVP, DNVP, NSPAD
Consolidation of Power, 1933
27th Feb, Reichstag Fire, Hitler used this event to prove a communist threat.
28th Feb, 'Decree for the Protection of the Nation and the State': suspended civil rights and freedom
14th July, Law Against the Formation of new parties, SPD and KPD already banned
14th Oct: Reichstag suspended
13th March ?
Changing Government: The end of Democracy
Hitler becomes the supreme commander of the armed forces, given the role of Fuhrer for life
One party State over 800 all belonged to the NSDAP
'Hitler's Orders' are legally binding as a law
Plebicites are to held on single order e.g. whether Hitler should be Fuhrer over 98% voted yes
Gauleiter's replaced Lander
1st May ?
Leading Nazi's
Goebbels: Reich Minister for Propaganda and the Gauleiter of Berlin. He orchistrated Crystal Night 30,000 Jews arrested, 300 dead
Boreman: Head of the Chancelry, controlled domestic government from 1943.
Goring: head of the Airforce and minster behind the four year plan.
Hess: helped to write Mein Kampf
Himmler: lead the SS, controlled racial policy
Germany Rebuilt:
Basic Law; The FRGs constitution, announced in 1949, which guaranteed equal rights regardless of race, gender, political affiliation or religion, freedom of speech and no censorship. It also included articles which could ban parties which undermined the FRGs democratic principals.