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Challenges to the Weimar government from the left and from the right -…
Challenges to the Weimar government from the left and from the right
Right
Did not agree with a liberal and democratic view of Germany and wanted the Kaiser back
Extreme Right wing:
Wanted a strong authoritarian governemnt ruled by a Kaiser
Strongly believed in capitalism and protecting private businesses
Main right-wing party was DNVP (national party)
Hated communists who opposed the Kaiser and mutinied at the end of WW1
Kapp putsch
Causes: The strongest opponents to the treaty of Versailles were soldiers
A. This is because the army was reduced from 650,000 members to 100,000
B. Many soldiers that were demobilised could not adapt and adjust to civilian life
C. Formed their own unit called the Freikorps
Events: Ebert tried to disband two Freikorps units in 1920
A. This angered the Frekorps and revolted and marched to Berlin
B. They declared Wolfgang Kapp as Germany's leader
Extreme nationalist with huge support from army officers
The revolt was called Kapp Putsch because of this
C. Ebert appealed to the public and moved the government out of Berlin
D. Supplies like water, gas and heat were disrupted and the city was unable to function
Forced the public to revolt against Kapp and the Freikorps
E. Kepp fled to Sweden due to being scared and the Freikorps were disbanded. Everything returned to normal
Consequences:
The push was important because it showed the weakness of the German government
It could not protect itself and the public from little military power
It could not maintain and control its own capital
Left
Extreme left wing beliefs:
Wanted workers to have power and believed that everyone was equal
Promoted the interests of workers
main left-wing political party was the KPD (communist party)
Inspired by the russian revolution in 1917, wanted the same to happen in Germany
Spartacist uprising
An attempt was made by the spartacist league (communist party) to make the government communist
On 5th January 1919, they organised the revolt, led by leaders Rosa Louxembourg and Karl Liebknecht
Government found it hard to put this revolt down, befause they had a limited number of troops available due to the treaty
Government turned to Freikorps, which were WW1 veterand which were demobilised
They quickly ended the revolt due to their hate on communism
The communist leaders were shot
Inspired by communists in Russia
General opposition
The first German governments faced a lot of opposition
From Left winged parties
From Right wing parties
From public angered by the signing of the treaty of versailles
From 1919, Germany was governed by a coalition of moderate parties
A. Social democrats (SPD)
B. Democrate (DDP)
C. Center Party (ZP)
This took a decline in 1920, when all three parties only got 45% of the votes combined
Extremist parties such from left wing and right wing won 20% of seats
Caused constant attacks and rivalries between moderate and extremist parties, who wanted more radical changes