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The Weimar Republic and its early problems - Coggle Diagram
The Weimar Republic and its early problems
key terms
Republic
A country that has a president or committee rather than a monarch as head of state and in which power rests in the hands of the people through their elected representatives
Abdicate
When a monarch gives up the throne.
Armistice
Agreement that stops the fighting in a war.
Communists
Those that support a political philosophy that adheres to the notion of a classless society based on public ownership of property, business and industry.
Nationalists
A person who wants a strong country that puts its national interests above others.
Freikorps
Ex-soldiers who refused to give up their weapons and used violence on the streets of Germany to further their political aims.
Putsch
uprising
Constitution
A written statement of principles that govern a state.
Coalition
A government made up of different political parties.
War Guilt
A clause in the treaty said that Germany had to accept the blame for starting the war.
November Criminal
November criminals are those who supported the Weimar Republic mainly socialists, Catholics, democrats as they were thought to be responsible for the treaty of Versailles.
Reparations
Payments that were made to the Allies to pay for the damage caused by Germany during the war.
Hyperinflation
Extreme inflation, when prices rise very quickly.
Passive Resistance
The use of peaceful means to resist power or authority.
key dates
1871 - German unification
1888 - Kaiser becomes Emperor of Germany
1914 - WW1 begins
1918 - WW1 ends
1918 - Kaiser abdicated
1919 - January - Free elections in Germany
1919- February - Ebert becomes President
1919 - New German constitution
June 1919 - Treaty of Versailles
Jan. 1919 - Spartacist Uprising
Mar. 1920 - Kapp Putsch
Jan. 1923 - French occupation of the Ruhr
1923 - Hyperinflation crisis
basic facts
1. Kaiser Wilhelm II controlled the government and had extensive powers.
2. By 1918 the German people were suffering war weariness.
2. When Germany surrendered in November 1918, the Kaiser fled.
3. A new constitution made Germany very democratic.
4. The new government faced political chaos and was further damaged by the Treaty of Versailles.
5. Germany faced major economic problems from 1919 to 1923 including hyperinflation.
challanges of the weimar republic
political threats
Left-wing
Spartacist Uprising (1919).
Right-wing
Kapp Putsch (1920) led by Wolfgang Kapp — stopped by general strike.
Munich Putsch (1923) led by Adolf Hitler — failed; Hitler imprisoned and lead to him writing Mein Kampf.
economic crisis
France occupied the Ruhr after missed reparations.
Government ordered passive resistance.
Printed money → hyperinflation.
By Nov 1923: 1 US dollar = 4.2 trillion marks.
Middle classes lost savings.