Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Topic 1 The establishment of the Weimar Republic and its early problems.,…
Topic 1 The establishment of the Weimar Republic and its early problems.
The strengths and weaknesses of the new Republic and its constitution
weakness
due to the war germany was politily dovided and econmicly damaged. which meant for the new goverment to work polititans and other powerfull people would have to work to gether however there was a lack of commitment to do this
Proportional Representation
Seats in the Reichstag matched % of votes
Fairer than “first past the post” (more parties represented)
Advantages
Every vote counted
Wider representation of parties
Disadvantages
Many small & extremist parties gained seats
No single party majority → needed coalitions
Impact
Coalitions often unstable and broke down
Frequent short-lived governments
Ineffective decision-making
Public lost trust in politicians
The system of proportional representation meant that people needed to work together and cooperate. Unfortunately, Germany had no experience running a country in this way
Chancellors of the Weimar Republic, 1919-23
many chanclors found that there days in office came to a suden end when a coalition failed
addicatoin of the Kaiser
the german revolutoin
the war caused terrible suffering among the german people for example food shortages around the contry due to a lack of domestic productoin.
this lead the sailors to mutiny and soldiers and workes to establish councles
the kaisers abdication
on the 9 november 1918 the Kaiser finally accepted that he could not rule. the next day he fled to holland the next day were he lived in exile.
on the same day there was a new republic was set up and a new chancolor took over, friedrich ebert on the 11 november agreed with the allies on a aerisitist
The Weimar Republic
the new form of german dimocrace that did not involve a Kaiser
the weimar constitution garentied people freedom of speech and freedm of religoin. men and women that were over the age of 20 were given that right to vote. which set up parliamentary democracy. the head of the goverment was the chancollor who was apointed by president
The challenges facing the new Weimar Republic
non territorial terms of the treaty
germany had to pay reparations of 136000 milion marks to the allies
german military was forces to cut down to 6 battle ships, 6 cruisers, 12 destroyers and 12 torpedo boat
germany had to accept blame for the war - war guilt
Germany expected punishment but hoped for fair treatment
Many Germans believed all countries shared blame
Allies might want Germany to recover and stay stable
Woodrow Wilson supported a fair peace
Created the Fourteen Points
Warned harsh terms could lead to revenge in future
Kaiser had abdicated → Germany now a democracy
treaty of Versailles
Land Losses
Alsace-Lorraine → France
Eupen & Malmedy → Belgium
Posen & West Prussia → Poland
Upper Silesia → partly Poland (vote)
Northern Schleswig → Denmark (vote)
Danzig → international city (not German)
Germany’s Reaction to the Treaty
Germany was shocked by how harsh the Treaty of Versailles was
Not allowed to attend negotiations → felt unfairly treated
Initially refused to sign
Allies threatened to restart the war
Germany was too weak to fight → forced to sign
Article 231 – War Guilt Clause
Germany had to accept full blame for WWI
Germans strongly resented this
Believed all countries shared responsibility
Public Anger & Political Impact
Many Germans angry government accepted the treaty
Felt Germany was being deliberately weakened
Politicians who signed = “November Criminals”
New government became unpopular and unstable
“Stab-in-the-Back” Myth
Belief Germany was betrayed by its own leaders, not defeated in war
Led to:
Hatred of politicians
Attempts to undermine democracy
Some politicians assassinated
opositoin form left and right
the right wing did not approve of the new liberal and democratic way of governing and wanted it to go back to a goverment with one powerfull figer
left wing actoin in russia caused a revolutoin.this lead to people seeing the poverty in eurpoe as a chance to spread comunisum
left and right wing uprisings
right wing
the kapp putsch march 1920
lead by Wolfgang Kapp and General Walther von Lüttwitz
left wing
spartacist uprising on jan 5 1919
lead by rosa Luxemburg and Karl liebnecht
The French invasion and the occupation of the Ruhr
Germany’s Economic Problems (Post-WWI)
By 1918, Germany close to bankruptcy after World War I
Treaty of Versailles made things worse:
Forced to pay reparations
Lost industrial areas (e.g. Silesia, Saar)
By 1922, Germany missed payments
Invasion of the Ruhr (1923)
France & Belgium invaded Ruhr
Goal: take resources (coal, steel) instead of money
German government response:
Encouraged passive resistance (strikes, no cooperation)
Workers stopped production → economy worsened
Some sabotage + violence occurred
Effects of the Ruhr Invasion
Short-term:
Increased national unity
Boost in patriotism
Long-term:
Economy became much worse
Government lost income from Ruhr
Had to print more money
Hyperinflation (1923)
Hyperinflation = prices rise very fast
Caused by printing too much money
Money lost value → prices skyrocketed
Savings became worthless
Causes of Hyperinflation
Government income too low (1919–23)
Printed money to:
Pay for WWI
Pay reparations
Pay striking workers in Ruhr
More money in circulation = currency value drops
Impact on Germany
German mark value collapsed
Everyday goods became unaffordable
Economy in crisis
End of the Ruhr Crisis
France benefited from resources
Troops stayed until 1925
Withdrawal after Dawes Plan
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 Criminals
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
After World War I ended, Allies began planning a peace treaty
Allies rejected “forgive and forget”
Georges Clemenceau (France):
Wanted Germany to pay for damage
Wanted Germany weakened militarily
David Lloyd George (Britain):
Wanted to avoid future war
But also punish Germany
Promised voters to be tough (“squeeze the German lemon”)
.