History - Weimar Germany - Flashcards in GCSE History

11th November 1918

Ceasefire

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6th January 1919

Spartacists, who believed Germany should be ruled by a small council of soldiers and workers, tried to take over Berlin. Defeated by the friekorps, a group of ex-soldiers

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Ebert’s problems with Germany

Germany lost the war, they had economic problems, Germans were starving, Germany was more divided than ever, unused to democracy, Berlin was dangerous as some did not want democracy

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Article 48

President can rule alone in some circumstances

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Article 231

The war guilt clause - Germany blamed for WWI

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November criminals

Weimar politicians blamed for agreeing ceasefire

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June 1919

Treaty of Versailles - war guilt clause, £6.6 billion in reparations, army limited to 100,000, lost land in empire

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Reparations

£6.6 billion to be paid in yearly instalments for the next 66 years. 1922, Germany could not afford the payment.

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Ruhr Invasion

January 1923
In response to the missed payment, French and Belgian troops invaded the Ruhr to take goods as payment. They took over mines, railways, steel works and factories

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Passive Resistance

Government ordered workers to refuse to work or cooperate with the French and Belgian troops. Workers were still paid.

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Hyperinflation

June 1923. Government was in debt and prices were rising. They printed money to pay striking workers. Winners - businessmen, landowners, farmers. Losers -people on fixed incomes, people with savings (their money became worthless)

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Munich Putsch

November 1923. Nazis attempted to overthrow Weimar in streets of Munich. Hitler imprisoned for 9 months but became a public figure & realised he needed to win power democratically

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Stresemann's solution to Hyperinflation

Stopped the printing of money and replaced it with a temporary currency called the Rentenmark. Germans accepted the new currency but those who lost savings never got their money back and blamed Weimar

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Dawes Plan

September 1924. Arrangement for USA to lend 800 million gold marks to Germany. A repayment schedule was agreed

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Young Plan

1929. Stresemann negotiated reparations down from £6.6 billion to £1.8 billion and Germany was given longer to pay it.

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Stresemann's solution to Loss of Status

1925, Germany signed the Locarno Pact with Britain, France, Belgium & Italy and promised not to invade each other. 1926, Germany joined the League of Nations. 1928, Germany signed the Kellogg-Briand Pact, where the countries agreed not to go to war unless

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Stresemann's use of loans

As well as paying reparations, stresemann used money from the Dawes plan to build factories, houses, schools and roads, creating more jobs

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Problems remaining in the 1920s

Many political parties lead to coalitions, extreme parties were a threat to the Reichstag, many Germans still in economic trouble, all growth relied on American loans.

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Marlene Dietrich

Strong, bisexual actress, with modern ideas and ideals. Starred in the film Blue Angel

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All Quiet On The Western Front

A popular anti-war novel that sold 1/2 million copies in 3 months

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Otto Dix

Believed art should show the reality of Weimar society and brutality of war and make people think

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Theatre

Left-wing play by Kurt Weill and Bertholt Brecht, attacks wealth and inequality, makes fun of authority.

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Liberal

Relating to a political and social philosophy that promotes individual rights, democracy, and free enterprise

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'Dancing on a volcano'

Stresemann believed Germany was too reliant on American loans and that their economy would collapse if the loans were called in

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October 1929

Wall Street Crash - overproduction, US not selling much in Europe as many countries became self-sufficient after WWI. Many people saw businessmen making money in shares, so they bought shares with loans they couldn't repay. More shares on stock market=low

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Groups suffering from Wall Street Crash

Businessmen - their businesses closed, young people- 1933, over 50% of 16-30 year olds were unemployed, farmers- crop prices had fallen since 1925, in 1930s, farmers were in debt, factory workers- some lost jobs, some had their wages cut

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Great Depression

Rise of unemployment, businesses bankrupt, loss of faith in Weimar, homelessness, poverty, hunger, American banks demanded money, support for extreme political parties.

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Factors for the Rise of the Nazis

The depression and loss of support for Weimar - extreme parties became appealing. Hitter was charismatic, a good speech maker and gave Germany hope. Many wealthy people feared Communism, and funded Nazi propaganda. The SA had thousands of members. Goebbel

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Hitler's beliefs

Germany should have one strong leader - the Germans liked the autocracy of the Kaiser. Believed the Aryan race was superior. Wanted to get rid of Communism, ignore ToV, rebuild army and invade Eastern Europe

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Bruning

Became chancellor in 1930. Struggled to improve the economy and tried to introduce laws to give land belonging to the rich to the poor. This angered Hindenburg, who replaced him with von Papen

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Hindenburg

Pressured into appointing hitter as chancellor in January 1933. He signed the enabling act, allowing Hitler to make decisions without the Reichstag's or the President's approval

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von Papen

Held secret meetings with Hitler after being made chancellor in November 1932 & made a secret political deal; Hitler would be chancellor and he would be vice chancellor.
He persuaded Hindenburg that Hitler could be controlled and should be chancellor

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von Schleicher

Persuaded Hindenburg to replace Von Papen with himself as chancellor in November 1932. He made secret deals with businessmen and wanted to replace Hindenburg as President.
He was unreliable and the Germans did not trust him

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The Reichstag Fire

27th February 1933. Reichstag burned to the ground. Fire blamed on a young communist - van der Lubbe. Hitler claimed it was a communist plot to overthrow the country. He had communists and communist newspapers banned and many arrested

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February 1933

As the new chancellor, Hitler arranged for a new election in March 1933

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28th February 1933

Hitler asks Hindenburg to pass 'Protection Law' giving Hitler the power to deal with Germany's problems

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March 1933

'Protection of the people and the state' law is passed, banning communists from election, putting 4000 in prison, and banning communist newspapers.

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23 March 1933

Using fear of communism, Hitler persuades Centre party to join Nazis so they have a majority. He forces Reichstag to sign 'Enabling Act', allowing him to make laws alone

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7 April 1933

Hitler creates Gestapo and first concentration camp (for political opposition) at Dachau

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2 May 1933

All Trade Unions are banned

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13 July 1933

Hitler bans all other political parties

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Night of Long Knives

Ernst Rohm wanted to merge 400,000 SA with 100,000 with Rohm as leader. Hitler felt threatened; between 30 June and 2 July at the urging of Himmler, Rohm and other Nazis were arrested, 400 executed. Established Germany as a Police State.

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Consequences of the Night of Long Knives

Hitler agreed to respect the rights of the army, army agreed to support Hitler. ** grew in power.
Hitler grew in confidence. 3 July 1934, law passed making his actions on NoLK legal. Showed he was ruthless, intimidated opponents. Von Papen arrested and re

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History - Weimar Germany

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