Weimar Republic - GCSE GERMANY
- Created by: Mo
- Created on: 08-06-13 16:11
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- Weimar Republic.
- The 4 Weaknesses of the Weimar Republic
- The "Stab in the Back" myth
- What was this? The Weimar surrendered in November 1918, ending WW1. - Surprised Germans since they did not know they were losing the war.
- Impact: Germans blamed Weimar government for surrendering.
- Thought the army could have won the war.
- The Versailles Treaty.
- Land.
- Germany Lost Alsace-Lorraine to France and West Prussia was given to Poland
- Germans felt angry that they lost some of their best agricultural/industrial land
- Germany Lost Alsace-Lorraine to France and West Prussia was given to Poland
- Army
- Germany Banned from having air forces or submarines
- Army cut to 100,000 men
- Was banned from putting soldiers into rhineland
- They felt humiliated because they could not defend themselves.
- Money
- Had to pay £6,000 million reperations
- Germans were angry because their economy was ruined from war, so they could not pay
- Had to pay £6,000 million reperations
- Blame
- Article 231 said that Germany was to blame for causing war.
- Germans Believed the war had been fought in self defence
- Article 231 said that Germany was to blame for causing war.
- Land.
- The Constitution.
- Voting System
- New Parliament was elected using a system called proportional representation
- Encouraged small parties which got small number's of MP's
- New Parliament was elected using a system called proportional representation
- Coalitions
- Because of no political party had enough MP's, two or more parties had to form a coalition
- These coalitions were unstable and broke down due to diverging opinions
- Because of no political party had enough MP's, two or more parties had to form a coalition
- Chancellor
- To become Chancellor required half of the support from Reichstag members
- Very hard to achieve, no political party had enough MP's
- Article 48
- In emergency, this rule gave power to president, to suspend democracy.
- Making law without consulting Reichstag
- In emergency, this rule gave power to president, to suspend democracy.
- Voting System
- Extremist Groups.
- Spartacist Rising 1919
- Communist group.
- Took Over Weimar government's newspaper headquarters.
- Crushed by using army with the help of Freikorps ( Ex soldiers)
- The Kapp putsch 1920
- Freikorps led by Wolfgang Kapp tried to seize power
- Government asked workers to go on strike, making it impossible for Kapp to rule
- Munich Putsch 1923
- Nazi's tried to seize power in Munich
- The Weimar Government crushed them using the army
- Spartacist Rising 1919
- The "Stab in the Back" myth
- Crisis 1.
- What Caused Economic Problems?
- Germany suffered hyperinflation in 1923. Therefore when price of goods go up quickly, money loses its value.
- Reperations: Germany fell behind on the payment
- Ruhr invasion: France and Belgium invaded Ruhr to take coal as payment
- Resistance: Germans in Ruhr refused to work for the French so Coal production stopped:Germany became poorer.
- Government started printing more money. Money lost value. Prices soared - HYPERINFLATION
- What were the effects of Hyperinflation?
- Rich- They avoided Hyperinflation since they still had land which kept its value
- Old people - Pensions became worse
- Debt - Money lost value,debts also became worthless
- Savings: Middle class people with savings suffered worse since the savings became worthless
- Stresemann PARTLY solved crisis by:
- Dawes plan: Took a huge loan from USA in 1924 to build up industry
- However. Left Germany dangerously dependant on US loans
- Reichsmark: Got rid of the worthless money and introduced New currency
- Income: Income remained very low and unemployment stayed high
- Passive Resistance - called it off so Ruhr became to produce weatlh again
- Dawes plan: Took a huge loan from USA in 1924 to build up industry
- What Caused Economic Problems?
- Crisis : The Munich Putsch 1923
- What Happened During the Munich Putsch?
- Stresemann called off Passive Resistance - Nazi's saw this as giving in to the French.
- Therefore tried overthrowing the Weimar Government in an armed Uprising ( A Putsch)
- Hitler addressed businessmen in the Munich Beer Hall.
- Ludendorff, an army war hero joined hitler. Hitler hoped this would make the army support his putsch
- Von Kahr, leader of Bavarian goverment was forced at gunpoint to support Putsch
- Later went back on his word and told government about HITLER'S plans.
- Hitler and Nazis marched through centre of munich the following day
- Under instructions the army fired at the Nazis. Several were injured and the Putsch failed
- Stresemann called off Passive Resistance - Nazi's saw this as giving in to the French.
- This PARTLY solved the problem
- Hitler was injured and the leaders of the Putsch were jailed
- Hitler gained fame and publicity at trial and won the support of judges and the public
- Hitlers time in jail was Comfortable where he wrote his best-selling book of his idea's - "Mein Kampf"
- Failure of Putsch made Hitler change tactics, from trying to seize power to winning power in elections
- Injuries suffered by Nazi's could be used as Propaganda, representing their will to die for their country
- What Happened During the Munich Putsch?
- The 4 Weaknesses of the Weimar Republic
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