Weimer Republic

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  • Created by: Rachel
  • Created on: 22-04-08 18:44

Why was the Weimar Republic weak?

  • People disliked the politicians- they were seen as November Criminals (signed armistice 1918), and agreed to Treaty of Versailles. Bother of these treaties were deeply unpopular with the German public who found them a) unfair and b) surprising as many ahd though Germany was winning the war (Stabbed in the back theory)
  • It was a new system- Germany had never been a republic before, so people were unsure of the idea, and how exactly to run the new Government
  • The system was weak- the Weimar Gov. was often a coalition givernment as no single party ever gained a large majority. This weakened it considerably.
  • The situation was terrible- reparations crippled Germany, the people were unhappy and there was lots of opposition to the new Gov in the form of the various uprisings eg Kapp Putsch...
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Spartacist Revolt

  • January 1919
  • Spartacist Revolt led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht
  • Members of the Sparticist League = supporters of communism
  • Unsuccessful- Freikorps helped to break up the revolt
  • Both leaders were captured and executed
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Kapp Putsch

  • 1920
  • Freikorps= ex-army militia, right wing
  • Ebert tried to break up the Freikorps according to the requirements of the Treaty of Versailles
  • Wolfgang Kapp led the Freikorps in a take over bid, and they proclaimed him the new leader of Germany
  • Government called for a general strike
  • Eventual Kapp had to flee as the strike continued
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Munich / Beerhall Putsch

  • 1923
  • Nazi Party take over bid led by Hitler
  • Hitler tried to pressurise Munich politicians into supporting him by interrupting a meeting in the Munich Beerhall
  • However, when he marched on Munich he was not supported by the army and the people as he had expected
  • A few Nazis were killed and Hitler was arrested along with his collaborators
  • Hitler put on trial - made lots of speeches- great for publicity
  • Sentenced to 5 years in jail- stayed only 8 months
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Invasion of the Ruhr

  • 1923
  • French and Belgian troops marched into the Ruhr- (industrial area of Germany, producing coal, iron and steel)
  • Why? - Germany had not been paying their reparations, so they decided to take the money in the form of industrial products
  • Government called for a strike in the Ruhr- workers were paid to stop work
  • Government printed more money to pay strikers- led to hyperinflation
  • Hitler took advantage of the weak state of Germany by staging the Munich Putsch
  • Troops withdrew in 1925 after Stresseman called off "passive resistance" and started paying reparations again
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Stresemann

  • Seen as one of Germany's most able politicians
  • Came to power as chancellor in 1923 and introduced the Rentenmark, helping to solve the problem of hyperinflation
  • Led Germany into the "Golden Age" of the Weimar Republic
  • Worked as Foreign Minister
  • 1924- Negotiated DAWES PLAN = reduced amount of reparations Germany had to pay
  • 1929- Negotiated YOUNG PLAN = further reductions in reparations and a longer time in which to pay them
  • Stresemann died in 1929, before the Wall Street Crash
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