What were the main features of the Weimar constitution?
A president elected every seven years, proportional representation, universal suffrage over the age of 20, article 48
1 of 29
What was article 48?
Allowed the president to bypass the Reichstag in an emergency
2 of 29
What were the weaknesses of the constitution?
Proportion representation led to minority's parties, extremist parties did not support it, the president could a use his power, distribution of power led to slow progress
3 of 29
What was the legacy of WW1?
Weimar was always linked to the 'November criminals', the signing of the treaty. The stab in the back myth was perpetrated against the govt
4 of 29
What was the public's view of democracy?
There was not a great love for democracy, in 1920 pro-Weimar parties only got 45% of the vote
5 of 29
What was the problem with the old regime?
It persited. The elites sometimes undermined democracy, for example Hitler only served nine months of a five year sentance thanks to the military elites.
6 of 29
When was the Spartacist uprising?
1919
7 of 29
What was the Spartacist uprising?
An attempted communist revolution, which invoked three days of bitter street fighting before being stopped by the army and the Freikorps
8 of 29
When was the Bavarian socialist republic declared?
1919
9 of 29
What happened during the Bavarian socialist uprising?
Bavaria declared itself a communist state, but the first government collapsed in four days. A second govt came, but before any reforms could be issued, the Freikorps beat them down
10 of 29
When was the Kapp Putsch?
1920
11 of 29
What was the Kapp Putsch?
Kapp and followers angry at the Freikrops being disbanded, sized control of Berlin. Ebert organised a general strike and the country was paralysed. Kappa govt fled after four days
12 of 29
When was the Munich Bier Hall Putsch?
1923
13 of 29
What was the Munich Bier Hall Putsch?
Hitler occupied a bier hall calling for a national revolution, with Hindenburg's support. However some elites the Hilter was counting on told the police and Hilter was jailed. He served only nine months of a five year sentance.
14 of 29
When was hyperinflation?
1923
15 of 29
What were the long term causes of hyperinflation?
German has extreme war debts; 84% of the war bill had been borrowed. They had spent far too much for far too long.
16 of 29
What were the medium term causes of hyperinflation?
Reparations crippled Germany as they had to be paid in hard currency. Welfare costs were high, they had less industrial land
17 of 29
What were the shirt term causes of hyperinflation?
The French occupied the Ruhr as Germany was behind in reparations. The Gemrnas practiced passive resistance and the economy was paralysed
18 of 29
What did Ebert do to help Germany?
He called for a general strike souring the Kapp putsch, he used article 48 to control situations
19 of 29
What did Stresemann do to help Germany?
He called of passive resistance, he negotiated the Dawes and Young plans, securing an American loan and prolonging reparations time limits, he negotiated a new currnecy
20 of 29
What were positive developments in politics in the golden years?
There were more stable governments, Müllers grand coalition, 76% supported pro-Weimar parities, the nazis only got 2.6% of the vote in 1928
21 of 29
What were negative developments in politics in the golden years?
Parties still unwilling to work together, seven governments in the years 1923 - 1929, a quarter of the populations still supported extremist parties
22 of 29
What were the positive economic developments in the golden years?
By 1928, production equaled that of 1913, national income was 12% higher than 1913, wages rose every year between 1924 and 1930
23 of 29
What were the negative economic developments in the golden years?
There was an agricultural recession from 1927, unemployment never fell below 1.3 million, heavily dependant on the USA
24 of 29
What was the Dawes Plan?
Secured and American investment for Germany to help pay for reparations
25 of 29
What was the Young Plan?
Increased the time limit for reparations to 59 years and made yearly payments less
26 of 29
When was Germany admitted into the League of Nations?
1926
27 of 29
When did the Ruhr crisis end?
1925
28 of 29
What was culture like in the golden years?
More liberal, women and gay people had better lives. Some people say decadent
29 of 29
Other cards in this set
Card 2
Front
What was article 48?
Back
Allowed the president to bypass the Reichstag in an emergency
Comments
No comments have yet been made