Weimar Constitution

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What were the strengths of the democracy in Germany 1919?
All Germans had equal right (including to vote), proportional representation allowed political parties the number of seats in relation to votes, strong President kept control over the government, ,each state kept some control over their own affairs.
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What were the weaknesses of the democracy in Germany 1919?
The Republic had many enemies (not sensible to give equal rights to someone who wanted to destroy it), PR encouraged lots of small parties and coalitions, President had too much power and could become dictator, states could try to take over the gov't
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The President:
Elected every 7 years, Article 48 was an emergency article where he could make laws without going to the Reichstag, he appointed the Chancellor.
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The Chancellor:
Appointed from the Reichstag by the Chancellor. Had to be supported by a majority of the Reichstag.
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The Reichstag:
PR: parties got the same proportion of seats as proportion of votes.
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The German people:
All adults could vote; all have equal rights.
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The states:
The states kept their own governments, but with reduced powers. National laws could overrule state laws.
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What is proportional representation?
Where a party receives the same proportion of seats as proportion of votes. This led to many small parties getting seats so there would be very few strong parties. It also lead to constant coalitions.
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What was the social impact of the war on Germany by 1918?
Huge gaps between the living standards of the rich and the poor. German workers were bitter at the restrictions placed on their earnings during the war while the factory owners made vast fortunes.
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How were women impacted by the war on Germany by 1918? (social)
During the war women were called up to work in the factories. Many people saw this as damaging to traditional family values and society as a whole.
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What was the economic impact of the war on Germany by 1918?
National income was 1/3 of what it had been in 1913. By 1925 around 1/3 of the budget was spent on war pensions. Industrial production was around 2/3s of what it had been in 1913.
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What was the political impact of the war on Germany by 1918?
Germany had a revolution and became an unstable democratic republic. Stresses of the wed to a revolution in Oct-Nov '18. Many ex-soldiers and civilians despised new democratic leaders + believed that Hindenburg was betrayed by weak politicians.
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Why was Weimar doomed from the start?
It inherited the mess of the war, social, political and economic impacts. It was associated with the Treaty of Versailles.
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What occurred in January 1919?
The Sparticist Revolt was an attempted Communist Revolution in Germany. Ebert used right-wing freikorps to crush it.
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What was the effect of the Sparticist Revolt?
The use of the freikorps simply increased the influence of the conservative, traditional elements in Germany, and made the new democracy just appear weak. It perpetuated the influence of the 'old' Germany in the government.
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What did the elections in 1919 lead to?
The formation of the Weimar 'Great Coalition' which was dominated by the SPD (Ebert was President and Scheidemann was Chancellor). The new government met in Weimar (Berlin was too dangerous - revolution) and drew up a new constitution.
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What happened with the new constitution for the republic was drawn up (1919)?
It was very democratic and it offered great levels of freedom- possible too much in the circumstances (fresh out of war, used to have the Kaiser). Article 48 offered an opportunity for dictatorship and in PR there was a risk of weak coalition gov't.
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What did the Weimar Constitution have to accept in 1919?
The Treaty of Versailles. It was a deep humiliation and it removed key industrial areas from their control and saddled them up with a huge reparations bill.
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What did many right-winged people view the signing of the Treaty of Versailles as?
A great insult to German pride. They blamed Weimar and democracy- this played into the Nazis hands later.
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Who were the leaders of the Spartacists?
Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg
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Why were there right-wing threats to Weimar?
Weimar inherited right-winged Germans. Many of the right-wing despised the 'weak' parliamentary democracy. They felt it had betrayed German values, signed a humiliating peace and encouraged Communist revolts to break out.
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Why were the right-winged Germans very influential?
Some were represented in the Reichstag, some ran State governments, the army, judiciary and civil service were all right-wing. The Freikorps were armed right-wingers.
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The Kapp Putsch:
1920: Versailles ordered military cuts. Ebert decided to start with disbanding the freikorps. The freikorps were furious and marched on Berlin. The army refused to stop them.
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How was the Kapp Putsch quashed?
The ordinary people of Berlin didn't want the freikorps to succeed. They went of strike and the freikorp revolt collapsed as the city was grinding to a halt.
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Why did the Kapp Putsch show how weak Weimar was?
As it's very existence shows how weak Weimar is and even though they disbanded many turned themselves into murder squads. There were 354 assassinations by right-wingers up to 1922 (326 went unpunished).
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What happened in the elections '20?
The SPD lost many many seats and there was a swing to the right (e.g. DNVP). A new minority coalition government was formed. This resigned when the final reparations amount was set by the Allies in 1921.
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What did the government in '20 aim for?
A policy of fulfilment by cooperating with the Allies. One set of reparations was paid, but Germany couldn't pay anymore. Right-wingers in Germany became even more enraged by fulfilment!
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What were the coalition governments like?
In theory, they would bring unity. From 1919-1923 there were 6 governments and the longest lived only lasted 18 months. Creating and maintaining coalitions was extremely hard at the best of times. People perceived democracy as weak.
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What was Germany's economic situation like?
It was in crisis after the war. Inflation was growing and Weimar made this worse by printing more money.
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What was the Crisis of 1923?
Reparations were set at £6.6 billion. In 1923 Germany failed to make the payments. The French & Belgium invaded the Ruhr district to seize assets. The gov't orders passive resistance, meaning NO productions. This makes Germany poorer.
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What's the result of the Crisis in 1923?
Hyperinflation. Prices spiral out of control by the hour and savings become worthless. The mittelstand had the hardest hit. Price of bread in 1918: 1 mark, price of bread in 1923: 200,000,000,000 marks. Political crisis is a result (Munich Putsch)
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What happens in August 1923?
Gustav Stresemann becomes Chancellor. He calls off passive resistance, promises to pay reparations, introduces a new currency and as a consequence stabilises the currency and gets the French and Belgium to leave. In 1924 he negotiates the Dawes Plan.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What were the weaknesses of the democracy in Germany 1919?

Back

The Republic had many enemies (not sensible to give equal rights to someone who wanted to destroy it), PR encouraged lots of small parties and coalitions, President had too much power and could become dictator, states could try to take over the gov't

Card 3

Front

The President:

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

The Chancellor:

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

The Reichstag:

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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