This document includes revision notes regarding Theme 1 of the Germany and West Germany module for History A Level. The well-organised notes include the political and governmental changes in Germany throughout 1918-89, from a consistent grade A student. The concise notes can be used as a good revis...
WHY DID THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC SURMOUNT SO MANY POLITICAL CHANGES IN THE
1920’s ONLY TO COLLAPSE BY 1933?
*the fact that they experienced so many political challenges is WHY they collapsed*
WHAT WAS THE CHALLENGE? - Creation of a Republic 1918-1919:
1) MAX VON BADEN’S GOVERNMENT: 8th Nov. 1918
- Prince Max who asked the Allies for an armistice on 3rd Oct. 1918 + creation of a new gov.
- Known as the ‘revolution from above’.
- Vote extended to all men, rather than just those over 25.
- Army + ministers were made responsible to the government, rather than to the King = helped to
introduce the idea of democracy.
2) COUNCIL OF PEOPLE’S REPRESENTATIVES: 10th Nov. 1918
- Ebert’s left-wing coalition gov. = made up of socialist groups in the Reichstag.
- Most significant were the Social Democrats (SPD) = Friedrich Ebert + Independent Social Democrats
(USPD) = Hugo Haase.
- Ebert became chancellor.
- Social reforms = 8 hour working day, independent trade unions, ex-soldier were given help, widened
health + unemployment benefits.
3) THE SPARTACIST REVOLT: January 1919
- Led by Rosa Luxemburg + Karl Liebknecht = wanted a revolution similar to the Russian revolution.
- KPD formed December 1918.
- Uprising broke out in Berlin = 50,000 person demonstration taking over a workers’ strike.
FAILURE/ PROBLEMS FACED?
1) -Significant changes were made BUT unrest + talks of revolution continued.
-28th Oct. 1918 = government inauguration day + the navy refused to sail against the British fleet = set off
strikes across Germany.
-Issue = many things stayed the same = Germany was still at war + the Kaiser still ruled = caused public
discontent = unpopular support for the government.
-Spartacists wanted a revolution like that in Russia = radical unpopular support for the government.
2) -Faced the same unrest + talks of revolution as Prince Max’s government.
-Had no support from the smaller parties because they couldn’t even reach an agreement themselves:
-Conflict between SPD + USPD in terms of policies = USPD were more radical = Haase had a more power-
hungry mindset vs. Ebert’s desires to resolve governments internal issues.
E.G. Haase wanted to start social + economic reforms immediately + wanted nothing to do with the army.
Ebert wanted to arrange elections + reform the National Assembly (job = to write the constitution).
3) - Caused fears of a communist uprising + the ‘Red Plague’ spreading.
-Demonstration was poorly organised + some left early = reduced the impact + legitimacy of the threat.
-Too violent = people didn’t even want to join = discontent amongst demonstrators.
WHAT WAS THE GOVERNMENT RESPONSE?
1) -Prince Max = urged Kaiser to abdicate = solve the domestic turmoil from the masses ^ = Kaiser refused.
-Trigger for Kaiser abdicating = 8th Nov. = Bavaria broke from Germany + declared itself as a republic =
showed the Kaiser his empire was breaking up = 9th Nov. Kaiser abdicated + fled to Holland.
-Result = Prince Max was forced to resign his government = only lasted a month = shows democracy as
weak = Germany who were coming out of WWI as weak too = didn’t surmount any political challenge as
Prince Max didn’t attempt to resolve the issue of his government falling apart, instead he accepted Bavaria
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