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Summary Development of Dictatorship: Germany 1918–45
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Causes of the German Revolution: Weimar constitution: Treaty of Versailles: Germans response:- Food shortages due to low domestic - Guaranteed freedom of speech, - France wanted Germany to pay for 1. Harsh (not allowed to attend
production and allies imposed a naval religion and equality the damage they had caused in the negotiations)
blockade to prevent the import of food - Parliamentary democracy France and lives lost 2. Unable to refuse otherwise
- German people asked for the Kaiser to - Head of the government = president - Britain promised the people in his Allies would restart the war
abdicate as they blamed him for the (elected every seven years) election speech that he’d squeeze 3. Reluctantly signed calling it
countries defeat after WW1 - Weimar republic consisted of 18 states the Germans lemon until the pips “shameful diktat”
- Ordinary Germans set up the ‘workers each state had its own parliament, squeaky’ 4. Politicians who signed the
councils’ rather than accepting the passed its own laws and ran its own - USA (Woodrow Wilson - president) treaty were branded ‘November
authority of the Kaiser's officials police force wanted to avoid a future war and criminals’
give a less severe punishment
Importance of the abdication of Wilhelm II: Weimar republic weaknesses: From 1919 Germany was governed by a
- Wilhelm abdicated due to German 1. Political discord - parliamentary system 1. Germany lost 13% of it’s European coalition of moderate parties
government under pressure to end the war clashed with left/right views after WW1 territory - Social democrats
- The armistice was signed WW1 ended which brought the end of the German - 50% iron reserves - Democrats
- New constitution ‘the republic’ was formed Empire - 15% coal reserves - Centre party
2. Constitutional weakness - Weimar - 11 colonies
Strengths of the Weimar constitution: constitution is flawed due to its 1920’s - decline in support for moderate
- Democracy proportional representation 2. Accept the blame for starting the parties, after the election they only has
- Over 20’s can vote 3. Economical hardship - Treaty of war 45% of seats in the Reistag, 20% won by
- German citizens can vote (elect the Versailles and hyperinflation 3. Pay reparations £6,600 million to extremist groups
president & reistag) 4. Social/cultural weaknesses economic the allies
- Freedom of speech hardship of the Weimar years 4. German military forces were
- Equality contributed to extreme and desperate reduced
behaviours, such as prostitution - No tanks
Weakness of the Weimar Constitution: 5. Unstable government - No air force
- Article 48 - No submarines
- In an emergency the president German opinion on the War and their - Navy limitations
could take control and issue punishment: - (6 battleships, 12
laws - Forced into the war, all of the countries destroyers, 12 torpedo
- Proportional representation involved should have been punished boats)
- Extremist parties won seats - Allies should allow new government - Army limitations
- Unstable government, no time to restore stability - (100,000 men)
individual party had a majority, - Germans expected treaty to be based
two or more parties could form a on President USA Woodrow Wilson’s
coalition 14 points to avoid harsh punishment
- Different parties, different views and revenge
- Series of short term governments that - Kaiser had to abdicated therefore now
were unable to effectively address German the government should not be
problems as a nation, caused resentment punished
amongst the general public
, Understand the unrest in germany after WW1: Understand the events and Left - wing political parties Right - wing political parties
- Treaty of Versailles consequences of the Spartacist ● 1917 overthrows of the Tsar ● Did not approve of “liberal and democratic’ way of
- Germans thought they could have won uprising (left wing) and the Kapp poverty and discontent in Europe governing the country and wanted a powerful ruler
the war, they disagreed with the signing Putsch (right wing) brought opportunity to spread like the Kaiser
of the armistice communism ● People with influential positions (army leaders and
- New government ● Rosa Luxemburg and Karl 1. Workers should hold political judges) shared this new:
- Rise of radicalism Liebknecht assassinated by power, everyone should be 1. Wanted a strong authoritarian government
- Difficult to stop revolts because of the the Freikorps treated equal 2. Believed in capitalism & protecting the interest of
Treaty of Versailles - limiting the troops ● Freikorps hated communism 2. Workers should own their land private businesses and land owners
the German army ● Freikorps marched into Berlin and businesses themselves 3. Main party: national party (DNVP) dislike
declaring doctor Wolfgang communists and those that opposed the Kaiser
- Demobilised - soldiers sent 3. Main party: communist party
back to Germany after the Kapp as Germany’s new (KPD) which was inspired by the
leader Strength of the Ruhr:
war russian revolution of 1917 ● German government gain temporary popularity as
- Freikorps - 250,000 ex - ● Kapp was an extreme
it resisted France and provided “strike pay” for
soldiers refused to give up nationalist
workers involved in “passive resistance”
their weapons ● German army refused to stop Effects of the invasion of the Ruhr; ● United the German nation against invading
- Ex - soldiers unable to adjust to civilian Freikorps as they sympathised Jan 1923 - Belgian + French invaded the France and Belgium
life with aims of the Kapp Putsch Ruhr (Germans production of iron, steel and
- By 1918 Germany was close to ● Kapp Putsch showed coal) Negatives of the Ruhr:
bankruptcy due to the Treaty of government had little military ● German government unable to ● Made German economy even worse loss of
Versailles and WW1 power and it was the support take military action. Therefore income from coal, iron and steel
- Reparations to pay of the people that kept Ebert’s German workers went on strike. ● The government was forced to print money
- Income (coal and iron gone) government in power “Passive resistance” and stopped German enter a period of hyperinflation
- 1922 - Germany was unable to pay producing goods. Some used
reparations payments, The French Ebert - tried to disband Freikorps units … sabotage and arson to damage Causes of hyperinflation in Germany:
- Was forced to appeal to the ● Most countries link the value of their bank notes to
retaliated factories and mines
people for support … gold e.g ten million marks in circulation = 10
- Invasion of the Ruhr ● Occupation was profitable to
million worth of gold in banks
- Hyperinflation france and Belgium. They stayed ● Government printed money
- Millions of middle - class ● Moved the government out of until July 1925 Dawes plan was ● During WW1 - cost of war
Germans thrown into poverty Berlin signed ● Pay back reparations - TOV
- Weimar republic is blamed, ● Encourage the people to go on ● After the invasion of Ruhr - pay workers
there's a danger of the strike Benefit of hyperinflation: employments benefits
government being ● Gas, water and electricity were ● Loans and mortgages could be
overthrown disrupted by strikes and Berlin paid off because the value of the Effects of hyperinflation in Germany:
was unable to function loan had fallen ● Fall of the mark led to rapid price increase (called
Hyperinflation: extreme inflation prices rise ● Kapp did not have the support ● People who owned possessions Hyperinflation)
very quickly he needed to govern Germany such as land or buildings were ● Hyperinflation forced millions of Germans into
Putsch: uprising so he fled to Sweden, the protected as their possessions poverty
Nationalist: a person that wants a strong government returned to Berlin rose with inflation ● Income becomes worthless
country and puts national interest first and Freikorps disbanded ● Farmers profited as they could ● Insurance policies and savings wiped out
● People in work did not suffer as much as their
sell their products at higher price
wages rose as well
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