Edexcel GCSE History - The Weimar Republic (1918-1929)

How did Germany become a republic

the Kaiser Abdicated on the 9th November to restore order to Germany and the republic was announced on the same day

How was control established in 1919

The leader of the SPD suspended the old reichstag and named six politicians to form a council of peoples representatives until a new constitution could be agreed

What was the National Assembly

A temporary government which was meant to build the constitution
Moderate paries gained most of the seats
(SPD 40%
ZP 20%)

Weaknesses of the Constituiton

Proportional representation meant that it was hard to form a government without coalitions

The lack of strong coalition free governments meant it was hard to pass laws and led to chancellors relying on Article 48

Key Terms of the Treaty of versailles

Army reduced to 100k men
All overseas colonies Lost
Rhineland demilitarised
Teritorrial conscessions to the French Danish Belgians and Polish in Europe
£6.6 Billion in reparations to be paid to the allies

Impact of the treaty of Versailles

• Germany faced Carthiginian peace

  • The economy of the Weimar repulic was heavily weakened so that it would not be able to start another war

• The politicians who signed the armistice were known as the “November criminals“

What is the Dolchstoss theory

many Germans believed that the army hadnt been defeated and had been given a stab in the back (Dolchstoss) by politicians

The threat of the Extremist Left

Extremist left wing groups wished for Germany to be controlled by the people, opposed the capitalist economic system and wanted to abolish private ownership of land
They mainly supported the KPD (Kommunistische Partei Deutschland)

The threat of the Extremist Right

Extremist right wing parties wished for a return to a strong form of government with a strong army headed by a powerful leader like the kaiser
They mainly supported the DNVP (Deutschnationale Volkspartei)

The Spartacist revolt

• 5th of January 1919 thousands of workers took to the street in protest over the sacking of a popular police chief

• They called for an uprising and general strike on the 6th and the Government began to lose control of the capital

• Ebert turned to the Freikorps to put down the uprising

• The freikorps were former members of the army who were mainly right wing

• The leaders of the revolt Karl Liebnecht and Rosa Luxemburg were shot

kapp putsch

• In 1920 Ebert attempted to disband the Freikorps as he was struggling to control them

• Fearing unemployment They turned against the Government

• The government, now unable to control the Freikorps and with the military refusing to attack. pleaded with the workers of berlin to go on strike

challenges in 1923

• The French occupation of the Ruhr after germany missed a payment

• Hyperinflation due to shortages and the government printing too much money

effects of hyperinflation

• Importig became impossible as foreign suppliers refused to accept german marks

• people’s savings became useless

• some shops refused cash and only took payment in kind

Recovery under stresseman

• new currency Rentenmark tied to Germany’s gold reseves (november 1923)

• Dawes plan reduced reps to 50 million a year and american banks gave loans to german businesses (april 1924)

• Young plan reduced total reps from £6.6 billion to £2 billion and germany given 59 more years to pay

Locarno Pact

• between germany britain france italy and belgium

• germany agrees to 1919 border with france

• germany agrees to rhineland demilitarisation

• germany treated as an equal

League of nations + kellogg-briand pact

• Germany added to LoN council

• K-B pact signed by germany and 61 other countries which states that they wouldn't use war to achieve foreign policy

changes in the standard of living

• unemployment dropped by 700k between 1926 and 1928

• purchasing power of wages rose by 25% while working hours dropped by 4 hours

• from 1925 to 1929 private companies built 37000 homes while new building associations built 64000 homes

changes for women in weimar

• women were given the right to vote and by 1932 112 women had been elected to the reichstag

• women who worked the same jobs as men were paid 33% less but between 1925 and 1932 there were 2500 more female doctors

• “new women”expressed their independence through their behaviour

Cultural changes in Weimar

• Expressionist art that was critical of society

• Bauhaus school of design influencing architechture

• 3800 sound cinemas by 1932