[0] Weimar Republic and Constitution

Who were the November Criminals?

Members of the Social-Democrats that signed the armistice in 1918

What was the stab in the back theory

The army had been stabbed in the back by those that signed the armistice and had agreed to the Treaty of Versailles

Which group of people joined violent protest groups after WW1?

Returning demobilised soldiers

Who was the President of Germany in 1919-1923?

Friedrich Ebert

Who was the leader of Germany before their abdication in November 1918?

Kaiser Wilhelm II

Describe the Kiel Mutiny.

• In October 1919, German naval command ordered a final attack in the North Sea.

• Sailors in Kiel saw it as a suicide mission and mutinied

• Their mutiny sparked a wider rebellion, spreading to other ports and cities

• Workers joined in, forming political councils demanding reform.

• The unrest led to the abdication of kaiser Wilhelm II and other German royals

Which political party was Friedrich Ebert the leader of?

The Social Democrats (SPD)

What role did General Wilhelm Groener have during WW1

The head of the War Office

What was the Ebert-Groener Pact

The army agreed to support the government, and in return the government promised to support the army

Who signed the Armistice with the Allied Powers?

Matthias Erzberger

When was the armistice signed

11th November 1918

Identify 4 features of the Weimar Constitution

• President

• Chancellor

• Reichstag

• The German People

When did new Reichstag elects take place

19th January 1919

Which voting system was used in the elections under the Weimar Republic

Proportional Representation

Identify two strengths of the Weimar Republic

• It was democratic as everyone over the age of 20 could vote, including women.

• Every German citizen had freedom of speech, freedom of religion and equity before the law

• The president was elected every 7 years which provided stability and continuity

Identify two weaknesses of the Weimar Republic

• Due to proportional representation, lots of small parties got into parliament, which made it hard to agree on decisions and form strong governments

• Article 48 - This part of the constitution let the president rule without parliament in an emergency, which could be abused and helped weaken democracy

When was the Treaty of Versailles signed?

28th June 1919

What was the Treaty of Versailles commonly referred to as?

Diktat (a dictated peace)

Which Article of the treaty said that Germany was to blame for causing war?

231

How much did Germany have to pay in reparations?

£6.6 billion which is 132 billion gold marks