Rise of Nazi Germany and Weaknesses of the Weimar Republic

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the weaknesses of the Weimar Republic, the impact of the Treaty of Versailles and Great Depression, and Hitler's legal and violent path to supreme power.

Weimar Republic

The democratic government set up in Germany in 1919 by the Social Democrat Party (SPD) following the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm at the end of the First World War.

Reichstag

The German parliament whose representatives were elected every 4 years by voters over the age of 20; required to approve policies and laws proposed by the Chancellor.

Reichsrat

The legislative body consisting of 55 representatives from 18 German states that could not create laws but could approve laws proposed by the Chancellor and Reichstag.

Weimar Constitution Structure

The political system established in February 1919, featuring an elected President, a Chancellor needing majority Reichstag support, a Reichsrat, and proportional representation.

Friedrich Ebert

The leader of the Social Democrat Party (SPD) who served as the first President and Head of State of the Weimar Republic starting in 1919.

General Paul von Hindenburg

The second President of the Weimar Republic, who held powers under Article 48, appointed Adolf Hitler as Chancellor on 30 January 1933, and passed away in August 1934.

Proportional Representation

An electoral system where seats in the Reichstag were allocated in direct proportion to the percentage of votes a party received, leading to weak coalition governments and representation for small fringe parties.

Article 48

A emergency clause in the Weimar Constitution that allowed the President to suspend the constitution, rule by decree, and pass laws directly without consulting the Reichstag.

Stab-in-the-Back Myth

The political myth alleging that the German army was not defeated on the battlefield in World War I, but was betrayed ('stabbed in the back') by politicians who signed the November 1918 armistice.

Treaty of Versailles

The June 1919 peace treaty that imposed heavy financial reparations, territorial losses, and military restrictions on Germany, causing widespread public anger and humiliation.

Occupation of the Ruhr

The January 1923 invasion of Germany's primary industrial region by 60,000 French and Belgian troops to seize raw materials and factories after Germany fell behind on reparation payments.

Passive Resistance

The non-violent strike policy ordered by the Weimar government encouraging German workers in the Ruhr to refuse cooperation with occupying French and Belgian troops.

Hyperinflation (1923)

An economic collapse triggered when the German government printed massive quantities of banknotes to pay striking workers, causing money to lose its value so drastically that notes were used as fuel.

Munich Beer Hall Putsch

Hitler's failed armed attempt to overthrow the German government in 1923, which convinced him to abandon violent seizure of power in favor of gaining control legally through elections.

Social Darwinism (Nazi Ideology)

The pseudo-scientific belief in 'survival of the fittest' applied to human races, positioning Aryans as the master race and treating other races, particularly Jews, as inferior.

Anti-Semitism

Prejudice, discrimination, and hatred directed against Jewish people, rooted in the Nazi belief that Jewish people were defiling German blood.

Lebensraum

The Nazi ideological concept of acquiring 'living space' for the German people through territorial expansion into Poland and Russia.

Anschluss

The political union between Germany and Austria, which was a core goal of Nazi foreign policy and expansionism.

Sturmabteilung (SA)

The paramilitary force ('Stormtroopers' or 'Brownshirts') led by Ernst Rohm that used violence, terror, and street-level intimidation against political opponents of the Nazi Party.

Schutzstaffel (SS)

The elite paramilitary organization ('Blackshirts') led by Heinrich Himmler that functioned as Hitler's personal bodyguard and enforced internal party discipline.

Hitler Youth

An organization established by the Nazi Party in the 1920s to indoctrinate young Germans and build political support among the youth.

Wall Street Crash of 1929

The major stock market collapse in the United States that sparked the Great Depression, leading to the sudden withdrawal of American loans and investments from Germany.

Dawes Plan

An economic program that provided American financial loans to Germany, creating a heavy financial reliance on the United States that left Germany vulnerable during the 1929 crash.

Heinrich Bruning

The Weimar Chancellor appointed in 1930 who bypassed parliament using Article 48 decrees to implement unpopular austerity measures, cutting wages and welfare spending.

Franz von Papen

A right-wing Conservative politician who served as Chancellor in 1932 and later convinced Hindenburg to appoint Hitler as Chancellor on 30 January 1933, assuming he could control him.

Kurt von Schleicher

A former army general who served briefly as German Chancellor in December 1932 before being forced out of office due to a political deal brokered between Hitler and von Papen.

Reichstag Fire (27 February 1933)

An arson attack on the parliament building that Hitler falsely blamed on a communist conspiracy, prompting President Hindenburg to declare a state of emergency.

Reichstag Fire Decree

An emergency decree signed by Hindenburg in February 1933 that suspended civil liberties, suppressed opposition media, and allowed police to arrest 4,000 communists.

The Enabling Act (24 March 1933)

A constitutional amendment passed by 444 to 94 votes in the Reichstag that granted Hitler dictatorial authority to enact laws without parliament or presidential approval.

Gleichschaltung

The process of 'Co-ordination' following the Enabling Act, during which all state institutions, local councils, and public bodies were systematically brought under total Nazi control.

Night of the Long Knives (29–30 June 1934)

A violent purge in which the SS executed Ernst Rohm and approximately 400 SA leaders and political opponents, securing the loyalty of the traditional German army.

Fuehrer

The title meaning 'Supreme Leader' assumed by Hitler on 2 August 1934 upon Hindenburg's death, combining the roles of President and Chancellor and requiring soldiers to swear a personal allegiance oath.