Weimar germany

Proportional representation

A voting system where political parties gain seats in the legislature in proportion to the number of votes they receive.

Coalition governments

Governments formed by multiple political parties that must cooperate to achieve a majority.

Article 48

President overrule the reichstag and pass policies

Bill of rights

Freedom of speech and right to be protected under law

Voting rights

Men and women can vote at age twenty one

Communists + nationalists

Due to proportional representation , they had 20% of seats in the reichstag each

Reparations

Compensation demanded from a defeated nation, in this case, Germany was required to pay £6.6 billion.

Loss of colonies

Alsace and Lorraine were lost to France. And posen and west prussia were lost to poland

Reduction of military

Army was limited one hundred thousand and rhineland was demilitarized

The armstice

Stated that germany had surrender and led to article 231

Diktat

A harsh penalty or dictate imposed without negotiation.

November criminals

Term used to describe the leaders who signed the Treaty of Versailles.

Dolchstoss

Literally 'stab in the back,' referring to the belief that the German army had not been defeated in WWI but betrayed by politicians.

Freikorps

Paramilitary organizations composed of WWI veterans, opposed to the leftist movements.

Passive resistance

A non-violent way of protesting against an occupying force.

Hyperinflation

A situation where prices increase rapidly as a currency loses its value.

Dawes Plan

A plan to reduce German reparations to £50 mill and US would loan $25 bn to German businesses

Young Plan

Agreed that total reparations were reduced from six point six billion pounds to 2 billion pounds , and germany was given fifty nine years to pay

Bauhaus Movement

An influential artistic movement that emphasized simplicity, functionality, and the integration of art and technology.

Locarno Pact

An agreement where Germany accepted its new borders with France and promised peace.

Reichstag

The German parliament, which became a mix of political parties.

Article 231

The clause in the Treaty of Versailles that placed the blame of WWI on Germany.

KPD

German communist party established in 1918

Emil Eichorn

A popular police chief that was sacked sacked causing the sparticus revolt

General strike

Workers refused to do their jobs

Rosa Luxemburg + Karl leibknecht

Communist leaders killed on sixteenth of january 1919

Freikorps disbandment

Sparked the Kapp putsch

March on berlin

Due to eberts decision, they turn against the Republic. And five thousand march on berlin

Reichswehr

They chose not to fire on friekorps as they worked together

Wolfgang kapp

A nationalist politician put forward to be leader

Stuttgart

Government fled to the city during putch

4 day conflict

Conflict lasted four days till kapp fled

Ruhr

Contained most of Germanies industries

Reparations

In december 1922 germany struggled to keep up with reparation payments to france

Treaty of versailles

Germany had to pay the allies six point six billion pounds

French response (to unpaid reparations)

They hired their own workers to work in the factories and arrested anyone who obstructed them

Germanies limited army

Germany's military was restricted to 1 hundred thousand due to the treaty of versailles , so they couldn't fight off france

Taxes

Due to the amount of unemployment in the Period of hyper Inflation workers couldn't be taxed

Printing money (during hyperinflation)

Government tried to print more money to reduce inflation, but made it worse.

Loaf of bread

A loaf of bread that cost two hundred and fifty marks in january 1923 cost two hundred billion in november

Normal living (during hyperinflation)

Was impossible as people had to carry money in wheelbarrows and shops were raided regularly.

Foreign trade

Shut off due to hyperinflation

People with loans (benefited or not?)

They were benefited as they didn't have to pay them back due to the banks shutting down

Streismann

Foreign secretary (1923-1929) and Chancellor (Aug-Nov 1923)

Rentenmark

A new currency tied to the value of gold. That's later renamed the reichsmark

Reaction to Streismanns plans

Extreme parties weren't happy that germany would be left in debt for longer

League of nations

Germany was given a place on the league of nation's panel in September 1926

Changes in work

German women could work

Changes in housing

By 1928, the housing shortage was easing

Unemployment insurance act

Act of 1927 charging three percent tax on workers so sickness and Unemployment benefits can be given

War veterans

War veterans received financial help under 1920 reich pension law.

Women's social life

Women were now free to divorce and not have kids

Modernism

Idea that art should also be about the future

Expressionism

Idea that art should show thoughts and freedom

New genres of film

Sci-fi films released

Changes in nightlife (golden years)

Alot more vibrant+vulgar

Otto dix

Show the real harsh conditions for veterans during the golden years

Marlene dietrich

Became a worldwide star through acting