The Weimar republic (1918-23) Flashcards
When did the Kaiser abdicate?
1918
What did Friedrich Ebert do after the Kaiser’s abdication?
Set up a new government called the Weimar republic
Straight off the bat, what were the problems with the Weimar republic?
- There were too many parties which meant the people were confused with who to vote for (proportional representation)
- Too many parties meant that no party ever got the majority and coalition governments had to be formed
Why are coalition governments often unstable?
Decisions are hard to make because parties that join together want different things and so there are difficulties getting laws passed.
Why was the new government set up in Weimar?
It was too dangerous to make a declaration in Berlin where there had just been a revolt by the spartacists
What were the Spartacists and who were it’s leaders?
A left-wing communist party led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknect
What was the Spartacist uprising and when did it happen?
January 1919: An attempt to overthrow Ebert’s government and initiate a communist revolution in Germany.
How did Ebert’s government deal with the Spartacist uprising?
He called upon opposing right-wing group the Freikorps to defeat the Spartacists.
How was the Weimar republic’s weakness shown through the Spartacist uprising?
It showed that Ebert’s government couldn’t deal with the political violence alone and had to rely on the Freikorps to stay in power.
When was the Treaty of Versailles agreed?
June 1919
Give two features of the Treaty of Versailles.
Any two of the below:
- War guilt clause
- Demilitarised, army not to exceed 100,000
- Lost 10% of it’s land
- Reparation fees
How did the Treaty of Versailles put strain on the Weimar republic? (Give two details)
Weimar politicians were blamed for signing the treaty and reparations caused major economic problems
When were reparations set and how much?
1921, 6.6 billion
What happened in March 1920?
The Kapp putsch
What was the Kapp Putsch?
The Friekorp right-wing rebellion in Berlin
