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Modern World |
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Essential information: |
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1. A difficult start |
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a) Many had suffered during the war. They were also furious at the loss of war. Many Germans believed that they could have won the war and that they lost as a result of the actions of the new government. The November Criminals, Stab in the back therefore the new government was unpopular from the start. |
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b) Germany had no tradition of democracy; the people were use to strong leaders such as Bismark and the Kaiser. The German people were not ready for democracy. |
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2) The Weimar Constitution: |
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a) Governments were to be elected by proportional representation. This meant that most governments would be made out of 2 or more parties (coalitions) as a result the governments were weaker. |
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b) Because of PR there were lots of governments and many changes. |
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c) There was very little stability and continuity in ideas and policy. |
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3) Divisions in Germany |
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a) Lots of political division in Germany between left and right. |
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b) There were extremists on the left and right such as the Spartacists and Nazis who both were against democracy. |
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c) Extremists were getting a lot of support. |
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4) The Treaty of Versailles |
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a) Germany had ended the war in the belief that the peace treaty would be moderate. |
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b) The treaty was tough on Germany and Weimar was blamed for it. |
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c) Germany was blamed for the war. (Article 231) |
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d) Military restrictions – air force disbanded, army limited to 100,000 men, Rhineland was to be demilitarised for 15 years. |
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e) Territorial losses – land was given to Poland, Belgium, Denmark and German colonies were given to Britain and France. |
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f) Germany had to pay £6,600 million in reparations. |
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5) Extremists attacks |
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a) Spartacist rebellion of 1919 (Karl Leibknecht and Rosa Luxemburg, the use of Freikorps) |
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b) Kapp putsch |
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c) Hitler’s failed Munich putsch 1923 |
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6) The Crisis of 1923 |
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a) Germany failed to keep up with reparations |
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b) Belgium and France invaded the Ruhr (a mining region) |
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c) The German government paid mineworkers to strike by printing money (passive resistance) |
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d) German currency began to crash in value, Hyperinflation. |
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Hitler’s Munich Putsch |
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Revision Questions: |
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1) Why was 1919 – 1923 a period of crisis for Germany? |
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2) Which was the biggest problem that Germany faced in this period? |
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3) Find out about and explain a) Spartacist rebellion, b) Kapp putsch and c) Munich putsch |
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4) Why was there a crisis in 1923? |
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5) List the weaknesses of the Weimar Republic. |
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6) Rank the weaknesses. The biggest weakness = 1 |
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