Political Problems of the Weimar Republic The Kapp Putsch (1920) When - March 1920 a right wing supporting politician Wolfgang Kapp gathered around 5000 men, mainly ex-soldiers and took over the capital, Berlin. The Spartacist Uprising – 1919 Why - Kapp was angry at the fact that the Weimar government no longer needed When – Jan. 1919. The Spartacists were communists who believed that support from his right wing group, the Friekorps (Free Corps). The Freikorps were used workers should rule. They were trying to take over Germany violently. by the government to attack (and kill) Communist supporters. Why – The Spartacists wanted to copy the revolution that had What happened - The Weimar government fled Berlin but Kapp didn’t have the support happened in Russia. They believed that WW1 had made the workers of the workers who went on strike meaning the city grinded to a halt. motivated enough to create a communist country. Result—After only 100 hours after succeeding Kapp fled abroad and the Weimar What happened – The Spartacists captured key buildings and government returned. occupied Berlin for 3 days. The government left for the safety of a small town called Weimar. As there was no army to stop the Uprising, the government asked the Free Corps (Freikorps) to stop the The Munich Putsch (1923) Spartacists. After 3 days of street battles, the Freikorps were When - November 1923, Hitler and the Nazis tried to seize control of the Bavarian successful and the leaders of the Spartacists, Rosa Luxembourg and government in southern Germany. Karl Liebknecht, were executed. Why - Hitler promised to overturn the Treaty of Versailles, destroy communism and Result – The government had given the political right wing power and restore Germany to greatness. influence. How - He planned on capturing Munich and marching to Berlin. The Nazis had forced a key Bavarian politician, von Kahr to support their plans at gunpoint, as soon as von Kahr was released he told the authorities of Hitler’s plans. What happened - As Hitler and about 2000 supporters marched through Munich they Red Rising in the Ruhr (1920) were met by armed police. Three policemen and 16 Nazis died in a short gun battle. When - March 1920—after the Kapp Putsch, 50,000 left wing Result - Hitler and General Ludendorff (a First World War General who the Nazis workers (Communist supporters) in an industrial area of Germany planned to make leader of Germany) were arrested and sent to prison. called the Ruhr, stayed on strike. What happened - They took over several towns in the region This question will be worth 12 marks – so spend 20 mins on it forcing the ruling authorities to flee. The question will be phrased something like this: Q6. Which of the following was the more important reason why Hitler became dictator? Result - The government sent soldiers and some loyal Freikorps • Bullying and violent behaviour units to deal with the rebellion. Over 1000 workers were killed in • Luck? the fighting. Explain your answer with reference to both bullet-points. (12 marks) Describe (what is it?) Answering ‘Germany’ DEAD For each bullet- Explain (why was it important?) good answer questions Assess (this is all about its impact on the topic in question) point Decide in a conclusion on which was more important. You can often find links between them to work this out.