KNOWLEDGE ORGANISER: Germany in Transition 1919-39 (Unit 2) Key Question 1: What challenges were faced by the Weimar Republic from 1919 to 1923? Timeline of events FACT : In 1919 £1 was worth 35 Kaiser abdicated; Germany German marks; by November 1923 became a Republic Spartacist Uprising Kapp Putsch Munich Putsch it was worth 1,680,000,000,000,000 German marks! 1918 9th Nov 1919 Jan 1920 Mar 1923 8th-9th Nov 1918 11th Nov 1919 Jun 1923 Jan Fighting in First World War Treaty of Versailles signed French occupation of the ended by armistice Ruhr and hyperinflation Key words Kaiser emperor when a monarch leaves Abdication Important concept Feminism and the Women’s IMPORTANT EVENT : The the throne Liberation Movement Treaty of Versailles The Weimar Republic was the German a country without a King Republic government after the Kaiser had 1. Sparticists 1919: LAND: Germany lost or a Queen abdicated in November 1918 - • led by Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg • 13 per cent of its land Armistice an agreement to end war • It was democratically elected by a • aimed to make Germany a communist country like • 6 million citizens system of proportional representation Russia • Alsace-Lorraine to France President runs the country (e.g. 10% of the vote = 10% of the • formed the German Communist Party (KPD). seats). • Polish Corridor to Poland in charge of the Chancellor • The President was elected for 7 years • called a general strike and took control of important • Saarland to League of Nations control. government and selected a Chancellor to form the buildings in Berlin MILITARY : limited to German parliament, government. • the Reichswehr (Army) and Freikorps (demobilised Reichstag • 100,000 soldiers makes laws • The Chancellor was the political leader soldiers) ended the rebellion • no tanks, heavy guns, aircraft or most likely to get laws passed by the • Sparticist leaders were captured and executed president can ignore the Article 48 submarines Reichstag in an emergency Reichstag. • 3,000 people died in the uprising. • ships of less than 10,000 tons • The Reichstag was made up of 2. Kapp Putsch 1920: rules about how a country Constitution regularly elected representatives. • no troops in the Rhineland. is governed • the Berlin Freikorps refused to be disbanded after • Article 48 of the Weimar Constitution FINANCE: agreed to pay money as the Sparticist uprising political parties working gave the President the power to make reparations of £6600 million Coalition • aimed to create right-wing government with together in a government laws without consulting the Reichstag FORBIDDEN: in an emergency. Wolfgang Kapp as Chancellor • uniting with Austria • the Reichswehr (Army) in Berlin supported Kapp • joining the League of Nations. • the Weimar government moved out of Berlin BLAME : Article 231 (of 440) • President Ebert called on workers to go on strike so the Putsch collapsed. KNOWLEDGE ORGANISER: Germany in Transition 1919-39 (Unit 2) Key Question 1: What challenges were faced by the Weimar Republic from 1919 to 1923? IMPORTANT EVENTS : 1919-1920 IMPORTANT EVENTS : 1923 Reasons for important events 1. Sparticists 1919: 1. Hyperinflation 1. Why people opposed the Weimar Republic: • led by Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg • By 1923 German currency was worthless. • left wing opponents wanted Germany to become Communist • aimed to make Germany a communist country like Russia • Food prices rose which was good for farmers but • right wing opponents wanted a strong leader (fuhrer) • formed the German Communist Party (KPD). people had to barter or poach for food. • proportional representation meant Germany had coalition • called a general strike and took control of important • Savers and pensioners lost all their money. governments which some people thought were too weak. buildings in Berlin • Businesses could not afford to pay their workers. 2. Why people hated the Treaty of Versailles • the Reichswehr (Army) and Freikorps (demobilised soldiers) • Extreme political groups like the Nazis blamed the ended the rebellion government. Some believed that: • Sparticist leaders were captured and executed • Germany was not the only country to blame for the war 2. Munich Putsch 1923 • 3,000 people died in the uprising. • Germany had not lost the war and the leaders of the Republic • Hitler and 600 Nazis forced Von Kahr (Bavarian chief had betrayed Germany (“the stab in the back”) 2. Kapp Putsch 1920: minister) to support their takeover of the government • Germany was being forced to pay more than it could afford • the Berlin Freikorps refused to be disbanded after the in Berlin. Sparticist uprising • The Allies wanted to humiliate Germany. • Von Kahr told the police who attacked and arrested • aimed to create right-wing government with Wolfgang Kapp the Nazis 3. Why hyperinflation happened as Chancellor • 16 Nazis and 4 policemen were killed. • The German government had to print more money to make • the Reichswehr (Army) in Berlin supported Kapp • Hitler was put on trial and the Nazi Party was banned. reparation payments to France, Belgium and the UK. • the Weimar government moved out of Berlin • The French needed the money to pay their American debts. • President Ebert called on workers to go on strike so the • The French invaded the Ruhr in 1923 to take their payments Putsch collapsed. directly from German factories and mines. • German workers refused to work. .