PROBLEMS OF THE GERMAN WEIMAR GOVERNMENT 1919 - 1923Source:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/germany/weimarproblemsrev1.shtml

• The Weimar Republic faced opposition from the outset in 1919, after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. Economic hardship affected the whole nation and led to uprisings and assassinations.

Key Problems• The Weimar Republic was created at a time of confusion

and chaos after Germany had lost the First World War. Many people felt that Germany had received a very harsh deal in the Treaty of Versailles and they resented the government for signing it and agreeing to its conditions.

• The Weimar Republic faced violent uprisings from various groups, not to mention devastating economic problems.

• Germany between 1918 and 1919 was in chaos. People were starving, the Kaiser had fled and people hated the government for signing the armistice in November 1918 - they called them the November criminals. Bands of soldiers called Freikorps refused to disband and formed private armies. It was not a good start for the Republic.

There was continuous violence and unrest:

• In March 1920, there was a rebellion - the Kapp Putsch - that aimed to set up a new government as the rebels were angry at them for signing the Treaty of Versailles.

• Nationalist terror groups assassinated 356 government politicians.

• Many of the people in Germany were communists, who wanted to bring in a Russian-style communist government. There were a number of communist uprisings. For instance, in 1919 the Spartacists rebelled in Berlin.

The Kapp Putsch March (1920)

The Weimar government's main crisis occurred in 1923, when the Germans failed to make a reparations payment on time, which set off a train of events that included:

• a French invasion of the Ruhr

• a general strike• runaway inflation -

hyperinflation• a number of communist

rebellions• an attempted Nazi putsch

in Munich

Violence in the Weimar Republic

• In Jan 1919, 50,000 Spartacists rebelled in Berlin, led by the Communists Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Leibknecht.

• In 1919, communist workers' councils seized power all over Germany, and a Communist People's Government took power in Bavaria.

• March 1920, the right-wing nationalist Dr Wolfgang Kapp took over Berlin. The army refused to attack him; he was only defeated when the workers of Berlin went on strike.

Violence in the Weimar Republic

• In 1920, after the failure of the Kapp Putsch, a Communist paramilitary group called the Red Army rebelled in the Ruhr.

• Nationalist terrorists assassinated 356 government politicians, including Walter Rathenau, the foreign minister, and Matthias Erzberger who had been finance minister. The judges, many of whom preferred the Kaiser's government, consistently gave these terrorists light sentences, or let them go free.

Revision Tip and Answer PreparationRevision tip• Familiarise yourself with the facts by listing all the problems, then decide

whether the problem was political - to do with how the country was governed, or/and economic - to do with money and work.

• You must revise this in conjunction with the next section on the 1923 crisis.

Answer preparation• As part of your revision, think about the arguments and facts you would

use to explain:• What were the main problems faced by the Weimar Republic in the period 1919-23?• Why the Weimar Republic was in danger of collapse, 1919-23.• How great was the danger of collapse facing the Weimar republic, 1919-23.• Which of the Weimar government's problems were a result of losing the First World

War.• Which of the Weimar government's problems were caused by anger about theTreaty

of Versailles.

PROBLEMS OF THE WEIMAR GOVERNMENT

1919-1923Check-up Test

Problems of the Weimar Government Check-up Test

1. Which of these statements was not true of Germany in January 1919?• The Kaiser had fled to Holland.• The government signed the

armistice to end the war.• People were eating wild berries.

2. Who were the November Criminals?• Poor people who were rioting and

looting.• Government ministers who signed

the armistice.• The army generals who had taken

Germany into the war and sent so many young men to their deaths.

Problems of the Weimar Government Check-up Test

3. What was the name of the bands of soldiers who refused to disband and formed private right-wing armies?• Friekorps• Freecorps• Freikorps

4. Who led an uprising against the government in 1920 as they held them responsible for signing the Treaty of Versailles?• Rosa Luxemburg & Karl Liebknecht• Matthias Erzberger• Wolfgang Kapp

Problems of the Weimar Government Check-up Test

5. What name was given to the communists who rebelled in 1919?• Spartacists• Spartans• Spartacus

6. Which state did communists take over for a time in 1919?• Ruhr• Bavaria• Munich

Problems of the Weimar Government Check-up Test

7. Why did the Kapp Putsch succeed at first?• The army refused to attack him.• The workers of Berlin went on

strike.• The politicians stabbed him in the

back.

8. How many government politicians were assassinated by right-wing terrorist groups?• 356• 365• 1920

Problems of the Weimar Government Check-up Test

9. Which of these politicians was not assassinated by right-wing terrorists?• Matthias Erzberger• Walter Rathenau• Friedrich Ebert

10. Why were right-wing terrorists able to do so much harm to the government?• The Kaiser supported them.• The judges supported them.• The army supported them.

Problems of the Weimar Government Check-up Test• 1.• Which of these statements was not true of Germany in January

1919?• The Kaiser had fled to Holland.• The government signed the armistice to end the war.• People were eating wild berries.• 2.• Who were the November Criminals?• Poor people who were rioting and looting.• Government ministers who signed the armistice.• The army generals who had taken Germany into the war and sent

so many young men to their deaths.• 3.• What was the name of the bands of soldiers who refused to

disband and formed private right-wing armies?• Friekorps• Freecorps• Freikorps• 4.• Who led an uprising against the government in 1920 as they held

them responsible for signing the Treaty of Versailles?• Rosa Luxemburg & Karl Liebknecht• Matthias Erzberger• Wolfgang Kapp• 5.• What name was given to the communists who rebelled in 1919?• Spartacists• Spartans• Spartacus

• 6.• Which state did communists take over for a time in 1919?• Ruhr• Bavaria• Munich• 7.• Why did the Kapp Putsch succeed at first?• The army refused to attack him.• The workers of Berlin went on strike.• The politicians stabbed him in the back.• 8.• How many government politicians were assassinated by

right-wing terrorist groups?• 356• 365• 1920• 9.• Which of these politicians was not assassinated by right-

wing terrorists?• Matthias Erzberger• Walter Rathenau• Friedrich Ebert• 10.• Why were right-wing terrorists able to do so much harm to

the government?• The Kaiser supported them.• The judges supported them.• The army supported them.