Ger. became a
democracy,
cerimonial
Kaiser, Ersatz
Kaiser
Prince Max
von Baden
became
chancellor
socialist
and
centre
party
ministers
appointed
Pressure from
allies and in Ger
fro the Kaiser's
abdication
Transition?
8th August 1918-
'the black day for
the German
Army'- Ludendorff
Economic defeat
$37,000,000,000
Home front demoralised
The November Revolution
Scheer breakout
plan
Nota:
Sailors mutinied and
raised red flag of
socialism showed the movement towars left wing politics
Sailors mutinied and
raised red flag of
socialism
9th November 1918
SPD called a stike n Berlin
Prince Max announced
abdication of Kaiser
Chancellorship handed to
Fredrich Ebert (SPD), 6 man
socialist interim government
Groener (Army) withdrew
supporrt for the Kaiser
10th November
Ebert Groener pact, secret deal with army
The Armistice
Ebert's new socialist
government signed armistice
11th November 1918
Many in the army and right
wing refused to believe that
the army had been defeated
Der Dolstoss
Nota:
Stab in the back myth, many in the
army encouraged the belief that the
army had been betrayed by; Socialists,
pacifists and Communists, some Jews
were also blamed for the signing of the
Armistice
The Constitution
'A set of rules that
dictate how a
government should run
a country.'
Feb. 1919
Nota:
national assembly drew up a new constitution for Ger.
weimar as Berlin wasnt safe due to spartacists
January !9th
Elections to a constituent assembly
Nota:
Women allowed to vote
SPD largest share but no majority.
Ebert elected by Assembly as the first President of the Republic.
Phillip Scheidemann (SPD) made chancellor in a coaltion government with the centre and democratic parties.
Workers' Sailors soldiers Rate handed over power to the Assembly.
New Constitution should break
with Germany's autocratic
trditions
Problems for Ebert
Nota:
Debt
hunger- allied blockade
flu epidemic
uprepared public for military defeat.
demobilisation.
lw hostility.
rate
rw hostility.
freikorps
separist movements.
Spartacist
revolt
Spartacist League
Nota:
hard line Marxis comitted to worker's revolution
Nov. 1918
debate
SPD wanted a soviet
state
Spartacits wanted a Soviet state
Jan 1919
Anti- government protests
Nota:
Seized government buildings and declared the other throw of the govt.
Weimar Republic
Strenghts
individual rights
Nota:
Education.
President Control
Army
Reichtag
States
Citizens had welfare provisions
Constitution was democratic and
progressive
Regular elections
Weaknesses
Ebert Groener Pact
meant a lot of elites
still in Power
Key social and dministrative
members were unchanged.
Nota:
many of who were unhappy within the democratic republic.
Threat from a Communist revolt.
Unreformed army
Nota:
still right wing.
Treaty of Versailles
June 1919
Terms of the Treaty
Reparations
Article 231
War guilt
1921
£6.6.billion.
Disarmament
No air force
Rhineland becomes De-militarised
All heavy weapons
100,000 men army
15,000 men Navy
Dismantle forts
War Guilt
Pay reparations
Hand over railway
Article 231
Ship fleet
Territory East
Nota:
Loosing so much land meant that Germany's once powerful country now looked pitiful.
Memel taken by
Lithuania
Polish Corridor
Posen
West Prussia
Pomerrania
70,000 km2 was lost
Diktat
Imposed on Germany
Nota:
Germany didn't have a say on the terms
Territory West
Nota:
Loosing so much land meant that Germany's once powerful country now looked pitiful.
Belgium
Eupen and Malmedy
Ger. lost
75% of Iron core
68% of zinc
ore
15% of arable land
France
Alsace- Lorrane
Denmark
North Schleshlig
Holsteli
Reactions
Horror and Disbelief
majority of Germans
Nota:
Until 1914, Ger. was a great military power- shock caused they were convinced they were going to win WW1.
GER. propoganda misled the public on the state of the war.
Civillians were humiliated by the result.
Territorial Changes
Nota:
Wilson stressed the importance of National self determination.
People who lived in West Prussia were now in Ger.
the Ger. people felt that they had been decieved by Wilson.
War Guilt clause
Nota:
Seen as a humiliation.
Most Germans believed that they were forced into a 'just war.' and when had to accept the guilt for the war it seemed they were being forced to admit false blame.
Reparations
Nota:
Significant anger.
the amount was high.
didn't accept war guilt which justified the reparations.
They felt that ger. economy would be crippled if they had to pay the reparations.
Occupation and
foreign control
raised friction
Nota:
french control of saarland
outlawed of nationalist group.
germans were agrivated by the occupatin by the French.
Disarmament
Nota:
Germany had to de-militarise itself.
the civilians felt that their once proud nation was being weakened therefore they resented this change.
Scheidermann
Resigned
German honor.
Nota:
if he had signed the treaty then he would've been disgracing German honor due to the large reparations and de-militarisation.
Bauer signed the treaty
Being
realistic
Wasn't a chance of German winning any future conflict
Political groups
Pro- Republican parties (Zentrum, SPD, DDP)
Tried to negotiate terms
Political Demoralisation.
Asked their opponents to state that the SPD weren't being upatriotic.
Use supporters
Right wing parties (DNVP and extreme nationalist
groups).
Resentment
Revolutionist Groups
Labelled the government as the 'November criminals.'
Stab in the back myth.
Countries
Britain
Civillians were pleased with
this, Germany had lsot their
power
Lloyd George wanted Ger. to
become a trading partner
Some felt that Ger. had
been treated unfairly.
France were
greedy.
France
Seeking revenge
Demilitarisation
Too lenient
President Clemencau lost election in 1920
Marshal Foch said, ' this is
not peace, it is an armistice
for twenty years.'
USA
Negative
Unfair
Britain and France were
gready.
Seperate peace treaty
in 1921 as congress
wouldn't vote for the
league.