Summary
At
the end of the First World War, the Kaiser was kicked out of Germany, and in 1919 the Weimar Republic was set up. Before 1914, the government of Germany had been a military autocracy; after 1919, it was a parliamentary democracy.
The question is: 'Was the new government doomed from the start?'
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Links
HistoryLearning on the Constitution - excellent
Professor Rempel's site
Schoolshistory site - AS level
Wikipedia - encyclopaedia site
Constitution -
selected clauses
AS level notes - see relevant section
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At the end of October 1918, the German navy mutinied. Rebellion spread throughout the country. In November Germany was forced to drop out of the FirstWorld War. Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated and fled the country.
A new Republic was declared. In January 1919, elections were held for a new Reichstag and in February 1919, in the town of Weimar, a new government was agreed.
Freidrich
Ebert was elected President of the new Republic.
Germany did not just get a new government. The Allies made sure that Germany got a different kind of government. Before1914, the government of Germany was almost a military autocracy; after 1919, it was a parliamentary democracy.
Elected delegates meeting in the Reichstag in February 1927.
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Source A
This British cartoon from 1919 shows the Kaiser booted out of Germany.
Source B
The new government inherited a difficult situation, but to say it was doomed is unfair.
Written by a modern historian.
Source C
The German Weimar Republic was doomed from the start. Written by a modern historian.
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Germany 1919–1933
The history of Germany 1919–1933 falls into three phases:
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1919–1923
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At first the Weimar Republic had great difficulties:
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Left
wing rebellions
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All
people were angry with it
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Right-wing
rebellions and terrorism
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Invasion
and inflation
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Munich
Putsch
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1923–1929
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1929–1933
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After
the Wall Street Crash of 1929, however, the Republic
collapsed:
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Unemployment
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Nazi
Party grew more powerful
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In
1933, Adolf Hitler became Chancellor
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New Words
Republic: a country without a king or queen.
Reichstag: the German parliament.
Democracy: where the government is elected.
Constitution: the way a government is set up
Proportional voting: parties got Reichstag seats, not by winning constituencies, but in proportional to the number of votes they got nation-wide.
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Germany’s Constitution in 1914
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Kaiser
Wilhelm II
(hereditary monarch)
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appoints
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calls/dismisses
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controls
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Government
Chancellor
Ministers
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Reichstag
(elected)
which
can stop laws proposed by the government, but cannot
make laws.
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Electors
Men
over 25 can vote
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Source D
There is only one master in this country. That am I. Who opposes me I shall crush to pieces.
Kaiser Wilhelm II, speaking before 1914.
Source E
The old Reichstag was a useless parliament. It could speak but
it had no power.
A German politician speaking in 1926.
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The
Weimar Constitution of 1919
Bill
of Rights
promises
all Germans equality before the law and political and
religious freedom.
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Electors
All
men and women over the age of 20 can vote.
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safeguards
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elect
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Freidrich
Ebert (elected
president)
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controls
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from which is selected
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Government
Chancellor
Ministers
must
have a majority in the Reichstag, and do as the
Reichstag says.
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Source F
The German Commonwealth is a Republic. Political authority is derived from the People.
The Weimar Constitution, 6 February 1919
Source G
The Constitution was a brave attempt to set up a democratic government… All Germans had equal rights, including the vote. Political parties were given seats in proportion to the number of votes they got. This was fair.
A modern textbook.
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Extra:
Discuss with a friend how the Weimar settlement changed Germany's constitution in the following areas:
a.
The head of State
b.
The government
c.
The Reichstag
d.
The electorate
e. Civil
Liberties.
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