Quick questions on Weimar Germany 1918-1933 (VCE Modern History Unit 1)

As Germany lost the war, sailors mutinied at Kiel and the Kaiser abdicated. Friedrich Ebert (Social Democrat) became Chancellor. The Republic was proclaimed on 9 November 1918.

Communist rising in Berlin led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht crushed by the Freikorps. Luxemburg and Liebknecht murdered. Left-right tension defined the Republic.

President directly elected; Chancellor and Cabinet responsible to the Reichstag. Article 48 gave the President emergency decree powers. Proportional representation produced fragmented parliaments.

Germany lost $13$% of territory and $10$% of population. War-guilt clause (Article 231). $132$ billion gold marks in reparations.

NSDAP vote: $2.6$% (1928), $18.3$% (1930), $37.3$% (July 1932), $33.1$% (November 1932). Communist vote also rose. Together the extremes commanded a majority hostile to the Republic.

Conservative politicians around President Hindenburg (former Chancellor Papen and General Schleicher) believed they could use Hitler. Papen famously said "we have hired him". Within $18$ months Hitler had consolidated dictatorship: Reichstag Fire (February 1933), Enabling Act (March 1933), one-party state (July 1933), Night of the Long Knives (June 1934), Führer (August 1934).

"The fall of the Weimar Republic was caused more by economic crisis than by structural weakness." To what extent do you agree? [10 marks]

Explain the significance of the Stresemann era (1924-1929) for the stability of the Weimar Republic. [4 marks]

Analyse how conservative elites contributed to Hitler's appointment as Chancellor. [6 marks]