OPPOSITION, CONSENT AND CONTROL – A – LEVEL EDEXCEL
ROUTE G
How did the Treaty of Versailles influence politics? How did it cause
opposition?
WEIMAR
•many Germans felt that the Weimar government were traitors for arranging the
armistice and ToV
•as a result of misinformation, Germans thought they had a chance of winning the
war
•Newspapers put forward the idea that Weimar government had been cowardly and
betrayed the country
•reparations meant that the ToV had a lasting impact
Why was the government opposed by extremist left and right-wing groups?
WEIMAR
•involvement in the Treaty of Versailles
•liberalism and democratic principles
•failure to produce a strong, decisive government and strong leader
•failure to unite Germany
What happened in the Spartacist uprising?
WEIMAR
6th January 1919
Thousands of armed workers took over key buildings such as the newspaper offices
Freikorps crushed the rebellion and executed its leaders
What were other left-wing opposition tactics aside from uprisings?
WEIMAR
Attempt to takeover individual German states and establish communist governments
In all cases, communist governments did not have enough popular support and were
put down by the army.
Most significant:
•Bavaria in March 1919
•Thuringia in 1921
What side of opposition were the army more willing to put down?
WEIMAR
left-wing, they were less likely to suppress a right-wing rebellion
Where did right wing opposition come from?
WEIMAR
Wealthy landowners, the army and industrialists as well as people in conservative
groups e.g. those who worked in schools and universities.
,What happened in the Kapp Putsch?
WEIMAR
12th March 1920
Attempt to overthrow the government by Wolfgang Kapp and Freikorps leaders
Luttwitz and Ehrhardt. Had support of Ludendorff.
Took over Berlin and government fled. Most of the army didn't join in but did not fight.
Leaders proclaimed themselves the new government, dissolved the National
Assembly and said the Weimar Constitution was no longer in force.
Trade unions called a general strike, demanding an end to the putsch and a new
SPD government. Kapp government fell. Weimar government returned to Berlin 4
days after strike started.
Kapp died in prison, other ringleaders were given short prison sentences.
What happened in the Munich Putsch?
WEIMAR
8th November 1923
Hitler, inspired by the March on Rome in Italy wanted to do a similar takeover
starting from Munich, where he thought he could gain support of local politicians and
citizens.
SA surrounded beer cellar in Munich where von Kahr and other officials were in a
meeting. Hitler crashed hall and announced that government of Bavaria and national
government were deposed and that he and Ludendorff were to form a new
government. He locked them in and Ludendorff spoke to crowd.
One by one, prisoners escaped and organised resistance. When Nazis attempted to
start their March, they were taken prisoner after short battle with the police.
Why can the Munich Putsch be seen as a success for Hitler?
WEIMAR
•trial enabled him to give a speech about his beliefs that was widely reported and
increased his fame
•Hitler's sentence was 5 years in prison; he only spent 9 months there
•used the time to think through political ideas and write Mein Kampf
•encouraged him to pursue power through legal means
What opposition occurred in the later Weimar years?
WEIMAR
July 1929- National opposition to the Young Plan, An attempt led by Hugenberg to
pass a 'freedom bill' in the Reichstag in favour of reversing Versailles, dropping the
young plan and US aid and against involvement with Europe and the USA
July 1929 onwards- right wing members of government and Hindenburg increasingly
relied on ruling by Article 48. This is suspected of being a way to rule in a more
authoritarian manner.
, Why was it harder to oppose the Nazi government than it had been to oppose
Weimar?
NAZI
•all opposition parties were illegal
•many members of KPD and SPD had left the country or were in concentration
camps to hold political prisoners indefinitely without trial
What anti-Nazi campaigns existed?
NAZI
early 1930s, KDP, SPD and trade unions printed pamphlets and other anti-Nazi
literature
What did the Red Shock Troop do?
NAZI
1933, mainly working in Berlin, published the newspaper 'Red Shook Troop' around
every 10 days and built up a membership of around 3,000.
In December, leaders were arrested and sent to concentration camps and group
folded.
Why did the KPD and other groups do a lot of their work by word of mouth and
not in organised groups by 1938?
NAZI
It was easy to trace groups by their publications that it was like sending the Gestapo
a list of people to arrest.
What did the SPD outside the country (SOPADE) do?
NAZI
gathered information about public opinion in Germany to pass on to the Allies.
What caused the revival of communist groups?
NAZI
Germany invading the USSR in Operation Barbarossa in June 1941.
What did the Red Orchestra do?
NAZI
Mainly a group of government employees while not necessarily communist passed
on information about the German war effort to the USSR.
How did workers sabotage the Nazis?
NAZI
•lightning strikes that usually only lasted a few hours e.g. 1936 autobahn lightning
strike
•production was also sabotaged by working slowly, damaging machinery or reporting
in sick when they were not (all could lead to arrest) (they were often overlooked
especially after the war started as workers were in great demand)
•if groups became too successful, the Gestapo arrested members e.g. Anti-Fascist
Workers' Group were arrested in 1944.
•in the war, Britain and other allies blew up bridges and railway lines
ROUTE G
How did the Treaty of Versailles influence politics? How did it cause
opposition?
WEIMAR
•many Germans felt that the Weimar government were traitors for arranging the
armistice and ToV
•as a result of misinformation, Germans thought they had a chance of winning the
war
•Newspapers put forward the idea that Weimar government had been cowardly and
betrayed the country
•reparations meant that the ToV had a lasting impact
Why was the government opposed by extremist left and right-wing groups?
WEIMAR
•involvement in the Treaty of Versailles
•liberalism and democratic principles
•failure to produce a strong, decisive government and strong leader
•failure to unite Germany
What happened in the Spartacist uprising?
WEIMAR
6th January 1919
Thousands of armed workers took over key buildings such as the newspaper offices
Freikorps crushed the rebellion and executed its leaders
What were other left-wing opposition tactics aside from uprisings?
WEIMAR
Attempt to takeover individual German states and establish communist governments
In all cases, communist governments did not have enough popular support and were
put down by the army.
Most significant:
•Bavaria in March 1919
•Thuringia in 1921
What side of opposition were the army more willing to put down?
WEIMAR
left-wing, they were less likely to suppress a right-wing rebellion
Where did right wing opposition come from?
WEIMAR
Wealthy landowners, the army and industrialists as well as people in conservative
groups e.g. those who worked in schools and universities.
,What happened in the Kapp Putsch?
WEIMAR
12th March 1920
Attempt to overthrow the government by Wolfgang Kapp and Freikorps leaders
Luttwitz and Ehrhardt. Had support of Ludendorff.
Took over Berlin and government fled. Most of the army didn't join in but did not fight.
Leaders proclaimed themselves the new government, dissolved the National
Assembly and said the Weimar Constitution was no longer in force.
Trade unions called a general strike, demanding an end to the putsch and a new
SPD government. Kapp government fell. Weimar government returned to Berlin 4
days after strike started.
Kapp died in prison, other ringleaders were given short prison sentences.
What happened in the Munich Putsch?
WEIMAR
8th November 1923
Hitler, inspired by the March on Rome in Italy wanted to do a similar takeover
starting from Munich, where he thought he could gain support of local politicians and
citizens.
SA surrounded beer cellar in Munich where von Kahr and other officials were in a
meeting. Hitler crashed hall and announced that government of Bavaria and national
government were deposed and that he and Ludendorff were to form a new
government. He locked them in and Ludendorff spoke to crowd.
One by one, prisoners escaped and organised resistance. When Nazis attempted to
start their March, they were taken prisoner after short battle with the police.
Why can the Munich Putsch be seen as a success for Hitler?
WEIMAR
•trial enabled him to give a speech about his beliefs that was widely reported and
increased his fame
•Hitler's sentence was 5 years in prison; he only spent 9 months there
•used the time to think through political ideas and write Mein Kampf
•encouraged him to pursue power through legal means
What opposition occurred in the later Weimar years?
WEIMAR
July 1929- National opposition to the Young Plan, An attempt led by Hugenberg to
pass a 'freedom bill' in the Reichstag in favour of reversing Versailles, dropping the
young plan and US aid and against involvement with Europe and the USA
July 1929 onwards- right wing members of government and Hindenburg increasingly
relied on ruling by Article 48. This is suspected of being a way to rule in a more
authoritarian manner.
, Why was it harder to oppose the Nazi government than it had been to oppose
Weimar?
NAZI
•all opposition parties were illegal
•many members of KPD and SPD had left the country or were in concentration
camps to hold political prisoners indefinitely without trial
What anti-Nazi campaigns existed?
NAZI
early 1930s, KDP, SPD and trade unions printed pamphlets and other anti-Nazi
literature
What did the Red Shock Troop do?
NAZI
1933, mainly working in Berlin, published the newspaper 'Red Shook Troop' around
every 10 days and built up a membership of around 3,000.
In December, leaders were arrested and sent to concentration camps and group
folded.
Why did the KPD and other groups do a lot of their work by word of mouth and
not in organised groups by 1938?
NAZI
It was easy to trace groups by their publications that it was like sending the Gestapo
a list of people to arrest.
What did the SPD outside the country (SOPADE) do?
NAZI
gathered information about public opinion in Germany to pass on to the Allies.
What caused the revival of communist groups?
NAZI
Germany invading the USSR in Operation Barbarossa in June 1941.
What did the Red Orchestra do?
NAZI
Mainly a group of government employees while not necessarily communist passed
on information about the German war effort to the USSR.
How did workers sabotage the Nazis?
NAZI
•lightning strikes that usually only lasted a few hours e.g. 1936 autobahn lightning
strike
•production was also sabotaged by working slowly, damaging machinery or reporting
in sick when they were not (all could lead to arrest) (they were often overlooked
especially after the war started as workers were in great demand)
•if groups became too successful, the Gestapo arrested members e.g. Anti-Fascist
Workers' Group were arrested in 1944.
•in the war, Britain and other allies blew up bridges and railway lines
