The Weimar Republic Lesson starter: 1.How do you think Germans reacted to the Treaty of Versailles? 2.Which term do you think would have caused the most resentment?

Today we will… Identify the problems facing the new German government Explain how these problems made them very unpopular

I can… Complete a table outlining KU (K) and Analysis (A) of the problems facing the Weimar government

Terms of the Treaty of Versailles 1.Germany lost land and colonies 2.Germany had to pay reparations 3.Rhineland demilitarised 4.Anschluss banned 5.Disarmament (Army & Navy reduced, Air Force and conscription banned) 6.War Guilt Clause

Germany lost the war for several reasons The biggest party in the Reichstag (parliament) thought the allies would be kinder to a more democratic Germany It was decided the Kaiser should abdicate… Introduction…

Now the Kaiser had gone, Germany needed people to run the country The German people voted for a new National Assembly It was very democratic – meaning that the people had a say in what happened

Ebert was the leader of the Social Democrats They were the biggest political party in Germany He and some others signed the Treaty of Versailles as the Kaiser had left They became hated for this and their surrender in WWI and were known as the November Criminals

The New parliament met in the town of Weimar as Berlin was full of violence They agreed on the new rules that would make Germany a better country

Lesson starter - copy Vocabulary Democracy – when the people have a say in the running of the country Abdicate – step down as King/ Queen November Criminals – the German government members who signed the Treaty of Versailles Weimar Republic – the government of Germany

The Weimar Constitution (rules) Germany would be a Republic (have no King or Queen) It would be a Democracy (the people would have a say in running the country) A President would be elected every 7 years A Chancellor would be chosen by the President The Parliament (Reichstag) would be voted for by the German people Every German would have rights, such as the right to meet in groups Article 48 This meant the President could suspend all rules in case of an emergency and rule as a dictator There would be many different political parties that Germans could vote for (at one point 35!)

Problems facing the Weimar government

Treaty of Versailles Their first job was to sign the Treaty of Versailles which made them very unpopular with the people

Many Germans trusted army men and Generals such as the Kaiser more than they trusted politicians Germans didn’t like politicians

The Weimar Government had to start paying their reparations, leaving them little money to spend on other things Reparations

The President had a lot of power and could potentially become a Dictator Presidential role

Democracy Most Germans were confused by the new democratic system They didn’t understand the difference between parties or the voting system which was a proportional representation system

Task: Analysis Problem (Knowledge) Why did it make the Weimar government unpopular? (Analysis) The Treaty of Versailles The constitution (rules) Reparations payments The ‘Stab in the Back’ Theory Democracy It was led by Friedrich Ebert