1. Lesson starter: Describe 5 rights Germans had in the Weimar Republic.

2. Today we will… Identify the rights people had in Weimar Germany
Explain why the new government were popular

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

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

5. Introduction… 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…

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

7. Friedrich Ebert was the leader of the Social Democrats
They received the biggest share of the vote so became the new German leader
Him and some others signed the German surrender as their first job
They became hated for this and were known as the November Criminals

8. 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

9. 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) all adults 20+ could vote
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 and freedom of speech
Article 48
This meant the President could suspend all rights 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!)

11. Lesson starter –Write definitions for these terms.
November Criminals –
Weimar Republic –
Democracy –
Rights

12. Why was the Weimar Government so unpopular?

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

14. Germans didn’t trust politicians
Many Germans trusted army men and Generals such as the Kaiser more than politicians in suits like Ebert

15. Reparations
The Weimar Government had to start paying their reparations (£6.6bn), leaving them little money to spend on other things like pensions

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

17. Confusing 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
There were 35 parties and people couldn’t work out what each one stood for

18. Loyalty to the Kaiser
Many Germans were still loyal to the German Kaiser and wanted him reinstated
They associated him with a stronger and happier Germany

19. Problems with Weimar Democracy
The voting system was proportional representation (PR)– supposed to be fairer – but it was very confusing
PR allowed smaller parties to gain seats in the Reichstag – such as the Nazis!
PR produces coalition governments (more than 1 party in power) – coalitions would argue/ find it difficult to make laws
There were too many parties (35) and people couldn’t tell the difference between them
Coalition governments often collapsed (9 elections between ) – Germans to believe democracy was weak

20. Task: Explaining 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

21. Homework questions
Describe the Rights every German had in the Weimar Republic. 5 marks
Explain why many Germans were unhappy with the new Weimar Government after WWI. 5 marks