1. The Weimar Republic Lesson starter: Who is the man on the right?
What happened to him at the end of WWI?

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

3. I can…
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
It was very democratic – meaning that the people had a say in what happened

7. 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

8. 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 a fair trial and the freedom of speech
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!)

9. 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

10. 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

11. Problems facing the Weimar government

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

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

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

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

16. 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

17. Task: Analysis Problem (Knowledge) Why was the Weimar government
unpopular?
(Analysis)
Why support Hitler?
The Treaty of Versailles
The constitution (rules)
Reparations payments
The ‘Stab in the Back’ Theory
Democracy