starter activity

Read about the Freikorps on p.9 (Wilkes) and note down the characteristics of the Freikorps. Imagine you had to write a caption for this photograph. What would you say about this organisation if your were a Spartacist or a Social Democrat?

Key characteristics of Key characteristics of FreikorpsFreikorps

Former soldiers in the German armyFormer soldiers in the German army Right-wing, conservative Right-wing, conservative

organisationorganisation Hated Treaty of Versailles (1919) - Hated Treaty of Versailles (1919) -

many had been forced to leave the many had been forced to leave the army army

Helped President Ebert put down Helped President Ebert put down Spartacist Uprising (1919)Spartacist Uprising (1919)

Why did the Why did the Kapp Putsch Kapp Putsch (1920) fail?(1920) fail?

To define what is meant by ‘To define what is meant by ‘PutschPutsch’’To list identify key characteristics of To list identify key characteristics of

the Freikorpsthe FreikorpsTo evaluate reasons why the Kapp To evaluate reasons why the Kapp

Putsch failed?Putsch failed?

Aims

Wolfgang Kapp

Your taskYour task

Read about the Kapp Read about the Kapp PutschPutsch from from the History Learning website.the History Learning website. Who was Kapp?Who was Kapp? Why did he stage an uprising?Why did he stage an uprising? Why did it fail?Why did it fail? What does it reveal about the Weimar What does it reveal about the Weimar

Government?Government? How similar / different was it to the How similar / different was it to the

Spartacist Uprising?Spartacist Uprising?

Reasons for failure of Kapp Reasons for failure of Kapp PutschPutsch

Kapp: right-wing journalist, hated EbertKapp: right-wing journalist, hated Ebert Aims: establish strong leadership & opposed Aims: establish strong leadership & opposed

VersaillesVersailles Reasons for failure: Reasons for failure:

lack of leadership - General Ludendorff supported lack of leadership - General Ludendorff supported Kapp, but other army leaders did not Kapp, but other army leaders did not

putsch centred on Berlin – didn’t spread to rest of putsch centred on Berlin – didn’t spread to rest of GermanyGermany

Weimar Government continued - able to relocate to Weimar Government continued - able to relocate to DresdenDresden

people tired of revolution - Spartacist Uprising people tired of revolution - Spartacist Uprising occurred 1919occurred 1919

general strikegeneral strike

ExtensionExtension

Can you list any similarities between Can you list any similarities between the Spartacist Uprising and the the Spartacist Uprising and the Kapp Putch?Kapp Putch?

Rosa Luxemburg

Wolfgang Kapp

SIMILARITIESSIMILARITIES Led by Led by

charismatic, charismatic, political extremistspolitical extremists

Disliked govt & Disliked govt & aimed to aimed to overthrow itoverthrow it

Centred on BerlinCentred on Berlin

DIFFERENCESDIFFERENCES Spartacists were anti-Spartacists were anti-

War, Kapp Putsch War, Kapp Putsch supported the armysupported the army

Kapp was a Kapp was a monarchist, monarchist, Spartacists wanted a Spartacists wanted a Communist revolutionCommunist revolution

Kapp enjoyed support Kapp enjoyed support of Freikorpsof Freikorps

PlenaryPlenary

Define what is meant by a PutschDefine what is meant by a Putsch Why did the Putsch fail – 3 reasonsWhy did the Putsch fail – 3 reasons How similar were the Spartacist How similar were the Spartacist

Uprising and Kapp Putsch – 2 Uprising and Kapp Putsch – 2 examplesexamples

ExtensionExtension

Can you list any similarities between Can you list any similarities between the Spartacist Uprising and the the Spartacist Uprising and the Kapp Putch?Kapp Putch?

Rosa Luxemburg

Wolfgang Kapp

SIMILARITIESSIMILARITIES Led by Led by

charismatic, charismatic, political extremistspolitical extremists

Disliked govt & Disliked govt & aimed to aimed to overthrow itoverthrow it

Centred on BerlinCentred on Berlin

DIFFERENCESDIFFERENCES Spartacists were anti-Spartacists were anti-

War, Kapp Putsch War, Kapp Putsch supported the armysupported the army

Kapp was a Kapp was a monarchist, monarchist, Spartacists wanted a Spartacists wanted a Communist revolutionCommunist revolution

Kapp enjoyed support Kapp enjoyed support of Freikorpsof Freikorps

Your taskYour task

Try to match one of the captions on Try to match one of the captions on p.19 (SHP) with one of the sources p.19 (SHP) with one of the sources on p.18-19. on p.18-19.

Study the German sources and add Study the German sources and add the reasons why they felt angered by the reasons why they felt angered by the Treaty to your listthe Treaty to your list

Explain why Germans found it so Explain why Germans found it so hard to accept the terms of the hard to accept the terms of the Treaty of VersaillesTreaty of Versailles

Hold a press conference with members of Ebert’s new Social Democrat government. Try to find out whether the Treaty of Versailles really was the right solution for Germany’s woes.

Your taskYour task

Work in small groups. Write a short Work in small groups. Write a short speech to deliver to the new German speech to deliver to the new German Parliament explaining why you hate Parliament explaining why you hate the terms of the Treaty of Versailles the terms of the Treaty of Versailles so much. You may wish to include so much. You may wish to include points in your spider diagram as well points in your spider diagram as well as those referred to in the sources. as those referred to in the sources. Try to explain why you feel ‘stabbed Try to explain why you feel ‘stabbed in the back’ by the Treaty.in the back’ by the Treaty.

PlenaryPlenary

Why do you think the Germans felt Why do you think the Germans felt stabbed in the back? Give 5 reasons.stabbed in the back? Give 5 reasons.

Extension. Who were these people? Can you explain the cartoon? What are some of the problems with this source?

HomeworkHomework

Write a speech explaining why you Write a speech explaining why you hate the treaty of Versailles. Refer to hate the treaty of Versailles. Refer to the key terms of the treaty, explain the key terms of the treaty, explain what is making you angry about what is making you angry about them and refer to the reactions of them and refer to the reactions of ordinary Germans like Kapp. It ordinary Germans like Kapp. It should be one side of A4should be one side of A4

Extension. Produce a counter-Extension. Produce a counter-speech by a supporter of the Treatyspeech by a supporter of the Treaty