Burgfrieden DBQ
Changing views towards a civil peace in Germany from 1914 to 1918 was affected by the progress of World War I When the Burgfrieden was first announced in 1914 the crowds of German people cheered for the Burgfrieden. From 1915 to 1916, by the middle of the WWI, people began to get tired of the war and the high prices for food it brought and corruption it brought about. By 1918, the opinions on Burgfrieden were divided between those who believed the war was necessarye and those who thought it was harmful.
At the beginning of the war a majority of the German people supported the civil peace. In Doc 1 German Emperor Wilhelm II gives a speech at the royal palace in August of 1914 to a crowd of 40,000 people. In this speech he asks that the Germans stand together like brothers. The emperor’s POV on the Burgfrieden is authoritative, since it is his own policy. It is also completely biased since again, it is his own policy for which he needs support. Doc 2 also supports the claim that most people supported the Burgfrieden in 1914. Doc 2 is a photograph of a large group of people cheering as the emperor gives his speech, which means that people do support the Burgfrieden. The POV of Doc 2 should be objective, since it is a historical photograph and not someone’s account of history.
From 1914 to 1915 some people began to follow the Burgfrieden not because they agreed with it, but because they saw it necessary to ensure their survival. Doc 3 is an account by the Social Democratic Party, which states that they are obligated to follow the policy of civil peace to ensure their own survival. The POV could be authoritative since it comes from a prevalent political party, but it is also probably quite biased because it comes from a party that is in opposition to the emperor. Doc 6 is an account by an author from the Pan-German League. It states that the civil peace is necessary to ensure German survival. It states that other opinions on the Burgfrieden are not allowed. The POV of this document is most likely knowledgeable because it is by an author of that time, but it is more than likely biased towards the Burgfrieden because it was written by a war supporter.
In later years though people became more and more frustrated by the war and the civil peace. This can be seen in Doc 7, which is an account by a soldier stating that his family back in Germany is not being provided proper food. The POV of this account is most likely truthful, but also slightly biased since it is published in an anti-war liberal newspaper. Another account which supports this statement is Doc 8, which is a personal diary describing the discontent with the war among the women of Germany. The POV of Doc 8 is authoritative since it is written by the wife of a prince, and is most likely objective since it was written in a private diary and not meant to be shared. This POV differs greatly from that of the women in the earlier Doc 4, which was hopeful and supportive of the Burgfrieden, because the women thought it would help them achieve rights and suffrage. Doc 9 also supports the POV from Doc 8. Doc 9 is an administrative report that states that women do not want to do their husbands’ jobs anymore. This document is likely unbiased since it is an official report.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
Although initially it seems apparent that the First World War narrowed the existing political divisions in Germany during this period, as the war progressed, the resentment grew, in part because of the huge losses and the economic crisis that hung over the country. Therefore because of this the political divisions increased, and by the end of the war the polarisation of German politics was explicit.…
- 1058 Words
- 5 Pages
Powerful Essays -
By the outbreak of WWI in August 1914, Germany was well-established as a major and prominent world power. Such an achievement could be seen in the countrys industrial and economic strength, overseas colonies, extensive trading interests and its vast army. Prior to the war of 1914, the people of Germany had a strong sense of pride, largely owing to their autocratic government and militaristic background. However, within five years, Germany was shattered, its armies on the Western front were in retreat, its citizens were in poverty and the monarchy lead by Kaiser Wilhelm II had abdicated in favour of a republic before the signing of the Versailles Treaty.…
- 1837 Words
- 5 Pages
Better Essays -
The book “Imperial Germany 1871-1918” by Volker R. Berghahn has the under title Economy, Society, Culture and Politics and was first published in 1994 by Berghahn books. The used edition is the revised and expanded edition published in 2005 and summarizes the events in the ‘Kaiserreich’ (1871-1918). Furthermore, the book has 388 pages and is divided in five parts which are Economy, Society, Culture, the Realm of Politics, and World War I. Each part has numerous under parts giving the reader detailed information about each part. In addition, the author did tremendous research on the German Empire, founded by Otto von Bismarck in 1871 and lasting until the end of World War I, to clarify the broader outlines of the development between 1871 and 1918 and to explain why Germany went to war in 1914 and lost that conflict four years later.…
- 1028 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
There has been some controversy as to what or who was to blame for the outbreak of the First World War. Some people have taken the opinion that the war arose as a result of “planned German aggression” such as sources two and three, whereas source one is of the opinion that the Germans went to war with “defensive” intentions and that they didn’t have any “special plan to dominate Europe”.…
- 1290 Words
- 6 Pages
Good Essays -
1) Germany before the Fuhrer. Germany’s defeat at the end of World War I left the nation socially, politically, and economically shattered. The reparation agreements inflicted upon Germany without its’ consent at the end of the war meant that the nation was in complete financial ruin. In the wake of Germany’s defeat, public decent climaxed on the 9th November 1918 during the revolution that took place on Berlin’s Postdamer Platz. This revolution transpired as a result of the public’s culminating discontent towards the imperial monarchy, and lasted up until August 1919, which saw the establishment of the Weimar Republic. In attempts to guide Germany out of economic depression, hostilities grew towards the Weimar due to their failure to fulfil communist revolutionary prophecy. They were also perceived by the Right Wing as those who betrayed Germany by accepting the terms in the Treaty of Versailles. After Germany’s defeat in WWI the nations sentiment was becoming increasingly nationalistic; the people were looking for a leader who would promise economic recovery as well as a restoration of German pride. Hitler and his national socialist party were, in many German opinions, the hard lined party who would deliver such promises.…
- 804 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
In response to Russian Empire’s and Austria-Hungary’s declaration of war against each other after the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria, Germany declared war on Russia on August 1, 1914. Three days later, the German Reichstag declared Burgfrieden or “civil peace” which declared for people to set aside their conflicts aside and unite to defend the country. Most Germans expecting a rapid victory, enthusiastically supported the war. Their views, however, shifted from ebullience to one of detest. Opinions toward war all varied to each person. Some supported the war through the end, while some changed their view and wanted the war to end. In another perspective, some saw the war as an economic opportunity.…
- 890 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
German revolutionaries published the Spartacist Manifesto in which they put down the democratic Germany. They wrote about the “beast of capital,” democracy, which caused the war; they held the government responsible. Furthermore, they believed that the government could not fix what it caused. They felt that the government was unable to restore order, feed their people, insure laws, and give jobs to the country it has destroyed. They wanted a new government to replace the failing one; they recognized that democracy had failed them and they turned to fascism. (Document 1)…
- 1013 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
Sources 1, 2 and 3 all bring different arguments to the opinion that the decisions made by Germany’s leaders were responsible for the outbreak of the First World War. Arguments such as the decisions made by Germany’s leaders caused outbreak, that diplomatic tension between the European countries caused outbreak and that pressure on Germany from inside the country caused outbreak are all presented in the sources and will be analysed in order to come to an evaluated conclusion.…
- 1381 Words
- 4 Pages
Better Essays -
The changes in Germany society between 1918 and 1933 can be accounted for by a multitude of reasons. After World War 1 the Kaiser abdicated and new liberal republic was formed known as the Weimar Republic. After this due to the Treaty of Versailles, France occupied the Ruhr leading to a period of hyperinflation crippling the standard of German society. Recovering from this during the Stresemann years allowed a new rise until the Great Depression caused a massive change in German society. The rise of the Nazi Party afterwards caused a large stir and this was shown completely once Hitler became chancellor causing a complete shift in society.…
- 1649 Words
- 5 Pages
Powerful Essays -
When the First World War broke out in 1914 the political divisions that had existed before narrowed as the German people became united in the defence of their country. The Kaiser’s declaration that he ‘knew no political parties, only Germans’, is evidence and a reflection of the national sense of patriotism that was felt throughout the Germany at the outbreak of war. The division between the right and the left ceased to exist with the SPD voting for war credits as did the clear division by the poor and the rich with men from the countryside as well as the towns joining together to fight. However, as the war progressed, the resentment towards the war began to grow; this was due to the fact that Germany had experienced huge losses and also because of the economic crisis that they were facing. Therefore, because of this, the First World War increased the political divisions in Germany.…
- 1161 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
In Germany, in 1914, a civil peace was declared at the time of the proclamation of war. This meant that all previous inner and exterior conflicts would be put to the side until after the war. At the same time that this was declared, the troops were being mobilized to fight. German citizens’ opinions changed from being excited during the proclamation of war to ignoring the main effects and law of civil peace during the war, and then to being upset and frustrated after the war. I think it is important to notice how this behavior changes from the start to the end of the war.…
- 1083 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
Former President Wilson has these main points: Germany was being hostile to neutral countries, such as Denmark and Luxembourg, and their ships, how should the United States get involved and how some nations should have acted and what they have done. The first point was how Belgium 's neutral state (as decided in the London Conference of 1831) was violated because a scrap of paper didn 't have any meaning. The next point…
- 969 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Before WWII Germany faced many hardships with their weak government system, false propaganda and religious issues. After WWI, Germany was in major economic crisis and the weak government, Weimar Republic could not handle it. The Germans needed a new leader and a new government plan; fast. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum states, “Still fresh in the minds of many was Germany's humiliating defeat fifteen years earlier during World War I, and Germans lacked confidence in their weak government,…
- 1463 Words
- 6 Pages
Good Essays -
1914 is arguably one of the most influential years in human history. Not only did it introduce the world to the practice of total warfare, but it also demonstrated the devastating outcome of rising political and economic tensions in Europe, as well as the inevitable conflict that is rooted in our global anarchic system. Almost a century later, historians continue to study the catastrophic events that occurred in 1914 and one of the most controversial and sensitive topics is the debate on who is to blame for the outbreak of WWI. Many would be quick to point their finger at Germany, including historian Fritz Fischer, who validly argues that Germany was responsible for WWI based upon their nation’s political and militaristic aims to establish Germany as a world power. On the other hand, historian Paul Ritter questions Fischer’s argument, believing that Germany did not intentionally plan for WWI to occur. Both points are valid, yet the truth may not lie on either extreme sides of the spectrum. Rather, the long-term and short-term responsibility of WWI is shared between Germany, the conflictive nature of the world’s political system, and those nation states that exist within such a system during 1914. Therefore, the combination of a precarious political environment and an ambitious militaristic intention and course of action holds Germany highly, yet not completely, responsible for WWI.…
- 1550 Words
- 7 Pages
Better Essays -
Following World War 1, Germany faced an economic depression. The need for patriotism, as evidenced in the following quote, would explain Adolf Hitler’s receptivity and acceptance by a country full of hurting people. “ There will be no other revolution in Germany for 1000 years.” (4, pg. 384) Also explainable by their loss in the first World War is their mad patriotism which seemed to dog the entire nation and create a need for such intense xenophobia, as evidence in the following; “In the eyes of many Germans, including the diplomats,…
- 1087 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays