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starter activity Germans gathering at a travelling soup kitchen after WWI. How did ordinary Germans feel about the War?

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Would the situation have been different in Britain?

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LOs

What effect did WWI have on Germany?

To identify the difficulties facing ordinary Germans To understand how the Kaiser was forced to abdicate To assess the political threats the new government faced

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Your task

 Read the information on p.4-5 (Wilkes) and list the problems facing ordinary Germans   How did health problems make the situation worse?

Problems

 Food shortages – 1000 calories per day, turnips became staple diet hence ‘turnip winter’, ¾ m died of hunger & disease  Fuel shortages – limited coal supplies, power cuts, public buildings closed to save energy  Civil unrest – 1916, 10,000 workers called ‘Down with war, down with government’  Military unrest – mutinies in army

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Your task

 Read p.6-7 (Wilkes) and identify as many reasons as you can why the Kaiser, Wilhem II was forced to abdicate   What does Source F reveal about the leadership style of Kaiser Wilhelm Kaiser Wilhelm II

Kaiser Wilhelm’s abdication

 Criticism from military commanders - General Ludendorf thought War unwinnable  Mutiny – sailors refused to break British naval blockade  Civil unrest – workers councils set up across Germany, e..g. Hamburg and Munich  No allies – Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria & Turkey had surrendered

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Extension

 Investigate what happened to Kaiser Wilhelm after he abdicated in November 1918

Members of the Kaiser’s retinue leave the Imperial Palace their services no longer needed

One of last photos of Kaiser before his death in 1941

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Your task

Using this picture and your own knowledge, explain why Germany faced so many problems in 1918 A photograph taken during the revolution in Berlin, showing soldiers and sailors with guns driving through the Brandenburg Gates

Level 1

Describes the picture source only

Level 2 Level 3

Explains a single cause, either based on the picture or own knowledge OR Provides a range of reasons only partially explained Explains a range of causes of unrest based on the image and own knowledge, for example military & civil unrest, unpopularity of Kaiser, hardships caused by War, Germany’s international isolation

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Homework

 Read about the life of Rosa Luxemburg. Produce an A4 factoid on her life giving details on:  Her family background  Her relationship with other activists  Her political ideas  Key events in her life  Choose an image and label it

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Extension

 Read p.7-8 (SHP) and write down 5 adjectives to describe the Kaiser’s personality.

 Compare sources 2 & 10 and explain why they might differ in their interpretation of the Kaiser  Study the categories at the bottom of the page and rate the Kaiser (1-5) against each of them. Explain your choices

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Plenary

 3 problems facing Germany in 1918  3 reasons why Kaiser Wilhelm abdicated  Tips on answering source-based questions   Why was there a revolution in Germany but not in Britain?