Chapter 3 (NOT FINAL)

Question 1

How did Germany finance its war effort in World War One?

Answer 1

Borrowing and printing more money - 82% was borrowed.

Question 2

How much debt was the new Weimar government faced with in 1919?

Answer 2

1.44 billion marks

Question 3

How much higher were prices in 1920 than in 1913?

Answer 3

14 times higher

Question 4

What was the level of unemployment in Germany by 1921?

Answer 4

1.8%

Question 5

What was the level of unemployment in Great Britain by 1921?

Answer 5

17%

Question 6

Why did many in the Centre Party allow inflation to go unchecked?

Answer 6

They were, and were supported by, industrialists who were expanding their businesses through taking out loans which dropped significantly when it was time to repay them.

Question 7

When was the reparations bill presented to Germany?

Answer 7

April 1921

Question 8

How long was the German government given to sign the reparations bill?

Answer 8

6 days

Question 9

How much did the Allies demand in reparations?

Answer 9

£6.6 billion

Question 10

When did the Reparations Commission grant a postponement of the payments?

Answer 10

January and February 1922

Question 11

Why could Germany not increase its foreign trade?

Answer 11

The Allies had confiscated its entire merchant fleet and placed high tariffs on imported German goods.

Question 12

How much of Germany’s GDP did the reparations bill amount to?

Answer 12

2%

Question 13

When was the Franco-Belgium occupation of the Ruhr?

Answer 13

January 1923

Question 14

How many troops did the French and Belgians send into the Ruhr?

Answer 14

60,000, rising to 100,000 over the course of 1923.

Question 15

Why did the French and Belgians occupy the Ruhr?

Answer 15

Germany had fallen seriously behind in its reparations of coal to France by the end of 1922 and they invaded to try and force Germany to comply.

Question 16

What was Germany’s response to the occupation of the Ruhr?

Answer 16

The Cuno government implemented a policy of passive resistance.

Question 17

How did Cuno support the policy of passive resistance?

Answer 17

He promised to pay the wages of striking workers and provide them with goods. In order to do this the government had to print even more money, triggering the hyperinflation crisis.

Question 18

By November 1923, how much was $1 worth in marks?

Answer 18

4.2 trillion

Question 19

When was a law passed limiting the working day to 8 hours?

Answer 19

1919

Question 20

What did the National Youth Welfare Act do and when was it passed?

Answer 20

Gave all children the right to an education, passed in 1922.

Question 21

Who were the winners in the hyperinflation crisis?

Answer 21

• Black-marketeers.
• Those with debts, loans, and mortgages as they could pay them off easily.
• New businesses taking out loans.
• Renters as the real value of their rent went down.

Question 22

Who were the losers in the hyperinflation crisis?

Answer 22

• Landlords relying on fixed rents as they could not increase them along with inflation.
• The sick since their medication payments increased and they could not afford food.
• Pensioners and those relying on state aid.
• Those with savings as they were now worthless.

Question 23

When was $1 worth 4.2 trillion marks?

Answer 23

November 1923

Question 24

When were prices 14x higher?

Answer 24

1920, compared with 1913.

Question 25

Who implemented the policy of passive resistance?

Answer 25

Wilhelm Cuno’s government

Question 26

What triggered the inflation crisis?

Answer 26

Cuno printing more and more money to fund the policy of passive resistance

Question 27

What act gave all children the right to an education?

Answer 27

National Youth Welfare Act