French occupy the Ruhr 1923

Question 1

Why?

Answer 1

Because Germany was unable to send a payment of coal to France so they took reparations by force

Question 2

How did the Weimar Republic fight back?

Answer 2

The government couldn’t start war because of how much smaller their army was compared to France so instead they ordered workers to go on strike and sabotage the factories (Passive Resistance)

Question 3

How did France react to the Passive Resistance?

Answer 3

Harshly set up machine gun posts in the streets.
Killed over 100 workers and expelled over 100000 protestors from the area

Question 4

Consequences

Answer 4

-80% of Germanys steel ad coal reserves were lost to France. It increased Germany’s debts and increased unemployment
-Germany had no money left so the Government printed out more money so it could make reparation payments. In 1923, the government printed 300 paper mills and 2000 printing shops
-Hyperinflation

Question 5

Hyperinflation

Answer 5

-More money increased the prices of goods and decreased the value of money
-Caused by the government printing more more money which increased prices

Question 6

Why was 1923 known as a ‘year of crisis’ for the Weimar Republic?

Answer 6

-The economy was in ruin
-A loaf of bread in 1923 costed 200000 billion marks and savings became useless.
-Invaded by foreign power and couldn’t fight back

Question 7

How did some people benefit from Hyperinflation?

Answer 7

-People in debt benefitted as all their debt was paid off overnight
-Foreign businesses found it much cheaper to buy German resources and materials