Germany In Transition Topic 2 Flashcards
Who was the president during the years of the golden age of Weimar?
Gustav stressmann
What were the years of golden age in Weimar Germany?
1924 - 1929
What was the rentenmark
Hyperinflation (1923) had destroyed the value of the mark. Introduced temporary currency the rentenmark.
Did the introducing of the rentenmark - extent of positive impact
This helps a lot beacuse now Germany has a new stable currency that is backed up by gold reserves.
What was the Dawes plan?
Loan of 800 million marks from the USA helped the economy to recover and enabled Germany to pay back some of its reparations.
What was the Locarno pact?
To improve relations with France and Britain. France wanted to feel secure from attack or invasion therefore stressmann signed the Locarno pact.
Locarno pact - extent of positive impact
1925 signing was a success and began a period of co operation between internaltional seas
What was the League of Nations?
In Oder for the Locarno pact to come into operation Germany needed to become a member of League of Nations to try and maintain peace. - this helped their international peace
League of Nations - extent of positive impact
Risky move however stressmann managed to use germanys position in the League of Nations to bring about the young plan
What was the Kellogg Brian’s pact
1928 signed it along with 64 other nations together that they would keep their army’s for self defence.
Kellog Brian’s pact - extent of positive impact
Improved relations with US confirming that Germany was once again one of the leading nations
What was the young plan
1929 Owen young lowered the reparations for Germany from 6.6 billion to 1.85 billion. And tie extended to pay by 59 years
Young plan - extent of positive impact
Significant achievement for stressmann however criticised by right wing politicians such as Alfred hugenburg and Adolfo Hitler who refused to pay any.
What did article 109 say
( women)
“That all women were fully equal to men”
What did the 1926 - new women do ?
Statistics of - birth rates , divorces
Short hair, make up , high heels, jewelery, revealing clothes, drank alcohol and smoked cigars
- 180 births per 1000 women dropped to 80 in 1926
- 2 divorces per 100,000 people rose to 60 in 1925
However some women felt pressured to fit in
Standerd of living in Weimar golden age
(Unemployment statics ) (5)
1929 - 1.4 million / 65 million unemployed
Pensions and sickness benefits were introduced
Compulsory unemployment insurance
Education improved
Foreign relations improved and economy prospered
Did farmers benefit during the ‘ golden age’
No. Agricultural depression because they needed to modernise equipment and technology
1929 - agricultural production 25% lower than pre war levels
Why did hyperinflation occur in Germany (3 points)
French occupation of the Ruhr - Germany printed money to pay workers on strike
Political instability - kapp pitch , sparcasist uprising
Production low - value of currency dropped
When was the worst hyperinflation
November 1923
Was so bad that £1 was equivalent to 1,680,800,000,000,000 marks
Did hyperinflation benefit anyone? (3)
Workers - if they had jobs they were paid higher as the price went up they were protected
Rich - had land, possessions and foreign currency so were able to protect their wealth
Debts - they actually benefitted because the could pay back the money a fraction of the cost
Who did hyperinflation not benefit ? (2)
Pensions and savings- these became worthless and they were left with nothing
Working class - unemployed, couldn’t afford to keep up with the prices
