Golden Age of the Weimar Republic

Question 1

Who was Chancellor during the Golden Age?

Answer 1

Gustav Stresemann

Question 2

How did Stresemann solve hyperinflation? (and how much?)

Answer 2

• Burned the previous currency
• Introduced the Rentenmark
• Reduced stress on economy
• Nobody was compensated and people still blamed the Weimar Republic

Question 3

How did Stresemann improve foreign relations? (and how much?)

Answer 3

• Locarno Pact
• Kellogg-Briand Pact
• League of Nations (1926)
• Some saw it as weak/giving in

Question 4

What was the Kellogg-Briand Pact?

Answer 4

Germany promised not to use war to resolve conficts

Question 5

How did Stresemann solve the French occupation of the Ruhr? (and how much?)

Answer 5

• Called off passive resistance
• Unpopular among right-wing, some saw it as a sign of weakness against French

Question 6

Name four ways Stresemann improved Germany after becoming Chancellor

Answer 6

• Stopped hyperinflation
• Removed French from the Ruhr
• Improved foreign policy
• Helped to pay reparations

Question 7

What/when was the Dawes Plan?

Answer 7

American loan in 1924 of 800 million marks

Question 8

What/when was the Young Plan?

Answer 8

American loans in 1929 - reduced reparations owed from 6.6 billion to 2 billion

Question 9

What did Stresemann say about American loans?

Answer 9

That Germany was “Dancing on a volcano” - too reliant on USA as they could ask them to be paid back at any given moment

Question 10

How was culture impacted?

Answer 10

• Censorship was removed, more freedom of expression
• Books (All Quiet on the Western Front)
• Films (Metropolis)
• Art (Otto Dix, anti-ww1)
• Architecture (Bauhaus)

Question 11

Did Stresemann solve the problem of paying reparations?

Answer 11

• Dawes and Young Plans
• £6.6 billion –> £2 billion
• Boosted economy (building new facilities)
• Wages rose
• Some Germans didn’t think they should have to pay (“slavery for a generation”)

Question 12

Name four ways the Weimar Republic / Stresemann failed Germany

Answer 12

• No compensation for hyperinflation and people still blamed Weimar Republic
• Giving in to French - Ruhr, reparations, etc (“Slavery for a generation”)
• Loans had to be repaid after Wall Street Crash, weakened Germany’s economy (“Dancing on a volcano”)
• Political instability - lots of coalition governments (25 in 14yrs) unwilling to compromise