Stresemann and the Golden Years

Question 1

What problems did Stresemann face?

Answer 1

• DNVP politicians, generals and industrialists were planning to replace parliamentary government with a dictatorship.
• KPD, encouraged by Russian Bolsheviks, were planning uprisings in Saxony
• Bavaria patriotic- nationalist and parliamentary organisations planning a coup against the central government (Munich Putsch)

Question 2

How did Stresemann improve political stability?

Answer 2

1. The post 1923 govt. became more stable, highlighted by the fact that there were no uprisings/attempted uprisings
2. He was right-of-centre and so was able to gain more support
3. The parties were not doing well in elections so the idea of democracy and the Weimar Republic were gaining public support. Therefore, political stability improved.

Question 3

What measures did Stresemann to take in order to improve foreign relations?

Answer 3

1. Signed the Locarno Pact in October 1925

2. Signed the Kellogg-Briand Pact in 1928

Question 4

What was the Kellogg-Briand Pact?

Answer 4

An international agreement signed by 62 countries promising they would not use war to solve disputes/conflicts.

Question 5

What were the positive impacts of the foreign relation measures?

Answer 5

1. Foreign relations improved: Germany became more trusted by other countries
2. Locarno Pact enabled Germany to be admitted to the League of Nations in 1926

Question 6

What economic measures did Stresemann take?

Answer 6

1. Dawes Plan in August 1924
2. Young Plan in February 1929
3. Called off passive resistance in the Ruhr and promised to pay reparations
4. introduced the Retenmark to end hyperinflation

Question 7

What were the negative impacts of the foreign relations measures?

Answer 7

1. Germans believed joining the League of Nations made Germany weak
2. Lack of support from the USA and the USSR for the League of Nations prevented Germany from allying with the major economies of the world
3. The main aim of the League of Nations failed
4. Many criticised the Kellogg-Briand Pact as Stresemann showed he was not interested in rebuilding their army which they believed would weaken Germany.

Question 8

What were the positive impacts of the economic measures?

Answer 8

1. Dawes Plan and Young helped the economy and helped them cope with paying the reparations
2. Calling off passive resistance and promising to pay reparations made the French leave the Ruhr and meant Germany could make products and resume trade
3. The introduction of the Retenmark meant hyperinflation was solved

Question 9

What were the negative impacts of the economic measures?

Answer 9

1. The Dawes and Young Plan weakened Germany in the long run because it meant that Germany was reliant on the US economy
2. People believed that calling off passive resistance made Germany appear weak
3. Hyperinflation revealed the weaknesses of the government and showed the people that the government could not handle a crisis.

Question 10

What were the positives of the social measures Stresemann had taken?

Answer 10

1. He created the Youth Welfare Act which fixed poverty and gave the right to education and health care to every child
2. He managed to control unemployment by creating more jobs in industrial and service jobs instead of manual labour

Question 11

What were the negative impacts of the social measures Stresemann had taken?

Answer 11

1. Resentment for the WR as the ‘November criminals’ was still present
2. People were angry at the loss of life savings due to hyperinflation
3. The poverty, class and political divide was still a significant problem, made worse by hyperinflation and the Great Depression.

Question 12

When did Stresemann become Chancellor of Germany

Answer 12

1923