The Stresemann Era

Question 1

Which years were the Stresemann era?

Answer 1

1924 to 1929.

Question 2

Who was Gustav Stresemann?

Answer 2

He had been a member of Germany’s parliament since 1907, and was one to agree to the Treaty of Versailles.

Question 3

What were the 4 main problems in Germany that were recovered between 1924 to 1929.

Answer 3

1. Hyperinflation crisis
2. French and Belgian troops invaded the Ruhr when Germans stopped paying reparations
3. Germany was no longer considered a great power, its status in the world had declines
4. German industries were in trouble after the war, there were few jobs and services

Question 4

What was Stresemann’s solution to the hyperinflation crisis?

Answer 4

He stopped the printing of old paper money and replaced it with a temporary, new currency called the Rentenmark. This was replaced by the more stable Reichsmark in 1924 which remained for the next 25 years.

Question 5

When did Stresemann replace the Rentenmark for the Reichsmark?

Answer 5

1924.

Question 6

How long did the stable Reichsmark remain for?

Answer 6

The next 25 years.

Question 7

Was Stresemann’s solution to hyperinflation a success?

Answer 7

Yes, Germans quickly accepted the new currency and hyperinflation ended. However people who had lost savings never got their money back, and blamed Stresemann and his government.

Question 8

What was Stresemann’s solution to the French and Belgian soldiers invading the Ruhr?

Answer 8

He made a deal with the American Vice President, Charles Dawes, called the Dawes Plan.

Question 9

What was the Dawes Plan?

Answer 9

Stresemann arranged for the USA to lend money to Germany (800 million gold marks), so Germany could begin to pay what they owed. A repayment schedule was arranged which saw Germany re-start their reparation payments.

Question 10

How much did the USA lend to Germany in the Dawes Plan?

Answer 10

800 million gold marks.

Question 11

Was Stresemann’s solution to the French and Belgian Soldiers invading the Ruhr succesful?

Answer 11

Yes, French and Belgian troops left eh Ruhr. However, some Germans felt he had ‘given in’ to the bullying tactics and should have demanded an end to the reparations all together.

Question 12

When was the Young Plan?

Answer 12

1929.

Question 13

What was the Young Plan?

Answer 13

Stresemann negotiated the reparations down from £6.6 billion to £1.8 billion - and Germany was given longer to pay it.

Question 14

What was Streseman’s solution to Germany no longer being considered a great power?

Answer 14

-He worked hard to improve Germany’s relationships with other nations.
-In 1925, Germany signed the Locarno Pact with Britain, France, Belgium and Italy. They promised to never invade each other.
-In 1926, Germany joined the League of Nations.
-In 1928, Germany signed the Kellog-Briand Pact - the participating countries agreed to never go to war against each other.

Question 15

Was Stresemann’s solution to Germany no longer being considered a great power a success?

Answer 15

Yes, Germany regained it’s international status and became an important part of the League of Nations. However some right-wing Germans criticised Stresemann for not demanding back land taken during the Treaty of Versailles.

Question 16

What was Stresemann’s solution to the German industries in trouble after the war?

Answer 16

He used some of the money borrowed from the USA in the Dawes Plan to build new factories, houses, schools and roads. Some American factories (such as Ford and Gillette) built factories in Germany too.

Question 17

Was Stresemann’s solution to the German industries in trouble after the war a success?

Answer 17

Slowly, Germany became more prosperous and many Germans were better off.

Question 18

Give an example of how Germans was better off after Stresemann’s influence and the Dawes Plan:

Answer 18

The sale of radios rose from 1 million in 1926 to 4 million in 1932.

Question 19

What was a fear about the Dawes Plan?

Answer 19

Some Germans, and even Stresemann himself, feared that Germany relied too much on American Loans.

Question 20

Give an example of how Stresemann had made Germany enter a new era of peace and prosperity:

Answer 20

There were no attempts to overthrow the government between 1924 and 1929.

Question 21

What 4 underlying problems were there still in Germany after the Stresemann era?

Answer 21

-There were still many political parties in Germany and no single party could ever get enough votes to rule on their own. This meant parties always joined up but always argued because they found it hard to agree

-Political parties with extreme ideas still hated politicians in the Reichstag.

-There were still large groups in German Society that were in trouble

-Much of the prosperity was created by American loans. What if they wanted their money back?

Question 22

What kind of groups in German society were still in trouble even after the Stresemann era?

Answer 22

Farmers’ incomes were really low and the middle classes had had their saving wiped out by the hyperinflation in 1923.

Question 23

What had happened to support of the Nazis during the Stresemann era with figures?

Answer 23

It had declined. Hitler found it difficult to persuade millions of Germans they needed to vote for him (when the country was doing so well).

In 1924, 5% of Germans voted for Nazis, by 1928 it had dropped to 2%..