The Weimar Republic 1924-29

Question 0

What was the Rentenmark? (1924)

Answer 0

Stresemann set up a new state owned bank (Rentenbank). Which issued a new currency (the Rentenmark). Printed in limited supply, it had real value so people trusted it. The Reichbank was given control of the currency in 1924 and it became the Reichmark.

Question 1

What did chancellor (until 1923) and foreign secretary Gustav Stresemann oversea during ‘the Stresemann era’? (1923-29)

Answer 1

The Rentenmark (1923)
The Dawes plan (1924) 
The Locarno pact (1925) 
The League of Nations (1926) 
The Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928)
The Young Plan (1929)

Question 2

What was the Dawes Plan? (1924)

Answer 2

Charles Dawes (USA banker) suggested a plan that Stresemann agreed to. It included:
-Annual reparations would be made affordable
-US banks would give out loans to German industry
This helped Germany and reassured allies they will get payed
Extreme parties hated the co-operation

Question 3

How did Stresemann get the French to leave the Ruhr? (1924)

Answer 3

He called off the passive aggressive resistance and the German people co-operated, the friendship building involved in the Dawes plan also helped

Question 4

What was the Locarno Pact? (1925)

Answer 4

Between Germany, Britain, France, Italy and Belgium
-Germany agreed to keep its new borders from the treaty
-in return: allied troops left the Rhineland, France promised peace and they agreed to discuss Germany in the League of Nations
Stresemann was given the Nobel peace prize for this.
Extreme parties disagreed again

Question 5

What did Stresemann do about the League of Nations? (1926)

Answer 5

Stresemann persuaded the members to let Germany be a member of the group of powerful countries set up after the first war
Some Germans disagreed but Stresemann strived for Germany to be equal

Question 6

What was the Kellogg-Briand Pact? (1928)

Answer 6

Germany and 61 other nations signed it to agree that states would not use war to achieve political aims
Another step towards Germany’s equality with other nations

Question 7

What was the Young plan? (1929)

Answer 7

Owen Young (USA banker) set up a plan that Stresemann agreed to:
-reduced annual payments
This meant they could lower taxes which would release spending power to boost the German economy
(Stresemann dies of a heart attack the same year)

Question 8

Who replaced Ebert as president and what was his background? (1925)

Answer 8

Paul von Hindenburg

The former field Marshall of the Kaiser’s army (very strong figurehead)

Question 9

How did Stresemann die and how did this effect Germany? (1929)

Answer 9

From a heart attack, the country was in shock and extremists began to regain support again