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Germany Flashcards > Unit 2- The Golden Age 1924-28 > Flashcards

Unit 2- The Golden Age 1924-28 Flashcards

1
Q

What was the “Great Coalition” of 1923 ?

A
  • Led by Stresseman
  • Parties from the left and right wing
  • DVP + Centre Party + Socialists+ DDP
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2
Q

How did Stresseman end Passive Resistance?

A

-Stopped paying workers who refused to comply and work for the French
=Reduced government expenditure

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3
Q

What was the name of the new currency introduced by Stresseman ?

A
  • The Rentenmark

- Replaced the worthless Reichmark

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4
Q

How was the new Rentenmark being exchanged for the old Reichmark ?

A

-One Rentenmark exchanged for One trillion old marks

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5
Q

How was the new currency supported ?

A
  • Mortgage on all industrial and agricultural land

- Didnt have gold reserves to back the currency

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6
Q

How did Stresseman keep a tight control of the money to prevent inflation ?

A
  • Rentenmark became the Reichmark and was backed by gold reserves
  • Had to be maintained at 30% of the value of the Reichmarks in circulation
  • Inflation seased to be a problem
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7
Q

How did Stresseman balance the Budget ?

A
  • Cut expenditure, raised taxes
  • Salaries of government cut
  • 300,000 civil servants lost their jobs
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8
Q

Who benefitted from Stresseman’s economic changes ?

A
  • Well managed companies that didnt build debt continued to prosper
  • Weaker companies that relied on credit, crumbled
  • People that lost in the collapse of the old currency didnt gain anything from the introduction of the new one.
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9
Q

What did the number of Bankrupt Companies rise to between 1923 and 1924 ?

A

1923- 233

1924- Over 6000

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10
Q

What was the Dawes Plan 1924 ?

A
  • Plan with USA
  • Amount paid each year by Germany should be reduced until 1929, when the situation would be reassessed.
  • Germany should re-start reparations by paying 1000 million marks and this would be raised by annual increments over 5 years
  • After sum paid is related to Germany’s industrial performance
  • Loan of 800 million marks from USA
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11
Q

Why was the USA interested in helping Germany with their reparations ?

A
  • Wanted Germany to get back to the position where reparations could be made to France
  • Much of this money was then passed on to the USA to repay loans
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12
Q

What opposition did the Dawes Plan face ?

A
  • Stresseman himself didn’t believe in the plan and called it an “economic armistice” but agreed to secure foreign loans
  • DNVP and right wing groups attacked the policy and believed Germany should refuse to pay reparations
  • Seen as a betrayal for accepting terms of TOV
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13
Q

How did the Dawes Plan benefit Germany ?

A
  • Allies accepted that Germany’s problems with reparations payment was real
  • Loans were granted so new machinery, factories, houses and jobs could be provided- economy could be rebuilt
  • French left the Ruhr once it was clear Germany would restart reparations payment
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14
Q

What showed an Economic Recovery in Industries after 1924 ?

A
  • Big businesses made agreements with smaller firms to form cartels (3000 cartel agreements) inc: 90% of German coal and steel production
  • Allowed to protect industries by introducing tariffs on imported foreign goods
  • Advances made in the chemical industry such as the large scale production of artificial fertilisers
  • Car and aeroplane industries developed
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15
Q

What showed an Economic Recovery in Living Standards after 1924 ?

A
  • Inflation rate close to zero
  • Wages began to increase from 1924
  • In 1927, wages increased by 9%
  • Loans financed the buildings of houses, schools, roads
  • In 1925, over 70,000 more dwellings were built
  • In 1926, there were 205,793 new homes
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16
Q

What shows the limits of the Economic Recovery in 1924?

A
  • Industrial output didn’t reach 1913 levels until 1929
  • 1929 Export down by 61%
  • Cars were still expensive for the average German
  • End of 1925, unemployment = 1 MILLION
  • White collared workers didn’t enjoy wage rises of industrial sector
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17
Q

How were Farmers affected by the Economic Recovery in 1924?

A
  • Increased taxes regarded as unfair on farmers (prices were falling)
  • Few farmers able to make a profit off their land
  • Increase in bankruptcies amongst farmers
  • By 1929, agricultural production was at less than 3/4 of its pre-war level
  • Foreclosures- lost their farms
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18
Q

What did the Young Plan 1929 state ?

A
  • Obliged Germany to continue paying reparations till 1988
  • Total of reparations was reduced to £1.8 billion
  • Annual repayments increased
  • Britain and France agreed to withdraw troops from Rhineland
  • All foreign control over reparations ended
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19
Q

What opposition did the Young Plan 1929 face ?

A
  • Leader of right wing DNVP launched a nationwide campaign against the plan (included Nazis)
  • Drew up “Freedom law” - demanded it be submitted to a national referendum
  • Law required government to reject TOV and any minister who signed TOV to be tried for treason
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20
Q

What was the results of the Freedom Laws ?

A
  • Attracted 4,135,000 signatures

- Was debated and rejected in a referendum

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21
Q

What social welfare reforms were introduced 1924-27 ?

A

1924-Public Assistance System- provided help to the poor and destitute was modernised

1925- State Accident Insurance System- To help those injured at work and who had occupational diseases

1927-National Unemployment Insurance System- Provided benefits for the unemployed- financed through contributions from workers and employers

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22
Q

What were the problems with Social Welfare?

A
  • Promised more than it delivered
  • Very expensive
  • Needed a large and expensive bureaucracy to administer it
  • Means tests introduced- to see people weren’t cheating the system
  • War Veterans and their families felt humiliated and insulted by the welfare system
  • Undermined their support for the Weimar Republic
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23
Q

In 1926 how many people were the state supporting with welfare ?

A
  • 800,00 disabled war veterans
  • 360,000 Widows
  • Over 900,000 War Orphans
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24
Q

Which groups enjoyed improved living standards ?

A
  • Workers in trade unions- were able to maintain living standards by negotiating wage increases
  • Business owners and their employees benefitted from the improved trading position for German companies at the time
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25
Q

Which groups didnt benefit from the new living standards?

A
  • Those dependant on welfare suffered some hardships
  • People who lost savings during Hyperinflation were unable to regain their previous lifestyles
  • Farmers suffered from poor trading conditions, low prices and their incomes were falling
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26
Q

What did the “New Woman” symbolise ?

A
  • Symbolised the way women’s lives had changed since the end of the war
  • Was free, independent, sexually liberated, increasingly visible in public life
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27
Q

What caused women to gain more opportunities after the war ?

A
  • Change in gender balance due to war
  • Over 2 million males killed in war= fewer opportunities for women to follow conventional path
  • Many more women brought into paid employment to replace men who’s fought in the war
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28
Q

What law limited the ability for women to get employment ?

A
  • The Civil Code of Conduct 1896

- In a marriage, the husband had a right to decide on all matters concerning family life

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29
Q

Who were the League of German Women (BDF) ?

A
  • Most popular women group in the 1920’s
  • 900,000 members
  • Promoted traditional family values and maternal responsibilities
  • Opposed changes of freedom and liberation
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30
Q

What rights did women gain in employment ?

A
  • Greater equality in employment rights
  • Equal opportunities in civil service
  • Right to equal pay
  • In 1925- 36% of German workforce are women
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31
Q

What was the reality of women’s rights in employment ?

A
  • Demobilisation Laws= women to leave jobs so ex-soilders could find employment
  • Required to give up employment when marries
  • Married women who worked, attacked as “double earners” - conservative parties campaigned to dismiss them
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32
Q

How did Women’s sexual freedom increase ?

A
  • Birth control widely available
  • Divorce rates increased
  • Rise in abortions
  • By 1930- 1 million abortions a year
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33
Q

What was the reality of women’s sexual freedom ?

A

-Abortion was illegal, performed by unqualified people -10-12,000 deaths

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34
Q

What rights did women gain in politics ?

A
  • Gained equal voting rights to men
  • Right to be Reichstag deputies
  • In 1914, 41 women were elected to Reichstag
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35
Q

What was the reality of women in politics ?

A
  • No political party had a female leader in the Weimar years
  • Only communists (KPD) made gender equality a key element in its party
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36
Q

Who was Clara Zetkin ?

A
  • KPD member of Reichstag

- Organised first International Women’s Day in 1911

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37
Q

What were the Youth turning to a life of in Weimar Germany and why ?

A
  • Turning to a life of crime
  • Would have to leave school at 14 if they didnt go to a Gymnasium school
  • Fewer apprenticeships, more youth unemployment
  • In 1925- 17% of unemployed were aged 14-21
  • Were seeking employment at a time where workforces were being reduced
38
Q

What measures were put in place to help young people ?

A
  • Benefits system provided help

- Day Centres established to help youth acquire skills needed to find work

39
Q

Why did many of the youth join gangs ?

A
  • Lack of unemployment

- Sense of adventure that was lacking in their lives

40
Q

How was the German education system divided ?

A
  • Divided along class lines
  • Gymnasium schools= middle/upper class
  • Realschule= people who wanted to do apprenticeships
  • Catholic and Protestant churches had a very powerful influence over religious education
41
Q

What was introduced as a reform in the education system ?

A
  • Elementry schools = all children attend for first 4 years of education
  • Able to continue for 4 more years if they don’t get into gymnanism school
  • Kept them in school and off the streets
42
Q

What were the 3 types of Youth Groups established ?

A
  • Wandervogen (Wandering Birds)- Group of middle-class boys, nationalistic, would do outdoor activities
  • Political Groups-SPD had the most members of any political youth group, Hitlers Youth
  • Church Groups- Promote religious beliefs, instil respect for family and church
43
Q

How many Jews were there in Germany during the Weimar period ?

A

-1% of the population

44
Q

What was the position of Jews in Politics and the Press?

A
  • Jewish run newspapers- The Berliner Tageblatt prompted liberal political views
  • Walther Rathenu, Foreign minister, also a member of the DDP
  • Prominant in SPD and KPD (rosa luxenburg)
45
Q

What was the position of Jews in Industry and Banking ?

A
  • Jewish Firms dominated coal-mining and steelworks
  • Jewish banking families owned 50% of private banks (Rothschilds)
  • Jewish banks made up 18% of the banking sector in Germany
46
Q

What was the position of Jews in professions ?

A
  • 16% of lawyers in Germany
  • 11% of doctors in Germany
  • 9 awarded nobel prizes to Jews
47
Q

How did Jews assimilate into German society ?

A
  • Looked and acted like Germans (dress sense)
  • Many married non-jews
  • Converted to christianity
48
Q

What problems did Jews face during the Weimar ?

A
  • Jews seen as alien by Germans
  • Backlash against Jews (related to communists and are a danger to Germany )
  • Hostility against Jewish finances at time of Hyperinflation
  • Accusations of Corruption by Jewish bankers and businessmen
49
Q

What was the Barmat Scandal of 1925 ?

A
  • Barmat Brothers= Jewish Businessmen
  • Convicted of bribing public officials to obtain loans from the Prussian state bank and national post office
  • 11 months in jail
  • Provided ammunition for anti-semitic attacks
50
Q

What was the influence of Berlin nightclubs ?

A
  • Renowned for cabarets (nudity featured strongly)
  • Gay men, lesbian and trans could display sexuality
  • American Jazzer’s music played by black americans popular
  • Comedians performed and attacked politicians
51
Q

How did older, traditional minded Germans feel about the Berlin nightclubs ?

A
  • Horrified
  • hated USA’s influence
  • Felt order and discipline was destroyed by the revolution of 1918
52
Q

What was the influence of art ?

A
  • Expressionism was a huge movement
  • Believed their works should express meaning or emotion
  • Vivid and abstract in style
53
Q

What was the influence of music ?

A
  • Expressionism influenced German classical composers

- Atonal music- lacks key and sounds hash

54
Q

What was the influence of Literature ?

A
  • Expressionism key influence
  • Novelists and poets focus on characters internal mental state
  • Key themes = revolt against parental authority
55
Q

What was the influence of architecture ?

A
  • Students encouraged to incorporate metals like steel and glass into their designs
  • taught to make functions of buildings and objects a key element in their designs
56
Q

What was the influence of theatre ?

A
  • German dramatics incorporated expressionist ideas into their productions
  • Sets were stark
  • Attacked war and capatilsim
57
Q

What was the influence of films ?

A
  • Berlin important centre for world cinema
  • Used modern techniques
  • Best known film of weimar = The Blue Angel
58
Q

How many elections were there in 1924 ?

A
  • 2 elections in 1924
59
Q

What did the 1924 elections show a greater support for ?

A
  • Greater support for pro-republican parties that supported the Weimar Republic- The SPD, DDP and Centre
  • Over 61% voted for pro-republican parties in May
  • 67% in December
60
Q

What happened to the positions of anti-republican parties in the 1924 elections ?

A
  • Nazis share of the vote went down to 3% in December
  • Communist party in decline after May 1924
  • Nationalists on right began to work with republic as their position weakened
  • DNVP joined Reich coalition government in Jan 1925
61
Q

What happened to the extreme and anti-republican parties in the 1928 election ?

A
  • Support for extreme and anti-republican parties declined further
  • Nazis vote share reduced to 2.6% and won only 12 seats
  • Communist KPD however saw a revival of electoral support
62
Q

How many coalition cabinets were there between Nov 1923 and March 1930 ?

A
  • 7 coalitions between 1923-1930
  • More stable than coalitions in the year 1919-1923
  • Only 6/23 cabinets between 1919-1932 had majority support in the Reichstag
63
Q

What are some of the issues that occurred in the coalition governments ?

A
  • Luther’s government collapsed over a flag in 1926
  • SDP and DNVP would not serve in the same cabinet (unable to form coalitions and get majority )
  • Moderate centre parties did not have enough seats to command a Reichstag
64
Q

How were the anti-republican parties still in a position to threaten the Weimar Republic ?

A
  • KPD saw a revival of electoral support in 1928, 54 deputies elected to Reichstag(increase)
  • Nationalist party had 73 deputies elected to the Reichstag in Dec 1924, still was a threat
65
Q

What was one stable coalition ?

A
  • The Grand Coalition led by Muller of the SPD
  • Longest lived coalitions of Weimar era
  • In office until March 1930, established in 1928
66
Q

What were problems with the Grand Coalition ?

A
  • Government established in June 1928
  • Did not agree on polices until 1929
  • Ongoing disputes over budget and foreign policy
  • Only survived due to strong working relationship between Muller and Stresseman
  • Only lasted 2 years, despite being the longest coaltion
67
Q

Who was the largest party in the Reichstag in the years 1924-1928 ?

A
  • The SPD
  • Left Wing
  • Vital interest in democratic government
68
Q

How did Hindenberg become president ?

A
  • Jarres (the right) won the most votes in the first round
  • In the 2nd round, Jarres withdrew in favour of Hindenberg
  • Centre and communist party left in running, left vote was split
  • Hindenberg won with 48.3% of the vote
69
Q

What were the issues with Hindenberg becoming president ?

A
  • Had authoritarian views
  • Revered by right
  • His election was seen as a restoration of the old order
  • Seen as a step away from parliamentary democracy
70
Q

How was Hindenberg really as president ?

A
  • Appealed to parties in the Reichstag to work with them and restore national unity
  • Didn’t abuse power and stuck closely to the Weimar Republic
  • Election important in reclining anti-democratic political parties
  • Made parliamentary democracy work
71
Q

What was Hindenberg like as president by the 1930’s ?

A
  • Became increasingly impatient with party-political manoeuvring at a time of serious economic crisis (party’s didn’t prioritise national interests)
  • Used Article 48 to rule by decree on routine basis
  • Didn’t believe in democracy
72
Q

What were attitudes to the Republic from the elites?

A
  • Hostile to parliamentary democracy
  • Held view the republic was born out of betrayal of the fatherland
  • Hostility strengthened by signing of TOV
  • Election of Hindenburg- thought it would steer Germany back to authoritarian form of government
73
Q

What were the attitudes to the Republic from other social groups ?

A
  • Industrial workers felt republic had not delievered on its problems of greater equality and social justice
  • Crushing of revolt by army and police- evidence democracy was failing
  • Some middle class were still supportive of the Weimar, except Mittlstand who lost out during hyperinflation
  • Mittlstand welcomed Stresseman’s economic recovery
74
Q

What was Stresseman’s Policy of Fulfilment ?

A
  • Complying with the TOV

- To revise or remove the terms of the TOV

75
Q

What did Stresseman see as the biggest obstacle in revising the TOV terms ?

A
  • French suspicion of Germany

- Concentrated on ways to reassure France of Germany’s peaceful intentions

76
Q

What were successes of the Locarno Pact 1925 ?

A
  • Germany, France and Belgium promised to respect the Western Frontiers
  • Germany agreed to keep its troops out the Rhineland
  • Britain and Italy promised to aid Germany, France or Belgium if any of these countries were attacked by each other
  • France weren’t permitted to cross into Germany if there’s a dispute
  • Gets Germany into League of Nations
  • Stresseman won Nobel Prize
  • Eastern borders not recognised in same way as the west(could expand)
77
Q

What were the Criticisms of the Locarno Pact 1925 ?

A
  • France signed Mutual Guarantee- would make sure Germany did not break agreement
  • French still suspicious
  • Right attacked Stresseman for appeasing the allied and giving too much away
78
Q

What was the Mutual Guarantee ?

A
  • Would make sure Germany did not break Locarno Pact agreements
  • Showed French still had suspicions
79
Q

What were the similarities in the post war situation of Russia and Germany ?

A
  • Both defeated in the war and suffered from peace treaties

- Hated Poland, thought it was a threat to their security

80
Q

What were terms of the Treaty of Rapallo ?

A
  • Germany and Russia resumed trade and economic cooperation
  • Diplomatic relations restored
  • Outstanding claims for war compensation dropped
  • Germany allowed to develop new weapons and train pilots in Russia
81
Q

What were criticisms of the Treaty of Rapallo ?

A
  • France angered
  • Showed Germanys intentions to get around disarmament terms of the TOV
  • Refusal to accept its eastern frontier with Poland
82
Q

What was the Treaty of Berlin ?

A
  • Germany and Russia renewed their earlier treaty

- Germany would remain neutral if the USSR were to be involved in a war

83
Q

What was the IMCC ?

A

-Set up to ensure Germany complied with the disarmament terms of the TOV

84
Q

How did Germany get around disarmament clauses ?

A
  • Built submarines in Spain
  • Tanks and artillery in Sweden
  • Developed new weapons and trained pilots in Russia
  • New fortifications built along Polish frontier
85
Q

Why was secret disarmament important for Germany ?

A

-Ensured Germany did not fall behind other powers in technological developments

86
Q

What did secret disarmament not provide Germany with ?

A
  • Fully operational air force

- Army with unlimited supplies of modern weapons

87
Q

How did Germany secretly rearm their army?

A
  • General Von Seekt
  • Most recruits to the army were enlisted for short periods of time
  • Would receive intense military training
  • Led to a reserve of highly trained men who could be recalled at short notice
  • Aimed to restore Germany’s military
  • Worked towards military alliance with Russia, which aimed to destroy Poland
88
Q

What was the Kellogg-Briand Pact 1928 ?

A
  • With France and the USA
  • States would agree to voluntarily give up the use of offensive ways to resolve disputes
  • Not use armies aggressively
  • International agreement to avoid war
89
Q

What was a criticism of the Kellogg-Briand Pact 1928 ?

A

-Lack of enforcement limited its effectiveness

90
Q

What caused the end of Allied Occupation in Germany ?

A

-Dawes and Young Plan provided evidence of Germanys willingness to cooperate with the allies

91
Q

What was the end of Allied Occupation in Germany ?

A
  • Removal of foreign forces from German soil
  • Secured by 1930
  • Policy of fulfilment was successful
  • Occupation forces from zone 1 of Rhineland removed
  • IMCC withdrew form Germany

Germany Flashcards (6 decks)

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