Was The Weimar Republic Ever A Success Flashcards
When did Gustav Stresemann become chancellor of Germany?
1923
When where the ‘German Golden Years’?
1924-1929
How did Gustav Streseman deal with hyper inflation?
Scrap the old money system and set up a new currency
How did Gustav Streseman deal with the French Occupation of the Ruhr?
He called off the passive resistance
Promise to begin paying reparations again to France
Persuade french to leave
How did Gustav Streseman deal with Germany not being trusted by other countries
Make a series of treaties with other European countries
Promise to stick to the treaty of Versailles
How did Gustav Streseman deal with Germany facing massive reparations?
Promise to stick to the terms of the treaty and pay the reparations in full- hoped allies would lower payments in the future
Borrow money from the rich USA
How did Gustav Streseman deal with Germany needing to rebuild its economy?
Get loans from USA
Tax the rich more
What is a major argument against Gustav Stresmann being a good leader?
All his policies were short term solutions
They did not solve Germany’s long term problems
Pros and cons of new currency
Pros: inflation was brought under control
Cons: people never forgot hyper inflation
People who had lost their savings were not compensated
People felt cheated and blamed the Weimar Republic
Pros and cons of persuading the French to leave the Ruhr
Pros: Germany didnt have to keep paying workers for passive resistance
Cons: Some Germans said it was a sign of a weak leader (given into the French)
Pros & cons of improving Germany relationships with other country
Pros: Germany joined League of Nations- had more political power
Cons: some Germans thought Stressman was weak
Some army generals thought Stresmann should have built up the army and regain land by force rather than negotiate
When were Locarno pacts signed?
1926
What were the Lacorno pacts?
Series of treaties with Britain, France, Belgium and Italy to promise not to invade each other
When was the Dawes plan written?
1924
What did the Dawes Plan do?
Gave Germany longer to pay back their reparations
Organised big loans for Germany from the US
When was the Young Plan written?
1929
What did the Young Plan do?
Lowered the amount of money Germany had to pay from 132 billion marks to 37 billion marks
Pros & Cons of Germany promising to continue to pay reparations?
Pros: Dawes plan- Germany had longer to pay
Young plan- Germany had less to pay
Cons: Some Germans saw the Dawes Plan as just a second treaty of Versailles
Germans still thought that they shouldn’t have to pay any money back despite the Young plan
Pros of Germany getting help to rebuild economy
Pros: Germany could improve infrastructure and services- provide better quality of life
Loans were given to private German firms- boosted economy
US firms set up factories in Germany- more jobs for German people
Pensions and wages rose (for some)
Cons of of Germany getting help to rebuild economy
German economy was dependent on USA- problems in USA would cause massive problems for Germany
Farmers lost out because food prices stayed low and thus they received a very low wage- many farmers became angry and started to support more extremist parties
Unemployment never fell below 1 million
Rich people had to pay higher taxes- were not happy
Describe the level of prosperity in the Golden Years of the Weimar Republic
Lots of jobs
Newest technology
Germany was world’s 2nd greatest industrial power
Increased welfare benefits
Liveliest cultural life in Europe
Describe 5 parts of German culture that blossomed during the Golden Years
Music and cabaret- more controversial / risqué
Cinema- revolutionary director, Fritz Lang
Theatre
Architecture & Design
Art
What were the positive & negative reactions to the Weimar culture?
Positive- colourful and exciting
Attracted tourists
Negative- some felt the culture represented a moral decline
‘Wandergovel Movement’ was a direct reaction to Weimar culture- they wanted to see traditional values and less decadence in the cities
The ‘Wandergovel Movement’ was a powerful feeling which the nazis successfully harnessed in later years
