Was weimar Germany a Golden Age Flashcards
Define the term Golden Age?
Golden Age refers to the Greek concept of the five ages of man. The Golden Age was a period of peace, harmony, stability, and prosperity.
Key events in the weimar period?
1923-Berlin riots on Hyperinflation
1923-Dawes Plan agreed
1924-Death of Friedrich Ebert(father of Weimar Democracy)
1926-German joins the League of Nations.
1928-Kellog-Briand Pact signed
1928-Young Plan introduced
1929-Wall Street Crash
1933- End of Weimar Republic
What period was seen as the high point of the republic
1924-1929
Economic and social success in the weimar republic?
Investment poured in from abroad especially USA.
New houses, roads and facilities were built.
Factories equipped with new machinery.
Between 1923-1929 industrial output doubled.
Wages rose every year meaning people could afford more things.
Women had much greater equality and some were voted into the Reichstag.
Economic and social failures in the Weimar Republic?
Germany’s recovery was dangerously dependent on loans from the USA.
Farmers did not prosper. They made up 1/3 if the German population.
Farm workers earnings were only half the national average.
1.3 million Germans were still unemployed.
Political success in the Weimar Republic?
The early attempts to overthrow the government did not happen again.
In the 1924 and 1928 elections the extremist parties of the right and left lost ground firmly.
This suggested the idea of democracy was accepted by more people then ever.
Political failures in the Weimar Republic?
There were 7 governments between 1924-1930 with longest government lasting only 21 months.
This saw a huge inconsistency in policies and little being achieved.
Many ordinary Germans were cynical of party politics as they were used to being told what to do by the kaiser.
Cultural and Artistic Successes in the Weimar Republic?
The 1920s was a very creative period with experimentalism in art, architecture, drama, film and music.
Lively debate and creativity flourished in the atmosphere of free expression created by the Weimar government.
Berlin was replacing Paris as the cultural centre of Europe with over 40 theatres.
Cultural and Artistic failures in the Weimar Republic?
The Cultural and Artistic expression was disliked by the right and left wing parties.
The left thought it was only the rich who benefited.
The right said it was a threat to traditional values.
As a result Berlin became sleazy, corrupt and sex obsessed.
The crisis of October 1929
October 1929 the Wall Street Crash occured in America. The value of shares collapsed and many people were ruined.
Americans pulled there investments from Germany, ruining thousands of German businesses in the process.
The years of crisis 1929-1932
Crisis of October 1929.
By 1932 6 million Germans were unemployed and the rest had to accept lower wages.
Stresemann died in October 1929 and there was no politician as good to replace him.
Political scheming was underway to maintain power and to make sure government cuts affected their supporters least.
President hindenburg dissolved the Reichstag in 1930 as it refused to accept the budget.
1930 election saw Germans in desperation and turned to extremist parties.
The communists(KPD) won 77 seats and the Nazis won 107 seats becoming the second largest party behind the SPD.
The years of crisis 1929-1932
Crisis of October 1929.
By 1932 6 million Germans were unemployed and the rest had to accept lower wages.
Stresemann died in October 1929 and there was no politician as good to replace him.
Political scheming was underway to maintain power and to make sure government cuts affected their supporters least.
President hindenburg dissolved the Reichstag in 1930 as it refused to accept the budget.
1930 election saw Germans in desperation and turned to extremist parties.
The communists(KPD) won 77 seats and the Nazis won 107 seats becoming the second largest party behind the SPD.
