Weimar in Crisis 1921-1923

Question 1

Where was the Ruhr and why was it important to Germany?

Why did the French invade the Ruhr?

Answer 1

The Ruhr was a rich and industrial area of Germany and it’s important to Germany cause they need that area, it’s the richest area
Germany falling behind on payments so French invaded Ruhr to take money Germans owed them

Question 2

What was passive resistance and how did French respond to it?

Answer 2

Germans refuse to work everywhere and French can’t get anything cause Germans supply it and they’re on strike. The French tried to overcome by bringing in their workers and arresting leaders of passive resistance

Question 3

Why was the Occupation of the Ruhr a disaster for the Weimar Republic:

1. Social impact
2. Economic impact
3. Political impact

Answer 3

1. Germans got sick of passive resistance and wanted to fight back- were riots and over 130 were killed over 8 months
2. There were no goods being produced in Ruhr, nothing to sell
3. Government start to run out of money and economy began to collapse

Question 4

What does hyperinflation mean?

Answer 4

When government prints so much money that it’s basicllay worthless

Question 5

4 impacts of hyperinflation on Germans

Answer 5

1. People with savings in banks were losers. Some people had saved all their lives to get 1000 marks in bank. By 1923, this wouldn’t get them a loaf of bread.
2. Elderly people who lived on fixed pensions found income wouldn’t buy them what they needed.
3. Small businesses collpased as norml trade became impossible because of daily price changes
4. People who had borrowed money found it easy to pay off debts. If someone had borrowed 10,000 marks in 1920, they could pay their debts with one banknote.

Question 6

Example of moderate and extreme left wing party

Answer 6

Moderate left wing - Labour party

Extreme left wing - Communist party

Question 7

Example of moderate and extreme right wing party

Answer 7

Moderate right wing - Conservative party

Extreme right wing - Nazi party