Golden Years of the Weimar Republic

Question 1

When did the government of Guno colapse

Answer 1

august 1923

Question 2

why was the Gustav Stresemann led coalition known as the Great coalition?

Answer 2

the first coalition to include parties from both the left and the right

Question 3

what parties were the Great coalition made up of?

Answer 3

Stresemannns own party, the DVP shared power with the Centre Party, the socialists and the DDP

Question 4

how long was Stresemann in office for

Answer 4

was Chancellor for 103 days

Question 5

how did Stresemann plan to to recover the state of the economy and Weimar politics

Answer 5

caught to do so in 3 steps
- the end of passive resistance
- the issuing of a new currency
- balancing the budget

Question 6

what was passive resistance

Answer 6

passive resistance was a popular scheme that paid the workers of the Rhur and the Rhineland who refused to work for the French

Question 7

what did Stresemann do in terms of passive resistance

Answer 7

called off and ended passive resistance in September 1923

Question 8

why did Stresemann end passive resistance

Answer 8

• to stop government expenditure

Question 9

what was the new currency called and when was it introduced

Answer 9

new currency was called the Renten Mark and was introduced in November 1923

Question 10

what was the value of Rentenmarks to Reichmarks

Answer 10

1 Renten mark was worth worth 1 trillion old marks

Question 11

what was the new currency supported on

Answer 11

since Germany did not have sufficient gold reserves the new currency was supported by mortgages on industrial and agricultural land

Question 12

how did the Stesemann government control inflation

Answer 12

kept tight control of the ammount of money in circulation

Question 13

when did the Renten Mark become the Reichsmark

Answer 13

in august 1924, backed by the gold reserve

Question 14

what were the general economic policies of the stresemann government

Answer 14

the Streseman government cut expenditure and raised taxes
the salaries of government employees were cut
some 300 civil servants lost their jobs
taxes were raised on both government and individuals

subsequently government debt fell and confidence was restored

Question 15

what other factors helped recover the economy

Answer 15

the Dawes Plan and the Schacht’s work at the Reichsbank interest rates were kept high to attract international investment

American loans helped stimulate the economy

industrial output grew

Question 16

what did loans help do

Answer 16

help finance new homes, buildings, schools
the economy continueed to be stable and be good until 1927

Question 17

what were the limits to the economic recover from Stresemann

Answer 17

in a speech befo4re his death Stresemann warned that the economic position was only flourishing on the surface
if the short term loans were called in the economy would collapse - only a short term option for the economy
- unemployment was a continuing problem. in these years, by the end of 1925 unemployment had reached 1 million. due to spending cuts, more people seeking but alsoo to companies reducing their workforces to make efficiency savings for example mining companies

Question 18

what was the impact of stresseman’s policies on agriculture

Answer 18

farmers gained very little benefits from the economic recovery of these years
a world wide agricultural depression kept food prices low
government made it easier to to take out loans for farmers however was more difficult to repay due to the struggling industry
increased taxes introduced to fund welfare payments were difficult for farmers to pay and was seen as unfair
by late 192ps there was a large increase in bankruptcies amongst farmers and many of them lost their land as the banks demanded repayments of loans
in 1928 ‘farmers revenge’ riots

Question 19

what was the young plan

Answer 19

the Dawes Plan was only a temporary fix to the reparations issue in Germany
the Young plan acted as a replacement, it obliged Germany to continue to pay reparations until 1988, reduced bill
in return Britain and France agreed to withdraw from the Rhineland

Question 20

what was the impact of the Young Plan

Answer 20

inflamed nationalist opinion in Germany campaign groups against the plan - considerable support

however there was no longer occupation in the Rheinland which would benefit German industry

Question 21

summary of Stresemann

Answer 21

• inflation was brought under control with the issue of a new currency
• attracted loans to rebuild the economy
  growing prosperity
• however, not the experience of all germans
• farmers faced difficult trading conditions and many lost their land