Germany 1923-1929 (Recovery and Stability)

stresemann foreign policy aims

reduce impact of versailles, restore german to position of power, improve franco-german relations, build world trade, maintain USSR alliance, encourage cooperation

rentenmark value against old marks

1 rentenmark to 1 trillion old marks

stability of rentenmark

created by backing of land and industrial resources, output strictly limited to prevent hyperinflation

rentenmark value against dollar

$1 to 4.2 rentenmark

rentenmark changed to reichsmark

august 1924

benefits of rentenmark

economic growth, prudently run companies did well, more confidence in banks

potential problem caused by rentenmarks

lower availability of cheap credit leading to collapse of some companies, higher number of bankruptcies

bankruptcies in 1923

233

bankruptcies in 1924

6000, as a result of less cheaper credit

dawes plan

1924

contents of dawes plan

reduced to £50m a year but remained £6.6bn, reassess in 1929, allowed to pay what they could afford, reichsbank supervised by allies, any actions from payment defaults would be agreed by all

benefits of dawes plan for economy

acceptance of germany problems, investment from US, French left Ruhr, improved confidence

US loans to Germany 1924-1930

around 25bn marks

french left ruhr

1925

problems caused by dawes plan

right wing backlash, surrendered sovereignty of banks, high unemployment

unemployment in 1926

peaked at 20%

young plan

1929, reassessment agreed in dawes plan

contents of young plan

reduced reparations, stopped allied supervision of reichsbank, payments could be suspended if germany couldn't pay

referendum on young plan

85% for despite reichstag opposition

benefits of the young plan for the economy

suspended reparations in june 1931, ditched in 1932, dramatically improved reparations terms

problems caused by young plan

opposed by right, hjalmar resigned

schacht resigned

in opposition to young plan

1925

ebert died and replaced by paul von hindenburg

chancellor following stresemann

wilhelm marx, centre part

marx government unpopular decision

pay in civil service reduced to per-1914 levels

reason for DNVP success in may 1924

campaign ran on hatred on dawes plan

reason for moderates gain in seats in December 1924

wages rising, unemployment falling

reichsbanner

republican paramilitary

hindenburg vote share in 1925 presidential election

48.3%

locarno treaties

december 1925

results of locarno treaties

western border confirmed, easter bordersn decided not to used war, polish border not secured

germany joining league of nations

1926, stresemann was indifferent towards league of but saw its importance

treaty of berlin

1926, confirmed treaty of rapallo, included pledge of neutrality which gained army support

kellogg-briand pact

1928, repudiation of war in favour of diplomacy, signed by germany as equal with 64 other states

stresemann nobel peace prize

1926, with french and british counterparts

successes of stresemann

nobel prize, instigated survival of democracy, improved domestic and international problems in a short amount of time

failures of stresemann

circumstances were favourable, polish border not restored, failed to fully repeal versailles

J. Wright about sresemann

"weimar's greatest statesman", 2004

E. Kolb about stresemann policy

"astonishingly successful", 1982

production levels exceed 1913 levels

1928, as a result of modern techniques

cartels by 1925

3000

growth in economy 1913-1929

4% per year

growth in US economy 1913-1929

70%

coal production in 1927

79% of pre-1913 levels

pig iron production in 1927

68% of pre-1913 levels

steels production in 1927

86% of pre-1913 levels

vereinigte stahlwerke

formed 1926, controlled 40-50% of steel and 36% of coal

unemployment by 1929

14\.5% (3.3 million)

unemployment in 1924-1929

never below 1.3m as surplus workers were laid off

farmers earnings

44% less than rest of country

public insurance programme for old and poor

1924

labour exchange and unemployment insurance extended to 17.25m workers

1927, financed by levy, only affordable with unemployment under 800,000

homes built in 1925

179,000

homes built in 1926

205,000

ernst may

architect building working-class houses in frankfurt

women in workforce 1907

31\.2%

women in workforce 1925

35\.6%

abortion legalised

1926

contraceptives could be advertised

1927

marriage advice centres

opened in prussia 1926, advised on ‘racial hygiene’

working class secondary school pupils 1930

7%, despite aims of SPD

educational aims of SPD

interdenominational schools, more working class in secondary schools

political influence in schools and universities

professors were ultra-nationalist and school still promoted conservative ideas

military budget change 1924-1928

75% increase

groener became defense minister

december 1927

effect of agrarian crisis on aristocracy

maintained hold on land across germany

political support of army

following versailles radical right and nazis (especially from 1929)

weimar constitution on censorship

it does not take place

eric marie remarque

author of ‘all quiet on the western front’

founder of the Brauhaus

Walter Gropins in 1919

brauhaus movement

architecture becoming more functional resulting in more affordable homes

music in weimar

americanised in berlin due to jazz and nightclubs

artists impact on soceity

overtly political and realistic view so impacted many

first german radio broadcast

1923, from berlin, only picked up by higher-end radios so only middle class heard

german radio sets 1932

4\.2 million

government oversight

all 10 major broadcasters had government representative on boards

cinemas in germany by 1930

5000, over 350m tickets sold

social classes who had access to cinema

all social classes but not together

right wing opposition to cultural change

favoured traditional soceity, church campaigned against ‘immorality’ in all forms, opposed ‘tides of filth’

protect the youth from pulp fiction and pornograph y law

1926, banned true crime, erotic magazines and sex education books; banned 103 by 1930

left wing opposition to cultural change

SPD - favoured traditional culture over avant-garde; Communists - preferred a proletarian counter-culture; left - saw rise of cinema as a threat as feared labour movement could not offer socialist alternative

coalition governments 1924-1930

6

chancellors 1924-1930

wilhelm marx (Z), hans luther (no party), hermann muller (SPD)

NSDAP in May 1924

6\.5% of seats

NSDAP in December 1924

3% of seats

NSDAP in May 1928

2\.6% of seats

DNVP change in view

began to work with republic (moderating views), could be problematichu

hindenburg as president

seen ass threat to weimar did not undermine constitutional role and surprisingly worked with SPD

signs of political stability

economic stability, decline of extremists, reduced threat of political assassination

signs of political instability

lots of coalition governments, largest part SPD did not serve until 1928, publicity for nazis following young plan referendum in 1928

27th february 1925

Hitler reformed NSDAP party wrote the editorial ‘A New Beginning’ in the Volkischer Beobachter

gauleiter of berlin

joseph goebbels before being chief of propaganda, previously SPD stronghold

hitler ban on political activity

until 1927, included ban on public speaking in prussia

gregor strasser

hitler’s opposition in NSDAP aligned with parties’ socialist principles

SS

formed 1925, initially hitler’s bodyguard but expanded under himmler

NSDAP membership 1925

27000 members

NSDAP membership 1928

108000 members

young plan committee

opposition to young plan, referendum used Hugenburg’s right-wing media monopoly

effect of young plan committee on NSDAP

gave Hitler connections with wealthy donors, gave publicity using Hugenburg’s media

Hugenburg

right wing media mogul (1920s Rupert Murdoch), DNVP leader from 1928, moved party further right