1. The recovery of the Weimar Republic
By the end of this lesson you will:
Understand how the Weimar Republic appeared to recover from the disasters of 1923.

2. Was 1923 a year of disaster for the Weimar Republic? EXPLAIN

3. Re-cap What is hyper – inflation?
Why did Germany suffer from hyper-inflation in the early 1920’s?
What happened when Germany stopped paying reparations?

4. Learning objectives By the end of this lesson:
I will be able to describe the problems Germany faced in 1923
I should be able to explain the solutions to these problems
I could also be able to evaluate how effective each of the solutions were

5. Gustav Stresemann became Chancellor of Germany in 1923 at the height of the hyperinflation crisis

6. Does Gustav Stresemann put Germany back on it’s feet?

7. Tasks
Think back over all the problems Germany has faced since 1918 NOT just 1923
Decide what Stresemann’s problems are.
Find solutions for the problems.
Assess the potential success of these solutions.
In grouyps of four students put their ideas down on sugar paper, each student has a marker. 10 MINS APPROX. Then students move to another table and add ideas to the paper there and so on. Then discuss

8. Germans fall behind with
French occupy the Ruhr
Germans fall behind with
reparations
German workers in
Ruhr strike.
Government continues
to pay workers.
Inflation at its
peak
Munich Putsch
Nov 1923
French leave
Ruhr
Inflation rises
Sept 1923
Strike is
called off.
Germans agree
to pay
August 1923
Stresemann becomes
Chancellor
Hyperinflation

9. Problem 1: Hyperinflation Solution: Scrap old currency
and introduce the Rentenmark
Problem 2: French troops
in the Ruhr
Solution: Persuade French to
Leave and
agree to start paying
reparations again
(Dawes Plan)
Problem 3: No one trusted
the Germans
Solution: Improve Germany’s
relationship with other countries
Problem 4: Economy and
industry were in
Trouble
Solution: Arrange loans
(Dawes Plan)
to rebuild German industry.
Refer back to slide 5, how far down the list are they?

10. Britain and France The Dawes Plan 1924 Germany USA LOANS Reparations
War loans
repaid
Britain and France

11. Stresemann
He was Chancellor for only 100 days in 1923 and then became Foreign Minister.
He restored German pride by:
Putting Germans back to work and stabilising the economy.
Arranging loans (Dawes Plan) to rebuild industry and the economy
Doing a deal to extend reparation payments. (Young Plan)
Making Germany trusted in Europe again.

12. The Dawes Plan 1924
The Dawes Plan reduced Germany’s reparation payments and provided huge loans from the USA.
After the Great War Germany’s factories were run down, there were few jobs and poor schools, housing and hospitals.
The Dawes Plan meant Germany could begin to rebuild it’s economy and invest in new businesses, hospitals, schools etc. This also created more jobs.
In all Germany borrowed 3,000 million dollars from US banks.

13. The new currency
Stresemann introduced a new currency called the Rentenmark which ended hyperinflation.

14. Locarno Treaty- 1925
Stresemann formally argued that Alsace-Lorraine should return to France.
He was saying this land was French and belonged to them and so lets be friends again.
Many Germans didn’t like this.
1926- Germany allowed to join the League of Nations.

15. Evidence of recovery
Support for extremist parties like the Nazis decreased. They won only 12 seats in the 1928 elections.
There was increased support for parties such as the Social Democrats who supported the Republic.
Germany was accepted again as an important power in Europe.
New factories were built.
Unemployment went down.
New roads, railways and homes were built.
Foreign banks lent to German borrowers.

16. To what extent did the Weimar Republic recover?
‘The economic position is only flourishing on the surface. Germany is dancing on a volcano. If America calls in their loans, a large section of our economy would collapse’ Gustav Stresemann in 1928

17. Was Germany now stable?
Stresemann referred to Germany as ‘Dancing on a volcano’ after he had secured the Dawes Plan. What do you think he meant by this?

18. Learning objectives By the end of this lesson:
I will be able to describe the problems Germany faced in 1923
I should be able to explain the solutions to these problems
I could also be able to evaluate how effective each of the solutions were

19. The Stresemann Years Plus points
Economy strongest in Europe (unemployment low)
Democracy is being shown to work (Nazis only have 12 seats in Reichstag)
Germany is respected again eg. League of Nations
Minus points
Economy based on loans – if US economy goes wrong so does Germany’s
Anti-democratic groups (Nazis and Communists) still there
Who else is there apart from Stresemann?

20. After 1924 there were no more revolts (putsch) in Germany for five years.
In the 1928 elections the Nazis got 2% of the vote
Why do you think this was?

21. Summary
In 1923 the WR suffered its worst year. The French occupied the Ruhr in order to force reparation payments from the Germany. This triggered hyperinflation.
Hitler set up the Nazi Party in 1920 in order to overthrow the WR. By 1923 it had it’s own private army known as the SA and was ready to seize power.
The Munich Putsch of 1923 was a failure. Hitler was arrested and put in prison. However, his trial had gained publicity.
The WR seemed to recover in the years 1924 to 1929 mainly as a result of the work of Stresemann.

22. TASKS Using pages 25 -29: Answer questions 4 and 5 on page 27
Answer question 8 on page 29
3. Complete resource sheet 1.2d

23. Home work
The boxes below show actions taken by Stresemann. Choose ONE and EXPLAIN how it helped Germany to recover in the 1920’s (9 marks)
The introduction of a new currency (Rentenmark) in 1923
The Dawes Plan (1924) and the Young Plan (1929)

24. Do you agree? Explain your answer. 12 marks
HOMEWORK
‘As a result of the work of Stresemann between 1924 and 1929 the Weimar Republic fully recovered from the problems it had faced in it’s first four years.’
Do you agree? Explain your answer.
12 marks

26. Learning objectives By the end of this lesson:
I will be able to describe the problems Germany faced in 1923
I should be able to explain the solutions to these problems
I could also be able to evaluate how effective each of the solutions were