In the years 1907-1912, in 1914-1918 and 1920-1929 Stresemann was a member of the Reichstag, untill 1918 he was a representative of the national Liberals. He spent the First World War as an advocate of expansionist war policy of the German Empire, which worked towards German victory and subsequent invasions. He worked on the submarine war from January 1917; in July of the same year he expressed his disgust at the peace resolution of the Reichstag.
He was an opponent of the Chancellor of the Reich Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg, Stresemann worked during the years of war. At the same time he demanded of the inside establishement of the country, that constitutional reforms should happen and a development of the state social policy as well as the inclusion of the SPD in the state constitution.
Directly after the war and November revolution of 1918 he was involved in the establishment of the German people's party (DVP) where he was president intill his death. His main interest was in foreign affairs and he was in favour of a realistic foreign policy after the defeat of the First World War
Steersman’s conversions to the realpolitik resulted in his acknowledgement of the democratic parliamentarians of the republic. Under his presidency the originally anti-democratic DVP developed itself into a government-carrying party of the Weimar republic.
On the 13th of August 1923 Stresemann was nominated to the Chancellor of the Reich and Minister of Foreign Affairs of a big coalition from DVP, SPD, centre and DDP.
A few weeks later his government opened talks with the French – Belgian invaders of the Ruhr area and wanted reconciliation with the winners of the First World War
Stresemann, in the middle of November 1923 introduced the renton mark created to help Germany out of the hyperinflation crisis that it was suffering from. But the SPD resigned from the big coalition. On the 30th of November 1923 the Nazi party tried to seize power in Munich, which Stresemann easily resisted.
During the following administration, Stresemann (as a Minister of Foreign Affairs) continued the communication with France, Britain, USA, Italy, Belgium and Austria. His aim was that a collective safety system in Europe should lead to the revision of the Versailles contract.
However, while the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the first German democracy represented European balance policy he retained the aim of the recovery of the German major power positions.
The most important parts of Stresemanns works were the foreign policy of the 1924 conclusion of the Dawes plans for the reparation payment regulation, the 1925 contracts of Locarno, the 1926 admission of Germany in the League of Nations and the Berlin contract as well as in 1929 the preparations of the Young plans for the regulation of the reparation payment performances in the first Hague conference.
For their communication policy Stresemann and his French colleague (Aristide Briand) got the Nobel peace prize in 1926.
Gustav Stresemann died on the 3rd of October 1929 in Berlin.
