Explain why there was so much social hardship in Germany between the years 1918-1923.

wealth-earning areas, such as coal fields in Salesia, to its allies and had to pay reparation fixed at £6600 under the treaty of Versailles. Even though Germany asked for a reduction, it was rejected by France because she had to pay war debts to the USA. This deprived Germany from a lot of its income and with no Gold reserves Germany was in the worst Bankruptcy it had ever experienced. Due to the fact that Germany was unable to pay reparations, because it was bankrupt, France sent troops into the German industrial area of the Ruhr- they confiscated raw materials, manufactured goods and industrial machinery. This led to workers going on strike and the French replied by arresting those who obstructed them and bringing in their own workers, causing many German workers to become unemployed and the German economy to drastically drop.  Thus the German people wanted the Weimar republic to retaliate against Frances vicious and brutal acts but unfortunately due to Germanys 100,000 soldiers, reduced under the treaty of Versailles, they were unable to do anything against 750,000 soldiers in the French army. This was another factor that increased unemployment because many soldiers were sacked from their jobs due to the reduction of the German army to 100,000 members. Although many factories and around 80% of German coal iron and steel where based there, the occupation of the Ruhr did the French little good but crippled Germany.  Hence the Government needed money to pay their debts, so the government started to print more money, in 1923 the government had 300 paper mills and 2000 printing shops just to print money.   Additionally, because of the shortages of goods, the prices of things went up (inflation) and people had to pay more money to get what they wanted. The government’s mass production of money made things worse. By 1923, prices reached extravagant heights: a loaf of bread cost 1 mark in 1919, 200 marks in 1922 and 200,000 million marks in 1923.   People found it very difficult to buy what they wanted-even if their wages went up they had to carry bundles of money in wheelbarrows. Consequently many workers were paid twice a day- so they could rush out and buy goods before prices rose even further, however, some suppliers refused to take money at all, asking for payments in kind(swapping goods). Similarly people with savings were hit the hardest- those with money in bank accounts, insurance policies or pensions; their savings became worthless. In due course, things improved, in August 1923 a new chancellor was appointed- Gustav Stressmann. He cancelled the old mark and issued a new currency- the Retenmark; this led to a period of stability. However, a lot of German people suffered and many blamed the Weimar republic, which resulted in people looking up to extreme left or right wing movements such as the KPD to resolve their problems.