This was done by taking an action known as a monetary reset, whereby on the 15 of November, 1923, the Rentenmark was introduced. This was a temporary measure brought in to replace the previous currency, and the exchange rate was set at 1 trillion Deutschmarks for a single Rentenmark. The value of money eventually stabilised, and following that a permanent currency was introduced, named the Reichsmark. Following the stabilisation of the economy, reparation payments could resume. Under the Locarno Pact, a defining agreement for the borders between Germany, France and Belgium, the Ruhr was returned to German control. This meant Germany’s industry began to recover, as production of goods could resume. This re-growth of industry was aided by the Dawes Plan, of April 1924, whereby an American banker named Charles Dawes devised a plan that consisted of huge sums of money being lent to Germany by America. This vast in-put of money was a kick-start to the German industry, and helped them curry favor with other European countries as it aided paying off of the reparations. Unfortunately the recovery was bad news for Agriculture in Germany, as German farmers were ruined by the importation of cheaper goods from Polish farmers. Farmers debts mounted as the prices fell. Employment rates also remained low, though this was due to the growth of the economy not happening fast enough to support all of the people out of work.
Whilst the German people’s opinion of their government was falling, due to the economic issues, Germany was gaining standing in the international community, and their political standing was improving. The Dawes Plan allowed faster repayment of reparations, which did not go un-appreciated by the countries that benefited. The previously mentioned Locarno Pact was proof of Stresemann’s progress in foreign affairs, as it opened Germany’s eastern borders up for negotiation, undermining the Treaty of Versailles. This went someway to pacifying concerns among the German public about the effects Stresemann’s politicians were having, although, many extremist groups tried to curry favor with German citizens by claiming if they were in power the Treaty would be abolished all together. In 1926, Germany became a permanent member of the League of Nations; a big step for Germany’s ranking in world affairs, in addition to giving her a controlling vote in any League of Nations legislation. In 1926 Germany signed the Berlin treaty with Russia, assuring them of Germany’s neutrality, should Russia ever go to war with a third party.
These political advancements on an international level show that the government of the Weimar Republic was enjoying some success in their attempt to stabilize the tumultuous situation in Germany. However, the extent to which things improved in Germany’s debatable, as many German citizens were not satisfied with the improvements made. Many still blamed the Weimar government for the Treaty of Versailles, and the humiliation they felt it brought. These political insecurities meant that Germany was still not stabilised, as dislike for those in power meant the peoples views were not unanimous.
Another major issue for the Weimar Republic was the country’s internal political issues; in the early days of the government, constant changes in power meant a lack of stability. An additional problem the Republic was presented with as soon as they were formed, were the many revolutions and uprisings across Germany. These included the Sparticist’s revolt, in January 1919, by the extremist left wing party, the Spartacist League. The Freikorps, a group of armed ex- soldiers, were sent into Berlin to stop the uprisings. However, two of the Spartacist leaders, Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg, were detained and executed without trial. This saw Ebert’s popularity plummet in the eyes of the other left wing radicals.
In the March of 1920, the second major uprising, the Kapp Putsch, took place. Their leader, a man named Wolfgang Kapp, was a left wing nationalist who objected to the Treaty of Versailles, and the conditions imposed. Up until the point where the citizens of Berlin went on strike, the Kapp Putsch seemed successful. But due to a lack of control over the people, the group disbanded, leaving Kapp to flee to Sweden. Adolf Hitler led another of the famous uprisings. Taking place in Munich on the 8th and 9th of November 1923, the Munich Putsch, or ‘the Beer Hall Putsch’, seemed initially to be a success; the Nazi Party, angered by hyperinflation and French occupation of the Ruhr, led a group of 600 armed men into the Burgerbrau Beer Hall, wit the intention of forcing Gustav von Kahr, the Bavarian Chief Minister, to join up with Hitler. Kahr was pressured into agreeing, but as soon as Hitler departed, he informed the relevant authorities and Hitler served nine months in prison as a result.
It was a direct result of these uprisings that the Republic gained its name; the capital, Berlin, was deemed too dangerous, and meetings were instead held at Weimar, hence ‘the Weimar Republic’.
I am of the opinion that the government was doomed to fail achieving stability in the political regard, and that any amount of policies etc. would have only harboured further mistrust from the German public. Stability in an inherently unstable nation could not be achieved, like trying to build foundations on sand.
In conclusion, I think that the government, Stresemann in particular, went to great lengths to stabilise both Germany’s economic, and political issues, however, I also think many of the problems were irresolvable, and that the Weimar government could only ever be a temporary solution. The civil unrest present in Germany, and the underlying economic issues, leads me to believe that although on the surface Germany appeared to be stabilizing, underneath the facade there was turmoil, and stability could not be achieved without a major change.
Sarah Coyne I-DAA Yr 10/11