This page examines the debate about Gustav Stresemann: was his main aim to help Europe or Germany or both?

1. Assessment: good
European, good
German or both?

2. Stresemann’s actions were
debated not simply in Germany,
but also across Europe.
Many people were divided on
what his goals were: did he
want to contribute to building a
strong Europe, was he simply
a traditional German
nationalist or was he in fact
both?

3. Good European
Many of Stresemann’s actions
left him open to attacks from
German nationalists, yet still
he pursued these policies.
This includes Erfullungspolitik
[fulfilment], meaning Stresemann
was prepared to accept the
implementation of all Treaty of
Versailles clauses.

4. He also only pushed for
minimal reforms related to
Versailles, in order to keep
European peace.
The Locarno Treaty ensured
that Germany would not gain
back Western land, and had
only the possibility of making
gains in the east. Payment of
reparations caused German
right-wing outrage too.

5. Stresemann helped global
relations by Germany gaining a
permanent seat on the League
of Nations Council, which he
thought was needed to make
the League work.
Stresemann also did not make
demands about strengthening
Germany’s military, another
key demand of German
nationalists.

6. German nationalist
However others argue that
Stresemann’s apparent pro-
European actions were a ploy
to regain German power.
Stresemann did not genuinely
support Versailles
erfullungspolitik but feared
war if Germany did not comply
(shown in Ruhr occupation).

7. Fulfilment was German policy
before Stresemann (started by
Walther Rathenau) and it also
saw Germany gain a better deal.
The Dawes Plan increased the
amount of time Germany had to
pay reparations; the Young Plan
reduced the amount that they
owed. Both actions hugely
helped Germany.

8. The Locarno Pact also helped
Germany, securing its Western
borders (preventing attack
from France) and gave them the
chance to win back territory in
Eastern Europe.
Stresemann also agreed deals
which removed Allied troops
from the Rhineland initially, and
then all of Germany (by 1930).

9. Stresemann negotiated the
removal of the Inter-Allied
Military Commission from
Germany, which checked that
Germany was complying with
Versailles’ military commitments.
However Germany was secretly
rebuilding its military forces by
training in Russia. This gained
him Reichswehr backing.

10. The actions that Stresemann
took in international relations
also helped Germany.
He said that Germany would
join the League of Nations,
but only with a permanent
seat on the council. This gave
Germany global influence and
a chance to raise issues of
concern.

11. Good German and European?
Some historians argue that
Stresemann was in fact a good
German and European, balancing
demands of competing groups.
As a statesman, Stresemann
inevitably played different
groups against each other,
something not unusual in
international diplomacy.

12. Stresemann helped Germany:
• Foreign policy led to reparation
changes (benefitting economy)
and Allied troop withdrawal
• Decline in support for extremist
parties up to 1929
Stresemann helped Europe:
• German membership boosted
the League; Locarno stabilised
European geography

13. Historians’ views
• Sally Marks Takes the view that Stresemann was a superlative
liar, dispensing total untruths.
• Jonathan Wright: Stresemann hoped for a stable and peaceful
international order because he understood Germany’s
dependence on its great power partners. From his pragmatism
there developed a strong commitment to European peace.
• Stephen Lee: Stresemann was neither a covert nationalist nor
a Good European but a pragmatist who adapted to changed
circumstances and, where he could, created new opportunities.