The Weimar Republic was established in Germany after World War 1 and faced significant challenges, including economic devastation from war reparations imposed by the Treaty of Versailles. The early years of the Weimar Republic saw political instability from communist and nationalist groups as well as hyperinflation resulting from France occupying the Ruhr Valley. Under the leadership of Stresemann in the later years, Germany's economy and international standing improved through agreements like the Dawes Plan and Locarno Treaties, though unemployment and poverty remained problems.

1. Almudena
Corrales
Social Sciences
Almudena
Corrales
Social Sciences

2. Introduction:
•The WW1 had destroyed much of old Germany.
•The proud Germany Army was defeated.
•Also a flue epidemic was sweaping the country,
killing thousands of people already weakened by
rations.

3. It was named after Weimar, the city where the constitutional assembly took place.
•Germany was in state of chaos.
•The Allies offered Germany peace, but under strict condition:
GERMANY SHOULD BECOME DEMOCRATIC
•November 1918, the Kaiser abdicated his throne and left Germany for the
Netherlands.
•Ebert became the new leader of the Republic of Germany.
•A new Constitution was drawn up. (Students Book, page 139).
•The reaction of the politicians in Germany was unenthusiastic. He had
opposition from both right and left.

4. • Despite this opposition, in January 1919 free elections took place for the
first time in Germany’s history.
• Ebert’s party won majority and he became the President of the Weimar
Republic.

5. POLITICAL OPPONENTS:
LEFT
Communists
RIGHT
Freikorps, Nazi
•Communist revolucionaries lacked
support
•They never gained more than 15% in
elections
•Leaders:
Rosa
Luxemburg
•Most working people supported Ebert’s
SPD
•Lacked support of people
•Had no outstanding leaders
•Army suspicious of extreme groups
such as the Nazis in 1923.

6. ECONOMIC DESASTER
• The Treaty of Versailles forced Germany to pay reparations to the Allies.
• The reparations bill was announced in April 1921.
Here is a summary. Germany lost:
10 per cent of its land
All of its overseas colonies
12.5 per cent of its population
16 per cent of its coal and 48 per cent of its iron industry
• In adition:
Its army was reduced to 100,000; it was not allowed to have an air
force; its navy was reduced.
Germany had to accept blame for starting the war and was forced to
pay reparations.

7. ECONOMIC DESASTER
The RuhrThe Ruhr:
•Ebert try to did his best to negotiate concessions from the Allies.
•They had war debts to pay to the USA
•January 1923, French and Belgian troops entered the Ruhr and began to take
what was owned to them in form of goods and raw materials.
•The results of the occupation were disastrous for Germany: this was the
most important economic region.
• The government ordered the
workers to carry out passive
resistace  strike.
• French reacted harshly, killing
over 100 workers.

8. ECONOMIC DESASTER
HyperinflactionHyperinflaction:
•Because it had no goods to trade the government printed money
•Prices rose dramatically
•Money was worthless
•Poor people suffered, also middle class and pensioners

10. • Stresemann was Chancellor in 1923 only.
• His main role was as Foreign Minister from 1924
• He was a right-winger and more able than Ebert
• He built up Germany’s prosperity again although all
of Europe was recovering
• He signed Germany up to the Dawes Plan in 1924

11. •Germany’s reparations paid over a longer period
• America lent money to German industry and also to the
Government to pay reparations
• German currency reorganised
The Dawes Plan (as proposed by the Dawes Committee, chaired by Charles G. Dawes) was an
attempt in 1924 to solve the reparations problem, which had bedeviled international politics, in
the wake of the Ruhr occupation and the hyperinflation crisis. It provided for the Allies to collect
war reparations debt from Germany. Intended as an interim measure, the Young Plan was
adopted in 1929 to replace it.

12. Stresemann showed real skill in foreign policy – 1925
1. Locarno Treaties – 1925
2. 1926 – Germany joined the League of Nations
3. Young plan - 1929
After a number of years in the wilderness Germany
was accepted back into the international community

13. Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Czechoslovakia,
Poland met at Locarno in Switzerland.
Signed a number of treaties to settle disputes between
themselves
1. France, Belgium and Germany agreed to accept
borders as drawn up by Treaty of Versailles
2. Rhineland stayed demilitarised
3. France would protect Poland and Czechoslovakia if
attacked by Germany
4. Germany would not use force to settle disputes
with neighbours

14. • Golden age of German cinemaGolden age of German cinema
• Night life, cabaretNight life, cabaret
• Removal of censorshipRemoval of censorship
• Unemployment and poverty still highUnemployment and poverty still high
• Growing prosperity based on USA loans –Growing prosperity based on USA loans –
what would happen if USA wanted the money back ?what would happen if USA wanted the money back ?
POSITIVES
n
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g
at
iv
es

15.  Draw a table summarizing the next aspects of
the Weimar Republic under Stresemann:
ECONOMY CULTURE POLITICS FOREIGN
POLICY
ECONOMY CULTURE POLITICS FOREIGN
POLICY
ACHIEVEMENTSACHIEVEMENTS PROBLEMSPROBLEMS