Weimar Politics & Economic Problems 1924-1929

►Weimar Politics: ►Usually seen as the high point of the

Weimar Republic - “Golden Age”►Its success coincided with the

influence of Gustav Stresemann

Positive Economic & Social Success of Weimar

►Dawes Plan restored confidence in the economy & investment; new homes, roads, & public facilities were built

►Factories equipped w/ new machinery; industrial output doubles

►Wages rose in real terms; working hours shortened & social insurance improved

►Women had more equality (Reichstag & professional jobs)

The “Roaring twenties” in the Berlin hotel Esplanade, 1926

Negative Economic & Social Elements of Weimar

►Germany’s recovery dependent on US loans

►German farmers (1/3 population) did not prosper; Farm prices fell

►Farmworkers’ earnings in 1929 only ½ the national average

►Even @ peak in 1928 unemployment @ 1.3 million

►German balance of trade always in the red

►Not all favored women’s emancipation; most women favored traditional roles

Other Economic Issues►Reparations organized on a more

reasonable level in the Dawes Plan & later the Young Plan – but it still caused nationalistic resentment

►Inflation was cured by 1924 never to return (Stresemann & Schacht)

►Mark Retenmark (mortgage of Germany’s industrial & agricultural resources)

► Reichsmark (gold)

Political Successes of Weimar

►No further attempts to overthrow the govt.

►1924 & 1928 elections extremist parties lost ground

►Hindenburg elected President after Ebert’s death

►Useful figurehead

Hindenburg Campaign in 1925

People Crowd Around Hindenburg’s Villa 1925

Political Failings of Weimar►Political situation still unstable; seven

governments between 1924 & 1930►By the late 1920s moderate parties

finding it harder to ally►Frequent violence between the SA &

KPD►Many Germans were cynical of party

politics►Hindenburg’s election a potential

threat a right-wing conservative who did not

identify with the Republic or its values

The Weimar Republic (Political)

Disenchantment & Dissatisfaction

►Politics seen as a matter of maneuver rather than something they control

►Voting system- vote for the party not the individual party machinery selects Reichstag

deputies►Parties to blame: moderate parties

inconsistent with support of Republic

Müller’s “Grand Coalition” 1928-1930

►Hermann Müller (SPD) – June 1928 led a ministry dominated by socialists but broad enough to include the (DDP, DVP, Z, & BVP)

►Main task was to steer the Young Plan through the Reichstag

►French connect this reparations plan to the withdrawal from the Rhineland

Müller’s Cabinet

The Young Plan►1st time, the timescale for reparation

repayment was set►Germany was to:

A) make payments for next 59 years ( 1988)

B) pay 2 billion marks a year instead of the 2.5 billion (Dawes Plan)

►Transfer of payments from marks to foreign currency to be handled by a Swiss Bank

►Payments were to increase gradually & from 1929-1932 were to pay less than they would have under the Dawes Plan

The Young Plan (continued)►If Germany agreed to the Young Plan,

France agreed to evacuate the Rhineland by June 1930 (5 years ahead of schedule)

►The Reichstag eventually passed the Young Plan in March 1930

The Decline of Parliamentary Government in Germany

Decline of Parliamentary Government

Parliamentary Government (1928-1930)

Presidential Government (1930-1933)

Dictatorship

Source 8.1: The Role of the Reichstag & the President

1930 1931 1932

Presidential decree laws

5 44 66

Reichstag laws 98 34 5

Reichstag: days sitting

94 42 13