The Stresemann era, 1924–29 Cambridge IGCSE History revision
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In plain words
After the nightmare of 1923 came five years that Germans later called golden. Factories hummed, the French went home, and Germany was welcomed back among the nations. It was all paid for with borrowed American money.
9 things to know
- Gustav Stresemann was chancellor for a few months in 1923, and then foreign minister until his death in October 1929.
- Economic achievements. The new currency brought stability. Under the Dawes Plan of 1924, reparations were made easier to pay, American banks lent Germany large sums, and the French left the Ruhr.
- With the loans, industry was rebuilt. By 1928 production was back to its pre-war level. New houses, schools and hospitals were built.
- The Young Plan of 1929 reduced the total of reparations and gave Germany longer to pay.
- Foreign policy achievements. In the Locarno Treaties of 1925 Germany accepted its western borders with France and Belgium.
- In 1926 Germany was allowed to join the League of Nations. In 1928 it signed the Kellogg–Briand Pact, in which countries promised not to use war to settle disputes.
- Politics became calmer. There were no attempts to seize power, and extremist parties lost support. In 1928 the Nazis won only 12 seats in the Reichstag.
- Weaknesses. The recovery depended on American loans, which could be called back at any time. Unemployment stayed high, and farmers were in difficulty throughout.
- Governments were still unstable coalitions. Nationalists hated Stresemann for cooperating with the Allies, and in 1925 Germans elected Hindenburg, a general of the old order, as president.
Worked example
"The Weimar Republic had fully recovered by 1929." How far do you agree? Plan a 10-mark answer.
- Recovered: a stable currency, industrial production at pre-war levels, the Dawes and Young Plans, Locarno, membership of the League, and no putsches after 1923.
- Not recovered: prosperity rested on American loans, farmers and the unemployed did not share in it, and coalition governments still came and went. Many Germans had not accepted democracy.
- Judgement: the recovery was real, and it was fragile. It lasted only as long as the loans did.
Tips and tricks
- Dawes 1924, Locarno 1925, League 1926, Kellogg–Briand 1928, Young 1929. Five dates, in order.
- The phrase to remember is "dependent on American loans". It explains why the Wall Street Crash hit Germany so hard.
It lands in your notebook with its questions as flashcards.
The Stresemann era, 1924–29: 5 questions and answers
These are the quiz’s questions. Do the quiz first, then come back here for the ones that got you.
Which plan brought American loans to Germany in 1924?
It also reorganised reparations.
What did Germany accept in the Locarno Treaties?
It improved relations with France.
When did Germany join the League of Nations?
It was a sign that Germany was accepted again.
How many seats did the Nazis win in the Reichstag in 1928?
In good times, few people voted for extremists.
Why was the recovery of the 1920s described as fragile?Stretch
When the loans stopped in 1929, the recovery ended.
Quiz
5 questions
Tap an answer and you’ll see straight away whether it’s right, and why.
Worksheet
3 questions, 14 marks. Write your answers on paper, then check them.
The Stresemann era, 1924–29
Cambridge IGCSE History 0470 · 14 marks · papermunch.org
Name ______________________________ Date ______________
What was the Dawes Plan?[4]
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It was an agreement made in 1924. Reparations payments were reorganised so that they were easier to pay. American banks lent Germany large sums of money. France agreed to leave the Ruhr.
Why was Stresemann important to the recovery of Germany?[6]
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He ended hyperinflation in 1923 by calling off passive resistance and introducing a new currency. He negotiated the Dawes Plan, which brought American loans and got the French out of the Ruhr. As foreign minister he improved relations with other countries through the Locarno Treaties, and won Germany a place in the League of Nations.
What were the weaknesses of the German economy in the 1920s?[4]
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Any four: it depended on loans from the USA; unemployment remained high; farmers suffered from falling prices; small shopkeepers struggled; wealth was unevenly shared; reparations still had to be paid.
Answers: The Stresemann era, 1924–29
- 1. It was an agreement made in 1924. Reparations payments were reorganised so that they were easier to pay. American banks lent Germany large sums of money. France agreed to leave the Ruhr.
- 2. He ended hyperinflation in 1923 by calling off passive resistance and introducing a new currency. He negotiated the Dawes Plan, which brought American loans and got the French out of the Ruhr. As foreign minister he improved relations with other countries through the Locarno Treaties, and won Germany a place in the League of Nations.
- 3. Any four: it depended on loans from the USA; unemployment remained high; farmers suffered from falling prices; small shopkeepers struggled; wealth was unevenly shared; reparations still had to be paid.