Loss of territory after Versailles = Harder to make coal payments
Exports hampered by Allies
confiscating Germany's entire
merchant navy fleet.
Response?
Print money
Decreasing value of mark
Increasing Inflation.
Inflation 1918-1922
Franco -- Belgian Occupation of the Ruhr.
Ger. fell behind on coal payments by end of 1922
100,000 troop occupation force
Occupied Ruhr in Jan. '23 to force compliance with Treaty.
Seized coal, steel and manurfactured goods
Ctrl. of railways, mines, factories, steelworks
German Response
Cuno was powerless due to
only having 100,000 man army
Passive Response
Non- cooperation
Government paid striking workers.
Sabotage French infrastruture
French Response
Military Courts
150,000 Germans expelled from Ruhr
132 Germans shot
Brought in French workers
Total output of Ruhr fell to around 1/5th
of pre--occupation production
Hyperinflation
Government didn't increase taxes, so had to
print money to meet its outgoings.
The price of Bread rose from 1,200 in summer 1923 to 428,000,000,000 in Nov. 1923.
Food Shortages
Rioting and Looting.
Political and Social impact of Hyperinflation
Political Impact of Hyperinflation
Left
Prices outstripped Wages
Poorer Families suffered food shortages as
they had nothing to barter.
Autumn '23 unrest, riots and strikes.
KPD plan Revolution from
Saxony.
Right.
French occupation fueled nationalism
Fear of Communist revolution by middle class (mittlestand)
September 1923 government surrender and
passive resistance showed another surrender/
stab in the back.
Far right planned a Putsch through Gustav von Karr in
Baravia
Social Impact of Hyerinflation
Winners
Speculators
Hugo Stinnes
Owned German Luxemburg mining company and other
businesses. He took large loans to buy property to businesses
and the n he could easily pay it back at a lower cost to him.
Black Market food stocks sold at high
prices.
Debts could easily be payed off.
Enterprising businesses took loans to kick start themselves then
Paying rent becomes easier.
Foreigners money was worth
more.
Rural communities increased demand
Loosers
Fixed income
War widows allowance. reduced amount people income was worth.
War bond interest decreased in value.
Fixed rent landlords were badly hit
Wage increase for laburers didn't keep up with inflation
End of 1923 29.3% employed
Mittlestand was in trouble as their small businesses as
their prices rose yet still couldn't keep up with inflation.