After 1923 politics became
more peaceful, and extreme
parties didn't get mass support
until after 1929. Between 1924
and 1929 there were 6 different
governments.
Smaller parties would evolve around just
one issue. One of these was a party that
were only concerned with getting
compensation for those who lost during
hyperinflation.
In the 1925 presidential
election, Hindenburg won by
3%. The SPD had withdrawn in
an attempt to get more votes
for the centre but as the
communists did not withdraw
the election went to the right.
Foreign policy
Stresemann
Stresemann was chancellor
of Germany between August
and November 1923, he then
became Foreign mister from
1923 until his death in 1929.
Dawes plan was negotiated by
Stresemann and was accepted
by the Reichstag in April 1924.
It meant that Germany would
pay off reparations in monthly
installments and the amounts to
be paid would be based upon
Germany's capacity to pay.
The plan meant that German
economic problems had received
international recognition. Germany
also got credit for the cash-starved
German economy. It also meant that
the French promised to evacuate the
Ruhr during 1925.
In the short term the Dawes plan was a success, the
German economy received twice as much money as they
paid out in reparations. Relations between Germany and
France improved because reparations were being paid out
regularly. However the system was highly reliant on
American loans. The success of Germany was to be based
on other external economies.
Locarno Pact
In 1925 a series of treaties were signed which were aimed at
securing Germany's western borders. The plan was backed by
the US and UK although France were initially hesitant.
A mutual guarantee government accepted the
Franco-German and Belgian-German borders. All the
nations renounced the use of force, except in
self-defence.
The demilitarisation of
the Rhineland was
recognised as permanent.
The arbitrition treaties
between Germany, Poland
and Czechoslovakia agreed
to settle future disputes
peacefully.
This represented an
important diplomatic
development. Germany had
been freed from isolation
from the allies and treated as
an equal partner. Germany
achieved a lot at little cost.
Treaty of
Berlin
Stresemann wanted
to remain on good
terms with the USSR
so they signed the
Treaty of Berlin in
April 1926.
The treaty reduced strategic fears on
Germany's eastern front and put more
pressure on Poland to give way to German
demands for frontier changes.
Economy
Strengths
Industry
Heavy industry was able
to recover relatively
quickly, by 1928
production levels reached
the levels of 1913.
Industry had the advantage
of lower cost because of the
cartels. IG Farben became
the largest manufacturing
enterprise in Europe.
Between 1925 and 1929, German exports rose
by 40%. Hourly wage rates rose each year from
1924 to 1930 and by as much as 5-10% in
1927 and 1928.
Social welfare
In the early 1920s,
generous pensions
and sickness benefits
were introduced.
In 1927, a compulsory
unemployment
insurance covering 17
million workers were
created; this was the
largest of its kind in the
world.
State subsidies were
provided for the
construction of local
amenities, such as
parks, schools, sports
facilities and council
housing.
Weaknesses
Economic growth was
uneven and in 1926,
production declined.
Unemployment never fell
below 1.3 million
Grain production was still
only 3/4 that of 1913 levels.
Fundamental economic problems
World economic conditions did not favour
Germany. Germany had relied upon its ability
to export.
The changing balance
of the population meant
that there were more
school leavers because
of the high pre war birth
rate. Even without a
recession there would be
a large number of
unemployed people.
Savers had lost lots of money due to the great inflation
and after 1924 there was less enthusiasm to invest. The
economy relied upon foreign investors.
Although the government had balanced the budget
by 1924, from 1925 they continually ran into debt.
By 1928, 26% of GNP was used in public
expenditure, which was twice the pre war level. The
government was forced to rely on international
loans. The situation in Germany did not provide a
basis for solid future economic growth.
Culture
During this period
Germany witnessed a
major cultural revolution.
Weimar Germany was a
liberal society that
upheld toleration and
reduced censorship.
Neue Sachlinchkeit
This is the idea of a desire to
show reality and objectivity.
ART: Aimed at commenting on
the state of society. The
paintings of Georg Grosz and
Otto Dix epitmoised this and their
caricatures had strong political
and social messages.
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN: The Bauhaus
movement was a new style that influenced all
aspects of design. Buildings were based on the
relationship between art and technology, its
motto was 'Art and Technology - a new unity'.
LITERATURE: The best
selling authors during the time
were actually those who wrote
traditional nostalgic literature.
Thomas Mann, who won the
nobel prize for literature, was
not part of the Neue
Sachlichkeit movement. The
more avant garde style
included books that examined
life in Weimar Germany.
THEATRE: Theatre developed into Zeittheater,
theatre of the time, and introduced new methods,
often with explicit left-wing sympathies- these were
most evident in the plays of Bertolt Brecht and Erwin
Piscator.
Mass culture
In Germany the development of mass communication methods
and had international influences, especially from the US.
FILM: During the 1920s the German film industry became the most advanced
in Europe. German film makers were well respected, the most notable of which
was Metropolis. The film market was dominated by the UFA, run by Alfred
Hugenberg.
RADIO: Radio became a mass medium. The German Radio
Company was established in 1923. By 1932 1 in 4 Germans
owned a radio.
CABARET: Berlin had a vibrant nightlife. Clubs
had a permissiveness mocked the conventions of
the old Germany.
CLASH OF CULTURES: Some people embraced and enjoyed the cultural
experimentation, but most Germans were horrified by it and saw it as the
decline in established moral and cultural standards. Weimar society became
increasingly polarised before the economic and political crisis in 1929.
A DECEPTIVE STABILITY?
AN UNSTABLE ECONOMY: The economic
recovery was built on unstable foundations that
created a false idea of prosperity. Problems
persisted and were temporarily hidden only by a
reliance on credit from abroad. The economy was
tied up with powerful external forces over which they
had not control.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS: Even
with the sucessed of
Stresemann were offset by
the fact that significant
numbers of hus fellow
coutnryman rejected his
policy and looked for a
more hardline approach.
A DIVIDED SOCIETY: Germany was still divided by deep class
differences and regional and religious differences. The war and years
afterwards had left bitterness, fear and resentment between employers
and their workers.
POLITICAL DIVISION: The parliamentary system failed to build on the
changes of 1918. The original ideas of the constitution had not been developed
upon and the system had not remarkably improved and there were little signs
of a stable and mature system. The main democratic parties still failed to see
the need to work together.