Stresemann and the "Golden Years" (1924-29)
Who was Gustav Stresemann?
- Germany’s Chancellor in 1923 (head of the government)
- Foreign Minister from 1923 to 1929 (in charge of relations with other countries); he died in October 1929
What did Stresemann do to help the economy?
- The Rentenmark (1923) - a new currency to replace the old, worthless one. This ended hyperinflation and restored stability, though people who had lost their savings didn’t get them back.
- Called off passive resistance in the Ruhr and promised to start paying reparations again, so factories could get going.
- The Dawes Plan (1924) - Germany received 800 million marks in American loans in return for paying reparations again. The payments were made more manageable, and the French left the Ruhr.
- The Young Plan (1929) - further reduced reparations to 112 billion gold marks (about $8 billion), to be paid over 59 years. This was never put in place because of the Wall Street Crash.
What did Stresemann do to help foreign policy?
- The Locarno Treaties (1925) - Germany agreed not to change its western borders. This built trust that Germany would accept the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.
- The League of Nations (1926) - Germany was allowed to join, after being refused since WWI. This showed it had rebuilt its reputation.
- The Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928) - the high point of international relations: 65 nations agreed to settle disputes peacefully and avoid war at all costs.
Question tip
If you get a question on how Stresemann helped Germany economically and politically:
- Economically: Rentenmark, Dawes Plan and Young Plan
- Politically: Locarno, League of Nations, Kellogg-Briand Pact
When considering the impact of international agreements, think: DAWES PLAN, LOCARNO, KELLOGG-BRIAND.
Positives and negatives
| Positive | Negative |
|---|---|
| Helped Germany rebuild and recover from hyperinflation. Money was invested in infrastructure (like homes, schools, parks and sports facilities), industrial production recovered, exports rose by 40% between 1925 and 1929, and the reputation of the Weimar Government was restored. | The recovery was based on American loans, so Germany depended on the USA. Many nationalists felt Germany had given in to other countries’ demands and looked weak. |
On the surface Germany was doing well, but underneath it was dependent on foreign loans and not yet making enough of its own money to stay afloat.
Culture in Weimar Germany
Culture - the ideals, customs and social behaviours of a society.
Under the Kaiser, culture was strictly censored: he said art must not break the laws he set down. Under Weimar, the extra money and the freedoms in the new constitution led to a cultural revolution, which is partly why the 1920s are called a "Golden Age". People had more money to spend and the standard of living rose.
- Cinema - a golden age for German film. Metropolis (1927), directed by Fritz Lang, was the most technically advanced film of the decade. Marlene Dietrich became a worldwide star playing glamorous, strong-willed women.
- Theatre and cabaret - Bertolt Brecht’s Threepenny Opera was a smash hit. Cabaret artists sang songs criticising politicians that would have been banned under the Kaiser. Berlin was famous for its nightlife and clubs; sex was openly discussed and homosexuality was more accepted.
- Art - artists like Otto Dix and George Grosz used their art to criticise Germany, painting the stark difference between rich and poor.
- Architecture - new buildings used modern materials like steel, glass and concrete (e.g. the Bauhaus style).
- Literature - All Quiet on the Western Front was an anti-war book showing the horrors of WWI.
Why was there opposition to the cultural changes?
- Some Germans, especially older and rural people, were shocked by the new liberal attitudes and thought they encouraged immoral behaviour
- Some thought it was unpatriotic that culture could now criticise the government
- Some disliked foreign influences in culture
Many right-wing nationalists wanted a return to conservative, traditional values, which the Nazis promoted.
Question tip
If you get a question on culture, discuss how the economic and political stability of the Stresemann years let Germany’s cultural scene flourish, and how it changed from the strict censorship of the Kaiser’s rule.