Recovery Under Stresemann

The crisis facing the Weimar Republic reached its peak in November 1923- but it went on to recover. For the next six years Germany went through a period of prosperity which is sometimes called the 'golden age'. This time coincided with the the influence of Gustave Stresemann, Chancellor for a few months in 1923 and then Foreign Minister until 1929.

Work of Gustav Stresemann.

In August 1923 Stresemann became Chancellor of Germany – he led Germany back to strength in the Weimar Republic. Stresemann believed Germany must work with other countries to do well, he won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.

• He told the striking workers in the Ruhr to return to work. As a result the French soldiers left the area in 1925.
• He accepted the Dawes Plan in 1924, whereby Germany borrowed money off America to help repay their reparations.
• He replaced the German ‘mark’ with a new currency called the Rentenmark to stop Hyperinflation in 1924.
• In October 1925 he agreed to the Locarno Settlement that agreed the set borders of Germany.
• In 1926 Germany joined the League of Nations.
• In 1929 the Young Plan was introduced. This greatly reduced the amount of reparations for Germany and she was given longer to pay it back.

Germany began to do better, but it still relied of money from America, which was great until America had a financial crisis in 1929. The same year Stresemann died, provoking a policital crisis and an economic crisis that the Weimar Republic could not weather this time.

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Category: History

Author: Mrs March