Weimar Germany From 1924 1929 example essay topic

Introduction. In the mid to late 1920's, there was a description made of this time, as the "golden years" of the Weimar republic. Between 1924 and 1929, there were many issues uprising such as: o Germany's international standing improved. o A measure of economic recovery. o A strengthened social welfare. o Arts flourished. o No putsch attempts. There was also a political instability and paramilitary violence that did not go away and this caused conflicts between employers and unions. There was also and avowed monarchist elected as president. The Development of Gustav Stresemann's Role 1907-1923.

The first entry into the Reichstag, made by Gustav was in 1907, he was noted here for the virulence of his right wing views. Stresemann's first political standpoint was in 1918 when he co-founded the peoples party (DVP). He co-founded the DVP, this was a small- medium sized business interested and managerial classed party. Originally it was monarchist that viewed the republic with disdain. There was a shift in the early 1920's with opinion in favour of making the republic work. Stresemann served as chancellor for only 103 days in august to November 1923.

However, in that time the republic emerged from the crisis that was threatening it. Gustav Stresemann's diplomacy in the mid-late 1920's contributed to a series of international agreements from which Germany benefited substantially. The allies undertook not to occupy German cities in the event of non-payment of debts, and a sizeable loan was arranged to boost Germany's financial reserves. He proceeded to stabilise the currency, overseeing in November the introduction of a new currency, the Rentenmark, which unlike is predecessor, was issued in strictly limited quantities. Also he forestalled a threatened communist rising in Saxony and he refused to be panicked by the activities of the Bavaria extremist right party. Stresemann in late 1923, made enemies on both left and right, this cost him the chancellorship.

International Relations 1924-1929. (a) Stresemann was then made foreign minister, a post which he held through successive governments until his death in 1929. He followed a policy of 'fulfilment' in his foreign policy, at first this idea had been by Wirth and Rathenau in 1921-22. The idea of 'fulfilment' was at first intended to improve Germany's position by revising or modifying the treaty of Versailles in order to improve relations with Britain and France. (b) 1924 - Dawes Plan - at this time, the French troops withdrew from the Ruhr on the basis of the Dawes Plan. It was named after the American banker who helped draft it, and it put the payment of reparations onto a new ground. There were many other benefits for Germany in the Dawes plan, such as loans and the allies not occupying their cities. 1925 - Locarno Pact - this pact gave rise to a deal of optimism that the long standing quarrel between France and Germany had finally been buried.

This was because Germany had gained more out of Locarno than it had conceded. 1925-30 - Allied Military Withdrawal from Germany - in 1925 the Allies agreed to remove their occupation forces from the Cologne area. In 1926 they withdrew the Inter- Allied military control commission from Germany and reduced the number of occupying troops to 60,000. In 1929 they removed all remaining occupying forces from the Rhineland, and completed this by 1930, this was completed five years ahead of schedule.

1926 - German Membership Of League Of Nations - in 1926 because of an understand at Locarno, Germany became a member of the league of nations, they had a permanent seat on the council. The other permanent members were Berlin, France, Italy, and Japan. Germany's entrance to the league showed they were no longer and outcast from the international community. 1929 - Young Plan - in 1929, Stresemann agreed to the young plan, named from the American financier who chaired negotiations between Germany and the Allies. It replaced the Dawes plan and intended to be a final settlement of the reparations issue.

Germany's total reparations were reduced from 132 billion marks demanded in 1921 to 37 billion marks, paid in 58 annual repayments, ending in 1988. Te foreign controls within the Dawes plan ended. The young plan was not operative for long. Against a background of economic depression and financial crisis, the allies first allowed Germany to suspend payments (1931) and then to discontinue them altogether (1932). (c) Stresemann's role proved controversial in a number of ways.

According to White, Stresemann's actions were considered very nationalist. Stresemann was branded a traitor, committing treason, and agreement to the Dawes plan was like accepting the war guilt clause. Right wing politicians accused him of 'enslaving' the Germans. Stresemann was successful but it came at a price. He was hated by the extreme right wing parties.

Hugenburg directed the 'hate attack' on Stresemann in calling him for enslaving the unborn to payments of unjustifiable claims. The Economy Foreign investment moved into Germany in 1924-30, this was because Germany had a steady currency, and competitive interest rates. At this time almost 5 billion $ was invested from abroad. This investment made a huge impact on the economy.

In 1928 production in the industries surpassed pre-war levels. Between 1926 -29 industrial productions was 100%. Export in 1929 was 98% and imports in 1927 were 105.2%. The working class benefited largely from it. Trade unions succeeded, unemployment however was at an all time low, real wages were then established and also an unemployment act, with labour exchanges and generous pensions and sickness insurance.

However, prosperity was dependant mostly on foreign investment; loans and credits from these countries could be withdrawn at any time. Governments overspent on their public sector and this outweighed their income. The budget deficit was made up by loans. These exports were then accompanied by imports and then Germany began importing more than it was exporting, this was a trade deficit. Trade unions succession meant an increase in wages, however, in order to pay this, workers had to be laid off, this meant unemployment rose yet again. Agriculture was then an economic 'black spot' and lower to middle class workers felt they were losing out to the working class.

The middle class had bound on hyperinflation in 1923 but now they felt they could be losing income AND status. Tension grew and complaints formed that Weimar Germany was a trade union state. Throughout the golden years, tension was still acute. Culture - Literature Achievements - Thomas Mann, Nobel Prize winner in 1929. - Franz Kafka author of "the trail" 1925.

- Erich Maria Remarque, author of an anti-war novel in 1927, "all quiet on the western front". - Drama Achievements - Erwin Piscator, Ernst Toller, Bert olt Brecht. - Visual Arts Achievements - left wing dramatist was George Grosz, John Heart field, Otto Dix, Max Ernst, Kathe Kollwitz. - Music Achievements - Richard Strauss, Paul Hindemith, Kurt Weill i, Alban Berg. - Cinema Achievements - classic pioneer horror films.

Fitz Langs 'Metrapolis' in 1927, Joseph Von Stemberg's 'Blue Angel' 1930 staring Marlene Dietrich. - Design Achievements - Walter Gropius founded the Bauhaus renowned for designs which are simple, functional, and elegant. Gordon Craig's view was in the richness and variety of its cultural completion, the period is second to none in German History. However, this began support for the republic. Attacks were made on the Nazi's and the republicans too. Weimar culture provided the extreme right with another reason the beat the republic.

In the late 1920's they campaigned against the 'tide of filth' and 'rubbish' which was sweeping across the country. Politics a) Continued Political Instability; the governments were no more durable after 1924 than they had been before. In the 5 years between February 1919 and November 1923, nine separate governments held office. Their average lifespan was 6 and half months. In the 4 and a half years between November 1923 and June 1928 there were 6 governments which on average survived for just over nine months. The principal obstacles in the way of the stable government remained the same throughout the Weimar period.

Parties like the KDP, NSDAP and the DNVP (sometimes) refused to take parts in the work of running the country and the working class SDP was reluctant to join the Weimar parties in government. These circumstances led to the burden of the government falling on the DVP, the democrats and the centre party which between them came nowhere near commanding a majority of the Reichstag. Pro-Weimar elements were able in the later 1920's to take some comfort from electoral trends if political instability stayed a problem. In the two elections of 1924, held the aftermath of the Ruhr occupation, the right wing parties here made predictable gains. However, in 1928, both the DNVP and the Nazi vote declined. Here, prosperity diminished the appeal of extremism. b) The Presidency; the election of Hindenburg was a potential blow to supporters of the Republic.

At first, Hindenburg's accession to the presidency was an ominous development from the point of view of supporters of the Republic. He was a monarchist and an honorary chairman of the Stahl helm. He has been backed by 14 million Germans and was now in a position to undermine Weimar from within. In fact Hindenburg, until at least 1930, conducted himself in public in a generally restrained and non partisan way. There were occasions however, that he made clear his anti-Weimar sympathies. In 1926 he openly opposed a KDP-SDP proposal to nationalism property belonging to Germany's former royal families.

Later in that year he issued a decree saying Germany's embassies abroad should fly a black-red-white flag, the colours of the pre-1918 empire, alongside the flag with the colours of the Weimar republic. This leads to doubt as to whether the republic was safe in Hindenburg's hands. c) Political Violence; there were no positive major attempts to seize power by force in this period. However, there were new forms of political violence formed, this was when the Nazi's took the lead, and on his release from prison in December 1924, Hitler committed the NSDAP to the so-called policy of 'legality'. It involved contesting elections, and the object was to build a new power base in the Reichstag while also using the SA to de stabilise the republic by street violence. Between 1924 and 1929, Nazi's were killed in street fighting with the KPD and hundreds injured. Berlin was the scene of the worst clashes.

One brutal clash between the KPD and the authorities in Berlin in May 1929 left 30 dead and 200 injured. The sentence, "paramilitary violence was to intensify in the early 1930's", shows that things did not get any better after 1929. The weapons that were associated with this political violence were the club, knuckle-duster, a broken bottle and a revolver. 'Golden Years' or Not?? White argues that any conclusion about this period as 'Golden Years' depends on the perspective from which they are viewed. He does this by writing, "whether of not the years between 1924 and 1929 can be reasonably described as "golden" depends in the end on the perspective from which they are viewed.

If they are compared with what preceded them within Germany and with what followed them they are golden. If, alternatively, Germany in these years is compared to other democratic states, 'golden years's carc ely seems appropriate". I think that the phrase "relative stability" is in general more realistic than the phrase "a golden period", as the period was not necessarily 'golden' in every way. There were some seen faults with this period, however there were some points at this time that were a huge progress or change, and therefore the period was relatively stable. In conclusion I agree with the "relative stability" phrase more than the "a golden period" phrase as a manner of describing Weimar Germany from 1924-1929.