Stresemann Exam Question Answers

Describe the key features of the Stresemann foreign policy in the years 1923-1929 (6 marks). In 1924 Stresemann and Charles G. Dawes created the Dawes Plan. The Dawes Plan reduced annual reparation payments to an affordable amount. It was also agreed that American Banks would invest in German industry. This also improved the trust the allies had in Germany, as they were reassured that they would get their reparation payments. In 1925 Stresemann signed the Locarno Pact. This was a treaty between Germany, Britain, France, Italy and Belgium.
The Pact consisted of Germany agreeing to keep its border with France and Belgium if Allied troops left the Rhineland and France promised peace. This opened talks about Germany joining the League of Nations, as the Allied troops began to see Germany as a friend instead of an enemy. In 1929 Stresemann signed the Young Plan. This reduced the total reparations debt to ? 2 billion. Also Germany was given a further 59 years to pay. This helped Germany’s debt problems, as they didn’t have the worry of not being able to afford the annual reparation payments.
Describe the key features of the Dawes plan (6 marks). In 1924 The Dawes Plan was created between Stresemann and Charles G. Dawes, an American Banker. One feature of The Dawes Plan was that annual reparation payments that Germany had to pay were reduced to an affordable amount. This meant that there would be less chance of an incident, like the occupation of the Ruhr, would happen again; as the annual payments were much more realistic to Germany’s financial state. Another feature of The Dawes Plan was that American banks would invest in German industry.

This meant that Germany could rebuild their industry, therefore increasing employments, which lead to increased profits. One bad feature of The Dawes Plan was that it relied heavily on American banks. This would prove to be a bad idea after the Wall Street Crash; as America called in all their foreign loans, devastating Germany’s economy once again. Explain the effects of the Great Depression in Germany (8 marks). The Great Depression led to mass unemployment in Germany. In 1928 fewer than one million people were unemployed; by 1932 over six million people were unemployed.
This meant that an increasing number of people were living in poverty. Because people were unemployed, they had less money to spend on products made in Germany. This further damaged Germany’s industry, leading to mass debt and further unemployment. The Great Depression also led to people voting for extreme political parties, in hope that they could drag Germany out of the state that they were in. Most of these people were unemployed citizens, as they were the most desperate. This later led to Hitler’s rise into power. Was inflation the worst problem that the Weimar Republic faced in the years 1919-1928?
Explain your answers. You may use this information to help you (16 marks). * Weaknesses in the constitution. * Uprising against the Government. * Hyperinflation. * The effects of WW1. One problem the Weimar Republic faced was the high reparation payments they had to make. These reparation payments send Germany into massive debt, leading to mass poverty and unemployment. I think this is one of the worst problems Weimar faced, as not only was it bad in itself, but it also lead to many other problems, such as hyperinflation and industrial problems.
The Treaty of Versailles also meant that Germany lost lots of land- leading to further debt. This lead to further debt in Germany as they lost many resources which made them money. They had lost 50% of their iron resources and 15% of their coal resources- which were their main means of earning money. I think this was important as it contributed to all the other problems they faced, such as debt and hyperinflation. Another problem the Weimar Republic faced was that extreme political parties were attempting uprisings against the government.
In 1919 the Spartacist League attempted to overthrow the government and have a communist government instead, by: taking over key buildings such as newspaper offices, set up workers and soldiers soviets and demonstrated with 100,000 supporters in Berlin. In 1920the Kapp Putsch took place. They also wanted to overthrow the current German government, but they wanted to bring back Germany’s previous leader, the Kaiser. They attempted an uprising by taking over Berlin. They were successful, but the German government ordered a general strike.
The gas, electricity, water and transport in Berlin were stopped, as no-body was producing them, so they fled Berlin. The constant threat of uprisings led to an unstable government, which the public didn’t trust. Because the public didn’t trust the government, they started to vote for extremist parties, in hope that they would be able to improve the state of Germany. This was a large issue, as it showed, not only to the public, but also other countries that Germany was unstable and untrustworthy. Hyperinflation was also a massive problem Weimar faced.
When Weimar failed to pay the reparation payment in January 1923, French and Belgian troops marched into the Ruhr, an industrial area with lots of coal, iron, steel and factories. France and Belgium began to take what was owed to them in coal, steel and iron. The German government ordered its workers in the Ruhr to go on strike and not to help the soldiers remove the goods from the country (passive resistance). But because the government ordered the workers to go on strike they had to pay them, but they had no money!
So they printed more money, reducing the worth of money. As the worth of money went down, the price of goods went up. This cycle continued until people were being paid daily by the wheelbarrow full, and spending their money in their lunch breaks, before the prices rose again! This was a massive problem in Weimar as the country was already in poverty, due to the reparation payments they had to pay, but prices were still rising. This meant people couldn’t even afford essential goods- leading to further poverty.
I don’t agree that hyperinflation was the worst problem that the Weimar Republic faced. Although it was a huge problem, I think that debt- due to reparation payments- was the worst problem; as it lead to all the other problems they faced. Draw designs and then final designs Draw chosen design, with a 1. 5cm seam allowance, on spot and cross paper and cut out. Include grain line and how many need to be cut for 1 pillow Draw half of the design, with 1. 5cm seam allowance, on A3 paper. Add on 5cm for fold over and 2cm for seam. Cut out.
Include grain line and how many need to be cut for 1 pillow. Cut material using guides. Sew front material together with wadding in between, for quilting. Cut wings, feathers and eyes out of different materials. Sew on feathers made out of polar fleece, with a straight stitch. Applique on wings using bond-a-web. Applique on eyes using bond-a-web. Sew buttons on for eyes Sew on nose with a straight stitch. Sew 2cm seam on straight edge of the two back pieces. Sew the back pieces onto the front piece, so that they overlap by 5cm.