1923 - 1929

A Period of peace & stability?

Gustav Stresemann

• The Weimar Republic’s most respected politician– Prime Minister in 1923– Foreign Minister to 1929

• He started the Conservative German People’s Party (DVP) in 1918

• He presided over a period of relative peace and prosperity.

How did Stresemann stablise Germany?

• Politically– He crushed a rebellion in Saxony– He restored order after Munich Putsch– He negotiated French withdrawal from Ruhr

• Economically– He created a new currency. The Rentenmark to replace the

devalued Reichsmark– He agreed to the Dawes Plan to spread out German

Reparations payments to the allies.– Encouraged investment in assembly lines

• Diplomatically– He signed the Locarno Pact: France, GB, Belgium and

Germany agreed on existing borders.– He joined the League of Nations

• Awarded the Nobel peace prize– He signed the Kellogg-Briand pact outlawing war.

The Glory Years

• Culturally, the 1920s was a period of experimentation and dynamism.– Art, Architecture, Theatre, Dance,

Literature all underwent profound changes.

– The improved economy provides new opportunities

– So think that it is too ‘decadent’• Jewish association.

Hoech

Feininger

The Bauhaus School of Architecture

Einstein Tower

Bertolt Brecht

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=afd717MWOXI

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=wlqQvfcI4No

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=DEYX1ZCE8TI

• What happened to the Nazi vote between 1924 and 1928? – Page 15 & 8

• Which party benefited most from during this period? – Page 15 & 8

• What criticisms were made of Stresemann? What was his answer?– Page 15

• In the 1920s, Weimar Germany was famous for its artistic freedom. List as many examples as possible of arts, artists and art forms devised in this period.– Page 16 & 17

• What would the Nazis have to say about this cultural period?– Page 17

Grosz

Homework: Obituary

• In October 1929, Stresemann died of a stroke. The timing could not have been worse for the Weimar Republic

• Write 2 obituaries describing his achievements in the 1920s. – Obituary 1 should be from a sympathetic

pro-Weimar newspaper– Obituary 2 should be from a hostile Nazi

newspaper