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| The inflation in prices were significant between 1919-1924. Prices dropped significantly in January of 1924 at the beginning of "The Golden 20s" (Schulze 212) |
People began to react to shortage of food once it had seemingly gone on long enough. Workers and their families had had enough. Mainly in Leipzig and Berlin, Armament workers "organized labor stoppages in April 1917 in protest against hunger, and in addition to demands for improved working conditions, calls began to be heard for negotiating a swift peace" (Schulze 193).
With time and extensive loss came the end of WWI, however, the war did not end in Germany. In fact, it continued on in the form of a civil war. This time, the German government was at stake "with three different factions vying for power" (Schulze 198). Several parties fought head to head in order
to determine which was the most effective way to run the country and it was shortly decided that the official government would be the "revolutionary" Council of People's Representative with Friedrich Ebert and Hugo Haase in charge. With the last imperial chancellor, Prince Max of Baden, resigning his position to Ebert began to bring even more change to the German government.
The first democratically elected national government in Germany came about around 1919 and once again Ebert came into power, this time being elected as the president by the National Assembly. There were two main goals of this new government "consolidate the power of the new Republic against the opposition of the left, and it had to conclude a peace treaty with its Allied victors. Germany's Allies had several different conditions on which they would accept a peace treaty, some of which were the loss of land and demilitarization. Most were opposed to these terms, but after pressure from their allies with a "blockade of food supplies and the threat to resume hostilities if Germany did not accept the treaty unconditionally," the Treaty of Versailles was signed and what was the beginnings of the Weimar Republic suffered.
When it came to making reparation payments to France for the war, Germany avoided doing so partly because they believed it was unfair and because they didn't have the necessary funds to do so. However, France was determined to be repaid one way or another even if by force and in the end their solution was to directly take coal in lieu of money (Schulze 210). This begun to cost Germany a great ton and led to the over-printing of money discussed earlier.
Gustav Stresemann took over as chancellor in Germany on August 13, 1923 with hopes of mastering the country's current situation and succeeded (Schulze 210). When news came in that the Rhinelanders were considering succeeding from Germany Stresemann immediately "sent in regular army units at once, and the rebel governments resigned" (Schulze 211). Soon enough Stresemann was named foreign minister. In this position he had many achievements which directly influenced the start of the "golden years" in the Weimar Republic. With the golden years came the dissipation of the dark luminous clouds hanging over Germany during the post-war years.
Words: 682
With time and extensive loss came the end of WWI, however, the war did not end in Germany. In fact, it continued on in the form of a civil war. This time, the German government was at stake "with three different factions vying for power" (Schulze 198). Several parties fought head to head in order
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| Friedrich Ebert, replaced the last imperial chancellor and the first president of the Weimar Republic |
The first democratically elected national government in Germany came about around 1919 and once again Ebert came into power, this time being elected as the president by the National Assembly. There were two main goals of this new government "consolidate the power of the new Republic against the opposition of the left, and it had to conclude a peace treaty with its Allied victors. Germany's Allies had several different conditions on which they would accept a peace treaty, some of which were the loss of land and demilitarization. Most were opposed to these terms, but after pressure from their allies with a "blockade of food supplies and the threat to resume hostilities if Germany did not accept the treaty unconditionally," the Treaty of Versailles was signed and what was the beginnings of the Weimar Republic suffered.
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| Gustav Stresemann: German chancellor (1923) and foreign minister (1923) |
Gustav Stresemann took over as chancellor in Germany on August 13, 1923 with hopes of mastering the country's current situation and succeeded (Schulze 210). When news came in that the Rhinelanders were considering succeeding from Germany Stresemann immediately "sent in regular army units at once, and the rebel governments resigned" (Schulze 211). Soon enough Stresemann was named foreign minister. In this position he had many achievements which directly influenced the start of the "golden years" in the Weimar Republic. With the golden years came the dissipation of the dark luminous clouds hanging over Germany during the post-war years.
Words: 682
Works Cited
Schulze, H. (1998). Germany: A New History. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press
