Hitler’s rise and Weimar’s demise.

Impact of Versailles:
• After world war one, the borders changed. ( colonies taken away from Germany )
• The polish corridor ( Germany divided )
• Reparations ( owed more than what they could produce )
• The stab in the back theory came from it ( as the Weimar republic signed it)
• Navy and Army reductions ( however the army was more specialized since it was cut down)
Attempted Coups:
• Munich putsch ( failed )
• Nazi coup attempt in Austria ( failed )
Ruhr:
• Between 1923-1925 it was occupied. ( By France and Belgium )
• It happened because of the fail of the German Weimar republic chancellor Cuno to pay reparations.
Hyperinflation:
• 1920’s hyperinflation in Germany
• The Marks (German money) worth nothing
• Rentenmark produced to stop the inflation
• 1930’s Wall street crash
When do these become relevant?
• They all contributed to Hitler’s rise to power 1930-33.
Weimar: Stable or Unstable?
• Unstable, very fragile
• Had a “golden age” of Stresemann
• It was unstable because of the changes of government and the German economy.
Evidence of stability in the golden age of Weimar
• Economy : paid the reparations
• Dawes plan (currency stabilized)
• Young plan
• Entry into the league of nations
Stability in the golden age of Weimar:
• Indeed by 1928 production exceeded pre war rates, so that by 1929 Germany was the second world’s largest industrial power.
• Wages went up
• The standard of living was better than ever.
Do you agree with Cobett’s claim?
• Yes, because when the country was wealthy enough the extremist solutions seemed crazy and therefore where marginalized by the citizens.
Problems during the Golden age
• Germany was dancing on the edge of the volcano. Basically their economy was good however very fragile.
• The Weimar boom was a short term credit and is vulnerable to any downturn in US economy.
• Prosperity wasn’t evenly spread
• Money spent on unproductive projects