1923: The Occupation of the Ruhr | GCSE History Revision | Weimar & Nazi Germany

It’s 1923 and the German government is bankrupt, having spent all its gold reserves in the First World War. On top of this the Treaty of Versailles mean that the government can’t access the revenue from many areas that have previously been important wealth earners for the country, such as the coalfields in Silesia. And just to make it even worse, the German government has to pay hefty reparations to the Allies.
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Revision Notes:
German gov bankrupt cuz it spent all its gold reserves in the war
Treaty of versailles exacerbated this
it took away wealth earning areas such as the coalfields in Silesia
made the Gov pay reparations
German Gov asked for reductions to reparations, but was refused as countries like France needed the money to pay off their debts to the USA
by 1923, it could no longer pay reparations
December 1922 Germany failed to send coal to France from the Ruhr coalfields like they had agreed to do
Jan 1923, France then sent troops into the industrial area of the Ruhr
they confiscated raw materials, manufactured goods and industrial machinery
the German gov urged passive resistance- going on strike and sabotage
the French then arrested those who obstructed them and brought in their own workers
germans resented the French but also many saw it as a failing of the weimar gov to resist the French
realistically the weimar gov had no choice- 750 000 in the French army, German army now limited to 100 000
crippled germany
ruhr contained lots of factories and about 80% of German coal, iron and steel reserves
increased Germany’s debts
increased unemployment
worsened the shortage of goods
eventually came to an end when stresemann called off passive resistance in the ruhr, accepting the Dawes plan in 1924 & the French agreed to leave
they actually left in 1925
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