WEIMAR REPUBLIC 1919-1933 (Traynor; Challenging History: EUROPE 1890-1990)
Look at the map on page 174. One of the problems Germany faced after WWI was the loss of territories. To be able to discuss the importance of this loss you need to know what areas were lost and the importance of the areas lost.
1. Which areas were lost by Germany after WWI and to whom?
2. Try to use some other sources and see the specific importance of each area lost (industrial region? agricultural region? rich of raw material? etc…)
3. Which areas of Germany were temporarily lost but later brought back by referendums?
4. Which areas of Germany were occupied and by whom?
5. What happened with the important port of Danzig?
6. Try to, in your own words, describe the problems Germany faced with territorial changes according to the demands of the Versailles Treaty 1919.
Between the years 1919-1923 the new republic faced several threats against its existence, both from the extreme left and the extreme right. Read the pages 175-177 and then answer these questions:
1. Summarize the political threat against both the old empire (by the end of the war) of Germany and the new Weimar Republic from the extreme left between the years 1919-1923.
2. Summarize the political threat against the new Weimar Republic from the extreme right between the years 1919-1923.
3. What were the results from the threat of the extreme left and how did the government and army deal with it?
4. What were the results from the threat of the extreme right and how did the government and army deal with it?
5. Try to, in your own words, describe the political threats from both the extreme left and the extreme right in Germany during the years 1919-1923. Make sure you also mention how the government and army dealt with these threats (try in the end to reflect a bit over the differences in the actions against the extreme left compared with the actions against the extreme right).
Gustav Stresemann (1878-1929) is one of the most important characters of the Weimar Republic.
1. Read the pages 177-179 and then write a short description of his social and political background up to he took over as the German Chancellor 1923.
2. In November 1923 Gustav Stresemann stepped down as the German Chancellor and instead became Foreign Minister, a post he would maintain until his death 1929. In this position he was the driving force of a change in German foreign policy. Describe the change of policies and how it affected Germany’s position, both in domestic as well as in foreign affairs.
3. Try to, in your own words, describe the period of stability in Germany 1924-1929 under the influence of Gustav Stresemann. Make sure you point out the specific measures taken to ensure the political and financial stability of Germany . In the end try to also discuss if there were any signs that the measures described above were not efficient enough.

The economic collapse of Germany after the Wall Street Crash led to the increase of members in the more extreme parties, both on the left and the right political scale. Its therefore important to be able to discuss the economic development through the whole Weimar Republic and especially during the later part (after 1929). Read Traynor pages 180-183.
1. Describe the economy of Germany just after WWI. What were the main problems and what did the government do to solve these problems.
2. When the Reparation Commission presented its report and Germany faced a huge war bill (£6,600 million = 132 billion marks) Germany protested in vain. What was the political and practical response to the war bill (up to the end of 1923).
3. In 1923 Gustav Stresemann became Chancellor and the Rentenmark was introduced. What was the impact of these measures and what other measures managed to curve the catastrophic economic situation of 1923?
4. All was not well within the Germany economy between the years of 1924-1929. Describe both the good parts of the economy as well as the weakness that already showed up years before the Wall Street Crash.
5. Describe the economic situation in Germany after the Wall Street Crash up to Hitler was appointed Chancellor January 1933.
6. Try to, in your own words, describe the development of the German economy between the years 1919-1933. Make sure you point out the strength as well as the weaknesses over the whole period. In the end discuss how the economy could influence the political situation (here you will have some use for the pages 184-185 as well).

Look at the graph on page 184. Try to describe the constitution of the Weimar Republic in words. Who had what power?