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The Weimar Republic in the “Golden Twenties” - Foreign Policy -

Explore Gustav Stresemann's role and diplomatic successes in the Weimar Republic during the Golden Twenties. Learn how he navigated the Treaty of Versailles, cooperative revisionism, and foreign policy challenges to achieve lasting peace and economic stability. Delve into the complexities of German diplomacy, the League of Nations, and international relations in this pivotal period of German history.

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The Weimar Republic in the “Golden Twenties” - Foreign Policy -

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  1. The Weimar Republic in the “Golden Twenties”- Foreign Policy - History of Germany Lecture 8

  2. Schedule • Introduction • The Treaty of Versailles • Cooperative revisionism • Diplomatic successes • Conclusion

  3. Gustav Stresemann (1878-1929), ca. 1920

  4. Schedule • Introduction • The Treaty of Versailles • Cooperative revisionism • Diplomatic successes • Conclusion

  5. The Treaty of Versailles • War guilt • Reduction of Reichswehr to 100,000 men and restrictions on modern weapon systems • Loss of territory to France, Belgium, Poland, Denmark • Demilitarisation of the Rhineland • Reparations

  6. Treaty of Versailles ARTICLE 231. “The Allied and Associated Governments affirm and Germany accepts the responsibility of Germany and her allies for causing all the loss and damage to which the Allied and Associated Governments and their nationals have been subjected as a consequence of the war imposed upon them by the aggression of Germany and her allies.”

  7. Germania tied to the stakePostcard directed against the Treaty of Versailles, about 1920

  8. Political Assassinations Matthias Erzberger1921 Walther Rathenau1921

  9. Schedule • Introduction • The Treaty of Versailles • Cooperative revisionism • Diplomatic successes • Conclusion

  10. Revisionism • All German political parties wanted to revise the Treaty of Versailles • Differences concerned extent of revision • Differences on which strategy should be applied: policy of patient negotiation including integration into international order or aggressive policy of strength? • Should use of force be allowed?

  11. Who will bring the Ostmark back? Poster of the DNVP for the elections to the National Assembly, 1919

  12. Target “Occupation of the Ruhr” with anti-French propaganda,after 1923, wood

  13. Schedule • Introduction • The Treaty of Versailles • Cooperative revisionism • Diplomatic successes • Conclusion

  14. Conciliatory cooperative policy towards France and Britain Germany joins League of Nations International recognition Nobel Peace Prize (together with Aristide Briand) Economic pressure on Poland Germany as advocate of rights of German minorities in Eastern Europe Letter to Crown Prince: readjustment of Eastern borders and liberation of Germany from foreign domination Illegal military cooperation with Soviet Russia Stresemann – a good European?

  15. Germany’s integration in European policy • Reparations: Dawes plan 1924, Young plan 1929 • Locarno Treaty: Germany guarantees Western borders (but not Eastern borders) – early withdrawal of French and Belgian troops from Ruhr 1924/25 • Germany joins League of Nations in 1926, gets seat in council • Treaty of Berlin with Soviet Union: neutrality if one state is attacked • Kellogg-Briand Pact in 1929: renounces use of force

  16. Locarno…is the achievement of lasting peace on the Rhine, guaranteed by the formal renunciation of force by the two great neighboring nations and also by the commitment of other states to come to the aid of the victim of an act of aggression in violation of this treaty…It can and it ought to be the basis for a general cooperative effort among these nations to spread peace wherever their material power and moral influence reach.” Gustav Stresemann 1926

  17. Schedule • Introduction • The Treaty of Versailles • Cooperative revisionism • Diplomatic successes • Conclusion

  18. Foreign Policy Reparation payments now clear American investment Beginning of reconciliation with France and integration into European policies Early withdrawal of French troops from Ruhr and later from Rhineland No territorial revisions in the East Effects on domestic policy German public opinion violently against amount and length of payments German financial system dependent on American money Public opinion: Germany gained too little by renouncing claim to Alsace-Lorraine Disappointment Was Stresemann successful? Without doubt constructive and successful foreign policy in longer term perspective, in short-term perspective was not supported by German public opinion – was not able to give additional legitimacy to Weimar democracy

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