This photograph taken in the winter of 1923 shows a German woman using banknotes to start a fire to cook with and keep warm. If your Mum did the same today what would you think? So why were people prepared to do this in the 1920s?

Problems for the Weimar Republic 1923

Aim: To know what the Ruhr crisis was and how it led to economic disaster in 1923.

Background to your first task

• Germany had to pay reparations to the Allies in money and goods to the tune of how much?

• £6,600 million.

• This was set in April 1921.

• She paid £50 million in reparations in 1921 but nothing was paid in 1922.

Your task

• You are German workers in the Ruhr. You have hungry families at home relying on you and your wages for their weekly bread.

• Queue up in order to receive your wages of 1 mark each and buy as much bread as you can afford.

• Bread costs 1 mark a loaf.

The French and Belgians invade the Ruhr.

• It is January 1923. The French have run out of patience waiting for their money. French and Belgian troops have entered the Ruhr (the industrial heart of Germany) to take what was owed in goods and resources. France wants to make Germany pay, if necessary by seizing raw materials for themselves.

• The Government have asked you to strike (use passive resistance). You refuse to cooperate with the French and stop working.

• The government promise to pay your wages, however, you get 2 marks this week.

Your task

• Come up and buy your bread, its still 1 mark a loaf.

• How many do you want?

• Oh dear some of you are going hungry this week!!!

The government prints more money!

• The government has to print money to pay the strikers.

• The resistance movement also means that the government have lost what the Ruhr would normally produce.

• There is less of everything to go around.

Your task• Come up and buy your bread.

• Some of you have more money than others! What will you do?

• Ok it’s the next week. The mark is not worth what it was so your wages consist of even more marks.

• What will happen now when you come up for your bread?

Can you explain what has been happening?

• Who would like to explain what was happening during your roleplay?

• What would you do if the British government suddenly gave you all £20,000?

• What do you think would happen to the goods in the shops?

• If there was less to buy or limited stock of the items you want, would you offer more money than the cd/ipod/jeans etc was worth?

Can you explain what is happening in these pictures?

What happened in Germany?

• The resistance movement meant that the German government lost what the Ruhr would normally produce – accelerating hyper-inflation.

• Violence marred the occupation – the French eventually introduced their own workers to operate the factories/mines.

• Eventually the invaders left when Germany agreed to reschedule her reparations payments.

What were the effects?• The loss of income from factories and mines and

heavy industry in the Ruhr forced the German government to print more money.

• This money, based on non-existent reserves, resulted in monetary value dropping drastically and prices rising fast.

• Hyper-inflation led to middle-class families losing businesses and savings, prices rising and accelerating unemployment.

• A change of government took place – a new Chancellor Gustav Stresemann took charge of the Republic’s financial response.