The Golden Age of Weimar: Long Story Short - Our Historia

Introduction [Music] welcome to long story short a series where big historical events and themes are explained in a concise way that does not sacrifice facts or analysis in today's episode we're going to be exploring the viar Republic During the period which is deemed the Str era named after Gustaf sterman a prominent Statesman who engineered a period of stability which was significant considering the years of political International and economic troubles Germany had faced we're going to be examining this period from two angles the events in high politics but also the lived culture and experiences of people in the socalled Golden Age of viar Germany was left in a fragile state The Dawes Plan after the events of hyperinflation in 1923 but a strategy of implementing the new Rental Mark Currency and the calling off of passive resistance in the RAR helped to dumpen the wor of hyperinflation but it was a deal which was made as a result of a US initiated commission that bought a long term solution for the viar economy the doors plan was published in April 1924 in an attempt to try to stabilize Germany's economy in the long term and to make reparation payments more sustainable Clauses of it included a reduction in the yearly payments for a period of time so that the economy could become strengthened first payments were reduced to 1 billion marks for 1924 and then to 2.5 billion marks for 5 years after that Germany also received an 8 million Mark loan mainly financed by the US which was invested into the economy and Germany's infrastructure at Locarno Pact a similar time improvements were made in Germany's international relations Gustaf strasman who was then vion's foreign minister negotiated the Lano pact of 1925 with Britain France Belgium and Italy The Pact had various Clauses including an agreement that all parties would not use military force against each other unless in self-defense it also reaffirmed the borders of Germany France and Belgium to avoid an event like the occupation of the rur again since this only covered Germany Western borders stman also negotiated treaties with Poland and Treaty of Berlin Czechoslovakia Germany signed the Treaty of Berlin in 1926 or with the USSR which was a pledge of neutrality in the event another country attacked either party in League of Nations and Kellogg–Briand Pact the same year Germany was also finally accepted as a member on the Council of the League of Nations an indication that Germany's International position had started to significantly improve since the events of the Treaty of Versa this was further highlighted by the Kellog Brian pact of 1928 which was a document which denounced the use of War to settle or enforce international relations Germany signed The Pact as an equal another Young Plan important occurrence in vire Germany was the young plan another reparation negotiation meant to balance payments so they did not overburden the German economy in a similar ve as the doors's plan the negotiations took place in 1929 something stman would not live to witness with his death the same year the young plan proposed an overall reduction in the amount Germany would have to pay in reparations to 12 21 billion marks to be paid over 59 years this would be something which would never become realized with the Great Depression and the Nazi takeover but when examined in the context before these events the young plan is still significant as it indicated an international change in attitudes towards Social Elements of the Golden Age Germany whilst all of this was unfolding in the Rd and in the International Space Germany experienced a period of stability which some historians have gone as far to deem a golden age of culture and Society with the improvements of the economy from 1924 with the doors plan living standards Rose across Germany State efforts improved people's lives for example there was government housing programs as well as the viar welfare system which had features like unemployment insurance besides this people's lives were also Changed by wider trends of the period the ownership of new technology such as radios telephones and cars this paired with the increase in newspapers and magazines helped to open up new kinds of information and Leisure opportunities for Germans the viar Republic also put an end to the strict census ship laws which had been in place under the Kaiser in the Constitution Germans were guaranteed freedom of press and speech which opened the perfect climate for experimentation Architecture and Art in culture for example many artists experimented with various mediums to Branch away from traditional Styles the bow house movement emerged during this period so did the new objectivity movement with figures such as Oto dicks who made social commentary on topics such as war and class inequality through their painting by Cinema 1929 there were around 500 Cinemas across Germany which helped to Showcase experimental Works in film from NOS Fatu which was vital to the horror genre to fris Lang's Metropolis with its criticisms of capitalism and industrialism liter Literature and Theatre experienced comparable changes with writers utilizing the freedom of press to create Works which never would have been warranted under the Kaiser Eric Maria remarks All Quiet on the Western Front was a stark comment on the horrors of War theater simly witnessed a new kind of experimentation in social commentary most famously with bre who pushed the boundaries of theater by bringing leftist politics to the foregrounds of his works such as the three peny Opera it wasn't just in Cabaret and Women theater that boundaries were being pushed in German nightlife Cabaret pushed the boundaries of gender sexuality and Society on the whole with performers like CLA wol and Josephine Baker freedoms existed in viar Germany women not only gained the vote but the social image of the new woman helped many to experience new levels of Liberty not present in the previous Kaiser although it is easy to view the Conclusion viar Republic colored by a lens informed by the future of its destruction it is still crucial that the Republic especially in its golden age is recognized as having its own legacy a time where people in the context did not anticipate the rise of the Outro Nazis hi there thank you so much for watching this video If you enjoyed please consider liking and subscribing I also have an Instagram and a Tik Tok page which I have linked below again thank you so much for watching I have been our historian and until next time [Music]