Weimar germany hyperinflation explained business insider. German workers linger during their defiant shutdown of the rhine metal works in dusseldorf in the ruhr industrial region of western germany. What was the german response to the french occupation. French and belgian troops occupied the industrial ruhr river valley region in germany in 1923 as a result of german deficiencies in the coal and coke deliveries to france required by the reparations agreement.
France and belgium occupied the ruhr valley in germany in january 1923. Ruhrbesetzung was a period of military occupation of the german ruhr valley by france and belgium between 1923 and 1925 in response to the weimar republics failure to continue its reparation payments in the aftermath of world war i. In march 1921, france occupied german ports because they couldnt make. French occupation of the ruhr 1923 history tutor2u.
The occupation of the ruhr was when the french and belgians invaded the ruhr in order to make the germans cough up reparations as they did not trust the german pleas for more time to pay. The government promised to support defiance in the ruhr by paying the salaries of striking workers. The british government published its correspondence with the allied governments on the subjects of the ruhr occupation and reparation payments. Students please note that this is by no means a detailed explanation of the reasoning behind the occupation of the ruhr valley in 1923. The occupation of the ruhr by rachael connell on prezi. German economy could not repay the second reparation deadline. In january 1923 france and belgium invaded the ruhr, an industrial area of german bordering their own countries. The germans could not fight back with force, as the invadin. During the treaty of versailles negotiations, some people warned that by forcing germany to pay massive reparations and taking away some of its key industrial regions, the country would inevitably be unable to function properly, and a vicious circle would develop where it wouldnt be able to pay the reparations at all.
In may 1923 there was a general strike aimed against the francobelgian occupation of the ruhr in january 1923 and against the german monopolies. Responses at the confrence of versailles in 1919 the french had argued that there should be a harsh treaty for germany they wanted revenge and to insure they were not invaded again. French invasion of the ruhr and hyperinflation 1923 gcse. World war i timeline 1918 french occupy ruhr the history place. Under the terms of the treaty of versailles 1919, which formally ended the war, germany admitted responsibility for starting the war and was obliged to pay war reparations to the various allies, principally france. Germany was falling behind with its reparations payments. The german government declared its inability to export coal to pay its reparations installment. Map sheets annotated in red ink in lower right margin. The league of nations implemented an economic reconstruction program for hungary. Ruhrgebiet is an urban area in north rhinewestphalia, germany.
The rhineland was already occupied by allied forces since the armistice of 1918. Full text of french occupation of the ruhr volume ii. The french zone ceded further areas adjacent to the saar in mid1946, early 1947, and early 1949. A report on the french ruhr occupation january 1923 the british ambassador on the occupation of the ruhr january 1923 jan smuts condemns the ruhr occupation october 1923. The action was provoked by german deficiencies in the coal and coke deliveries to france required by the reparations agreement after world war i. The ruhr region had been occupied by allied troops in the immediate aftermath of the first world war, during the occupation of the rhineland 19181919. Germans were a target for racial sterilization programs under the nazi regime. The occupation of the ruhr was profitable and caused neither the german hyperinflation, which began in 1922 and ballooned because of german responses to the ruhr occupation, nor the francs 1924 collapse, which arose from french financial practices and the evaporation of reparations. Extract from ruhr and hamburg, the communist international, 1923, no. French and belgian troops began an occupation of the ruhr district, the industrial heart of germany in response to the german default. Shows how the ruhr crisis foreshadowed the development of the european union. France occupies the ruhr analysis of the interwar period. Ruhr occupation, 192325 occupation of the industrial ruhr river valley region in germany by french and belgian troops.
January 11, 1923, francobelgian ruhr occupation, french and belgian troops began an occupation of the ruhr district, the industrial heart of germany. The first infamous event in the year of crisis was the french invasion of the ruhr. Ruhr area simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Cuno presented the new governments program to the reichstag on. What was the international response to the french occupation. Occupation of the ruhr 1923 topics history tutor2u. Why did france and belgium invade germany in 1923 the occupation of the ruhr duration. The daily press continues to bring reports almost to the same extent, to the same full length, and about in the same tone. By 18 december 1946 customs controls were established between the saar area and alliedoccupied germany. In march 1920 there was an uprising in the ruhr in response to the counterrevolutionary kapp putsch. The ruhr crisis, a result of the francobelgian invasion and occupation of the ruhr area of germany in 1923 has its roots in french fears about security. The french zone of occupation included the saargebiet, which was disentangled from it on 16 february 1946. The weimar government protested against the occupation vigorously.
Weimar and nazi germany 191839 exam buster revision guide for edexcel gcse 91 history. Passive resistance by german workers paralyzed the ruhrs economy and precipitated the collapse of the german economy. The dispute was settled by the dawes plan, and the occupation ended in 1925. Nicholas roosevelt, of the editorial staff of the new york times. To fix this problem and pay the striking ruhr workers, the government again printed more money.
Unit 2 germany revision 4 occupation of the ruhr youtube. Germans defend ruhr valley from french and belgian. It was started by the french prime minister raymond poincare in. Both sides incurred significant costs and came to appreciate that a process of rapprochement might better serve their national interests. The food crisis in the ruhr soon led to one of the most interesting, if little known, aspects of the occupation, namely, the evacuation of approximately 300,000 children from the ruhr to nonoccupied parts of germany during the spring, 1923. Revision presentation on the occupation of the ruhr 1923. The occupation of the ruhr by ashley bwewa on prezi.
By their passive resistance the german workers demonstrate that. It saw germany as the martyr of the postwar period. What were the effects of the occupation of the ruhr. The league of nations in the 1920s timeline timetoast. The british labour party demanded peace and denounced lloyd george as a troublemaker.
Although the ruhrgebiet, or ruhr, is not strictly an administrative or political entity, it is geographically defined as extending from the left bank of the rhine east to hamm and from the ruhr river north to the lippe. France occupied the ruhr, germanys coal and resourcerich. The occupation of the ruhr was participated in by france and belgium, and technically also by italy. Germans workers in the ruhr resisted passive resistance germany was losing all that the ruhr would have produced coal, raw materials, goods germany became poorer and the workers were not being paid. Great britain and the ruhr occupation ubc library open. The 19231925 ruhr occupation by france and belgium was triggered when germany defaulted on its reparations obligations.
More realistic as an explanation of the occupation is, the fact that the germans had defaulted on some 33 coal deliveries prior to the flagpole delay, and again early in january 1923. Ruhrbesetzung was a period of military occupation of the ruhr region of germany by france and belgium between 11 january 1923 and 25 august 1925 france and belgium occupied the heavily industrialized ruhr valley in response to germany defaulting on reparation payments dictated by the victorious powers after world war i in the treaty of versailles. The occupation of the ruhr can be interpreted as a retaliation action taken. The object of this publicity of hitherto secret documents is twofold. Britain was not directly involved in the conflict but she was certainly affected by it. Collapse of the angloamerican guarantee unsuccessful in her attempts to partially dismember germany the. France occupies the ruhr 1923 the french occupation of the ruhr was announced on january 11, 1923 in an attempt by france to forcibly obtain the large amounts of coal that was present in the ruhr. The ruhr was an important industrial region of germany close to the border with france and also home to many coalfields which were vital to germanys industrial production and. The ruhr valley hashad a lot of easilyaccessible coal deposits as well as access to international trade via the river rhine. History french occupation of the ruhr 1923 flashcards. Ruhrbesetzung was a period of military occupation of. With the occupation of the ruhr valley, the economic catastrophe known as hyperinflation and the munich beer hall putsch, 1923 was seen by many as a key failure in the weimars life span. Invasion of the ruhr and hyperinflation teaching resources. Ruhr occupation international encyclopedia of the first.
Many of the cities in the ruhrgebiet used to have a lot of heavy industry. Ruhr, major industrial region along the course of the ruhr river in western germany. Top kodi archive and support file community software vintage software apk msdos cdrom software cdrom software library. The occupation of ruhr was in response to the weimar republics failure to continue its reparation payments in the aftermath of world war i. This made it germanys main center of heavy industry during industrialization in the 19th century, which in turn attract. In 1923 german government was unable to pay the reparations required under the terms of the treaty of versailles. The workers of the ruhr played a major role in the revolutionary movement in germany in 191920. French occupation of the ruhr 1923 learn with flashcards, games, and more for free. The occupation of the ruhr between 1923 and 1925, by troops from france and belgium, was a response to the failure of the german weimar republic under chancellor wilhelm cuno to pay reparations in the aftermath of world war i. Britain believed that the occupation would destroy germanys ability to pay reparations. Timeline world history documentaries recommended for you. With the french and belgian occupation of the ruhr, goods in germany became even more difficult to obtain, and therefore very expensive. For the following nine months these three countries remained locked in a powerful struggle of wills.
The french occupation of the ruhr region of germany took place when germany failed to make reparations payments. The treaty of versailles forced germany to pay high reperations that were fixed at 6. Tells a very human and tragic story, buttressed by sound historical analysis. Cuno, germany, and the coming of the ruhr occupation. To stop the seizure of coal and other assets for reparations and to end the french and belgian occupation of the ruhr valley. By the autumn of 1923 a loaf of bread cost 200,000,000,000 marks.
A passive resistance campaign obstructed the invaders but collapsed in september 1923. French soldiers in the ruhr, 1923 rare historical photos. First comprehensive account of the ruhr crisis of 1923 in english, drawing on many previously unknown local and regional sources. Printed revision guides to support effective preparation for important exams. Ms annotations show the size of the reichswehr and its operations against the red army in the ruhr valley region of germany during the ruhr uprising of marchapril 1920. The ruhr was an industrial region in western germany that included the rhine river, it became important to germany starting from the mid 1800s because of the huge coal mines and transportation facilities, and it took a major role in germanys industrialization when germany won almost all control of alsace.
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