The Weimar Crisis of 1923
The crisis of 1923: the failure to pay reparations, the occupation of the Ruhr by France and Belgium, passive resistance, and the hyperinflation that followed.
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The Weimar crisis of 1923 💸
In 1923 Germany could not pay its reparations, so France and Belgium occupied the Ruhr, its industrial heartland. German workers went on strike in passive resistance, and the government printed money to pay them. The result was hyperinflation, in which money became worthless.
Words for the crisis 🔑
Learn these four terms before you judge the crisis.
Losers and gainers 🆚
Hyperinflation hit different people in different ways.
Grade 9 thinking 💡
To reach the top grades, assess the impact of the 1923 crisis, and weigh the suffering of savers and pensioners against the smaller number who gained.
Match the event to what it was 🔗
- reparations
- the Ruhr
- passive resistance
- hyperinflation
- the payments Germany owed for the war
- the industrial region France and Belgium occupied
- the peaceful strike by German workers
- the collapse in the value of money
Match the term to its meaning 🧩
- inflation
- savings
- pension
- coalition
- a general rise in prices
- money put aside for the future
- a regular income paid after retirement
- a government of several parties together
Why occupy the Ruhr? ❓
Why did France and Belgium occupy the Ruhr?
- Germany had failed to pay its reparations.
- Germany had invaded France.
- They wanted to help German industry.
Who lost out? ✅
Select the TWO groups who lost from hyperinflation.
- People with savings.
- Pensioners on fixed incomes.
- People with large debts.
- France and Belgium.
Order the crisis 🪜
An interactive activity.
Summarise the crisis 📝
In 1923 Germany could not pay its _____, so France and Belgium occupied the _____. Workers used passive _____, and the government printed money, causing _____. Savers and _____ lost the most.
Count the years 🔢
An interactive activity.
Spot the two losers 🖍️
An interactive activity.
Loser or gainer? 🧭
An interactive activity.
Assess the crisis ✍️
An interactive activity.