(1) Because Germany had no goods to trade after its defeat in WW1, the Weimar government simply printed money. For Weimar government leaders this seemed an attractive solution. It paid off its debts in the failing German currency, the mark, including war loans of over €2200 million. The great industrialists were able to pay of all their debts as well. (2) This set off a chain reaction. With so much money in circulation prices and wages rocketed, but people soon realized that this money was useless. Workers needed trolleys to carry home their pay. Wages began to be paid daily instead of weakly. The price of goods could rise between joining the back of a queue in a shop and Teaching the front! (3) While you might think that the poor suffered most, some historians argue that the greatest casualties were middle-class Germans - those with saving A prosperous middle-class family would find that their savings in the bank, which might have bought them a house in 1921. by 1923 would not even buy a loaf of bread. Pensioners found that their previously adequate monthly pension would not even buy a cup of coffee. (4) It was clear to all, both inside and outside Germany, that the situation needed urgent action. In August 1923 a new government under Gustav Stresemann took over He called off the passive resistance in the Ruhr. He called in the useless marks and burned them, replacing them with a new Currency - the American-backed Retenmark. He negotiated to reduce Germany’s debt and receive American loans under the Dawes Plan In addition, Germany repaired relations with its neighbors and reopened tune with renewed trade and the flow of American dollars, life improved. The economic crisis was shed very quickly. Some historians suggest that this is evidence that many problems were not as severe as its politicians had made out. (5) It is also increasingly clear, however, that the hibernation had done great political damage to the Weimar government. Their right-wing opponents had yet another problem to blame them for the movement had lost the part of the middle classes
What can we understand from Paragraph (5) about the opponents of the Weimar government?