Germany's International Relations, 1924-1929 (AQA GCSE History)

How did Stresemann improve Germany’s relationship with Europe? - Timeline & Summary

By November 1923, Stresemann had lost his position as chancellor. The coalition government broke down when the SPD decided they no longer wanted to work with Stresemann’s party, the DVP. Stresemann became Foreign Minister under the new government.

As Foreign Minister, Stresemann pursued a number of treaties, such as the Locarno Treaties. He aimed to build better relations with Europe and restore Germany’s reputation as a world power. Stresemann succeeded in his ambitions. In 1926, the League of Nations accepted Germany as a permanent member. In the same year, Stresemann won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Stresemann died in office on 3rd October 1929. His political policies brought stability to the Weimar Republic. Between 1924 and 1929, the public’s support of moderate parties increased. As public confidence in the Weimar government grew, the appeal of extremism weakened. It would take the economic crash in the USA in late October 1929 to undo Stresemann’s work.

The Locarno Treaties

• The Locarno Treaties were a series of agreements between Germany, Britain, France, Italy and Belgium

  • The nations met in Locarno, Switzerland on 16th October and signed the pacts on 1st December 1925

  • All nations entered the agreements as equals. This was unlike the diktat of the Treaty of Versailles

The terms of the Locarno Treaties

• France and Germany promised to keep peace with each other

• Germany accepted its western borders as stated in the 1919 Treaty of Versailles

  • This infuriated the extremist parties in Germany

• All members promised to keep the Rhineland demilitarised

• To explore the possibility of admitting Germany into the League of Nations

Impact of the Locarno Treaties

• Stresemann considered the Locarno Treaties as his greatest achievement because they:

  • reduced the possibility of future wars

  • improved the reputation of the Weimar Republic nationally and internationally

• In 1926, the Nobel Prize was awarded to Stresemann and French foreign minister Aristide Briand

Entry into the League of Nations

What was the League of Nations?

• The League of Nations was a forum where countries could discuss problems before resorting to armed conflict

  • Woodrow Wilson, the American President, played a leading role in the creation of the League of Nations. It was based on his 14 Points

    • Part 1 of the Treaty of Versailles established the League

    • The League did not formally meet until 10th January 1920

    • For a country to join the League of Nations as a permanent member, it had to receive two-thirds of the members’ vote

    • A country could leave the League if it gave two years' notice

Why was Germany originally not a member of the League of Nations?

• Clemenceau, the French President, wanted revenge

  • He believed that Germany had started the First World War

• Due to Clemenceau’s anger, the Treaty of Versailles banned Germany from joining the League of Nations 

What caused Germany to join the League of Nations?

• As a result of the Locarno Treaties, the League of Nations met with Stresemann to discuss membership

  • The Council settled serious disputes between countries

  • In September 1926, the League agreed to accept Germany as a member

Impacts of joining the League of Nations

• Joining the League had positive and negative impacts on Germany

Positive impacts

• Boosted German citizens’ confidence in the Weimar Republic

• Gained support for moderate parties

Negative impacts

• Some people did not want anything to do with the League of Nations

  • It was associated with the hated Treaty of Versailles

• Created anger among extremist parties

Kellogg-Briand Pact

• French foreign minister Aristide Briand met with US Secretary of State Frank B. Kellogg to discuss further steps towards world peace

  • The USA was not in the League of Nations. They still believed in achieving world peace

• On 27th August 1928, they assembled Germany and 61 other countries to sign the Kellogg-Briand Pact

What did the Kellogg-Briand Pact agree upon?

• War should never be used as a means for resolving disputes between countries

Impacts of the Kellogg-Briand Pact

• The Kellogg-Briand Pact had positive and negative impacts on Germany

Positive impacts

• Boosted German citizens’ confidence in the Weimar Republic

• The world saw Germany as a respectable and trustworthy state

  • They could enter into treaties as an equal to the other signatories

Negative impacts

• The pact did not remove the military restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles

  • This angered extremist parties

• Many Germans thought other countries would move towards disarmament.  Disappointingly, the pact did not promise this

  • Germany was still considerably weaker militarily than the rest of Europe, making Germany feel unsafe

Did Weimar Politically Recover by 1929?

• Historians continue to debate today if the Weimar Republic politically recovered by 1929

Arguments that Weimar politically recovered

• Support for extremist parties fell in this period

  • In the May 1928 elections, the Nazi Party only gained 12 seats in the Reichstag

• There were no political assassinations between 1924 and 1929

• Germany was becoming a respected power in Europe again

Arguments that Weimar did not politically recover

• Extremist parties continued to fight against the Weimar government

• The Weimar Constitution continued to be flawed

  • There were six coalition governments in the period of 1924-1929

    • Whilst this is less than before 1924, this still caused problems with law-making