Golden Years (apr 8, 1924 – oct 24, 1929)

Description:

Period marked by economic recovery, political stability and cultural experimentation

in the political sphere the moderate pro-Weimar parties got the majority of the votes in elections
(e.g. in May 1928 the pro-Weimar parties got 72,8% of the vote)
BUT:
key institutions (schools, army, church, big industralists, junkers, judiciary) still disliked democracy and did not try to instill pro-Weimar values within the public,
also the president von Hindenburg had authoritarian leanings

the pro-Weimar parties were:
- SPD (socialists)
- Z (christian democrats)
- DDP (democrats)
the radical anti-Weimar parties were:
- KPD (communists)
- NSDAP (national socialists)
the opportunistic parties of varying loyalty were:
- DVP (nationalists)
- DNVP (nationalists)

in terms of economics:
- hyperinflation was solved and prevented from happening again by decreasing government expenditure,
- reperations were altered so that Germany could steadily pay them off,
- loans from the US were secured via the Dawes plan and the later Young plan,
- extention of welfare schemes popular w/ the workers (e.g. the 1927 Unemployment insurance law),
- growth of industry
BUT:
- economic growth was not steady
- industry was increasing, but the proportion of Germany's industry to the rest of the world decreased
- Agricultural prices falling angering the peasants / farmers
- German economy's overreliance on foreign capital
- welfare schemes increased government ependiture and were very unpopular w/ employers and big industralists
- growing trade deficit

in terms of culture:
highly progressive (jazz, abstract art, transgressive cinema, foreign influences),
most influential in the cities where ppl had access to radio
(in 1932 46% of urban households had a radio compared to just 10% for rural households),
especially Berlin which became a cosmopolitan symbol
this served to alienate many ppl from Weimar,
especially conservatives
this was politicized by the right-wing parties who saw it as a clear example of the decadence of democratic society
ALSO
as democratic liberalism went against German tradition the Weimar Republic lacked very many patriotic celebrations, holidays and symbols around which the ppl could rally

All in all:
the social groups most likely to support anti-Weimar parties were:
- farmers (supportive especially of the NSDAP)
- Junkers, big industralists
- Protestants (Catholics were less supportive of nationalist right-wing politics)

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