Gustav Stressman Biography

Founds the Union of Saxon Industrialists, creating an organisation for Saxon industrial interests.

Establishes the Union of Saxon Industrialists as a base for organised industrial representation.

Founds the Union of Saxon Industrialists

First enters the Reichstag as a National Liberal

First enters the Reichstag as a National Liberal representative.

Elected Member of Reichstag

Is elected as a Member of the Reichstag.

Streseman loses his seat

Loses his Reichstag seat at the election.

Backs annexationist war aims during the First World War.

Supports the war effort & annexationist war aims

Becomes National Liberal leader in the Reichstag.

Appointed National Liberal Leader in the Reichstag

Supports Germany's war effort during the First World War.

Votes against the constitution of the Weimar Republic

Opposes the Treaty of Versailles

Opposes the Treaty of Versailles.

Votes against the constitution of the Weimar Republic.

Reichswehr pressure forces coalition governments in Saxony and Thuringia to resign.

Oversees a currency reform that effectively ends inflation.

Is appointed Foreign Minister, beginning a tenure that continues through 1929.

Appointed Foreign Minister

Serves as Chancellor of the Great Coalition during the national emergency.

Faces extreme hyperinflation during his chancellorship.

Restricting further currency issuance helps stop the inflationary spiral.

Restores order after the Munich Beer Hall Putsch.

Restores order after the Munich Beer Hall Putcsh

KPD and SPD coalition governments protest restrictions on communist and socialist newspapers.

In Saxony and Thuringia the coalition-Governments of KPD and SPD protest against the prohibition of the communist and socialist press, the Reichwehr forces these Governments to resign. Puts down a communist rebellion in Thuringia

Puts down a communist rebellion in Thuringia

The Rentenmark helps stabilise Germany after the hyperinflation crisis.

Serves as Chancellor during the intense political and economic crisis of 1923.

A communist rebellion in Thuringia is put down.

Cuts bureaucracy while attempting to stabilise state finances.

To further stabilise the economy Stressman reduces spending and bureaucracy while increasing taxes

Reduces government spending as part of economic stabilization.

Raises taxes as part of the government's stabilization programme.

Appointed Chancellor in the "Great Coalition"

Heads a coalition government during the 1923 crisis.

Refuses to issue additional currency, helping break the inflationary spiral.

Stresemann issues the Rentenmark, to halt the extreme hyperinflation crippling German society and the economy. It was successful because Stresemann refused to issue more currency, the cause of the inflationary spiral. Six days after the Munich putch a reform of the German currency takes place and the Rentenmark is introduced, this effectively ends inflation

Heads a coalition Government

Is appointed Chancellor at the head of the Great Coalition.

Stresemann issues the Rentenmark, to halt the extreme hyperinflation crippling German society and the economy. It was successful because Stresemann refused to issue more currency, the cause of the inflationary spiral. Six days after the Munich putch a reform of the German currency takes place and the Rentenmark is introduced, this effectively ends inflation

Stresemann issues the Rentenmark, to halt the extreme hyperinflation crippling German society and the economy. It was successful because Stresemann refused to issue more currency, the cause of the inflationary spiral. Six days after the Munich putch a reform of the German currency takes place and the Rentenmark is introduced, this effectively ends inflation

Chancellor Stresemann ends the passive resistance in the Ruhr

Ends passive resistance in the Ruhr.

Declares a state of emergency while ending passive resistance.

New Chancellor Gustav Streseman ends the passive resistance during French occupation of the Ruhr

New Chancellor Gustav Streseman ends the passive resistance during French occupation of the Ruhr

Resumes reparations while ending passive resistance in the occupied Ruhr.

Declares the resumption of reparations payments.

Links the end of passive resistance to policy during the French Ruhr occupation.

Ends passive resistance during the French occupation of the Ruhr.

Declares resumption of reparations payments & a state of emergency. Declares an end to passive resistance in the Ruhr

A coup attempt by the Black Reichswehr is crushed in Thuringia.

Major Fedor von Bock crushes a coup attempt by the Black Reichswehr

Major Fedor von Bock crushes a coup attempt by the Black Reichswehr

The Bavarian government takes direct control of local Reichswehr units.

Inflation reaches a point where one US dollar costs 40 billion marks.

War bonds (which are rated by Reichsmark, not Goldmark like the reparations) can be paid back without problems, savings on banks (or in war bonds) are lost, leading to widespread poverty. Inflation reaches an all time high, 1 US-Dollar costs 40 Billion Marks

Bloody street fighting breaks out between communists and police in Hamburg.

Inflation reaches an all time high, 1 US-Dollar costs 40 Billion Marks

The destruction of savings contributes to widespread poverty during hyperinflation.

The Bavarian Government takes direct control over the local parts of the Reichswehr

Bloody street riots in Hamburg between communists and the police

In Saxony and Thuringia the coalition-Governments of KPD and SPD protest against the prohibition of the communist and socialist press, the Reichwehr forces these Governments to resign

Bank savings lose their value during the inflationary collapse.

War bonds denominated in Reichsmarks become effectively worthless during hyperinflation.

War bonds can be repaid in depreciated Reichsmarks rather than Goldmarks.

Dr Gustav Stresemann (Peoples) forms 2nd cabinet

Creates a new cabinet on 6 October 1923.

Forms his second cabinet in October 1923.

General Alfred Mueller marches on Saxony to prevent a communist takeover

General Alfred Mueller marches on Saxony to prevent a communist takeover.

British disapproval contributes to the failure of the Rhineland separatist plan.

A Rhineland Republic supported by Belgium & France is declared at Aachen

French backing assists separatists seeking an independent Rhine Republic.

With French support, separatists try to declare an independent "Rhine Republic" in Aachen, the plan fails due to resistance by the population and the British disapproval

With French support, separatists try to declare an independent "Rhine Republic" in Aachen, the plan fails due to resistance by the population and the British disapproval

Popular resistance helps defeat the separatist Rhineland project.

A separatist Rhineland Republic is declared at Aachen with French and Belgian support.

With French support, separatists try to declare an independent "Rhine Republic" in Aachen, the plan fails due to resistance by the population and the British disapproval

Communists seize control in Hamburg during the October unrest.

Communist takeover of Hamburg

Separatists attempt to establish an autonomous Pfalz at Speyer.

French support assists the attempted separatist administration in the Pfalz.

With French support, separatists try to declare an independet "Autonomous Pfalz" in Speyer

The Hamburg uprising is suppressed.

Hamburg uprising suppressed

The Socialist/Communist Government is suppressed in Saxony

The Socialist-Communist government in Saxony is suppressed.

Currency reform follows only days after the Munich putsch.

The Beer Hall Putsch begins in Munich.

Beer Hall Putsch in Munich

The Beer Hall Putsch is crushed in Munich.

Beer Hall Putsch is crushed

The Rentenmark is introduced at one trillion paper marks, stabilising the currency without gold convertibility.

One Rentenmark equals one trillion paper marks and is valued at 4.2 Rentenmarks per United States dollar.

Is forced to resign after the Social Democrats leave the coalition.

Forced to resign after the Social Democrats leave the coalition

Leaves the chancellorship at the end of November 1923.

Dr Stresemann leaves office

The plan is intended to help Allied governments repay debts owed to the United States.

The Dawes Plan makes foreign loans, mainly from the United States, available to Germany.

The Dawes Plan is promoted under the motto Business, not politics.

The Dawes arrangements contribute to German currency stabilization.

Customs taxes are included among the sources for reparations payments.

The Dawes Plan is put forward to stabilize the economic situation in Europe, to enable the Germans to pay their reparations and the Allies to pay their debts to the US. Sets an upper limit for payment of reparations and limits the time to 37 years, the Motto is "Business, not politics"

Accepts the Dawes Plan form German reparations

Reparation payments would begin at 1 billion marks for the first year and should rise over a period of four years to 2. 5 billion marks per year. Foreign loans (primarily from the United States) would be made available to Germany.

The Dawes Plan provides short term economic benefits to the German economy, It softens the burdens of war reparations, stabilizes the currency, and attracts increased foreign investments and loans to the German market.

The sources for the reparation money should include transportation, excise, and custom taxes. The Ruhr area is to be evacuated by Allied occupation troops. The German Reichsbank would be reorganized under Allied supervision.

Accepts the Dawes Plan for German reparations.

The Dawes Plan is put forward to stabilize the economic situation in Europe, to enable the Germans to pay their reparations and the Allies to pay their debts to the US

Supports the Dawes Plan as a means to stabilise Europe's economic situation.

Excise taxes are assigned as one source of reparations revenue.

Reparations begin at one billion marks in the first year under the Dawes arrangements.

Germany gains access to foreign credit under the Dawes arrangements.

The plan helps attract increased foreign investment into Germany.

Foreign lending to Germany increases under the Dawes framework.

The German Reichsbank is to be reorganized under Allied supervision.

The plan softens the immediate burden of German reparations.

The Dawes Plan is designed to enable Germany to meet reparations payments.

The Dawes Plan places an upper limit on German reparations payments.

The plan limits the reparations timetable to 37 years.

Annual reparations are scheduled to rise toward 2.5 billion marks over four years.

The Dawes arrangements provide for Allied occupation troops to leave the Ruhr.

The Dawes Plan provides short-term economic benefits to Germany.

Transportation taxes are identified as a source for reparations payments.

Advances proposals for a western European security pact.

A January approach to France opens Stresemann's push for a western security settlement.

German note sent to France suggesting western security pact

German note sent to London suggesting western security pact

Later in January, a German diplomatic note asks London to consider the proposed western pact.

Uses western frontier guarantees to support Germany's rehabilitation among the western powers.

Proposes reciprocal recognition of Germany's western frontiers established at Versailles.

Meets Briand to discuss the evacuation of the Rhineland

Obtains Germany's admission into the League of Nations

Meets Briand to discuss the return of the Saarland to Germany

A German-Soviet non-aggression pact is concluded.

Germany enters the League with a Council seat.

Germany enters the League of Nations, the vote is unanimous

Wins the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with Aristide Briand.

Shares the Nobel Peace Prize with French statesman Aristide Briand.

The Allied Control Commission is withdrawn from Germany

The Allied Control Commission is withdrawn from Germany.

Signs the Kellogg-Briand Pact.

Signs the Kellog-Briand Pact

Signs the Kellog-Briand Pact

Accepts that Alsace-Lorraine is permanently part of France.

Stressman promises not to send German troops into the Rhineland and accepts that Alsace-Lorraine is permantely part of France. Stresemann proposes that France, Germany and Belgium should recognize as permanent their frontiers that were agreed at Versallies

Proposes permanent recognition of the frontiers agreed between France, Germany and Belgium.

Promises not to send German troops into the Rhineland.

Stresemann proposes that France, Germany and Belgium should recognize as permanent their frontiers that were agreed at Versallies

Accepts the Young Plan

Accepts the Young Plan.

Germany accepts the Kellogg-Briand Pact.

Germany accepts the Kellog-Briand Pact

Litvinov Protocol between Russia, Estonia, Latvia & Poland renouncing war

The Litvinov Protocol links Russia, Estonia, Latvia and Poland in a commitment renouncing war.

Death of Gustav Stressman

Dies in Berlin on 3 October 1929.