Hyperinflation

1
1923
Hyperinflation
How were the German Public affected by the period
of Hyperinflation within Germany?
2
Aims of the Lesson
To find out How Hyperinflation affected different
people within GermanyWhat effect Hyperinflation
had on Weimar Germany as a whole
Click for a table showing how the mark lost its
value
3
Discuss and consider the following sources
How were different people affected by
Hyperinflation?
From a woman who worked in a Christian Centre,
helping the poor. The widow of a policeman was
left with four children. She had been awarded
three months of her late husbands salary. By the
time she received it the amount was only enough
to buy three boxes of matches.
Der Polizist
4
How were different people affected by
Hyperinflation?
The memories of a German writer. One day I
dropped into a café to have a coffee. As I went
in I noticed the price was 5,000 marks just
about what I had in my pocket. I sat down, read
my paper, drank my coffee, and spent altogether
about one hour in the café, and then asked for
the bill. The waiter duly presented me with a
bill for 8,000 marks. Why 8,000 marks? I asked.
The mark had dropped in the meantime, I was told.
So I gave the waiter all the money I had, and he
was generous enough to leave it at that.
Bill
5
How were different people affected by
Hyperinflation?
The German Health Minister, February 1923 This
shocking decline in health conditions applies to
the whole of Germany. In the country areas where
farmers can feed themselves, conditions seem to
be better. But in the townsthere has been a
decided decline. Especially hard hit are the
middle class, those living on small sums given
annually, the widows and the pensioners who, with
their modest incomes, cannot afford todays
pricesDeath rates are risingas are deaths from
hunger.
6
Professionals
The effects of Hyperinflation
Widow
A Farmer
7
Now , using the information sheet, Complete the
table on the following slide adding as much
detail as you can for.
The Middle Classes
Pensioners
Rich Businessmen
The Poor
8
Groups How people were affected? Impact on Weimar Government
Pensioners
Middle classes
Rich businessmen
The poor
Click here for a past paper question
9
Think about the effects on certain groups of
people like me!
Recap
Pensioners
Add other people to the diagram and explain how
each was affected.
Effects of Hyperinflation
Farmers
Small Businesses
10
Recap Task.Draw lines to match the term to its
correct definition.
Peace Treaty which Germany was forced to sign
following the First World War
Ruhr
When prices are rising so fast that bank notes
cannot be printed fast enough to keep up with
rising prices
Treaty of Versailles
A rich industrial area in Germany that contained
factories and coal mines
Passive Resistance
Refusal to work which meant fewer goods were
coming from the Ruhr
Hyperinflation
END
11
Explain how hyperinflation affected the German
economy. (4 marks) WJEC, Paper 1, Study
In-Depth, June 2004
12
July 1914 1 20 marks
January 1919 1 35 marks
January 1920 1 256 marks
January 1921 1 256 marks
January1922 1 764 marks
January 1923 1 71,888 marks
September 1923 1 1,413,648 marks
October 1923 1 3,954,408,000,000 marks
November 1923 1 1,680,800,000,000,000 marks