Hello, welcome to History here at Oak National Academy.

My name's Mr. Newton, and I'll be your teacher today guiding you through the entire lesson.

Right, let's get started.

In this topic, we will uncover the story of a Germany which seemed to stabilise between 1924 and 1929.

The economy improved, daily life became easier, and Germany regained some international respect.

Some historians called this period the "Golden Age of the Weimar Republic," but was it really? Did these years bring real lasting stability or was Germany simply papering over deeper problems? To guide our investigation, we'll focus on our big inquiry question, was 1924 to '29 a golden age for the Weimar Republic? Today, we'll explore how the Weimar Republic improved living standards and expanded rights.

We'll look at how did the republic solve economic instability and social issues, and who benefited from rising wages, welfare, and women's rights, and were there issues with rapid change and costly reforms? By the end of this lesson, you will be able to describe some of the social and economic changes that took place in Germany between 1924 and 1929.

Before we begin, there are a few keywords that we need to understand.

A Golden Age is a period of time, sometimes imaginary, of peace, prosperity, and happiness.

A welfare state is a system that allows the government of a country to provide social services such as healthcare, unemployment benefits, et cetera, to people who need them, paid for by taxes.

Conservatives are a group who value tradition, social order, and inherited wisdom, wishing to preserve institutions that have stood the test of time, while cautiously allowing for change.

The New Woman was a symbol of female independence in 1920s Germany, embracing greater freedom in work, fashion and leisure, while challenging traditional gender roles and societal expectations.

Today's lesson is split up into two parts, and in the first part, we'll look at some general changes in the standard of living before moving on to the changing role of women.

Right, let's begin the lesson with changes in the standard of living.

Under the leadership of Gustav Stresemann between 1924 to 1929, Germany entered a period of recovery known as the Golden Age.

This period saw economic improvements ripple through German society, contributing to significant social changes.

For many, this period represented a time of higher living standards, greater opportunities for women, and a vibrant cultural revival.

Have a look at this 1920s poster.

It's advertising the latest fashion, luxury, makeup, jewellery, and perfume that some people in Weimar Germany could now afford.

It reflects the stereotypical style and elegance of the era.

Yet, this Golden Age was not golden for everyone.

While some saw their living standards improve, others found little change or even faced greater hardship as they struggled to make ends meet.

Take a look at this photo of a farmer's family in rural Germany.

It presents a stark contrast to the glamorous lifestyle depicted in the 1920s fashion poster.

While some in the cities enjoyed luxury and modern trends, many rural Germans experienced little change.

Life remained traditional with hard physical labour and limited access to the wealth seen in urban middle class areas.

Moreover, the rapid social and cultural changes were not universally welcomed.

For many Germans, these changes symbolised the radical transformation that felt unsettling and at times deeply threatening.

For them, change did not always mean progress, and the very idea of a new dynamic Germany clashed with their traditional values and way of life.

The result was a society in flux, where optimism and discontent existed side by side.

This contrast highlights the uneven impact of Weimar Germany's social and economic changes who truly benefited from this so-called Golden Age.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

True or false? The Weimar Republic's Golden Age benefited all Germans equally.

Is that true or false? Pause the video, have a think and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back, and well done if you knew that was false, but why is that false? I want you to justify your answer and tell me why you believe it to be false.

Pause the video, have a think and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back, and well done if you knew that the statement was false was because economic stability under Stresemann led to higher wages, better housing, and expanded welfare, but not everyone benefited equally.

Some Germans continued to struggle financially and others opposed the rapid social and cultural changes.

Okay, let's continue.

So economic stability during these years meant that workers experienced a significant increase in wages, particularly those in industrial jobs.

Between 1925 to 1928, average wages had risen by approximately 25%.

This gave working class Germans purchasing power they had not enjoyed for years.

In other words, with more money in their pockets, families could afford better food, clothing, and leisure activities.

As we can see in the photo, it shows a German couple indulging in a game of tennis, spending their extra wages on leisure activities.

As workers spent their wages, the increased circulation of money stimulated the German economy, further fueling optimism about the future of the Weimar Republic.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

How did rising wages impact working class Germans during the Weimar Republic's Golden Age? A, higher wages allowed workers to afford better food, clothing, and leisure activities.

B, the government controlled all workers' wages, preventing economic growth.

C, wage increases only benefited wealthy business owners and did not impact purchasing power.

Pause the video, have a think and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back, and well done if you knew that the correct answer was that higher wages allowed workers to afford better food, clothing, and leisure activities.

The Weimar Republic set about the creation of a more expansive welfare state.

The Weimar Constitution promised to protect the health and the wellbeing of its citizens and provides support to those in financial or social need.

Building on earlier social welfare initiatives, the republic introduced significant reforms to address the many issues that Germany was facing.

One of the most pressing social issues in Germany was their housing shortage.

During the First World War, a lack of resources and construction activity had left many Germans living in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions.

In the mid-1920s, the government funded various housing projects to provide affordable housing, particularly for low-income families.

Between 1927 and 1930 alone, over 300,000 new or renovated homes were provided.

The photo on the left taken in 1928 shows residential buildings built in Berlin, a settlement the republic stated will be accessible to all who needed it.

The government also passed a law granting the authority to seize large properties and allocate them to tenants.

It also kept rental costs low and insured tenants were protected from eviction.

This massive undertaking was part of a broader effort to improve living conditions, support family life, and offer citizens a decent home as promised in the Weimar Constitution.

However, the housing programmes were costly and added to the financial strain on the republic.

Have a look at the image on the left.

This is a modern photo of a horseshoe estate built in 1925 to 1923.

And if we imagine housing estates like this being built across the country, it can give us a sense of the scale and innovation involved.

The problem was that these housing programmes were costly and the republic was already burdened by reparations, inflation, and other welfare commitments.

After the war, the Weimar government faced enormous demands for support from groups deeply affected by the conflict.

Disabled former soldiers, war widows, and fatherless children relied on pensions, economic benefits, and healthcare, creating a heavy strain on the system.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

What I want you to do here is list the positive and negative impacts of the Weimar Republic's welfare state.

So quickly jot down a bullet point list of the positive and negative impacts of the welfare state.

Pause the video, have a go and then come right back.

Okay, great.

Welcome back.

So there's different things that you could have in your list, but your answers may include the following.

So for the positive impacts, you might have written that the welfare states provided affordable housing and this improved living conditions.

You might have said that the welfare state offered financial support to vulnerable groups, such as war widows and disabled veterans.

And for the negative impact, you might have put the cost of welfare programmes added to the republic's financial strain, which was already burdened by reparations and inflation.

And you might have said that the high demand for support placed heavy pressure on the system, making it difficult to meet all needs.

Okay, let's continue.

So unemployment became a growing issue, with millions of Germans out of work.

To address this, unemployment insurance was expanded in 1927.

So how did unemployment insurance work? Well, it was like a benefit scheme.

Workers contributed 3% of their wages, which allowed them to receive an average of 60 marks per week in unemployment and sickness benefits if they lost their jobs.

So it was like insurance.

You paid into the scheme when you had a job, and if you were unlucky to lose your job, you could claim some money when you were unemployed.

There were other schemes across the country to help unemployed people.

For example, in the photo, we can see a man reading a sign at a hairdressing salon advertising special prices for the unemployed.

In other words, the unemployed could get a discount haircut.

However, the unemployment insurance system faced many challenges that frustrated the public.

Welfare payments were often refused or difficult to access due to strict eligibility checks, slow processing times, and complicated paperwork.

Claimants were sometimes forced to give up savings or property to qualify, and welfare offices often intrusively investigated their personal lives.

The financial burden of these programmes also led to sharp tax increases, nearly doubling the tax burden by 1925.

For many Germans, the welfare state offered a safety net and a sense of security that had been missing during the chaotic post-war years.

Despite these efforts, many citizens felt the system failed to meet their needs.

The gap between promises and reality created widespread dissatisfaction and eroded competence in the republic's ability to deliver on its commitments to welfare stability.

Okay, let's have another check here.

And again, I want you to list the positive and negative impacts of the Weimar Republic's welfare state, but now regarding the unemployment insurance scheme.

So write a bullet point list of the positive and negative impacts of unemployment insurance.

Pause the video, have a go and then come right back.

Okay.

Welcome back.

So let's have a look at some of the answers that you could have had.

So your answers may include for positive impacts, you might have said that unemployment insurance was expanded in 1927 to provide financial assistance for unemployed workers.

And you might have said that this gave many Germans financial security when or if they lost their jobs.

And for the negative impact of unemployment insurance, you could have said that there were actually strict eligibility checks.

These were the checks that were done to assess whether someone was allowed to access the unemployment insurance.

And this could also mean slow processing times and complicated paperwork, which made access to this insurance scheme very difficult.

And you might have also said that the financial burden of unemployment insurance on the system led to sharp tax increases, nearly doubling the tax burden by 1925.

Okay, great.

Let's move on to task A.

What I want you to do here is working with your partner, discuss the reasons why many Germans had reasons to be satisfied with the changes in living standards between 1924 and 1929 and dissatisfied with the changes in living standards between 1924 and 1929.

So have a quick discussion or jot down some points on a piece of paper discussing why Germans might be satisfied and dissatisfied with the changes in living standards.

Pause the video, have a go at task and then come right back.

Okay, great, hopefully you had some great discussions there, or you've got some great points written down.

So you may have discussed or written down the following.

So many Germans may have been satisfied with the changes in living standards as wages increased by 25%, meaning people could afford better food, clothing, and leisure.

And rising wages also meant that it boosted the economy, fueling optimism about the Weimar Republic.

Furthermore, homes were built or renovated and this reduced overcrowding and improved living conditions.

The government also kept rents low and protected tenants from eviction, making housing more affordable.

And the Weimar Republic expanded the welfare state to protect those in financial or social need.

And finally, economic recovery contributed to a vibrant cultural revival, offering new leisure opportunities, a Golden Age.

Okay, let's now look at why some Germans may have been dissatisfied with the changes in living standards.

So many Germans saw little change and still struggled financially.

Millions remained jobless despite economic growth.

There were strict eligibility checks, which made accessing welfare benefits difficult, and claimants sometimes had to give up savings or property.

The welfare state programmes added to the republic's economic burdens and needed doubled taxes by 1925.

And many conservatives felt that the rapid social and cultural shifts threatened their values, creating a polarised society and pessimism towards the Weimar Republic.

So there's very much a split in society of those who benefited from these changes and those who did not.

Okay, great, so we now understand some of the changes in the standard of living.

Let's now move on to the second part of the lesson where we look at the changing role of women.

The 1920s brought significant changes for German women, marking the beginning of a shift toward greater equality and freedom.

During the First World War, women had worked tirelessly for the war effort, which strengthened arguments for rewarding them with the right to vote and to stand for political office.

The Weimar Republic granted these rights.

Have a good image on the left.

It's a magazine showing Germans how to vote, men and women alike.

So women were granted the right to vote, and by the mid-1920s, women had become an increasingly visible force in politics, winning seats in the Reichstag, and taking on significant roles in public life.

By 1932, a total of 112 women had been elected to the Reichstag.

And if you have a look at the image, it shows a photo of Anna Schluter, a female SPD member of Parliament who I've highlighted with the green circle.

The Weimar Constitution also declared that men and women should have equal rights within a marriage, and stated that women should have the ability to enter all professions on the same basis as men.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

How did the Weimar Republic impact women's rights in the 1920s? A, no women were elected to the Reichstag during the Golden Age.

B, the Weimar Constitution restricted women's rights within marriage.

C, women gained the right to vote and to stand for political office.

Pause the video, have a think and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back, and well done if you knew the correct answer was C, women gained the right to vote and to stand for political office.

Okay, let's continue.

The Weimar Republic brought significant changes to women's roles in work, with 11.

5 million women or 36% of the workforce being employed by the early 1930s.

While this was not a dramatic increase from pre-war levels, women began entering more public and visible roles in retail, office work, and a small number even entered professional fields like law, academia, and medicine.

And we can see a photo of a woman working on early calculator.

Despite these developments, life of the majority of women changed little, as societal expectations continue to emphasise traditional roles.

Conservatives viewed women's workforce participation as a threat to traditional family structures.

In response to Germany's declining birth rate and a rising divorce rate, conservatives emphasised the role of women as homemakers and mothers, viewing it as essential to the nation's recovery, a view shared by many women.

If you have a look at the image on the left, it's a German election poster appealing to women to think about the future of Germany and the next generation.

This poster suggests that there was a strong public sentiment towards maintaining the traditional family and reinforcing women's roles as mothers and caregivers.

Therefore, many would've viewed women's workforce participation as a threat to family structures, emphasising motherhood as essential to Germany's future.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

Why did many conservatives oppose women's participation in the workforce in the Weimar Republic? A, they believed Germany's birth rate and divorce rate were unaffected by social changes.

B, they believed it threatened traditional family structures and the nation's recovery.

C, they supported equal career opportunities for men and women and wanted more women in work.

Pause the video, have a think and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back, and well done if you knew the correct answer was B, they believed it threatens traditional family structures and the nation's recovery.

For minority of women, the Weimar period brought greater independence and this also brought greater freedom in how they spent their leisure time.

A new cultural trend emerged in the cities of what became known as the New Woman.

The trend emerged amongst younger, unmarried, middle class women in urban areas.

With more time and their own money, these women defied societal expectations.

They engaged in leisure activities like dancing in nightclubs, visiting cinemas, and enjoying cabarets, while embracing a more liberal and open attitude towards sexuality, behaviours that would've been considered unthinkable just a decade earlier.

They often also smoked, wore makeup, and expressed their identity through fashion, sporting short hairstyles and revealing clothing that defied traditional norms. These paintings on the left captured the increasing presence of the New Women in Germany's entertainment and nightlife industry.

Before the 1920s, German society was more traditional, religious, and conservative.

Women were expected to focus on family and domestic roles.

It might have been shocking to see women smoking, drinking, and wearing bold makeup and revealing clothing when they were previously more commonly seen in modest dresses, dedicated to homemaking and childcare.

The rise of the New Woman marked a dramatic cultural shift, challenging traditional expectations.

The New Woman viewed as a threat to a traditionalist vision of Germany became a focal point in the cultural tensions between advocates of change and defenders of tradition.

Both men and women found themselves on either side of this divide.

In other words, some women and men welcomed and embraced the newfound freedom and independence the New Woman represented, while other women and men criticised this freedom as reckless self-indulgence, seeing these attitudes as promiscuous and a symptom of deeper societal decay.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

What I want you to do here is complete this sentence with the correct missing word.

So pause the video, fill in the blank, and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back, and let's see how that sentence should have read.

The New Woman in Weimar Germany engaged in partying, wore makeup and express their identity through fashion, spotting short hairstyles and revealing clothing, defying traditional societal expectations.

Okay, great.

Let's move on to the first part of task B.

And I've given you an interpretation here, and I want you to use your knowledge from the lesson to explain how this interpretation could be viewed as correct.

So let's read this interpretation.

It's from an army officer born in 1887.

"When I returned home after the war, I barely recognised my country.

The disciplined Germany I had known had been replaced by a society driven by excess and immorality.

The shameless behaviour in Berlin's nightclubs is unspeakable.

Tradition has been replaced with degeneracy.

German women have abandoned their proper roles, dressing and acting in ways that defy our values.

German men have lost their sense of honour, giving in to corruption and deceit." So use all the knowledge you've gained from the lesson so far to explain how this interpretation could be viewed as correct.

So in other words, use this interpretation to talk about the broader context that the army officer is talking about, the background story of what's happening in Germany at the time that he may be referring to.

And to help you to do that, I want you to consider using these terms in your answer, New Woman and conservatives.

So pause the video, write a detailed paragraph, and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back, and well done for having a go at that task.

So there's many ways that you may have answered that question, but compare your answer with the one I have here.

This interpretation could be considered correct because the Weimar period brought significant cultural changes, including to women's roles, which some Germans saw as a threat to traditional values.

The interpretation describes how nightclubs became symbols of excess and immorality, reflecting the behaviour of the liberated so-called New Women who enjoyed nightclubs and embraced a more open attitude towards sexuality.

However, many conservatives view this shift as dangerous, believing that women should focus on their traditional roles as homemakers and mothers, especially since Germany's birth rate was declining and divorce rates were rising.

The divide between supporters and critics of these changes created significant tensions in Weimar society.

Okay, great.

Let's move on to the second part of task B.

And I've given you a statement here.

The social and economic changes that took place in Germany between 1924 and 1929 represented a Golden Age.

How far do you agree with this statement? And of course, anytime that you see a question asking you how far you agree with it, this is inviting you to say how far you agree with it, but also how far you disagree.

So what I want you to do is write one paragraph which agrees with this statement and one paragraph which disagrees.

And to help you to do that, I want you to consider using these terms in your answer: wages, welfare state, taxes, conservatives.

And hopefully those words will provoke you to think about all the knowledge you've gained in the lesson so far to help you to write your answer.

Pause the video, have a go at the task and then come right back.

Okay, great.

Welcome back.

So there's many ways you could have answered your question, but once again, compare your answer with the one I have here.

So your paragraph which agrees with the statement may include the following.

The period 1924 to 1929 can be seen as a Golden Age for Germany due to improvements in both social and economic conditions.

Wages for industrial workers rose by 25% between 1925 and 1928, giving many Germans more purchasing power and improving their quality of life.

Housing conditions also improved with over 300,000 new or renovated homes built between 1927 and 1930, helping to reduce overcrowding.

The expansion of the welfare state, including unemployment insurance, provided a safety net for those in need.

Women gained more rights, becoming politically active and entering professions such as law and academia.

Culturally, Germany experienced a vibrant revival where nightlife, cinema, and arts flourished, symbolising a modern society.

These developments created optimism and a sense of stability in Germany.

And for your paragraph, which disagrees with the statement, it may include the following.

However, this so-called Golden Age was not experienced by everyone.

Despite economic growth, unemployment remained high and many Germans continued to struggle financially.

The welfare state, though expanded, was difficult to access due to strict eligibility checks, slow paperwork, and intrusive investigations.

High taxes introduced to fund welfare programmes frustrated many Germans.

Additionally, cultural changes were controversial.

The emergence of the New Woman and the rise of nightlife and cabarets were seen by conservatives as a decline in moral values, leading to tensions between modernists and traditionalists.

Many Germans felt alienated by these changes.

Therefore, while this period saw significant progress, it cannot be seen as a Golden Age for all Germans.

Okay, great, let's summarise today's lesson "Social and Economic Change Between 1924 and 1929." During the Golden Age of the Weimar Republic, wages increased and the government invested in public housing projects and expanded the welfare state, introducing unemployment insurance and financial support for those in need.

However, many Germans still struggled as unemployment remained high and access to welfare was restrictive.

The welfare programmes also led to sharp tax increases, frustrating many Germans.

Cultural shifts, including the rise of the New Woman and the cabaret and nightclub scene, divided society.

While some welcomed modernity, conservatives saw these changes as the moral decline, believing traditional values were under threat.

Despite economic and cultural developments, deep social tensions remain.

Well done on a brilliant lesson.

We've seen how rising wages improved housing and new roles for women could be seen as part of a Golden Age of progress and stability.

But we've also seen how these changes weren't experienced equally, with many feeling left behind.

As we move forward, we'll question whether this period truly deserves to be called a Golden Age.

I'll see you next time when we continue our inquiry.

See you in the next lesson.