Despite the problems it faced, the Weimar Republic had some achievements.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2023). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1-4] (a) e.g. 'They were angry/unhappy/outraged.'
2. '(a) Their troops entered the Ruhr in 1923.'
3. '(a) It was legal under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.'
4. '(a) It was an opportunity to enforce the Treaty.'
5. '(a) They took raw materials and goods such as coal from the Ruhr in place of the unpaid reparations.'
6. '(a) They reacted harshly to German passive resistance.'
7. '(a) The French expelled thousands of Germans from the Ruhr.'
8. '(a) Some Germans were shot and killed by the French.'
9. '(a) They accepted the Dawes Plan to restore the payments of reparations in 1924.'
10. '(a) In August 1925 they withdrew their troops from the Ruhr.'
11. [4-5] (b) The Weimar Republic faced threats because it was blamed for the Treaty of Versailles. Many Germans did not believe that Germany had been defeated and when they heard the terms of the peace treaty in 1919 they were disgusted. Germany had been blamed for the war, had to pay reparations and had lost most of its armed forces as well as land. Representatives of the Republic had to sign the armistice (and later the treaty) but as the first act of the new Republic this was a disaster. This led many people to oppose the Republic.
12. [2-3] (b) e.g. 'This was because of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.'
13. '(b) It was threatened from the left by the communists.'
14. '(b) It was threatened from the right by Kapp and the Freikorps.'
15. '(b) Some Germans wanted the Kaiser and the monarchy back.'
16. '(b) People saw the Republic as weak.'
17. '(b) There were many discharged soldiers ready to cause trouble.'
18. [4-6] (c) 'I agree with this. Hyperinflation was doing terrible harm with people not having enough to eat, prices rocketing and their savings worthless. Stresemann brought economic stability and confidence back by ending hyperinflation, introducing a permanent currency, the Reichsmark, and by reducing government spending.'
19. OR
20. '(c) I disagree. I think the Republic's international acceptance was more important. The Locarno Pact meant Germany accepted the Treaty of Versailles and this allowed Germany to be accepted back into the international community, and in 1926 it was accepted into the League of Nations.'
21. [2-3] (c) e.g. 'Stresemann called in the worthless marks and burnt them.'
22. '(c) He introduced a new currency, the Rentenmark.'
23. '(c) He negotiated US loans under the Dawes Plan.'
24. '(c) The economy recovered and wages went up.'
25. '(c) People could enjoy a decent standard of living again.'
26. '(c) Industrial production reached pre-war levels by 1928.'
27. '(c) Stresemann signed the Locarno Treaty.'
28. '(c) Germany became accepted internationally.'
29. '(c) International relations improved.'
30. '(c) Germany was accepted into the League of Nations.'
31. '(c) There was a cultural revival.'
32. '(c) Censorship was lifted.'
33. '(c) The economy was built upon foreign loans.'
34. '(c) Political instability remained.'