Gustav Stresemann Essay

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Gustav Stresemann, the Reichskanzler of Weimar Republic and a German Foreign Minister in 1923-1929, had a short-term significance on Germany’s role in Europe as his diplomatic skills and policies of cooperation helped his country to ultimately gain its equality in the European arena. From its birth until 1923, the Weimar faced problems, which seemed to reduce under Stresemann’s time in power when “diplomacy served as a lightning rod for the currents of opposition to the Weimar Republic.” Stresemann’s main objective was to end German diplomatic isolation. His key foreign policy achievements were the Locarno Treaties 1925, the Treaty of Berlin 1926 and German entry into the League of Nations 1926. Stresemann was instrumental in the development of German's role in Europe, leading his country to the “Golden Years of Weimar”, which is evident from his Peace Prize award for his diplomatic work.

The Locarno Treaties were a centerpiece of Stresemann’s approach to building stronger relationship with Europe. According to Grathwol, these were “the first step in Stresemann's grand design” as “he had brought Germany into the concert of European powers, and, in this setting he could begin to revise the peace settlement.” It is arguable that the Pact filled Europe with the “spirit of Locarno” and can be seen as Stresemann’s success in improving German diplomacy. For example, Carr described it as “a great diplomatic triumph” .Contrastingly, some German nationalists saw it as a governmental breakdown eager to negotiate but not fight for Germany. Furthermore, there was a distrust in Briand, evident in Low’s cartoon where he is shown shaking hands but hiding a boxing glove, suggesting his unclear intentions – evidently, France made agreements ...

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...the brink of peace” . Despite the fact that he was broken in health, “he retained his youthfulness of mind, a will for peace that was all-transcendent.” This is echoed by a source, which was published soon after his death where he was described as “a strong advocate of Peace” who worked hard “to eradicate bitterness of the War” . His policies are very significant as observed by Viscount d’Abernon, “Stresemann has left Germany stronger than when he took the helm in 1923, and Europe incomparably more peaceful.” This view is supported by his contemporaries: “Stresemann had accomplished his great task: he had restored defeated Germany to the status of a Great Power on an equal footing with the others, had freed the Ruhr and the Rhineland from foreign occupation, and had abolished foreign control of Germany’s economic and financial life, as well as of her armaments”.

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