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At the height of the Ruhr crisis in 1923 the Weimar Republic acquired an able new Chancellor, Gustav Stresemann, the leader of a moderate Conservative Party. To a large extent it was his efforts over the next few years that enabled the Republic to survive. Almost immediately he called off the strike in the Ruhr. The French agreed to withdraw their troops in return for a promise that Germany would resume reparation payments. This was not a very popular move within Germany, but it paved the way for a new agreement on reparations in 1924.
Known as the Dawes Plan, this agreement extended the period over which reparations had to be paid. The US government also agreed to lend money to help Germany keep up with its payments. At the same time Stresemann took drastic measures to end inflation and restore German currency. Old marks were withdrawn from circulation and replaced by new rentenmarks, in which the people had more confidence.
US loans, a new currency and strict controls on government spending all helped to boost the German economy. Unemployment fell and during the years 1924-29 Germany experienced economic prosperity once again. With economic prosperity also came a decline in support for the extreme right and the extreme left. Being less discontented, people were less interested in the views of those who wanted to overthrow the Weimar regime. This is clearly shown in the votes cast in the 1924 and 1928 Reichstag elections.
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