Occupation of Ruhr

• What was the Ruhr?

  It was a main industrial region in Germany
• Why did France and Belgium take over the Ruhr?

  • In response to the lack of reparation payments from Germany
  • French and Belgians intended to use the resources in the Ruhr to make up for the unpaid reparations
• How did Germany react to the Ruhr?

  • Workers went on strike, "passive resistance" > as told to by Pres Ebert
  • France and Belgium then brought in their own workers
  • Over 8 months, 132 people killed, 150,000 Germans kicked out of their homes
• Consequences of the occupation of the Ruhr?

  • Worsened the economic crisis in Germany
  • Government income from the Ruhr, one of Germany's most industrialised areas, was down > Government started to print more money in order to pay the striking German workers in the Ruhr