Final answer:
The devaluation and worthlessness of money in Germany after WWII was caused by hyperinflation in the Weimar Republic. The government printed more money to pay striking workers, which led to a collapse in the value of the German Mark. This hyperinflation caused severe disruption to the economy and contributed to the rise of extremist groups.
Step-by-step explanation:
The devaluation and worthlessness of money in Germany after WWII was primarily due to the hyperinflation that occurred in the Weimar Republic. The Weimar government, unable to make its payments, resorted to printing more money to pay striking workers. This led to a collapse in the value of the German Mark, with hyperinflation causing one American dollar to be worth nearly 10,000,000,000 marks by the end of the year.
Workers were paid in wheelbarrows full of cash before inflation made shopkeepers raise prices. The hyperinflation caused a severe disruption to the German economy, wiping out the savings of middle-class families and leading to extreme social and economic instability.
The situation was eventually stabilized in 1924 after emergency negotiations resulted in a new stabilized currency. However, the experience of hyperinflation had a significant impact on the social and political climate of the time, contributing to the rise of extremist solutions like the National Socialist German Workers Party.