Weimar Germany

5.1 Establishment and Existence of Weimar Germany

May 2014 TZ2: Examine the obstacles to the success of democracy in Weimar Germany (1919–1933).
May 2010: What were the main features of the Weimar constitution, and to what extent was it
democratic?
May 2010 TZ2: Why was the Weimar state set up as a democratic state in Germany, and why did it fail to
fulfil its promise and purpose?
May 2012: “Full democracy undermined the state.” To what extent do you agree with this statement with
reference to Germany (1919–1933)?
Nov 2014: Examine the reasons for the establishment of democracy in Germany in 1919, and evaluate
how effectively it dealt with the economic and political challenges it faced up to 1929.
Nov 2015: To what extent did the constitution of Weimar Germany have more strengths than
weaknesses?
Specimen (Paper 3): Evaluate the reasons for the survival of the Weimar Republic in the period from
1918-1923.
May 2015 (Paper 3): Examine the reasons why the democratic government in Germany was able to
survive the various crises it faced in the years 1919 to 1924.

Essay Outline: Reasons for the survival of the Weimar Republic in the period
from 1918-1924.
Introduction
● After the Kaiser abdicated and went to exile in Holland, the leader of the Social Democrats, Ebert →
Proclaimed a new Republic
● First action = signing armistice w/ Allies Nov 1918 ← many saw this as an act of treason
● Much of the instability which ensued in the post war years was due to economic instability and
discontent with the TOV … yet Weimar able to survive via using its military, popular support,
weakness of other parties, and intelligent planning by Statesmen such as Gustav Stresemann

P1 - Crises Solved via Military/Popular Support

● Ebert made pragmatic deals, eg: Groener-Ebert Pact → meant he could rely on Reichswehr + Freikorps to
protect the Republic from extreme revolution (Groener = general of army)
● Spartacus Revolt January 1919 → Communist party attempted an armed revolution in Berlin, but defeated
w/ help from Freikorps
● In S. Germany, independent socialists set up a Republic in Bavaria in 1918, led by Kurt Eisner
● Eisner was assassinated in 1919 → Socialists/Comms failed to figure out how to govern Bavaria …
Communists eventually won
○ This challenged Ebert’s authority
○ Army put Munich under siege / caused food shortages
○ May 1st 1919, Freikorps took over Munich by killing 600 (Ebert used army loyalty)
● Yet … by May 7th 1919, TOV terms released to Public → Germans horrified
● 1920, Wolfgang Kapp (nationalist politician) led an army coup known as Kapp Putsch
○ He wanted to set up a military dictatorship … angry about Versailles
○ He was supported by Ludendorff… but army didn’t follow Ludendorff’s lead
○ Putsch defeated when workers in Berlin went on strike (wasn’t Ebert, but the people)
○ Showed that despite the gov not being able to enforce its authority… the mass of power could re-
establish Ebert’s authority → showed there was pop. support

P2 - Solving the Ruhr Crisis

● In 1921, Allies agreed war reparations sum to be paid by Germany (132 billion gold marks)
● Germany couldn't afford to pay sums they owed … defaulted on many payments
 ● 1923 → French/Belgian occupied Ruhr & used their industrial resources as payback for lack of reparations
● Occupation had negative effects on economy → production fell, and unemployment rose from 2% to 23%
● Prices rose out of control, tax revenues collapsed, gov. printed more money → resulted in hyperinflation
● Middle class lost many savings → a class that traditionally supported the parliamentary
democracy (lost faith in Weimar)
● Between Jan/Oct 1923 → Value of German mark fell from 7590 per US dollar to 4.2 trillion
● As President, Ebert was allowed to rule by decree through Article 48
● Used this direct politicians to take effective measures to resolve the economic crisis
○ Eg: Statesman Gustav Stresemann appointed as chancellor + introduced a new
currency, Rentenmark to help stabilize inflation (Only chancellor for 102 days, then
became Foreign min)
○ In April 1924, Stresemann formulate a new reparations plan w/ US banker Dawes, Ger.
agreed to make annual reparation payments in return for US loan

P3 - Weakness of Opposition + Strong Leadership in Weimar

● On 9 November 1918, in midst of chaos/revolution of 1918–1919, a politician: Scheidemann
proclaimed Germany a republic under Ebert (SMART Decision… rather than trying to retain
constitutional monarchy)
● Weimar still faced threats from both extreme revolutionaries + extreme nationalists
● In Nov 1923 → Hitler had believed that the Nazi’s were strong enough to seize power
○ believed they could exploit the unrest which hyperinflation/Ruhr crisis had caused
○ Hitler + former Army general Ludendorff attempted an armed rising in Munich
○ However, Bavarian police fired on them & Hitler arrested/tried for treason
○ Hitler sentenced to 5 years in prison
● This Munich Putsch failed once again due to military superiority of the Weimar state
● Ultimately, mainstream Weimar parties such as Centre, SPD, DVP, DDP had more support than
Nazis (NSDAP), Communists (KPD), etc. who were poorly organized/lacked support
5.2 The Collapse of Weimar Germany
November 2010: “Proportional representation and coalition government were intended to produce
stability and fair representation, yet proved fatal for democracy in Germany between 1919 and 1933.” To
what extent do you agree with this statement?
May 2011: “The Weimar Republic was doomed from the moment it was created.” To what extent do you
agree with this statement?
Nov 2011: “Weaknesses in the constitution and the failure of political parties to support democracy
caused the failure of the multiparty state in Weimar Germany (1919–1933).” To what extent do you
agree?
Nov 2012: “Economic issues rather than weaknesses in the constitution were responsible for the failure
of democracy in Germany between 1919 and 1933.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
May 2014: “The failure of democracy in Weimar Germany (1919–1933) was not the result of
constitutional weakness but the product of economic crises.” To what extent do you agree with this
statement?
May 2015: To what extent were the actions of political parties more important than economic factors in
the collapse of Weimar Germany?
Nov 2012 (Paper 3): Analyse the political impact of the Great Depression on either Britain or Germany.

Essay Outline: Why did Weimar Germany Collapse?

Introduction
● Weimar Germany proclaimed on Nov 8th 1918, after abdication of Kaiser
● It managed to survive various crises between 1919-1923, and following the appointment of
Stresemann as Chancellor and then foreign minister, experience something known as the ‘golden
years’
○ Successes = Dawes Plan, Young Plan, admission to League
● 1929 wall street crash + Stresemann's death a month earlier → triggered the collapse

P1 - Long Term Factors: Anger at WWII

● Treaty of Versailles, signed June 1919 NOT A NEGOTIATED PEACE (Germans called it a
‘diktat’... Due to continued allied blockade… German delegates had no choice but to sign
○ Had to accept ‘war guilt’
○ Had to pay indemnity of 6.6 British Pounds
○ Army reduced to 100,000 men, and German could have no airforce, subs, etc
○ Lost colonies
○ Refused membership to the League of Nations
○ Principle of self determination NOT applied to Germany
○ 8 Million German people living in other countries, eg: Poland, CZ, Austria
○ Rhineland wd/ be demilitarised
○ Germany lost 13% of her territory, 12% of pop, 48% of iron/ore deposits
● ^ Situation created ‘a seedbed for the Stab in the Back myth’
● People blamed the Weimar government for signing the diktat
● Some historians argue that Weimar Republic was doomed as a consequence of the peace
○ Right Wing opposition would be constant and reparations wd/ cause major econ.
problems

P2 - Weak Constitution
● New constitution = KEY to why it failed
● Germany = federation where each state had considerable power over education/police etc.
● Reichstag should be elected every 4 years w/ a proportional system of representation
○ Result of this = multi party system had difficulties forming strong govs
● Conservative Germans remembered Second Reich as economically successful and having been
led by a ‘strong’ leader … new gov w/ lots of coalitions seen as WEAK by conservatives
● Weimar Republic had 21 coalition government sin 14 years
○ Only 8 had majority support in the Reichstag
 ● President elected every 7 years → had considerable power
○ Article 48 gave the president special powers to rule the country by decree ‘in the event
that the public order and security are seriously disturbed or endangered’
○ No clear definition of exactly how/when it could be used → wd/ be exploited by Hitler

P3 - Economic Factors
● Death of stresemann was very consequential:
○ As the Foreign minister, he had been a consistent moderating presence in successive
governments
● Economic recovery during the ‘golden years’ was wea (based on loans from America)
○ Agricultural sector affected by falling world prices
○ Depression saw unemployment reach 6 million
○ Industrial production collapsed and two of the largest banks collapsed
● Harsh economic climate saw a rise in support for the Nazi’s

P4 - Act of Political Parties (See Notes)

● Too many coalitions & too much ‘rule by decree’ made the Weimar weak
○ Herman Müller, chancellor + SPD leader at the start of the depression, refused to
sanction welfare cuts in spite of the rising cost of unemployment benefits
○ This led to the collapse of the grand coalition that had ruled since 1928
● Brüning, March 1930 - May 1932
○ Used article 48 to reduced welfare spendings, ordered wage cuts, increased tariffs on imports,
increased personal income taxes → known as the ‘Hunger Chancellor’ as his budget led to
increased poverty … dismissed 1932
● Von Papen + Von Schleicher… equally unpopular & equally weak
● KPD and SPD failed to unite against the Nazis, who had well-targeted campaigns
● As Nazi’s gained votes in the Reicshtag … their electoral success began to be supported by
wealthy businessmen
● Now many army + elites wanted a more authoritarian gov. who could take control over things
Notes: The Weimar Republic 1919-1933

Context
● German second Reich collapsed October 1918
● Armistice signed on 11th of November → Kaiser abdicated, and a new gov. was formed which included
social democrats
● When new gov signed armistice, revolution from below grew out of popular unrest
● ^ this was the birth of the Weimar Republic → it would last 14 years

The Foundation of the Republic

● Jan 1919, elections were held to the new Reichstag.
● At this time, Germany had no democratic tradition… also a lot of support for extremism (evident
w/ spartacist revolt)
● Support for extremist parties was strong throughout the existence of the Weimar Republic
● However, in 1919, 75% of parliament supported the new democratic constitution + new gov
● First gov = coalition between centre party, democratic party + social democrats
● New constitution = KEY to why it failed:
○ Germany = federation where each state had considerable power over education/police
etc.
○ Reichstag should be elected every 4 years w/ a proportional system of
representation
■ 60,000 votes = enough to gain one seat in parliament
○ Result of this = multi party system had difficulties forming strong govs
● Conservative Germans remembered Second Reich as economically successful and having been
led by a ‘strong’ leader
○ Due to impact of WWI + weak coalitions in the new gov… it is understandable why
conservative Germans viewed the new Germany as weak
● Weimar Republic had 21 coalition government sin 14 years
○ Only 8 had majority support in the Reichstag
● President elected every 7 years → had considerable power
○ Had the right to appoint/dismiss chancellor
○ Article 48 gave the president special powers to rule the country by decree ‘in the event
that the public order and security are seriously disturbed or endangered’
○ No clear definition of exactly how/when it could be used → later wd/ be exploited by Hitler

Impact of WWI on the Weimar Republic

● Even though there was support for democracy in the first elections, many germans who resented
the way WWI had ended for Germany
○ German troops still on French soil when armistice signed
○ Millions of Germans had died… partly due to allied blockade
○ Had been told throughout the war that they were winning
○ Many Germans thought armistice wd/ be based on Wilson’s 14 points (ie Germany wd/
not be punished… no 231 ‘war guilt’ clause, etc)
○ Treaty of Versailles, signed June 1919 NOT A NEGOTIATED PEACE (Germans called
it a ‘diktat’
■ PM Scheidemann was supposed to sign… but so horrified over terms that he
chose instead to resign
○ Due to continued allied blockade… German delegates had no choice but to sign
■ Had to accept ‘war guilt’
■ Had to pay indemnity of 6.6 British Pounds
■ Army reduced to 100,000 men, and German could have no airforce, subs, etc
■ Lost colonies
■ Refused membership to the League of Nations
■ Principle of self determination NOT applied to Germany
■ 8 Million German people living in other countries, eg: Poland, CZ, Austria
 ■ Rhineland wd/ be demilitarised
■ Germany lost 13% of her territory, 12% of pop, 48% of iron/ore deposits
● ^ Situation created ‘a seedbed for the Stab in the Back myth’
● People blamed the Weimar government for signing the diktat
● Some historians argue that Weimar Republic was doomed as a consequence of the peace
○ Right Wing opposition would be constant and reparations wd/ cause major econ.
problems
● J. M. Keynes → treat wd/ put too much Strain on the German econ, this would threaten the prosperity of
victorious allies

The First Crises of the Republic 1919-23

● First period of the republic marked by putschism (revolts)
● First meeting of parliament in Jan 1919 couldn’t take place in Berlin due to a communist Revolt in
Berlin (meeting held instead in the city of Weimar)
○ Ebert Elected as president
○ Due to loyalty of ex-soldiers (Freikorps) … Spartacist Coup was bloodily suppressed +
leaders were arrested/executed
● In Munich, A Socialist Republic and later a ‘Soviet’ held power between Nov 1918 - May 1919
○ Bloodily suppressed by Freikorps
● 1920, the government ordered the Freikorps to disband → this led to Right-wing attempt to overthrow the
gov: the Kapp Putsch
○ German army unwilling to defend the Weimar Republic vs. a Right-Wing Coup
○ However… Kapp Putsch still failed due to a general strike by Berlin workers
● Period w/ attempted coups came to an end w/ failed Nazi Beer Hall Putsch Nov 1923
● This Period also saw many assassinations:
○ Leader of Centre Party - Erzberger
○ Foreign Minister - Rathenau

Ruhr Crisis
● Early years of the Republic were marked by policy of obstruction
● This meant the gov NOT cooperating in the implementation of the TOV peace terms
● Nov 1922 - German gov asked for a four year suspension of reparations
● French response → sent troops to the Ruhr 1923
○ French/Belgian occupied Ruhr & used their industrial resources as payback for lack of
reparations
○ German gov encouraged passive resistance policy
○ Coal Mining + industrial production fell to a minimum
○ Occupation had negative effects on the German econ → production fell, and unemployment rose
from 2% → 23%
■ Prices rose out of control, tax revenues collapsed, gov. printed more money,
resulting in hyperinflation
■ Middle class lost many savings → a class that traditionally supported the
parliamentary democracy (lost faith in Weimar)

The Stresemann Years 1923-29

● This Ruhr Crisis brought Gustav Stresemann to power
● As President, Ebert was allowed to rule by decree through Article 48
○ was able to direct politicians to take effective measures to resolve the economic crisis
○ Eg: Stresemann appointed as Chancellor 1923, and Foreign minister 1924-29
● Stresemann realised Germany needed better co-op w/ Western Powers
● How was the ECONOMY stabilized?
○ New Currency, Rentenmark replaced Reichsmark at the end of 1923
○ Dawes Plan was an agreement on reparations made in 1924 → short term American credits were
invested in Germany industry to enable Germany to recover + pay reparations
○ (Simplified: Ger. agreed to make annual reparation payments in return for US loans)
● How was the POLITICAL situation stabilized
 ○ Stresemann was respected by conservative elite who still were influential
○ In 1925, Field Marshall Paul von Hindenburg became president. Hindenburg was the
leading general from WWI, he was highly respected by patriotic German nationalists
■ Stresemann knew that a president w/ ‘uniform and plenty of decorations’ was
important
○ In 1925, Stresemann signed the Locarno Pact (Post war territorial securing settlement)
■ Germany was guaranteed its Western borders... nothing was said about its
Eastern borders
■ Border proposal was in line w/ Stresemann's fulfillment policy
● Hoped for better coop w/ Western powers so that they could revise TOV
in the East
● By accepting Western borders, Stresemann risked a lot domestically (eg;
German nationalists saw it as weak)
● Internationally, he was awarded → won nobel peace 1926
○ Did the fulfillment policy pay off?
■ 1924 - Dawes Plan: better terms for the reparations + US loans
■ 1926 - Germany accepted as a member of the League of Nations
■ 1926 - Withdrawal of British troops from Cologne
■ 1927 - Withdraws of the ‘Inter Allied Control Commission’ (A commission to
ensure that TOV was being followed in Germany)
■ 1929 - French troops leave Germany
■ 1929 - Young Plan further reduces reparation payments from 132,000 million
marks to 37,000 million … paid within 59 years
● However many Germans were discontent with the Young Plan as they
were still required to pay an annual sum of 30 million to the Allies up to
1988. Nazis launched violent campaign vs Young Plan.
● Before the plan came into action, the world was hit by the Great
Depression and Germany was again unable to pay.
● 1929 → Germany had recovered from her pre-war industrial capacity
● 1928, support for political extremism was reduced
● Nazi’s obtained only 2.8% of the vote
● But there were still problems…
○ Even if support for extremism went down in 1928 elections, radical parties still popular, w/
Right Wing German nationalists + Comms having 25% of support overall
○ W/ Dawes plan German economy became over dependant on US money
■ Econ crisis in the US wd/ ruin the German econ
■ Stresemann in 1928: ‘Germany is dancing on a volcano. If the short-term credits
are called in, a large section of our economy would collapse’

The Second Crisis of the Weimar Republic 1929-33

● Wall Street Crash October 1929
● Stresemann died early October 1929
● American short term credits called in
● This led to an unemployment crisis in Germany
● Also led to a political crisis
○ Coalition parties lost to extreme parties
○ Nazis especially benefited from this situation

Unemployment in Germany Support for Naziism

1929 July 1.2 million 1928 2.6%

1930 3 Million 1930 18%

1932 Jan 6.2 Million 1932 July 37%

 1932 July 5.5 Million 1932 Nov 33%
● Polarisation (people turning to extremes) eroded the support for Weimar gov
● March 1930, Social Democrats left the coalition
○ Some historians cite this as the end of the Weimar Republic
● In a normal parliamentary situation, a gov. not possessing parliamentary support has to resign
○ But in Weimar constitution, the country could be governed by presidential decrees
● From 1930, PMs wd/ frequently ask the president for decrees to be able to govern the country
● Consequently, parliament wd/ lose significance

Year # of Presidential Decrees Number of Sittings in Reichstag

1930 5 94

1931 44 41

1932 60 13

Muller’s Coalition
● Herman Müller, chancellor + SPD leader at the start of the depression, refused to sanction
welfare cuts in spite of the rising cost of unemployment benefits
○ This led to the collapse of the grand coalition that had ruled since 1928
● As a result, Brüning was elected (March 1930 - May 1932)

1930-33 → 3 different PMs each tried to form a strong gov:

● Brüning, March 1930 - May 1932
○ Used article 48 to reduced welfare spendings, ordered wage cuts, increased tariffs on imports,
increased personal income taxes → led to POVERTY
○ Referred to as ‘Hunger Chancellor’
○ When Brüning failed to gain support for his budget in 1930, instead of compromising in
parliament, he passed the budget via a presidential decree
■ This UNDERMINED the authority of the Reichstag
○ Brüning announced new elections 1930 (hoped to win majority of sup. In parliament)
■ Instead, extremist parties gained support (eg: Nazi’s gained 18%)
■ Brüning had to accept this new reality of parliament having more extremists
○ Brüning banned the S.A to reduce political violence
○ Brünings anti-Nazi policy in combination w/ a proposal to break up bankrupt Prussian
estates made Hindenburg's advisors turn against him
○ May 1932, Brüning dismissed by Hindenburg
● Von Papen, May 1932 - Dec 1932
○ Von Papen appoint in May, but w/ very weak parliamentary support
○ Gov was made up of ‘elites’/barons + was dependent on presidential decrees
○ Wanted to attract Nazi support → lifted ban on S.A
○ Offered Hitler a position in the gov
○ After new elections July 1932, Nazi’s had 37% support
■ Hitler demanded to be PM, request was turned down
○ Von Papen wanted to use army to restore civil disorder/set up military-dictatorship
○ Hindenberg feared civil war → replaced Von Papen w/ von Schleicher
● Von Schleicher, Dec 1932 - January 1933
○ Von Schleicher tried to split Nazis by inviting Georg Strasser, prominent Nazi politician, to
join his gov
○ also wanted to attract support from political left → used Brüning’s ideas of land reform
■ ^ Failed strategy… Schleicher had virtually no support in the parliament

Hitler Chancellor in January 1933

 ● Von Papen persuaded Hindenburg to appoint Hitler as PM
● Idea = use the support of the Nazis in the parliament to form a strong gov to crush the
political left
○ Only 3 Nazis in the 11 man cabinet
○ Other ministers from conservative elite wd/ CONTROL HITLER
● Papen: ‘Within two months we will have pushed Hitler so far into a corner that he’ll squeak’

Strengths of the Nazi’s

● After 1923 Munich Putsch, Hitler realized he needed to follow a policy of legality
● After Elections in July 1932, Nazi’s had 37% of the support
● Hitler was charismatic + excellent orator
● Party was well organised in dif. parts of Germany
● SA was especially important during political crisis after 1930
○ Goebbels responsible for party propaganda
○ Nazis sent mails to dif. groups using themes that wd/ appeal to them (farmers,
businessmen, traditionalists, etc)
● Hitler could use emotion/reason when needed, eg: when he needed support of the industrialists
after 1930, instead of ‘anti-semite’ platform, used ‘fear of comm’ to draw support

The Collapse of the Weimar Republic

Weaknesses of the Republic Strengths of the Nazis

● Constitution → system of proportional ● Adolf Hitler was a skilful orator,

representation resulted in weak govs.
Possibility to rule by decree weakened the
parliament
● New gov had been forced to sign a peace
treaty which affected the popularity of the
new gov domestically + weakened the
econ
● Conservative elite still had many
influential posts within the civil service,
army, big businesses. No strong support
for the republic or Parliamentarism within
this group.
charismatic, and had a strong political
instinct
● Goebbels used propaganda skillfully, esp.
During Propaganda targeted dif. themes
in order to appeal to dif. groups
● Nazis able to exploit weakness of the
Weimar Republic in their propaganda
● Hitler + Nazis played down antisemitism
and emphasized ‘Fear of communism’
● Millions of SA men were instrumental in
the seizure of power

Other Factors:

1. No democratic tradition in Germany. That a man like Hitler could appeal to many Germans
seems more understandable if we take in the ‘tradition’ of authoritarian leadership into account
2. ‘Fear of Communism’ was widespread, which made Right-Wing parties appeal
3. Wall-Street Crash CANNOT BE UNDERESTIMATED if we want to explain the Nazi Seizure of
Power. 1928, Nazi’s had 2.6% of the vote, and by 1930 they had 18%

Historiography
● One View = one view sees the fall of the Republic as a logical continuation of the militaristic and
undemocratic tradition from Kaiser Wilhelm and Bismarck. Democratic regime of Weimar went
against German tradition of authoritarianism
● Second View = Hitler was an avoidable mistake, brought to power due to a combination of
particular factors. Hitler was unique, (esp his racism), and represents a ‘break’ in German
history/tradition. Democracy was not doomed due to the old German tradition, after all there had
been a parliament in Bismarck’s Germany elected by universal suffrage.