A new German republic

From the golden twenties to political turmoil

The Weimar Republic was the parliamentary democracy that governed Germany from 1919 to 1933.

It was named after the city of Weimar, where a new constitution was adopted in 1919, after the collapse of the German Empire at the end of the First World War.

The Weimar Republic faced many challenges and difficulties during its existence. The most significant of these was the issue of reparations, which had been imposed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles at the end of the First World War.

The burden of these reparations, which were seen as excessive by many Germans, contributed to the country's economic problems and to the onset of hyperinflation in the early 1920s.

Map of the Weimar Republic, 1930.

GERMANY Map Vintage 1930s German Map With Czechoslovakia - Etsy UK

The Weimar Republic was also faced with political instability, as it was buffeted by the rise of extremist movements, including the Communist Party on the left and the Nazi Party on the right. The Weimar Republic was also hampered by its weak political system, which made it difficult for the government to implement effective policies and to maintain control over the country.

Proclamation of the beginning of the Weimar Republic by first German President Friedrich Ebert, 1919.

xLRCUOH.jpg (2000×1526) (imgur.com)

Despite these challenges, the Weimar Republic was able to achieve some significant accomplishments. It was a period of cultural and intellectual ferment, with many important figures in the arts, literature, and science emerging during this time.

The Weimar Republic also laid the foundations for the modern German state, with many of the institutions and practices that are still in place today being established during this period.

Chart of the definite constitution, the so-called Weimar Constitution of 11 August 1919. It replaces the law concerning the provisional Reich power of 10 February 1919.

User:Ziko - Wikimedia Commons

From empire to republic

Philipp Scheidemann proclaiming the Weimar Republic from the Reichstag building.

Public domain

Germany, which had suffered greatly during the First World War (1914–1918), was worn out and made a desperate request for peace. The Weimar Republic was proclaimed on 9th November 1918, after the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II, a formal surrender to the Allies, and the November Revolution which had been sparked off by the realisation that Germany faced impending defeat.

The birth of the new republic was announced by Social Democratic Party of Germany (MSPD) member Philipp Scheidemann at the Reichstag building in Berlin. Imperial Chancellor (Reichskanzler) Prince Max of Baden transferred his powers to Friedrich Ebert, who, disillusioned by the monarchy's fall, reluctantly accepted.

These events marked the end of Imperial Germany and the beginning of the Weimar Republic.

Fredrich Ebert

Friedrich Ebert was a German politician and statesman who served as the first President of Germany from 1919 until his death in 1925.

He was an influential figure in the German Social Democratic Party (SPD) and played a key role in the founding of the Weimar Republic, which succeeded the German Empire after the end of World War I.

After the fall of the German Empire and the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1918, Ebert played a crucial role in the formation of the Weimar Republic.

He was elected as the first President of Germany by the National Assembly in 1919 and served in that role until his death in 1925.

Friedrich Ebert, first President of Germany

Getty Images

Ebert was a controversial figure in Germany during his time in office. He faced criticism from both the left and the right, and his efforts to establish a stable democracy in the aftermath of World War I were often met with resistance. However, his leadership was instrumental in the establishment of the Weimar Republic and the transition to a democratic form of government in Germany.

Strengths of the new republic

The republic had several advantages for democracy. It granted each person their own personal freedoms. Every German citizen now has the freedom of speech, the right to equality, and the freedom of religion.

Voting was open to all adults over the age of twenty. Proportional Representation, a fair voting procedure, was employed. Under this system, parties are given seats in proportion to the number of votes they receive. The president and Reichstag were chosen using this system.

The country also got a new currency starting in 1924, and after the Dawes Plan was put in place, there was a period of more stable economic conditions.

Election time in the Weimar republic.

Getty Images

Social policies

During the Weimar Republic, the government implemented a number of social policies aimed at improving the lives of citizens and addressing social and economic issues. Some of the key social policies implemented during this period include:

Unemployment insurance: The Weimar government established a system of unemployment insurance to provide financial assistance to workers who were out of work. This helped to alleviate the impact of unemployment on individuals and families.
Health insurance: The Weimar Republic also implemented a system of health insurance to provide medical care to citizens. This helped to improve the health and wellbeing of the population.
Housing: The Weimar government implemented a number of policies to address the shortage of affordable housing in the country. These included the construction of public housing and the provision of subsidies for low-income families to help them afford rent.
Education: The Weimar Republic invested heavily in education, with a focus on expanding access to education and improving the quality of schooling. This included the establishment of a system of universal compulsory education and the expansion of higher education opportunities.

Weimar Republic 3 Mark coin from 1922.

Germany - Weimar Republic 3 Mark KM 29 Prices & Values | NGC (ngccoin.com)

The Imperial Youth Welfare Act of 1922 established a system of youth welfare offices throughout Germany, which were responsible for providing a range of services to young people, including education, employment, and social support. The law also established a system of youth courts, which were responsible for addressing the needs of young people who were in conflict with the law.

Tax Reforms

Matthias Erzberger was a German politician who served as the Minister of Finance in the Weimar Republic from 1919 to 1920. During his time in office, he implemented a number of significant tax reforms that had a significant impact on the economy and society of Germany.

One of Erzberger's key tax reforms was the introduction of a progressive income tax, which aimed to reduce income inequality by imposing higher tax rates on higher earners – with an increase in the highest income tax rate from 4% to 60%.

This reform was seen as an important step towards creating a more equitable society, as it helped to redistribute wealth from the wealthy to the less well-off.

Minister of Finance, Matthias Erzberger.

Photos of Matthias Erzberger - Babelio.com

Erzberger also implemented a number of other tax reforms, including the introduction of a corporate tax, which aimed to tax the profits of businesses, and the introduction of a value-added tax (VAT), which taxed the value added to goods and services at each stage of production.

The Golden Twenties

The Golden Twenties, also known as the "Roaring Twenties," was a period of economic prosperity and cultural flourishing in Germany during the Weimar Republic and was a time of significant innovation and creativity in Germany, and it is remembered for the cultural, artistic, and intellectual achievements that took place during this time.

Moka Efti: A coffee shop and nightclub - Berlin’s most decadent night spot - during the Weimar period.

The Weimar Republic – Twin Cities DSA

During the Golden Twenties, Germany experienced a period of economic growth and prosperity, with rising incomes and a booming stock market.

This economic growth was accompanied by a vibrant and diverse cultural scene, with a wide range of artistic, literary, and intellectual movements and figures and the term "Weimar culture" is often used to refer to this period of creativity and innovation.

Life in Berlin during the Weimar Republic

https://youtu.be/6zRsniqAAPc

Berlin was a center of the roaring twenties in Germany. After the end of Imperial Germany a period of very liberal lifestyle followed known as die Goldenen Zwanziger (The Golden Twenties).

LOST BERLIN:BABYLON & BOOGIE AT THE BRANDENBURG GATE | Madame Pickwick Art Blog

Germany became home to a vibrant and diverse cultural scene, with a wide range of artistic, literary, and intellectual movements and figures.

This period saw the emergence of Expressionism in art and literature, as well as the development of the New Objectivity movement in art and architecture.

The Weimar Republic also saw the rise of the Bauhaus movement in design and architecture, which had a significant influence on modern design and architecture around the world.

A chrous line in Berlin, Germany during the Roaring Twenties.

Imgur: The magic of the Internet

In addition to the arts, the Weimar Republic was also a time of significant intellectual and philosophical development in Germany.

The period saw the emergence of new ideas and debates in fields such as philosophy, sociology, and psychology, and it was home to a number of influential intellectuals and writers, including Martin Heidegger, Theodor Adorno, and Max Weber.

A Bauhaus play, produced by Oskar Schlemmer during the Golden Twenties.

Bauhaus photographs in the 1920s ⋆ Rare historical photos - And the story behind them... (photoshistoriques.info)

Effect of the Great Depression

The Great Depression, which began in 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s, had a significant impact on the Weimar Republic. The economic downturn had a number of negative effects on Germany, including:

Unemployment: The Great Depression led to a significant increase in unemployment in Germany. Many businesses were forced to close, and many workers lost their jobs. This had a significant impact on the well-being of the population and contributed to social unrest.
Hyperinflation: The Weimar Republic was already struggling with high levels of inflation prior to the Great Depression. The economic downturn exacerbated this problem, leading to a period of hyperinflation in 1923 that wiped out the savings of many Germans and further destabilized the economy.
Political instability: The economic turmoil caused by the Great Depression contributed to political instability in Germany. The Weimar Republic faced a number of challenges, including a lack of support from the population and resistance from other parts of the country. The economic downturn made it difficult for the government to effectively address these challenges, and this contributed to its ultimate downfall.

""They carry the letters of the company, but who carries the spirit?"

Historical cartoon of the Weimar Republic as a 'republic without republicans'. Published in the German magazine Simplicissimus on 21 March 1927.

Why did the Weimar Republic fail?

Some of the main factors that led to the failure of the Weimar Republic include:

Economic problems: The Weimar Republic inherited a difficult economic situation from the German Empire, which had been defeated in World War I. The burden of reparations, which had been imposed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles, contributed to the country's economic problems, and these were exacerbated by the onset of hyperinflation in the early 1920s. The Weimar Republic struggled to address these problems, and they became a major source of discontent among the population.
Political instability: The Weimar Republic was characterized by political instability, as it was buffeted by the rise of extremist movements, including the Communist Party on the left and the Nazi Party on the right. These parties were able to exploit the economic and political problems of the Weimar Republic and to gain support among the population. The Weimar Republic was also hampered by its weak political system, which made it difficult for the government to implement effective policies and to maintain control over the country.

The Spartacist uprising in Berlin - demonstration of armed Spartacists in the Jerusalemer Straße.

Political instability in the Weimar Republic - Weimar Germany, 1918-1924 - Eduqas - GCSE History Revision - Eduqas - BBC Bitesize

Social and cultural factors: The Weimar Republic was a time of great social and cultural change in Germany, and this contributed to a sense of uncertainty and instability. Many people were disillusioned with the traditional values and institutions of the past, and this led to a questioning of authority and a rise in radical ideologies. The Weimar Republic was also marked by a period of cultural and intellectual ferment, with many important figures in the arts, literature, and science emerging during this time.

Left v Right

Due to its unpopularity, the Weimar Republic experienced violent upheavals in 1919 and 1920 from both political extremes.

Political instability in the Weimar Republic - Weimar Germany, 1918-1924 - Eduqas - GCSE History Revision - Eduqas - BBC Bitesize

The threat from the Left: The Spartacist Uprising	The threat from the Right: The Kapp Putsch
During 5 – 12 January 1919, 50,000 members of the post-World War One Communist Party, known as the Spartacists, rebelled in Berlin, led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht.	Photo showing Putschists marching with the Imperial War Flag at Pariser Platz Square.
The government was saved when it armed bands of ex-soldiers, known as the Freikorps, who defeated the Spartacist rebels.	In crushing the communists, the Freikorps had saved the government, but the terms of the Treaty of Versailles meant Germany’s army had to be significantly reduced and the Freikorps had to be disbanded.
In the aftermath, communist workers' councils seized power all over Germany, and a Communist People's Government took power in Bavaria.	During 13 - 17 March 1920, as a reaction to this, the right-wing nationalist, Dr Wolfgang Kapp led a Freikorps takeover in Berlin.
By May 1919 the Freikorps had crushed all of these uprisings.	The regular army refused to attack the Freikorps; Kapp was only defeated when the workers of Berlin went on strike and refused to cooperate with him.

Overall, the Weimar Republic was unable to effectively address the economic, political, and social problems that it faced, and this contributed to its eventual failure.

The Weimar Republic was eventually replaced by the Nazi regime in 1933, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party came to power.

Adolf Hitler salutes during the 1938 Annual Reich Party Congress in Nuremburg, Germany, September 1938.

Hugo Jaeger/Timepix/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

Success or Failure?

It is difficult to say whether the Weimar Republic was a success or a failure, as this is a subjective judgment that depends on one's perspective and criteria. The Weimar Republic faced many challenges and difficulties during its existence, and these contributed to its eventual failure.

Its overall instability meant it was unable to address the economic, political, and social problems that it faced, and it eventually collapsed in the face of the rise of the Nazi Party and the onset of the Second World War.

Hyperinflation during the Weimar Republic. Serious economic problems ultimately contributed to the downfall of the Weimar republic.

18 Curious Facts You Didn't Know About Hyperinflation (lenpenzo.com)

However, the Weimar Republic was also able to achieve some significant accomplishments, and it laid the foundations for the modern German state.

It was a period of cultural and intellectual ferment, with many important figures in the arts, literature, and science emerging during this time and it was also a time of great social and cultural change in Germany, and this contributed to a sense of openness and innovation that is still evident in the country today.