The Weimar Republic, established in Germany after World War One following the Kaiser’s abduction in 1918, gained recognition for being the most democratic government worldwide and even granting women the right to vote. However, it faced significant challenges from the start. The country was on the brink of bankruptcy and experienced unprecedented rates of unemployment. The politicians who agreed to the Treaty of Versailles were heavily criticized as ‘November criminals.’ Additionally, unpaid reparations contributed to the rise in popularity of political extremists. While addressing some problems effectively, such as hyperinflation in 1923 and the devastating Wall Street Crash in 1929, which further strained Germany economically, there were other areas where the new governmental system fell short. A primary challenge was the resentment felt by German citizens towards those who signed the treaty with derogatory reference as ‘November criminals.’ Many Germans disagreed with its terms and refused to accept Germany’s responsibility for World War One, placing their hopes on politicians to convey this viewpoint. However, these high reparation payments imposed by the treaty made it difficult for the Weimar Republic to handle economic strain.The public’s dissatisfaction worsened as a result of the invasion of the Ruhr region, which led to hyperinflation and increased unemployment rates.
The citizens of Germany did not consider the consequences of rejecting the treaty, instead attributing their struggles to the politicians’ agreement. Consequently, the government formed after Kaiser’s departure in 1919 faced a challenging start. The Weimar Republic emerged and established a new constitution and government, creating the world’s largest democracy that allowed anyone over twenty, including women, to vote. This new government appeared ideal with its Bill of Rights ensuring freedom of speech and religion for all German citizens. Both men and women had the right to elect a president and chancellor, while the Reichstag held authority over governmental decisions. However, there were two notable flaws in this constitution: proportional voting hindered any party from gaining majority votes, resulting in weak coalition governments with differing governance approaches. From 1919 to 1932, there were 20 different parties in power which eroded faith among German citizens towards their republic. Additionally, Article 43 granted emergency powers to the president without needing approval from the ReichstagDue to the lack of a clear definition of “emergency”, Hitler was able to legally gain control, causing problems for the Weimar Government. Additionally, the government faced challenges from political extremists, starting with the Spartacist revolt in 1919. The Spartacists, who were a left-wing communist group, aimed to initiate a revolution against the Weimar Republic. However, due to disorganization, the Weimar government successfully suppressed and quashed their uprising. To dismantle the revolt, former soldiers discharged as a result of the Treaty of Versailles were enlisted by the Weimar Republic. This strategy proved effective as they managed to eliminate both primary leaders of the Spartacists and around 100 other rebels.
In 1920, the Weimar government successfully halted the Freikorps uprising with the intervention of the Allies. Feeling betrayed, the Freikorps armed themselves and marched to Berlin. With no army support, the Weimar turned to the workers who went on strike. This rendered the Freikorps’ revolt futile as there were no public services or industry functioning. Another significant event was the Munich putsch led by Hitler, which was disorganized and poorly planned. Although Hitler anticipated seizing power successfully, the putschists lacked unity in their goals and failed to devise a concrete plan. Despite counting on General Ludendorff’s reputation to gather support, only 100 soldiers participated in the riot. On November 9, 1923, Hitler and his Nazis entered Munich with the expectation of triumphant conquest but were met with police and army reinforcements deployed by Kahr. The police ended up killing 16 Nazis, forcing Hitler to flee and subsequently be arrested two days later. The most pressing challenge faced by the Weimar government was economic difficulties worsened by the French invasion of the Ruhr due to unpaid reparations. This invasion led to a scarcity of economic resources.In 1923, due to hyper-inflation, the government made the decision to inject a significant quantity of paper money into the economy.
Money became so abundant that it was practically worthless, to the point where burning money was more cost-effective than buying coal. In 1924, Gustav Stresemann helped the German government regain control through the Dawes Plan. This plan granted Germany more time to pay reparations and acquire 800 million marks in loans from the United States. Stresemann also improved diplomatic relations by signing the Locarno treaties, committing Germany to honor the Versailles agreement and gain membership in the League of Nations. The Young Plan in 1929 marked another important milestone for Germany’s economy. While total reparations remained unchanged, an international committee led by Owen Young reduced Germany’s reparations from 6.6 billion marks to 2 billion marks, payable by 1988. Shortly before his death in 1929, Stresemann warned that Germany’s economic situation appeared prosperous on the surface but was actually precarious – like dancing on a volcano. His prediction came true when Wall Street Crash triggered a collapse in US shares in October 1929. As US bankers and businesses recalled their loans from Germany, a global depression ensued causing economic disaster for Germany.
The nation once again faced overnight bankruptcies, mass layoffs, and widespread poverty. Although the Weimar republic had some success in dealing with economic issues by reducing reparations and controlling hyperinflation under Stresemann’s leadership, these efforts were disrupted after the Wall Street crash of 1929. Consequently, millions of workers lost their jobs, bringing Germany back to its previous state.
The Weimar republic is often seen as a failure that caused Germany to fall into depression. However, they did manage to address some of the challenges they faced. They effectively suppressed the earlier mentioned revolts and prevented violent threats. Additionally, Stresemann and Owen Young introduced the Dawes Plan and Young Plan, while also signing the Locarno Treaty. These actions reduced reparations, extended Germany’s repayment period, and resulted in Germany being accepted into the League of Nations.
Despite these accomplishments, the republic struggled overall in dealing with problems. They initially faced criticism from Germans who referred to them as “November criminals” for agreeing to the Treaty of Versailles. Economic conditions seemed to be improving from 1923 onwards but were hindered by the devastating Wall Street Crash, which brought Germany back to its dire state.
The new constitution had positive aspects like granting voting rights to all German citizens over 20 years old and protecting speech and religious freedoms. However, Article 43 was poorly defined and failed to specify what constituted an emergency situation. Furthermore, proportional representation led to a fragmented government without a dominant party, resulting in ongoing disagreements on how best to govern the country.To sum up, although there were some achievements, the Weimar republic ultimately fell short in effectively addressing more issues than it resolved.
