Was the Weimar Republic Doomed from the Start?

• Key Question Summary (1)

  • Germany emerged from WW1 in a poor state, lack of foods and goods and debt. People were angry and bitter, their society divided politically between left and right wing views and socially between the rich and poor.
  • Weimar republic was created during this turbulent time and the Constitution was very democratic but had a lot of weaknesses. Their system of proportional representation meant that it was difficult to get a clear majority and make decisions, making it difficult to provide a strong government
• Key Question Summary (2):

  • The leaders sigend the armistice and the hated TOV which gave some Germans a poor view of the democratic govt and the Weimar Republic from the beginning
  • Challenges from the Sparcatists, 1919 (left) and the Kapp Putsch and Munich Putsch, 1920 and 1923 (right) created political instability
  • TOV harmed Germany economically through reparations and loss of territory and industry as well as psychologically through the war guilt and national pride
• Key Question Summary (3):

  • One consequence of the Treaty was the occupation of the Ruhr, leading to hyperinflation of 1923
  • Economy recovered after 1924 because Germany was more financially sounded but the prosperity depended on the American loans and unemployment remained a problem
  • Germany become more stable politcally after 1924 and extremist parties like the Nazis didn’t do well in election through the 1920s
  • Given the problems the Weimar republic started with, it was an achievement just to have survived to 1929 which proves it wasn’t doomed from the start