The Weimar Republic: A Political Experiment Which Failed

Defining the Weimar Republic

The Weimar Republic(1919) was the rubric given to the form of government that came into power in Germany between World War 1 and the beginning of the Third Reich, or Nazi-partycontrol which formally began in 1933. After WWI, Germany was in ruin.For many years before the war, Germany had been the synthesis of many Prussian states; a series of military monarchs, the Kaisers, held the head of state. But WWI was an event of monumental proportion : it was the first war involving so many national powers most fighting on their homelands, and it was the first major war to involve air combat.

Pre-WWII Germany

After the War, Germany was left in ruin, and in economic disaster. Many countries including the United States called in Short-term loans which were held by German business interests, leaving German business and economics weak and unstable and unemployment high. Many were also tired of the Kaiser system which had also proved ineffectual in bringing Germany to better times. Many German people desired a republic form of Government with free elections and an open parliament, which they thought they obtained in The Weimar Republic, named for the Weimar region in Germany.

But the new Government became ineffectual for many reasons. To begin with there was a fragmenting of German political parties, resulting in over 30 parties ranging from Labor parties, to Socialists to those who favored a return to the Kaiser system. High unemployment rates left the working class in stressful circumstances while the favored classes lived in post-war luxury. Given the poor post-war recovery; devasting economics, rampant unemployment, and political unrest created an atmosphere which was not conducive to the formation a foundling republic. ²

As the Weimar Republic left so many dissatisfied, the National Socialist Party, or 'the Nazis' worked behind the scene, creating coalitions of fractioned parties, unifying and making concessions to gain support and power in parliament. War-weary Germans, economically depressed lower and middle classes hearkened to the Nazi promises of law & order, peace and justice. Much of what the Nazis really believed was kept hidden; while in rhetoric early, they blamed the Jews and Bolsheviks(communists) for all of Germany's troubles, their plans for genocide were kept secretive.³

The Central Catholic Party and the Old Germany

While it is not often brought forefront, the other difficulty in the Weimar Republic was its primary leadership by the Catholic Central Party, or 'Centre Party' which was more socialist in strain than republic-oriented. The dawn of the party brought kulturkampf, or 'culture struggle': since the time of Luther, the German Christian Church, mostly Lutheran and Protestantism in general had held sway in a very comfortable relationship with the State: Protestant Schools and State Funding were comfortable allies, and some vocations such as nursing were trained by the Protestants but used in government hospitals and clinics. Protestantism often had special favor in the German government and held a great deal of political sway in the society at large. When the Centre Party came in, the leanings toward Catholic and Socialist views were not well received.

Additionally, the Centre Party had willingly signed the Versaille Treaty ending WWI, including the War Guilt Clause which made Germany responsible for massive reparation funds, to repair the damage of war torn nations and rebuild Europe. Many former military persons, including Hitler and the growing Bavarian opposition were not happy with this---they were not even willing to concede defeat, much less payment of large sums which would leave Germany impovershed. Roehm and Hitler and many of the SA were more than politically disgruntled: they planned a march on Munich to takeover the weak Weimar government, knowing that many even not in their ranks would rise in their defense, or at least not intervene. A first attempt in May of 1923, failed due to lack of coordination, but the infamous Beerhall Putsch led by Hitler and Goebbels with Lossow and Seisser turned violent upon emerging success, and Hitler with others was arrested and tried, and imprisoned. The constant contention between the old Prussian mindset and the new progressive, more liberal Weimar kept the Weimar from success. Further, the fear that Catholic political interests would unseat Protestant interests caused much consternation, dooming the Weimar to failure almost since its inception.

The Fall of the Weimar Republic & The Dawn of the Third Reich

The head of state position in Germany at the time was basically shared by the Chancellor, and the President. The President of the Weimar Republic , Hindenburg had been a German Military leader and curried military support. It was Hindenburg who appointed Hitler as Chancellor. The two did not alway share an amiable relationship, but at Hindenburg's death(1934), he gave his "blessing" to Hitler, who consolidated the two offices of Chancellor and President into one. This, coupled with the Nazi's coming to power in 1933 gave Hitler a firm power base. He was now head of the legislature, head of the military, formidable among the political parties and popular among the general populace. The Nazis had gone from less than 3% of the vote to an entrenched despotism in only a few years. The Weimar Republic dissolved quickly into Adolph Hitler's dictatorship.

Reasons for Failure:
The Weimar Republic was not successful for a number of reasons. Perhaps the most formidable reason was that the fledgling republic was a political experiment for a country that had only known the reign of Kaisers for much of its recent history. While the end of WWI brought a hunger for freedom and peace, Germany was fractioned into sometimes warring, sometimes disinterested parties with varying agendas. A Republic form of government was a noble concept, but not one with a viable paradigm. The weak republic wavered between reversions to former military sovereignty and emerging concepts of democracy. The times were not conducive to an emerging republic: economic problems, threatening national bankruptcy, unemployment and social unrest all lead to the failure. With over 30 parties near the end of the Republic, German citizens responded positively to Hitler's call to fervent nationalism, law and order, and a return to the tradition moral sense of the Fatherland. The National Socialist Party under Hitler preached a distorted gospel of social stability, not hinting at the sinister agenda pending in their planning rooms. Germans wanted to feel like a strong nation again after the defeat of the Great War. Germans wanted to prosper and live safely. Before it was known that Hitler had grandiose and destructive plans for Germany, his agenda sounded not unlike many conservative agendas in the United States and Europe today. They were willing to tolerated his 'eccentricities' and intolerances/bigotries in exchangefor prosperity and certainty. As Hitler made concessions and 'deals' even with opposing parties, the marginal person who was once considered deranged and dangerous went from obscurity to being both chancellor and president. The rest, as it is said, is history.

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The Weimar Republic

Defining the Weimar Republic

Pre-WWII Germany

The Central Catholic Party and the Old Germany

The Fall of the Weimar Republic & The Dawn of the Third Reich

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