THE Weimar Republic was the period of German history between the years 1919 and 1933, between the end of the World War I and the Nazi party's rise to power. The historical events of this period are the result of the reaction of sectors of German society to the defeat in World War I and influenced the outbreak of World War II.
The existence of the Weimar Republic can be divided into three phases: a phase of political and economic instability, between 1919 and 1923; a phase of recovery and stabilization, between 1923 and 1929; and a new phase of crisis, resulting from the crash of the New York Stock Exchange and the rise of the Nazism, between 1929 and 1933.
the first phase
The fall of the II Reich in November 1918 and the political discussions about the acceptance or not of the Treaty of Versailles, in 1919, marked the first years of the new Republic. A provisional government was formed with the leaders of the German Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the Independent German Social Democratic Party (USPD). In January 1919, elections were held for the Constituent Assembly, meeting in Weimar, which confirmed the SPD's political hegemony. The constitution was promulgated in July 1919 and transformed Germany into a liberal parliamentary republic, being formed by the Reichstag (Parliament) and by the Reichsrat (assembly of representatives of the states, of character advisory). At the head of the Republic was the president and also the Chancellor (prime minister).
Parallel to this institutional arrangement, the German Revolution of 1918-1919 took place. In order to form a socialist republic based on soviets, like what had happened in Russia shortly before, German soldiers and workers tried to seize power in Berlin by organizing in advices. The Spartacist League, a dissidence from the German Communist Party (KPD), led the action, with the Communists Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht as the main names.
Despite popular strength, they were unable to contain the reaction of the Provisional Government, led by the SPD, which called on the army to defeat the revolution. The crushing of revolutionary forces took place in the Rhineland, Bavaria and, above all, in Berlin. Several leaders were arrested and executed, including Luxembourg and Liebknecht. The irony in this case is that those who ordered the execution were former party comrades, when everyone was still in the SPD.
The German economy in this period was characterized by high inflation and a large number of unemployed. Inflation only benefited some economic groups, such as large industries, but directly affected the living conditions of wage earners.
Also in the political aspect, this first phase was extremely troubled, with a series of coup attempts by forces linked to the former regime. Some of them, like General Kapp's attempt, were held back by workers, mainly those organized in unions close to the SPD. Workers also organized several strikes between 1921 and 1922, demanding the nationalization of mines and banks, as well as improvements in working conditions.
On the other hand, dissatisfaction with the economic situation also resulted in the emergence of German National Socialist Party, the Nazi party. Based on nationalist, anti-liberal, anti-communist ideas, forming paramilitary groups, blaming the Jews linked to finance capital for the German economic problems and led by adolf hitler, the Nazis attempted a coup in Munich, Bavaria, in 1923, but were unsuccessful.
Second level
From 1924 onwards, the country experienced a period of political and economic stability. With the approach to US capitalists, who started to invest directly in Germany, the Economic stability achieved improved workers' wages, in addition to lowering rates of unemployment. However, as these investments tied the German economy to the New York Stock Exchange, the Crisis of 1929 hit Germany hard.
3rd Phase
The result was the large number of unemployed, which reached 5 million workers. This situation led to disrepute with the old political groups, such as the Social Democrats, opening the way in the 1932 elections for the rise of the Nazis. On the streets, conflicts between Nazis and Communists were constant. With the support of industrial capitalists, who opposed the communists, the Nazis took advantage of the political crisis in the Reichstag and made Hitler Chancellor of Germany in 1933. In that same year, with the burning of the Reichstag being pointed out as a communist action, Hitler outlawed the KPD and later the SPD. The death of President Hindenburg in 1934 made Hitler the sole head of state, the Führer, thus initiating the organization of the Third Reich.
* Image Credit: Mr Hanson and Shutterstock.com
By Tales Pinto
Graduated in History
Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/historiag/republica-weimar-ascensao-nazismo.htm
