Weimar+Germany-+Unwanted+and+Unloved?

IB History Weimar Essay Ava Cramp (2) The Grass is always Greener… In every government, there will always be topics about which the public disagrees. There will always be democrats, moderates, and republicans. In Germany following WWI, when the Weimar Constitution was formed, much of the public was strongly opposed to the idea of democracy. However, that’s not to say others didn’t accept it. In short, the concept of having a Weimar Republic was unwanted and unloved by a majority of Germany. Weimar Germany may have seemed like a good idea, but the democracy quickly suffered a rapid downfall. Following World War I, there were many large fundamental issues within Germany. First of all, many Germans were humiliated that they had lost the war and that they would now have to pay massive reparations and accept full blame. This frustration and embarrassment among the public created the rise of several radical parties and ideas. Class differences within German society were swiftly growing apart. There was massive hyperinflation along with an astoundingly high unemployment rate. Many political leaders tried and failed to save Germany from what appeared to be its greatest downfall of all time. However, during the years between 1924 and 1929, Germany seemed to be having an economic boom. The economy was somewhat recovering, and with the “more obvious signs of wealth, such as the increasing number of cars and the growth of the cinema industry” [1], the German people were able to break the surface and come up for a little air. Unfortunately, this boom did not last and before long, conditions were worse. And to add to it, radical parties were on the rise. The concept of having a Republic in Germany was not popular with the majority of the public. The sole purpose for the Republic was to save Germany after the war, but it wasn’t holding up as well as hoped or promised. The Republic quickly became unwanted by much of Germany, and was “despised and denigrated” [2], not to mention “the target of armed attack from the extreme Left and the extreme Right. Under such unfavorable auspices the chances of the Republic for survival, let alone success, appeared slim” [3]. Following the war, the massive unemployment and poor economy frightened many. The public was beginning to readily accept drastic change and radical groups were appealing more to the people than democracy was. The German Liberalism Party, the Democratic Party and the People’s Party were all losing support. Groups such as the Centre Party and the Social Democrats were shifting to the extreme political rights and lefts. As it were, the Republic had a “narrow base of popular support [that] was caught between the extremes of left and right” [4], which, at this time, was few. Though the Weimar Republic wasn’t popular in a general sense, there were groups that did desire a democratic Germany. These groups included but are not limited to: the Non-Radicals, German Liberalism Party, Democratic and People’s Party, Centre Party, German Nationalist People’s Party, and the Social Democrats. Some of the public liked the Republic because “the principles of a welfare state were written into the new Weimar Constitution and in the early 1920’s generous pensions and sickness benefits were introduced” [5]. In addition, compulsory unemployment insurance was now covering millions of Germans and state subsidies were being provided for local amenities. However, most of the parties that were in favor of the Republic began to slip to the extreme right and left, and the newly added social improvements had economic implications. Also, The Republic was desired by the younger population, because it “was a liberating experience for young Germans, but they increasingly began to see the government as dominated by prewar political parties” [6]. In short, the Weimar Republic was unwanted and unloved by a majority of Germany. It would be a sweeping generalization and an untrue statement to say that not a single German desired a Democratic Republic. There was a minority of the public that did want it, but the number of people that were against the Republic was larger and much more powerful. The rise of radical ideas and parties led people to stray from the ideals of the Weimar Republic. It was quite remarkable that the Weimar Democracy lasted as long as it did, for although there were some who had faith in the system, “never was the idea of a republican form of government less welcome” [7].

1] Layton, Geoff. Weimar and the Rise of Nazi Germany. 3rd Edition. London. Hodder Murray, 2005. Print. 2] Wheeler-Bennett, John. “The End of the Weimar Republic.” //Foreign Affairs// (Jan. 1972): n. pag. //EBSCO Host//. Web. 19 Nov. 2009. . 3] Ibid. 4] Layton, Geoff. The Third Reich 1933-45. Third Edition ed. London: Hodder Murray, 2005. Print. 5] Layton, Geoff. Weimar and the Rise of Nazi Germany. 72. 6] Telzrow, Michael E. "Lessons of the Weimar Republic." New America Magazine: n. pag. New American. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. . 7] Wheeler-Bennett, 1.