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Overcoming Challenges to The Constitution:

28th June 1919 - TOV signed - as a result made government (+ socialists + jews) highly unpopular with public

Many believed war still could have been won due to propaganda and lack of info - lead to Dolschoss Myth

Therefore: Government had to battle unpopularity from public and parties, also weaknesses of constitution too - opposition shown through voting, debating and violence (end of war - large number of angry soldiers recruited by political parties for private armies)

PRO: although so unstable had to reside in Weimar, government actually survived unlike Prince Max Baden's!

NOTE: Reason that the government somewhat stable due to fact right wing had to support republic (even if wanted imperial government) rather than risk opposition and Germany become more left wing.

Most resented terms:

Diktat

War Guilt

Reparations

Challenges to the Government:

Allowed for many parties (only took 60,000 votes to get a seat) Pro: Democratic Con: Unstable (29 political parties in Reichstag during 1920s!)

Parties would split and members shift - eg 1920 USPD split over policy and half party left to join KPD - confused voters, loss of support for left

Proportional Representation - not a problem alone but in Germany not good as needed a stable power to make quick decisions but with PR too many parties in Reichstag and little legislation passed - made difficult for majority to be had in Reichstag. All chancellors had to form governments from coalitions - 1919 - 1923 there were NINE different coalitions! - when coalitions broke down due to queralling from polar opposite parties President had to intervene with article 48 (use of this also allowed more right wing authoritarian rule when Hindenburg president) - as an emergency power made public believe government in constant crisis

Due to PR people voted for party in 1 of 35 electoral areas rather than a particular person in their area...(their representative in the Reichstag was then chosen from a list) - many felt the politicians were not interested in them directly and there was a disconnect from public and parliament

Overcoming Challenges: 1924-1929

1924-1929 were better years - Reichstag kept meeting so less need for government by decree (even though many right wing people pressed for this since Hindenburg elected - although swore an oath to uphold constitution favoured an authoritarian system of government)

1924-1929 economy recovered and agreements reached with foreign powers which undid some of the TOV (which Weimar was still being blamed for) Largely due to Stresemann, leader of DVP, urged parties to work together! Initially resented republic but then believed that Germany needed stable moderate coalition to survive - believed peacefulness with other powers and recovery of economy were main concerns (fulfilment) - hence why he was foreign minister for majority of his time in gov. (chancellor 1923 and foreign minister until 1929)

Stresemann managed to hold together coalition of DVP, Z, SPD and DDP for a long period by teaching trust with leaders of these parties (even with extremist opposition)

As economy improved so did social conditions and political violence simmered, during this period no major figures were assassinated

People became more accepting of Weimar as it had been in place quite some time - especially as economy improved support grew

Support for extremist parties dropped May - December 1924 (although communists and Nazis started to gain ground again 1928 as economy worsened)

Coalitions still normal but changed less often - 1924 and 1929 only 6 different coalitions - due to Stresemann's influence, although constitution still unresolved

Voting:

Decrease in seats NSDAP had in the Reichstag - 32 in 1924 and 12 in 1928

Same with KPD - 1924 - 62 seats and 1928 -54

Increase in seats for SPD 1924-1928 increased by 53 seats

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Collapse of Democracy: 1930-1933

Public Feeling about Weimar:

Hatred of government for association with treaty of versailles - evidence of this was electing Hindenburg 1925 (was first to voice stab in the back theory - that could have won the war if november criminals hadn't signed armistice+the treaty) Hindenburg public popularity due to war hero status, commitment to government was poor and likely to favour Article 48 usage and bypassing the Reichstag - thus undermining democracy

Economic Problems and Failure to Deal with:

1929 the Depression set in and effected the world - USA was lending money to many countries in europe to help war recovery - when US called in loans and stopped loaning money meant German economy unstable again (relied to heavily on USA and spent money they didn't have) Prices rose rapidly + unemployment also. Government failed to agree on policy and situation worsened, support for extremism ROSE - Nazis and KPD benefitted

Coalition Failure:

Hindenburg changed chancellors many times when could not agree on policy but changing chancellor caused unrest. Parties found harder to work together and SPD refused to take part in any more! Hindenburg forced to govern by decree under Article 48 from 1930-elections of 1932 - 109 laws created by Bruning but only 29 passed by the reichstag - 3 chancellors and many elections to attempt to create a stable government

Rise of the Nazi Party

First spark of extremist prestige gaining - September 1930 elections when both communists and Nazis made gains. - both became significant forces in the Reichstag

Support for Nazis boosted by SA (nazis private army)

Nazis 1930-1933:

Not part of the government but had sizeable standing in the Reichstag

April 1932 presidential elections were near and Hindenburg encouraged to run again as Hitler would try also

Hitler stood but Hindenburg won by 19.4 million votes to Hitler's 13.4 million

Hindenburg appointed Von Papen in an attempt to gain support of people and get stable coalition - then unable to get support from Reichstag so failed

1932 Reichstag Elections:

Nazis now had most seats in the Reichstag (230! 37.4% of the vote, only had 2.6% in 1928) so Hitler should be chancellor but Hindenburg offered position to Von Schneider as did not want to work with Hitler - Hindenburg offered cabinet and new elections called when Hitler refused - nazis won 196 seats and were still biggest party in Reichstag

Von Schliecher was a failure as he accepted use of article 48 so the final solution was for Hindenburg to appoint Von Papen as Vice Chancellor and Hitler Chancellor so they could attempt to control him

30th JANUARY 1933 - HITLER APPOINTED CHANCELLOR.

(Became dictator August 1934!)

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