The Weimar Republic was established as a representative democracy which aimed to give genuine power to all German adults. However, it had major flaws that contributed to its downfall in 1933-34.

What was the Weimar Republic Why?

The Weimar Republic was Germany’s government from 1919 to 1933, the period after World War I until the rise of Nazi Germany. It was named after the town of Weimar where Germany’s new government was formed by a national assembly after Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated.

What were the main features of the Weimar Republic?

Characteristics of the Weimar Government

• All men and women over the age of 20 were able vote.
• German citizens were guaranteed freedom of speech and religion.
• All German citizens were to be equal.
• German citizens would elect the President and the Reichstag (Parliament).

What was Weimar known for?

Weimar is well known because of its large cultural heritage and its importance in German history. Peter Kleine (Ind.) The city was a focal point of the German Enlightenment and home of the leading figures of the literary genre of Weimar Classicism, writers Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Friedrich Schiller.

What was the most powerful role in the Weimar Republic?

The Reichstag was by far the most powerful part of the Weimar Government, since if the Chancellor did not have its support then the government would fall. In addition to the Reichstag, there was the Reichsrat, which was also elected and represented the German states.

Was the Weimar Republic a success or failure?

The Weimar Republic failed because it was at the mercy of many different ideas and forces – political and economic, internal and external, structural and short-term. It is difficult to isolate one or two of these forces or problems as being chiefly responsible for the demise of the Republic.

Why was Germany unhappy with the Weimar Republic?

Many Germans felt their country had received a very harsh deal in the Treaty of Versailles . They resented the government for agreeing to its conditions and signing it, even though they were forced to by the Allies .

What was the biggest threat to the Weimar Republic?

The main threat from the right wing was the Kapp Putsch of 1920. Due to the Treaty of Versailles, a reduction of the German army from 650,,000 angered he right wing nationalists who rejected it and wanted to overthrow the Weimar state. The Kapp Putsch was a direct threat to Weimar’s new government.

What was the Weimar crisis?

The Weimar government’s main crisis occurred in 1923 after the Germans missed a reparations payment late in 1922. This set off a chain of events that included occupation, hyperinflation and rebellions.

How was Weimar Republic unstable?

The new Proportional Representation system of voting in the Weimar Republic caused political instability. Whilst the new system intended to reduce political conflicts, it in fact resulted in many different parties gaining a small amount of seats in the Reichstag.

What were the basic features of the Weimar Constitution quizlet?

Under the Weimar Constitution, Germany was divided into 19 states. All citizens had the right to vote, electing members of the Reichstag or German Parliament along with the President. This seems like the perfect democracy.

What are the 3 problems faced by Weimar Republic?

30.1. 2: The Weimar Republic. In its 14 years in existence, the Weimar Republic faced numerous problems, including hyperinflation, political extremism, and contentious relationships with the victors of the First World War, leading to its collapse during the rise of Adolf Hitler.

What are the main features of Nazism in Germany?

Nazism is a form of fascism, with disdain for liberal democracy and the parliamentary system. It incorporates a dictatorship, fervent antisemitism, anti-communism, scientific racism, and the use of eugenics into its creed.

What were the strengths of the Weimar Republic?

The republic had many democratic strengths. It allowed individual freedoms for everyone. This granted the right to free speech, the right to equality and the right to religion to every German citizen. All adults over the age of twenty could vote.

Why was the Weimar Constitution a problem?

President Hindenburg doubted democracy and dreamed of restoring the kaiser to power. Extremists like Hitler hated democracy. Other historians point to flaws in the Weimar Constitution, such as the provision that allowed rule by decree and the suspension of constitutional rights in a national emergency.

What is the biggest weakness of the Weimar Republic?

The German people had no tradition of parliamentary democracy – there was no general support for the new republic.



Negative aspects of the Weimar Government

• unstable governments.
• a lack of decisive action.
• a public suspicious of deals between parties.