History of the Weimar Republic

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Introduction

The Weimar Republic could be the most interesting era of German history, since so much happened. The Weimar Republic began in November 1918 and ended in 1933. This time can be seen as double-sided.

After World War I: a Break with the Past

The end of the First World War was not at all what the German population had expected. It was decided that Germany not only had to capitulate, but also that the Kaiser had to stand down and escape abraod, as this would show that Germany was no longer a military society. Although the military had decided this, it was up to the SPD (left-wing party) to pick up the pieces.

As such, the Weimar Republic did not have a good start. Very many people has been killed or badly injured in the War. The economy was bankrupt. The SPD had the difficult tast of rebuilding the country.

On the other hand, the end of World War I was a chance to break with the past: since the French Revolution the liberal part of Germany wanted a republic, but the Kaiser wouldn't allow it. Without a Kaiser, it was possible to establish a liberal republic. Even in pictures of the time one can see that there was a change: the Wilhelmine society was over, and something new and modern took its place.

Before the Third Reich: the Beginning of Extremism

The unsatisfaction and sadness in Germany after the First World War drove many people to extremist parties. As early as January 1919, the KPD (communist party) tried to overthrow the government with a revolutionary putsch. Many other similar attempts followed, and the government constantly changed. Although the economy blossomed in the 'Golden Twenties', only a small part of society enjoyed this success, while the other part remained in poverty. This inequality led to yet more political problems. The thread of political stabilty remaining was destroyed in October 1929 in the Wall Street Crash. Only a few years afterwards in 1933, Hilter became Chancellor.

Conclusion

The above is only a basic history of the Weimar Republic: there were also many other problems which added to the rise of the Nazis. However, it is clear that the Weimar Republic was a difficult time in German history. The film of this era is therefore very interesting, because one can see how these various elements of society come into the films, and how they influence the plots of the films. Siegfried Kracauer amongst others calimed that the film of the Weimar Republic identified the National Socialist future, and even that the films were propaganda for it. In my opinion, this claim is extreme. A commentary of the timr can definitely be found in the films, but this is only a comment, or even a readson why one should not do this, and certainly not at all Nazi propaganda.