Welcome to this deck on the Weimar Republic from 1918 to 1929. You'll learn how Germany tried to build a new democracy after its defeat in World War One. We'll explore the chaotic early years, the devastating crisis of 1923, and the recovery during the so-called 'Golden Years'. Understanding this period is essential for your exam, as it explains the weaknesses and resentments that Adolf Hitler would later exploit to destroy German democracy.

In late 1918, Germany was on the brink of collapse after four years of war. Facing military defeat and starvation at home, the German people rose up in protest. To prevent a full-scale revolution, the emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm the Second, was forced to abdicate and flee the country. A new government was formed under Friedrich Ebert, and on November 11th, 1918, his representatives signed the armistice, an agreement to stop the fighting.

In 1919, politicians met in the town of Weimar to write a new constitution, or set of rules, for Germany. This is why the period is known as the Weimar Republic. The constitution was one of the most democratic in the world, giving the vote to all men and women over 20. However, it had two major weaknesses you need to know for your exam. The first was proportional representation, a voting system that led to many small parties and weak, unstable governments. The second was Article 48, which gave the president emergency powers to rule without parliament, a loophole Hitler would later use.