The Weimar Republic

Between 1919 and 1925 the new German Government, the Weimar Republic, was faced with a number of crises which weakened it. These problems were caused mainly as a result of the war and although any government would have had difficulties in solving them the people saw democracy as weak. This public opposition towards the new Government was its greatest problem.

After the Treaty of Versailles was signed many Germans were shocked at the harsh terms which it imposed on them concerning territorial changes, disarmament, colonies and reparations. As an Allied invasion of Germany was imminent the Government had no choice but to accept the treaty and so in June 1919 two representatives of the government signed the treaty on behalf of Germany. The humiliated German people saw the new republic as responsible for Germany's great loss and so the new government lost the support of many people. Although the government did not want to agree to the terms stated in the treaty they were forced to and in doing so were denied a place in the League of Nations, had to endure a French army of occupation along the left bank of the Rhine and had to accept responsibility for being the cause of the war.

Karte des Deutschen Reiches, »Weimarer Republik/D...

German soldier's "Auf Wiedersehen" (LOC)

[German vehicle tax registration issued to George ...

The people did not see that there was no choice but to sign the treaty and so blamed Democracy for their humiliation.

As the Weimar Republic was a coalition government it was considered weak. The Social Democrats were the leading party however as they did not receive a clear majority of the votes they were forced to form a coalition government with the Central Party and the Democratic Party. The President of the Reichstag was Ebert and he was to hold office for seven years yet the people were not willing to...