The Weimar Republic ended in 1933 with the beginning of A Nazi dictatorship. Was the Weimar Republic doomed from the outset, or could it have survived?'

'Was the Weimar Republic doomed from the outset, or could it have survived?'

The Weimar Republic was established in 1918 after Germany was defeated in WW1. The Republic faced many problems from its beginning to its end. In this chapter, I intend to argue that the Weimar Republic was doomed from its beginning and could have done nothing to avoid its eventual demise. As historian Sean Lang wrote, 'Hitler was bound to take power in the end. It was inevitable, wasn't it?

From it's very beginning the Weimar Republic was not popular, as it was seen by a large number of the German population as a result of defeat in the war rather than the deliberate choice of the majority. However, they did believe that as the Weimar Republic was a political democracy, it would be able to negotiate for a more lenient peace treaty. When the harsh terms of the Treaty of Versailles became publicly known, those who had supported the Weimar Republic now abandoned it.

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

German soldier's "Auf Wiedersehen" (LOC)

[German vehicle tax registration issued to George ...

Many people, especially the middleclass, resented the Weimar Republic for its minister's actions during the war. In 1917 the majority of those who were later influential in the Weimar government had campaigned for an end to the war. This was seen to be unpatriotic and stirred up feelings of hate among the German public. This meant that from the outset the Weimar Republic had little support, and it was inevitable that without support the government was doomed.

During the war, patriotism in Germany was at its peak, as everyone joined together to support the fatherland in the war effort. During the decade after the war especially, this happiness and patriotism was remembered and contrasted to the depression and empty promises of the Weimar Republic. Historian R. Henig said, "throughout the 1920's the image...