The Fall of the Weimar Republic, Essay Example

The Weimar republic was one of the most promising governments in the history of Germany that never had the opportunity to realize its full potential. After World War I, Germany was attempting recovery from the war and many within the political arena envisioned a democratic government that employed federalism, checks and balances while protecting the rights of its citizens. The Weimar failed as a result of the culmination of an array of events that created unsuitable conditions for its success and progress. The Weimar republic suffered from an increasing decline in support throughout the Germany. The republic was considerably undermined and attacked by most of the active political parties at the time of its existence.

One of the main factors that led to the creation of a conducive environment for the Weimar republic to thrive was the lack of general support from the German citizens. The Weimar republic stood for democracy and a government that employs checks and balances to ensure the protection of the sanctity of democracy. However, the German citizens lacked the will or desire to defend and build the positive ideologies that the Weimar republic embodied post-war. This is acknowledged by journalist, Carl V. Ossietzky when he writes about the government being there, existing, but nothing to cause the heart beat faster. He reports his observation of the lack of a spark that would ignite the people and drive them to engage and defend their government. This leads him to allude to the underlying potential of the development of a dictatorship that could not be stopped if the people do not support their government. (Document 6).

The growing political strategies employed by those in high political ranking generally oppressed the will of the people to support their government. This is evident when novelist reports of the instruction Hitler issued to the National Socialist speakers. The National Socialist had growing support and by Hitler’s instructions, all public speaking events were held in the evenings. Most individuals worked long hours during this time as a result of the Great Depression and were exhausted by evening. Holding public speaking events made sure socialist ideologies were imprinted on weak and more submissive minds. (Document 10).

The most threatening factor to the success and development of the Weimar republic was the aggressive, anti-democratic resistance and relentless attacks from other political parties that stood for opposing ideologies. At the inception of the Weimar Republic, the electoral system allowed for open representation that led to the formation of numerous parties. Each political party pushed its own agenda and sought to claim as much power as possible. This fact is acknowledge by the leader of the GDP (German Democratic Party) Ernst Troeltsch. In 1918, in a public affairs magazine, he confesses the fear of the development of a “dictatorship of the proletariat” that will be led by a monitory. He alludes to this minority dominating in a fashion similar to terrorists, instilling fear and employing oppressive political ideology. He fears that this may case Germany to become a volcano of misery, prone to civil wars. (Document 1).

The Weimar Republic sought to instill a democratic system post-war. It envisioned a free Germany that was open to every individual to realize success and thrive. The Republic developed and instituted a number of policies that were heavily opposed by the general public as well as political parties. Marie Juchacz depicts this as she addresses the National Assembly, highlighting that a female representation projected a new and sovereign Germany. (Document 2). However, these policies continually faced opposition from the general public as depicted by novelist Thomas Mann. He seeks to persuade the people to support and democracy and policies embodied by the republic. (Document 10).

In conclusion, the Weimar Republic was a promising democratic government in Germany that failed due to a myriad of factors. The lack of support from its citizens, coupled by growing aggressive opposition from other opposing political parties, led to the development of an unconducive environment for the party’s ideologies. Opposition against the Republic’s policies led to the progression of support for radical political outfits such as Hitler’s NSDAP.