--- title: "Weimar Republic Established" year: 1919 country: "Germany" canonical: "https://recap.at/1919/weimar-republic-established" slug: "weimar-republic-established" recapType: "global_event" startDate: "1919-01-01" --- # Weimar Republic Established > Weimar Republic Established Germany's imperial government collapsed on November 9, 1918, as World War I ended in defeat. In its place rose the Weimar Republic, a democratic system that lasted until 1933-Germany's first attempt at representative government, born from military catastrophe and constitutional ambition rather than popular revolution. ## Summary The Weimar Republic was a historical period of the German state from 9 November 1918 to 23 March 1933, during which it was a constitutional republic for the first time in history. The state was officially named the German Reich; but was more commonly referred to, and unofficially proclaimed itself, as the German Republic. The period's informal name is derived from the city of Weimar, where the republic's constituent assembly took place. In English, the republic was usually simply called "Germany", with "Weimar Republic" not commonly used until the 1930s. The Weimar Republic had a semi-presidential system. ## Key facts - **Duration**: November 9, 1918 to March 23, 1933 (14 years, 4 months) - **Founding document**: Weimar Constitution, August 11, 1919 - **First president**: Friedrich Ebert (SPD), elected February 11, 1919 - **Capital city**: Weimar, Thuringia (Berlin served as seat of government) - **Electoral system**: Proportional representation with 5% threshold - **Parliamentary chambers**: Reichstag (parliament) and Reichsrat (federal council) - **Number of governments**: 16 separate cabinets, 1919–1933 - **Final chancellor**: Adolf Hitler, appointed January 30, 1933 ## Timeline - **1918-11-09** - German Revolution begins Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicates; socialist uprisings spread across Germany. Friedrich Ebert becomes chancellor of a new provisional government. - **1919-01-19** - National Assembly elections First democratic elections in German history. SPD (Social Democrats) win 37.9% of votes; assembly convenes in Weimar rather than Berlin due to ongoing unrest. - **1919-02-11** - Friedrich Ebert elected president National Assembly votes Ebert into office as head of state under the new constitutional framework. - **1919-06-28** - Treaty of Versailles signed Germany signs peace treaty ending WWI. Terms include reparations, territorial losses, and military restrictions that fuel long-term resentment and economic hardship. - **1919-08-11** - Weimar Constitution ratified New constitution takes effect, establishing a parliamentary republic with a directly elected president and proportional representation voting system. - **1923-01-11** - French occupation of Ruhr Valley France and Belgium occupy Germany's industrial heartland over reparation defaults. Triggers hyperinflation crisis and deepens political instability. - **1923-11-08** - Beer Hall Putsch fails Adolf Hitler and Nazi Party attempt armed coup in Munich. Revolt crushed within hours; Hitler arrested and imprisoned, but gains notoriety from trial. - **1925-04-26** - Paul von Hindenburg elected president Retired field marshal defeats left-wing candidate Wilhelm Marx. Hindenburg's election signals rightward political shift and weakens democratic commitments. - **1929-10-29** - Wall Street Crash US stock market collapse triggers global economic depression. Germany, dependent on American loans, faces immediate credit freeze and mass unemployment. - **1930-09-14** - Nazi electoral breakthrough Reichstag elections: Nazi Party jumps from 2.6% (1928) to 18.3%, becoming second-largest party. Economic crisis radicalizes electorate. - **1932-07-31** - July 1932 Reichstag elections Nazis reach peak support at 37.3% of votes. No single party commands majority; coalition-building fails repeatedly, paralyzing government. - **1933-01-30** - Adolf Hitler appointed chancellor President Hindenburg appoints Hitler as chancellor in backroom deal. Republic formally ends March 23, 1933, when Enabling Act passes, granting Hitler dictatorship. ## Consequences - **1923 - Hyperinflation crisis**: The German currency collapsed, with the exchange rate hitting 4.2 trillion marks to one US dollar by November 1923. The crisis wiped out savings for millions and destabilized the middle class, fueling resentment that would later benefit extremist movements. - **1925 - Treaty of Locarno signed**: Germany, France, Belgium, Britain, and Italy negotiated mutual security guarantees, temporarily stabilizing Western Europe. Foreign Minister Gustav Stresemann led Germany's diplomatic rehabilitation, earning the republic a brief period of relative prosperity known as the Golden Twenties. - **1929 - Wall Street Crash and Great Depression**: The October 1929 stock market collapse in the US triggered a global economic downturn. Germany, heavily dependent on American loans since 1924, was hit harder than most nations, with unemployment reaching 6 million by 1932. - **1930 - Nazi Party electoral breakthrough**: In September elections, Adolf Hitler's NSDAP captured 18.3% of votes, becoming the second-largest party. Economic desperation and resentment of Versailles combined to make extremism mainstream. - **1933 - Republic dissolved by Hitler**: Following Hitler's appointment as Chancellor on January 30, 1933, the Enabling Act of March 23 effectively ended parliamentary democracy. The Weimar Republic, formally dissolved, gave way to the Third Reich. ## Then vs now - **German GDP per capita**: 1920: ~2,500 reichsmarks → 2023: ~48,756 euros - Adjusted for inflation and currency conversion; reflects post-hyperinflation stabilization vs. modern economy - **Unemployment rate**: 1929: ~9% → 2023: ~2.6% - Pre-Great Depression; Weimar unemployment reached 30%+ by 1932 - **German population**: 1920: ~59 million → 2023: ~84 million - **Life expectancy at birth**: 1920: ~55 years → 2023: ~81 years - Post-WWI; improved dramatically with modern medicine and stability - **Female voter participation eligibility**: 1919: Women could vote (from age 20) → 2023: Women could vote (from age 18) - Weimar introduced universal female suffrage; age lowered in 1970 ## Impact The Weimar Republic redefined German governance for fifteen years, introducing parliamentary democracy, proportional representation, and a written constitution. Its collapse in 1933 and replacement by Nazi dictatorship became a defining historical lesson about democratic fragility under economic stress and political polarization. ## Sources - [Weimar Republic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weimar_Republic) - Wikipedia --- Canonical: https://recap.at/1919/weimar-republic-established