The theatre of the weimar republic by john willett, 1988. It is often assumed that the weimar republic was bound to fail due to the harsh terms of the versailles settlement. The government started in 1918, two days before germany surrendered in wwi. The weimar republic was created in 1919 with the abdication of wilhelm ii. New germany berlin a fascinating daybyday account of the last months of the weimar republic as democracy began to crumble, making room for hitlers terrifying rise to power. The country adopted a constitution in may, 1949, to establish the federal republic of germany. The weimar republic sourcebook by anton kaes, martin jay. Weimar republic 1918 1933 a new era in the history of german jewry began when imperial germany collapsed and was replaced by the democratic regime of the weimar republic. All germans have the right to equal opportunity and earnings in the workplace.
They drank it, unaware that they were sitting close to a dungheap. What we now call the weimar republic came to an end on 23 march 1933, when chancellor adolf hitler installed the enabling act, which established the third reich. They used a voting system called proportional representation the social democratic party won 38% of the vote and 163 seats, the catholic centre party won 20% of the vote and 91 seats and. Discover the cultural and intellectual hot bed of the weimar republic with 1,000 book designs from this golden age of publishing. Germany had lost the war, the kaiser had abdicated and fled the country and for the first time in the countrys history, it was becoming a democracy. The longest and most developed essay, pfeiffers splendor and misery in the weimar republic. The weimar republic was able to resist the extremists attempts to seize power.
The economic stagnation led to increased demands on germany to repay the debts owed to the united states. In the second part he surveys and analyses scholarly research in the field which sheds light on the problems and controversies of the period in home and. This book goes into great detail regarding the years of the weimar republic which in part allow for an understanding of how. Although the economy was bad around the world, germans believed the high unemployment and its related despair were the fault of the weimar republic that had been in charge from 1918 to 1933.
Jul 01, 2011 brachers the german dictatorship is interesting on the failure of weimar to stem nazism, not least because of the weimar constitution. Im particularly interested in the cultural changes during the interim between wwi and the rise of the nazi party, including the arts and the general loosening of traditional cultural mores. Despite all this, the main reason the weimar republic was so unpopular was due to the treaty of versailles which followed and its conditions. Popular weimar republic books goodreads share book. I ordered this book when i was a university student and it was useful to me then. As the weimar republic was very fragile in all its existence, the depression was devastating, and played a major role in the nazi takeover. I dont know much about german history before world war ii so any books that dont require a whole lot of background knowledge would be good. I now teach alevel history and it remains useful to me. In 1922, adolf hitler and the nazis tried to seize control in munich but was quickly defeated by german troops. The weimar republic eberhard formerly at the university of. It caused considerable internal political instability in the country, the occupation of the ruhr by france and belgium as well as misery for the general populace. The weimar republic sourcebook edition 1 by anton kaes.
The book cover in the weimar republic and graphic passion. German cultural criticism new ed by kaes, anton isbn. The death of democracy benjamin carter hett macmillan. This was duly created, based at weimar because the conditions in berlin were unsafe, but problems with the allies demands in the treaty of versailles produced a rocky path, which only got worse in the early 1920s as reparations helped hyperinflation and impending economic collapse. The weimar republic places the crisis of german democracy in the context of a larger european crisis and thus forces. Top 10 nazi cultural history books doing history in public.
Adolf hitler, center, and members of the nazi party march through downtown munich on nov. Hedonism, sex and fear why the weimar republic is in. The weimar republic gave nectar to the artists, social reformers and progressive people of all classes. What i was looking for is best summarised by lotte eisner in her book on the. Aug 24, 2015 the book cover in the weimar republic is a catalogue of the jurgen and waltraud holstein collection, comprising the covers of a thousand books published between 1919 and 1933 by some 250 houses in berlin. They are available for purchase through our affiliate partner, the book depository, at low prices all of which include worldwide shipping. Civil society and the collapse of the weimar republic bysheriberman practically everywhere one looks, from social science mono graphs to political speeches to people magazine, the concept of civil society is in vogue. Set in 1929, the nazis are seen peddling their newspapers in the ubahn. As a result of that, it was necessary for coalitions to be formed to try to get anything done in germany. As the weimar republic was very fragile in all its existence, the depression was devastating, and played a major role in the nsdaps takeover. The first president of the republic was friedrich ebert, and he helped decide what the constitution should be like. Immortalized however misleadingly in christopher isherwoods berlin stories and the musical cabaret, weimar s freedoms have become a. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
Civil society and the collapse of the weimar republic. It is unique in the sense that it actually describes the high politics and their fictionalized main actors. May 31, 2017 top 10 books about weimar and nazi berlin. Emerging from the revolutionary tremors of the immediate postworld war i period, the german reich established itself as a parliamentary democracy.
The weimar republic began to take shape at the end of world war i. The weimar republic sourcebook chancellor professor of. The weimar republic sourcebook represents the most comprehensive documentation of weimar culture, history, and politics assembled in any language. The weimar republic sourcebook ebook written by anton kaes, martin jay, edward dimendberg. What are the historical novels set in the weimar republic. Weimar culture was the emergence of the arts and sciences that happened in germany during the weimar republic, the latter during that part of the interwar period between germanys defeat in world war i in 1918 and hitlers rise to power in 1933. An unusual, important book whose depth of research makes you gasp. In any case, the dust jacket didnt come to germany until around 1900but by the birth of the weimar republic, nineteen years later, german. In the first part of the book, professor kolb provides a clear historical narrative of the political, social, economic and cultural developments of the weimar republic, setting it within the international context of the interwar period. Nearly a century has passed but the janus face of the weimar republic appals and attracts as much. Years of war, economic deprivation and starvation brought about the german revolution and the abdication of kaiser.
While this is not a book on nazi germany, gays study of the weimar republic argues that its failuresboth as an artistic and political movementhelped the nazi regime to come to power. Top 10 books about weimar and nazi berlin the guardian. Weimar republic project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. The states of the weimar republic were the firstlevel administrative divisions and constituent states of the german reich during the weimar republic era. The release of a monograph such as this one is a big deal for designersimportant not only because the work that the book cover in the weimar republic comprises is so inspiring aesthetically, but also because these designs present a new historical context for our own contemporary covers. Exploring such themes as the declaration of the republic, the impact of the treaty of versailles and the events leading to hitlers gaining power, this book illuminates the political workings of the weimar republic and evaluates its successes and failures. Weimar republic, the government of germany from 1919 to 1933, so called because the assembly that adopted its constitution met at weimar from february 6 to august 11, 1919. If you continue browsing the site, you agree to the use of cookies on this website. The weimar republic sourcebook anton kaes, martin jay. Mar 29, 2009 weimar germany 1919 1933 by keila munz and alex salvatore slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. The weimar republic was germanys government from 1919 to 1933, the period after world war i until the rise of nazi germany. This book is the first comprehensive survey of women in the weimar republic, exploring the diversity and multiplicity of womens experiences in the economy, politics and society.
The weimar republic considers the events in germany in this crucial period after the first world war. The nazi time had already begun in the first years of the republic. The new republic was similar in structure to the weimar republic, except that the individual states had somewhat more power, and the presidents powers were much reduced. The most definitive, comprehensive study of the origins, development, achievements and ultimate destruction of the performing arts in germany from world war i through the rise of hitler, the theatre of the weimar republic is an invaluable record of. The city of weimar, a traditional center of german culture removed from the crisis of berlin, was chosen as a safe place to draft a new constitution, which was signed on august 11, 1919.
List of books and articles about weimar republic online. Between the two world wars, the city enjoyed an astonishing expansion in its book production and its libraries. From the end of world war i to the rise of adolf hitler, the weimar republic remains one of the pivotal social experiments in 20thcentury history, embracing all aspects of german cultural, political. The weimar republic, originally submitted in 1984, received a favourable welcome among specialists and has now clearly proved its worth as a textbook on the subject.
Liberated, licentious, or merely liberal, the sexual freedoms of germanys weimar republic have become legendary. The weimar republic the best and the worst books and. Book covers in the weimar republic assembles 1,000 of the most striking examples from this golden age of publishing activity and innovation. Discover the cultural and intellectual hot bed of the weimar republic with book designs from this golden age of publishing. The history of the weimar republic 19191933 illuminates one of the most creative and crucial periods in the twentieth century and serves as a significant case study of the critical issues of our own time. The weimar republic, the postworld war i german government named for the german city where it was formed, lasted more than 14 years, but democracy never found firm footing. The hj was the second oldest paramilitary nazi group, founded one year. Scholars of film and german history will appreciate the intriguing study of gender and the uncanny in films of the weimar republic.
They have selected these books for their content, accessibility and affordability. Hyperinflation affected the german papiermark, the currency of the weimar republic, between 1921 and 1923, primarily in 1923. Splendor and misery in the weimar republic book feature. Peukert, is a book on the history of the weimar republic in germany, which lasted from the post wwi era to the election of the national socialists under adolf hitler in the early 1930s. What also would characterize this weimar republic is a plethora of political parties, sometimes more than 30 on a ballot. The last days of world war i and the spartacist revolt. Gender and the uncanny in films of the weimar republic. The weimar republic was severely affected by the great depression. The weimar republic was the state and political system in germany from late 1918 to the rise of nazism in 1933. It invites a wide community of readers to discover the richness and complexity of the turbulent years in germany before hitlers rise to power. They are available for purchase through our affiliate partner, the book depository, at low. The weimar republic sourcebook is an invaluable resource for understanding one of the most important and resonant eras of the twentieth century. From novels in translation to travel journalism, artist monographs to abortion debates, this part reference compendium, part vintage visual feast for the eyes, is a monument to a precious era of promise and to the. The weimar republic 2nd edition john hiden routledge book.
The weimar republic and the rise of the nazi party bartleby. The official name of the republic remained deutsches reich german reich. The weimar republic was the new system of democratic government established in germany following the collapse of the second reich the first elections for the new republic were held on the 19 january 1919. The sdp was running germany, and they resolved to create a new constitution and republic. The consequences of versailles were severe to germany, and many were looking for someone to blame, the government was the ideal scape goat. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the weimar republic sourcebook. The weimar republic timeline facing history and ourselves. Hedonism, sex and fear why the weimar republic is in vogue this article is more than 10 months old from fritz lang to brecht, 1920s german culture is being celebrated in. This book goes into great detail regarding the years of the weimar republic which in part allow for an understanding of how the nazi party ever came to power. Weimar republic books and docs can anyone make a good recommendation for books or documentaries on the weimar republic.
This has led to the need for new editions at intervals over several years. The weimar republic 2nd edition by eberhard kolb, 2005. Many of the questions asked about the weimar republic are relevant to problems that individuals and. This new republic started out with one of the worst inflations that the western world has ever seen. Close to two million of germanys promising youth had been killed in world war i and more than four million had come home wounded. The name derives from the city of weimar, where its constitutional assembly first took place. Professor hiden dispels this simplistic view and shows that it was a complex set of factors which finally brought hitler to power. Pictures of the uneasiness of an era is the exception. Depressionera elections vaulted the nazis from an obscure fringe into the largest party in the republic, but few paid attention when a journalist wrote, fifty thousand bolsheviks made the. Adam fergusson wrote the definitive book on weimar. Since the weimar debate has continued to repeat itself, albeit with less intellectual brilliance, this book. The book cover in the weimar republic taschen books.
Weimar germany hyperinflation explained business insider. While many germans connected with the political beginning the hope of overcoming nationalism and social norms, social misery embittered and radicalized millions of people. However, the republic because of its poor economic decisions and the effect of reparations resulted in hyperinflation. You dont make clear whether you want to look into the history andor culture andor politics of weimar germany, though, so its hard to make any definitive recommendations. Helmut heiber in 1918 the defeated german regime collapsed, and with it the monarchy.
Heinrich bruning and the dissolution of the weimar republic. You will be tested on areas such as the great coalition and the dawes plan. The following quiz and worksheet combo will display your understanding of the weimar republic. Babylon berlin and the myth of the weimar republic the. The outstanding feature of this period was the polarization between the unprecedented. This selection of weimar republic books has been recommended by alpha history authors. Im looking for an informative yet easily understandable book for the lay person on what german society and politics were like during the weimar republic, but cant seem to find many. Artists tried out modern ideas and used new things like film.
The death of democracy hitlers rise to power and the downfall of the weimar republic by benjamin carter hett illustrated. I know of no other single work that so concisely presents the weimar republic in all its jagged openhandedness and contradictory aspirations. German homosexual emancipation and the rise of the nazis german and european studies book 23. Esapekka salonens crossdisciplinary festival puts musical ideas back into the flow of history. This selection of weimar republic books has been recommended by alpha history. The abdication of emperor william ii on november 9, 1918, marked the end of the german empire. The weimar republics constitution the new german government was called the weimar republic, named after the town outside berlin where it was started. A new collection of book covers, jackets and bindings from the years of the weimar republic, and a catalog of matisses work in the book arts. The new government was the body that signed the treaty of versailles, and to many, this was a betrayal. Online shopping from a great selection at books store.
What i was looking for is best summarised by lotte eisner in her book. The weimar republic eberhard formerly at the university. In its place a bewildered german people were offered, and somewhat halfheartedly accepted, their first democratic. Hans demonstrates that weimar germanys conflicting emotions, hopes, and fears played out in that most modern of media, the cinema. The book cover in the weimar republic by jurgen holstein. The weimar republic was first proclaimed on november 9,1918, by the social democratic leadership. Heinrich bruning and the dissolution of the weimar republic scholars have long debated whether heinrich bruning, head of the german government from 1930 to 1932, was the last democratic chancellor of the weimar republic or the trailblazer of the nazi dictatorship. Top 10 books about weimar and nazi berlin books the guardian.