HOWEVER, slow drift of
both parties and voters away
MC = complicated, they were not
from the centre ground,
universally hostile to the republic
Old elites = hostile to the making politics increasingly
though. Those who had lost
republic from the beginning. argumentative and
savings in hyperinflation remained
Had the LW parties came together to all support The election of Hindenburg compromise hard to find
hostile, but business owners who
one candidate, Marx (the Centre P candidate) gave some reassurance to
prospered were largely supportive
might have narrowly won. Some might argue aristocratic landowners, army The middle of the Weimar Republic was (in
that this is the turning point for the LW, as to officers, civil servants & political terms) a quiet one on the surface. Many political parties were RW and Only 2.8%
why they never had a strong hold of German judges, but they remained There were no revolutions, attempts to seize even the more central ones had little vote in 1928
politics for the rest of the WR, because this anti-democracy power by force, invasions, strikes (unlike the intellect with democracy. Therefore v
move towards the right, allowed the move to Most WC voters, especially multiple seen in the early years and the hostile to the very idea of the WR
progress through the next few years members of trade unions significant ones at the end)
supported the SPD and valued HOWEVER, still
democratic freedoms and social decline in
In the second round of elections, there were some benefits of the period There were 7 Govs during these years tho, Although there were still people who completely
Hindenburg was fundamentally a support for
breakdowns within the party candidates stepping forward when there is supposed to only be one which opposed democracy, they did not challenge it in a
monarchist and anti-democratic extremists.
for this role - the RW parties all came together and lasts for a period of 4 years. Shows that even way that would have caused great instability
Nazis lost
supported Hindenburg. The SPD & DDP came together to in these 'golden year' coalitions are falling
A presidential election was due in support
support the Centre party candidate however the KPD Attitudes to the apart - perhaps not as golden as made out to
1925 & it was assumed that Ebert However, the fact that there is a throughout the
Negative refused to do so and thus there was a third candidate. republic from elites be, since this is clearly v unstable
period
would remain in power, shift between voting patterns
HOWEVER, his death in Feb 1925
to lower classes
Overview undermines the idea that there
As a former military commander who created political problems; there was complete political instability
Hindenburg ended Shows people are still
was respected by the right, Hindenburg's election reassured conservatives that was no clear successor (through a
Positives up being elected in unhappy despite their
the gov was in safe hands majority win) in the 1st round of
the 2nd election in intentions eg savings lost
elections, so a 2nd round was held 7 coalition cabinets
April 1925 as Political developments and the workings of democracy 1924-28 between Nov 1923 cos of hyperinflation,
He became increasingly impatient with party President of WR. welfare state not sufficient
After his election he respected the WR Positive Election of & June 1928
political rivalries and was prepared to use article negative enough, still angry at
and did not abuse his powers Hindenburg in
48 to bypass the Reichstag Positive dolschstoss (stab in the
1925 Coalition govs back)
Reasons for coalitions There is only supposed to be
He appealed to political parties to work KPD - believed in revolutionary other throw of political system. Development of one gov every 4 years!!
with him to restore national unity Lost around 10 seats from Large WC following in industrial areas but never a mass party for political parties
1924-28 elections workers like the SPD. Policy & tactics dictated by the soviet union. Highlights the instability of the coalition
One reason why it was mainly govs - even with virtually no problems to
Concentrated on attacking the SPD, thus dividing the WC vote coalitions (the failure of gaining a
At the start of the republic, politics deal with they collapsed.
majority) is largely because parties Formation of the grand coalition in June 1928, led
seemed to lie towards the centre left, by Müller of the SPD, seemed to offer a more
SPD - largest party in reichstag but as the golden years progressed, it failed to engage & represent the
concerns of ordinary voters because... stable coalition gov which lasted nearly 2 years. Despite being the largest political party, and a
Gained 50 more seats from throughout this period. A reformist shifted more towards the right Huge when they usually only last a few months!
socialist party. Close link to trade unions pro-republican party, the SPD was not part of
1924 - 28 elections
which provided main base of support. most of these coalitions
DVP - Pro replubican. NSDAP - led by
Involved in ONLY 6 cabinets from 1919-30
Participated in all coalition Hitler. Factional rivalries
Ultra-nationalist, between parties Under proportional
govs. Main support came representation, deputies In 1925, DNVP (an anti-republican party) joined the
DDP - a liberal, pro-republican party. Main support base amongst from industrialists. Shifted to anti-semitic &
were chosen from party WR for the first time - turning point moment of the WR
academics & professional groups. Serious splits & confused RW after the death of anti-democratic.
lists - no direct getting progressively more RW
Kept around the same level of programme.In decline but participated in all coalition govs of this Stresemann in 1929 After failure of Parties represented narrow
period - perhaps because they were THE ONLY ONES WILLING Munich Putsch, connection between
seats during these years sectional interests and none able to
TO COMPROMISE changed tactics deputies & constituents
speak for the wider national interest
DNVP - anti-democratic, to fighting - (support for all parties only comes
monarchist & nationalist. elections. Failed from small areas of society)
CENTRE PARTY - represented interests of Catholic Church in to make an
Traditionally represented
Kept around the same no. of Germany. Appealed to Catholics of all classes. Involved in all impact during
conservative landowners.
seats during these years coalition cabinets throughout the period. Supported Weimar these years but
Began to attract support
democracy but shifted to the right after 1928 was using these
from industrialists and
professionals. Shifted more years to '
right after 1928 rebrand'
Kept the same themselves so
from 1924-28 that when a
crisis did hit,
Lost around 20 seats they were ready
between 1924-28 to provide an
alternative to
the G people
Lost half the number of seats they (depression)
had from 1924 - 28 elections
