The Weimar Republic was founded in the aftermath of World War I, replacing imperial rule with a democratic government.
Germany faced severe economic challenges, including hyperinflation in 1923 and the Great Depression in 1929, which led to social unrest and helped to fuel extremist politics.
In society, the Weimar years saw considerable changes including cultural flourishing known as Die Goldenen Zwanziger (“The Golden Twenties”), highlighting a liberal and innovative period for the arts, literature, and philosophy.

In 1933, the Nazi Party came to power under the leadership of Adolf Hitler.
The Nazis implemented a range of economic policies, most notably autarky, the policy of economic self-sufficiency, and rearmament, which helped to reduce unemployment and stimulate the economy.
Society became increasingly shaped by Nazi ideology, with the implementation of policies based on racism, antisemitism, and Aryan supremacy.
The Nuremberg Laws of 1935 drastically impacted Jewish communities, marking the start of systematic racial persecution.

Wartime Economy and Society (1939-1945)

Upon the outbreak of World War II, the Nazi regime moved significantly towards a war economy, with industries mobilised for war production and the introduction of rationing.
Society was significantly impacted by war, with mass bombings leading to extensive destruction and loss of life.
The Holocaust saw the systematic genocide of six million Jews, marking one of the darkest chapters in German history. This had profound effects on German society, both during the war and in its aftermath.

The Impact of Social and Economic Change in Germany (1918-1945)