The Crisis of the Weimar Republic (1929-1933)

The Onset of the Great Depression

The Wall Street Crash in October 1929 and subsequent Great Depression marked the beginning of a period of extreme economic hardship for Germany.
Germany was particularly vulnerable due to its reliance on US loans, which were abruptly withdrawn. This resulted in numerous German banks and businesses going bankrupt.
Unemployment soared, with the rate rising to nearly 6 million unemployed by 1932. This increased public dissatisfaction and unrest.

Political Crisis and Rise of Extremism

The challenging economic climate, alongside the use of Article 48, eroded public confidence in the democratic Weimar Republic, fuelling an increase in support for extremist parties.
The NSDAP, or Nazi Party, used the crisis to their advantage, projecting themselves as the answer to Germany’s problems. Their support grew dramatically, aided by a slick propaganda campaign.
The Communist Party also saw an increase in support especially amongst the working class, fuelling fears of a Communist uprising amongst the middle and upper classes.

Failure of Governments and Chancellors

The governments during this period, led by chancellors such as Müller and Brüning, struggled to respond effectively to the crisis, further damaging public confidence.
Chancellor Brüning’s strict austerity measures, including cuts to unemployment benefits and increased taxes, were particularly unpopular. This deepened the economic crisis and increased the Nazi Party’s appeal, which promised to reverse Brüning’s policies.
Political instability was significant during this period; between 1930 and 1933 there were four different chancellors.

Hindenburg’s Rule by Presidential Decree

As the crises deepened, President Hindenburg increasingly relied on Article 48, ruling by presidential decree rather than through democratic processes.
This circumvention of democratic processes, though legal, fuelled the public’s decreasing faith in democracy and the Weimar Republic.

The Appointment of Hitler as Chancellor

Fearing a Communist uprising and believing he could control Adolf Hitler, Hindenburg reluctantly appointed Hitler as Chancellor in January 1933, under pressure from advisors, notably former Chancellor von Papen.
This marked the effective end of the Weimar Republic and the beginning of Nazi dictatorship.