The most significant attempt to bring down the republic came in 1920 with the Kapp Putsch. The Kapp Putsch was significant because it showed the army could not be relied upon to support a Democratic Republic and the army was not answerable to the government. In March 1920, Walter von Luttwitz a commanding general in the German army, and Wolfgang Kapp, a german provincial official attempted a coup d'etat called the Kapp Putsch. With the help of a few other German officials General Hans von Seeckt and his collaborators in the Ministry of Defence. The conspirators had two main aims in mind. To avoid the implementation of certain articles in the Treaty of Versailles such as the reduction of the German army and to place the government of the Republic with a Rightist regime. The main aim of the Kapp Putsch was to destruct the Weimar republic. It gained significant support amongst the public, and showed that the army could not be relied upon as a sole supported of the Weimar Republic. A coup attempt in March of 1920 lead by Kapp and Luttwitz was however left untouched by the military. General Von Seekt of the German army was asked by the Republic to settle the coup attempt, his response however was controversially “Reichswehr does not fire upon Reichswehr”, as the movement was conservative and so too was the military. Although the Kapp Putsch was a factor in hindering the implementation of Democracy in Germany, it was not the only factor present at the time.
Hyperinflation also played a significant role in the implementation of Democracy in Germany during this period. Inflation was already high during the war as Germany planned to pay their large post war debts with the spoils of victory, but with passive resistance at the Ruhr, Hyperinflation lead to serious problems in Germany. After being defeated they were left with less resources to pay back their debts with. Reparations needed to be made as a result on Versailles destroyed Germany's economy. The government continued to pay the workers wages during the French occupation of the Ruhr and as a result hyperinflation was caused. As the government continued to print money the more it became worthless. Many historians argue that Germany deliberately caused hyperinflation to ensure German bankruptcy so not as to pay back the large sums in reparations. Hyperinflation had a huge impact not only on working class germans, but to middle class aswell. Starvation was a reality for many working class, as millions were unemployed and those that were got paid worthless money. The broad lower middle class made up the majority of Germans. Those who had self-employent, fixed wages/ salaries living off savings were affected greatly. People had life savings gone in an instant. Historians argue that the lower middle-class were bitter at the republic as a result of the treaty of Versailles, occupation by the French and now hyperinflation.
The new social Democratic government of the Weimar Republic had great plans to improve the conditions of the poor in Germany. Improved education, welfare and more jobs were promised. These were expensive programs to deliver, more expensive than the government could really afford in 1919. To finance them the government borrowed more money and printed more currency. But people soon realised that money became worthless and lost trust in the government and support was lost. Hyperinflation did play a key role in the hindering implementation of Democracy in Germany. However it is not the only factor present at the time and should therefore not be responsible.
The left wing Spartacists also played a pivotal role in the eventual democratic republic of Germany. The Spartacists were extreme left wing communists formed in 1919 by Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg. Both being prominent members of the left-wing faction of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD).The Spartacists eventually became the Communist Party of Germany (KPD) on the 30th of December 1918. In January 1919 demonstrations were help over the dismissal of a USPD official in Berlin which led to a strike and an attempt to seize power. Right-wing 'Freikorps' units were called up to put down the Spartacist riots. The Spartacists wanted Germany to be run by workers councils. Demanding better wages, working hours and trying to force the current government out of power. The Spartacists did have significant involvement in hindering democracy, but is not the soul factor present at the time.
Another factor which played a key role in hindering democracy in Germany was the role of the army. To ensure his government remained control over the country, Ebert made an agreement with the supreme army command, now lead be General Wilhelm Groener. The 'Ebert-Groener pact' stipulated that the government would not attempt to reform the army so long as the army swore to protect the state. This agreement symbolised the acceptance of the new government by the military, assuaging concern among the middle classes, on the other hand, it was thought contrary to working-class interests by left wing social democrats and communists, and was also opposed by the far right who believed democracy would make Germany weaker. The new Reichswehr armed forces, limited by the Treaty Of versailles to 100,000 soldiers and 15,000 sailors, remained fully under the control of the German Officer Class despite its nominal re-organisation. To an extent the army to play a role in hindering democracy, but there were other factors present which also had a considerable impact.
The Judiciary was also an influential factor in hindering the growth of democracy during this period. As democracy became a way of life leaders of the new Weimar government had to wrestle the problems of a newly developing democracy, the creation of a new constitution and political culture and the need for institutional reform particularly judiciary. There were more than 376 political murders in the period up to 1923, with 356 of these coming from the right wing. While judges were brutally harsh in their treatment of the small number of left-wing assailants in terrorist attacks, the same Judiciary's overt sympathy for right-wing terrorist violence seriously threatened the Republic. This caused a lot of uprisings during this period and the government lost a lot of support with people wondering how can a fundamentally anti-democratic judiciary work. This was a key factor, but was not to soul factor present in the period up to 1923.
Although the Treaty of Versailles was a key factor in hindering the implementation of Democracy in Germany in the period up to 1923, it was not the soul determinant, and other factors such as hyperinflation, groups the Kapp Putsch and Spartacists, the role of the army and judiciary also played key roles in slowing down support for Democracy during this period.
