What problems threatened the survival of the Weimar Republic between 1919-24?

        Another effect of the Treaty of Versailles was the burden of reperation payments imposed on them by the allies. In April 1921 the allies fixed the total amount at 132,000million gold marks over 30 years. This ofcourse created a huge problem for Germany who’s economy was on the brink of collapsing, and with little money it would lead to further problems for the Weimar Republic.

        In December 1918 the USPD left the Government. In January 1919 mass protests at the dismissal of a radical official turned into a largely spontaneous rising which communist members of the Spartacist league tried to take over in the hope that it would turn to a communist revolution. The army were ordered to suppress the rising and with help from the right wing Freikorps crushed the revolt with over 100 deaths. In the spring of 1919 the industrial areas of Germany were racked by radical left wing unrest. A wave of strikes occurred in the Ruhr mines, central Germany and Berlin. Fortunately for the Weimar Republic these risings lacked serious support and any real leader. However it can still be considered as a threat to the survival of the Weimar Republic as these revolts showed the lack of popularity and confidence many had at that time. Only in Bavaria did the revolutionaries gain brief control. After the overthrow of the Bavarian monarchy and the creation of a Republic on 7th November1918, there had been considerable political confusion. In March 1919 a soviet Republic was proclaimed, which created RED GUARDS and workers councils. In May 1919 this was bloodily surpressed by the Freikorps with over 700 killed, and a right wing Government was established.

        As noted there were many minor threats from the left wing which to an extent never really threatened the survival of the Weimar Republic. This wasn’t the only problem for the Weimar Republic. On 12th March, 12,000 Freikorps marched into Berlin where crucially the army refused to support the Government. The Government had no alternative but to flee and the Freikorps entered Berlin. A new Government headed by Wolfgang Kapp was proclaimed but it was occupying buildings it was not able to Govern because it lacked any real support.After four days the Kapp Government fled and Ebert’s Government returned to Berlin. Another threat from the Right wing revolutionary groups was Hitler’s Munich Putsch. Hitler stormed into a right wing meeting and forced the leaders to sate there support for a march on Berlin to impose a new Government. 2,000 armed Nazis march to a military base in Munich. They are met by armed police and Bavarian soldiers. Nazis are killed and the Putsch is suppressed. This Putsch wasn’t a huge threat to the Weimar Republic yet added to there problems.