Firstly, the Weimar Republic, a country considered by its inhabitants as a temporary state,
was undermined by anti-democratic tradition of nineteenth Germany and a belief in injustice of the Diktat and 'stab in the back'. What is more, Weimar's voting system was unstable and role of the president was not clear. Besides, old elites were not wiped out and this country stayed 'a republic without republicans'. However, under more favourable circumstances German democracy would have been quite capable to exist without obstacles thanks to its constitution which was the most liberal in the world. Nevertheless, strikes and putsches failed to change the existing system. That's why the Republic came out on top from the chaos and anarchy of the period 1918-23. One should also mention that in the 'Golden Years' the Weimar Republic had no serious problems to cope with. Democratic parties were successful and there was no mass support for radical parties and that is why there was no coups, putsches and other tries to take power or / and change the system. Above all, thanks to the conciliatory policy of fulfillment conducted by Foreign Minister Gustav Stresemann Allies withdrew from the Rhineland. Consequently, foreign countries -France, Belgium or Great Britain - did not affect the German economy anymore. Earlier, occupation of Rhineland by French and Belgian troops led to a hiperinflation crisis in 1923. Therefore, elimination of foreign influence over the Weimar Republic was a significant achievement. This country managed to reach levels of economic production before the war. But, fragile economic recovery and gradual polarisation of the political scene were past hope. Besides, the Weimar Republic was badly hit by the effects of the Wall Street Crash, i.e. in the following four years production nearly halved and unemployment rose to 6 million. The Weimar governments, terrified of sparking off inflation – like in 1923, took little action to counter the Great Depression. The slump led to growing support for NSDAP and KPD in the 1930 and 1932 elections. Thus any government found it hard to get majority support in the Reichstag and Chancellors had to rely on presidential decrees under Article 48. Members of the elites looked for alternatives to Weimar democracy. They increasingly realised they might have to use the mass support behind Hitler to establish a more authoritarian system, especially that Papen and Schleicher failed to persuade the Nazis to join a government in a subordinate role. Eventually, elements in the elites persuaded Hindenburg to appoint Hitler as a Chancellor.
Taking everything into account, the Weimar Republic survived big troubles like
hyperinflation between 1919 and 1923, strikes of the Left and putsches of the Right. But,
unfortunately, close economic links with the USA proved fatal. If there had not been Wall Street
Crash, extremist parties – NDSAP with Adolf Hitler and KPD - would not have gained such big
support. Though economic and international situations were improving by the end of 1932 and in
consequence the moderate parties might have regained their electoral support at the expense of
extremists, they were still blamed for the Diktat, reparations and ineffectiveness during the slump. No wonder the elites, in order to establish a more authoritarian system, decided to leave popular Hitler at the post of the Chancellor, but surrounded by conservatives in order to be controlled. This turned out to be a fatal miscalculation.
