The Weimar Republic was a chaotic and difficult transition for the German State after the Great War. To some historians, the Republic and Weimar Germany was destined to collapse from the beginning. Many years of traditional autocratic rule by strong nationalistic leaders made the acceptance of democracy difficult. The exhilarating days of 1918 saw it widely embraced, but its implementation would prove to be another matter. Despite its sweeping mandate in 1919, the SPD cabinet and their successors made many mistakes which were eventually to prove the undoing of Weimar. From the outset problems such as the flight of the Kaiser had beset the new republic. Many Germans had presumed the emperor and new republic would work together. By 1920 the electoral pendulum was already swinging right.
The Weimar Republic faced many problems. Perhaps the greatest danger was 'the weakness within' - the constitution gave the President, the states and the army too much power, whilst proportional voting meant that the Reichstag was divided and weak.
The German nation was used to being ruled, rather than ruling itself. Democracy was a new concept within Germany and many people were wiling to look to the left and right wings for political leadership. Strength and image were considered more important by some than policy and pragmatism appear to have been. .
The republic also suffered at the hands of the Treaty of Versailles. Many groups within Germany blamed to fledgling government for the harsh terms imposed by the treaty and opposition to the government was both open and violent: with varying amounts of success over the period of the republic's life. .
The failure of Weimar to contain and eradicate these movements was in part due to the economic conditions of the day. A reparations bill of 6.6 Billion pounds ensured that the economy was going to struggle.
The events up to 1923 had done serious damage to the Weimar Republic.
