Weimar Republic: Map & History
The Weimar Republic was a historical period of the German state from 9 November 1918 to 23 March 1933, during which it was a constitutional republic for the first time in history.
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The Weimar Republic was a historical period of the German state from 9 November 1918 to 23 March 1933, during which it was a constitutional republic for the first time in history. The state was officially named the German Reich, but was more commonly referred to, and unofficially proclaimed itself, as the German Republic. The period's informal name is derived from the city of Weimar, where the republic's constituent assembly took place. During the interwar period in the Anglophone world, the republic was usually simply called "Germany", with "Weimar Republic" not commonly used until the 1930s. The Weimar Republic had a semi-presidential system.
Modern Countries Once Part of Weimar Republic
At its mapped extent, Weimar Republic covered territory in 3 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Weimar Republic's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Weimar Republic in Depth
History
Germany and the Central Powers fought the Allies of WWI between 28 July 1914 and 11 November 1918. The war ended with 20 million military and civilian deaths, including 2,037,000 German soldiers and from 424,000 to 763,000 civilians, many of them from disease and starvation as a result of the Allied blockade of Germany.
After four years of war on multiple fronts in Europe and around the world, the final Allied offensive began in August 1918, and the position of Germany and the Central Powers deteriorated, leading them to sue for peace. After initial offers were rejected by the Allied Powers, the hunger and privation of the war years came together with the awareness of an impending military defeat to help spark the German Revolution.
Government
The constitution created a federal semi-presidential republic with a parliament, the Reichstag, that was elected by universal suffrage using proportional representation. The appointed Reichsrat represented the interests of the federal states. The president of Germany had supreme command over the military, extensive emergency powers, and appointed and removed the chancellor, who was responsible to the Reichstag.
The Reichsrat's powers were relatively limited, making it weaker than its predecessor, the Bundesrat of the German Empire (1871–1918). Members were appointed by the German state governments to represent their interests in legislation and in administration of the nation at the federal level.
Legacy
Nazi propaganda tended to describe the Weimar Republic as a period of treason, degeneration, and corruption. The whole period from 1918 to 1933 was described in propaganda as "The time of the System" (Systemzeit), while the Republic itself was known as "The System" (Das System), a term that was adopted into everyday use after 1933. Another Nazi phrase used for the republic and its politicians was "the November criminals" or "the regime of the November criminals" (German: November-Verbrecher), referring to the month the republic was founded in (November 1918).
According to Foreign Policy, the Weimar Republic is seen as "the best-known historical example of a 'failed' democracy that ceded to fascism".
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Weimar Republic (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Weimar Republic: Key Facts
| Capital | Berlin |
|---|---|
| Official language | German |
| Religions | Lutheranism, Reformed Christianity, Catholic Church, Judaism |
| Form of government | semi-presidential system |
| Currencies | Papiermark, Rentenmark, Reichsmark |
| Founded | 9 November 1918 |
| Dissolved | 1933 |
Preceded by
- German Empire
- Soviet Republic of Saxony
- Socialist Republic of Germany
Succeeded by
Facts from Wikidata Q41304 (CC0).
Weimar Republic Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 481,731 km² in 1934 CE.
Weimar Republic: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Weimar Republic exist?
The Weimar Republic is dated to 1920 CE – 1935 CE, in the Industrial era.
What was the capital of the Weimar Republic?
The capital of the Weimar Republic was Berlin.
How large was the Weimar Republic at its peak?
At its peak in 1934 the Weimar Republic covered about 481,731 km².
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