Modern History Germany 1918-1939 Essay

The Weimar Republic was considered weak from the post-war period until 1933. The weaknesses in the Weimar Republic were key to the growth and rise to power of the Nazi Party in 1933. Many historians have criticized these weaknesses, saying that the Weimar Republic was always going to fail, due to mismanagement and the lack of experience. These weaknesses include Article 48, which helped Hitler pass the Enabling Act of 1933. The role of President Hindenburg was another weakness of the Weimar Republic as he was able to choose the Chancellor, giving Hitler and the Nazi Party more power. The Hyperinflation Crisis of 1923 is also an example of the weak Weimar Republic. However, the weaknesses of the Weimar Republic was not the only aid to the growth and rise to power of the Nazi Party, as there were many external factors, such as the Dawes Plan, linked to the Hyperinflation Crisis of 1923, which exposed Germany to the Great Depression, as well as the Treaty of Versailles, and its many points including Article 231 – the war guilt clause. Furthermore, the capitalization of these weaknesses was also a key factor to the growth and rise to power of the Nazi Party in 1923.

The weaknesses in the Weimar Republic allowed for the Nazi’s to gain power through Article 48, where the President is given emergency powers to suspend the Reichstag at a moments notice. After the Reichstag Fire, Hitler convinced Hindenburg to use Article 48, giving Hitler the opportunity to pass the Enabling Act without the majority of the Reichstag’s approval, and banned the Communists. This shows that because of Article 48, Hitler was given legal means of gaining power, and without Article 48, Hitler would have never of became a Dictator of Germany with the rising power given to the Nazi Party. The use of Article 48 also led to the creation of the Enabling Act in 1933.

The Enabling Act of 1933 allowed Hitler to gain power as it gave Hitler total control of the Reichstag. Once it was passed with the