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by a popular plebiscite, while the Reichstag,
prosperity was temporarily restored by the
to which the Chancellor and the Ministers
Dawes Plan, regulating the reparations ques-
were responsible, was chosen on the basis of
tion, and by huge loans from the United
universal suffrage. The old particularism of
States for reconstruction. Political conces-
the states, now called Laender, was greatly
sions were also obtained from the Allies, such
reduced by the widened scope of Reich legis-
as German admission to the League of Nations
lation. The predominance of Prussia was
and the withdrawal of the Allied Commission
greatly reduced by changing the old
on control of German armaments. By such
Bundesrat into a Reichsrat of limited powers.
means the Republic was able to survive until
All the basic democratic rights, such as free-
the world-wide depression of 1929-30.
dom of speech and freedom from arbitrary
A succession of Cabinets (Bruening, Papen,
arrest were secured in the Weimar Constitu-
Schleicher) ruling (1929-32) by decree with-
tion. A provision was inserted, however, in
out parliamentary support proved unequal to
Article 48 which enabled the authorities to
the task of solving the economic crisis. The
suspend these constitutional guarantees in
German middle classes, on which a parliamen-
times of national stress or peril.
tary democracy would normally have relied
The Weimar Republic endured many vicis-
for support, and, to a lesser extent, the work-
situdes before its extinction at the hands of
ing classes now succumbed to the pressure of
the Nazis. The German party system, from
world conditions while foreign trade and
lack of experience and responsibility in gov-
loans dwindled rapidly, production dropped,
ernment, was unable to provide the leadership
wages declined, and employment fell off
necessary to carry the country through the
sharply. The government was unable to
stormy postwar period. Parties representing
check the economic landslide, unemployment
outmoded interests could not obtain clear ma-
swelled the ranks of reactionary forces inimi-
jorities in the Reichstag, and party leaders
cal to the Republic, and extreme nationalists
were forced to manipulate combinations or
of the Hugenburg-Hitler type redoubled their
coalitions of uncooperative and unstable
propaganda attacks on the Weimar regime.
groups which were constantly dissolving and
In the 1930 elections the Nazis, who in 1928
reforming at every governmental crisis. The
had secured only 12 seats in the Reichstag
Republic was harassed not only by war debts,
with 810,000 votes, were supported by over 6
postwar inflation and instability, but also by
million voters and increased their representa-
the odium of having ratified the Treaty of
tion to 107 members, second only in size to the
Versailles, to which the nationalists attributed
Social Democrats. The Communists, more-
all the ills afficting Germany. This situa-
over, assisted the Nazis in provoking disorders
tion was fully exploited by the Right, which
to hamper the government's efforts at recov-
included the landowners, the industrialists,
ery. As conditions grew steadily worse, the
and the militarists, who were attempting to
Nazis swept the 1932 elections and emerged
regain their old mastery over the state.
as the strongest party in the Reichstag.
Although the Weimar Government was
After an interval of palace intrigue, the aged
strong enough to suppress the various
President von Hindenburg was induced to ap-
putsches instigated by its enemies, including
point Hitler Chancellor in January 1933.
the abortive attempt by Hitler in 1923, it was
Hitler lost no time in converting Germany
forced to compromise with reactionary ele-
into a totalitarian state. The Reichstag fire of
ments in order to survive. Powerful indus-
February 28 furnished a pretext for liquidat-
trial combines multiplied with direct assist-
ing the opposition. A month later the Reich-
ance from the state; liberal subsidies were
stag surrendered its powers through the "En-
granted to the big landowners; no effort was
abling Act" which conferred supreme power on
made to suppress the many para-military or-
the Cabinet; henceforward Hitler ruled by de-
ganizations which were rapidly rehabilitating
cree and the Reichstag was merely summoned
the Reichswehr system in violation of the
with the rest of the populace as an audience for
terms of the Treaty of Versailles. Relative
his harangues. In 1934 Hitler succeeded
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"ocrText": "I-3\nby a popular plebiscite, while the Reichstag,\nprosperity was temporarily restored by the\nto which the Chancellor and the Ministers\nDawes Plan, regulating the reparations ques-\nwere responsible, was chosen on the basis of\ntion, and by huge loans from the United\nuniversal suffrage. The old particularism of\nStates for reconstruction. Political conces-\nthe states, now called Laender, was greatly\nsions were also obtained from the Allies, such\nreduced by the widened scope of Reich legis-\nas German admission to the League of Nations\nlation. The predominance of Prussia was\nand the withdrawal of the Allied Commission\ngreatly reduced by changing the old\non control of German armaments. By such\nBundesrat into a Reichsrat of limited powers.\nmeans the Republic was able to survive until\nAll the basic democratic rights, such as free-\nthe world-wide depression of 1929-30.\ndom of speech and freedom from arbitrary\nA succession of Cabinets (Bruening, Papen,\narrest were secured in the Weimar Constitu-\nSchleicher) ruling (1929-32) by decree with-\ntion. A provision was inserted, however, in\nout parliamentary support proved unequal to\nArticle 48 which enabled the authorities to\nthe task of solving the economic crisis. The\nsuspend these constitutional guarantees in\nGerman middle classes, on which a parliamen-\ntimes of national stress or peril.\ntary democracy would normally have relied\nThe Weimar Republic endured many vicis-\nfor support, and, to a lesser extent, the work-\nsitudes before its extinction at the hands of\ning classes now succumbed to the pressure of\nthe Nazis. The German party system, from\nworld conditions while foreign trade and\nlack of experience and responsibility in gov-\nloans dwindled rapidly, production dropped,\nernment, was unable to provide the leadership\nwages declined, and employment fell off\nnecessary to carry the country through the\nsharply. The government was unable to\nstormy postwar period. Parties representing\ncheck the economic landslide, unemployment\noutmoded interests could not obtain clear ma-\nswelled the ranks of reactionary forces inimi-\njorities in the Reichstag, and party leaders\ncal to the Republic, and extreme nationalists\nwere forced to manipulate combinations or\nof the Hugenburg-Hitler type redoubled their\ncoalitions of uncooperative and unstable\npropaganda attacks on the Weimar regime.\ngroups which were constantly dissolving and\nIn the 1930 elections the Nazis, who in 1928\nreforming at every governmental crisis. The\nhad secured only 12 seats in the Reichstag\nRepublic was harassed not only by war debts,\nwith 810,000 votes, were supported by over 6\npostwar inflation and instability, but also by\nmillion voters and increased their representa-\nthe odium of having ratified the Treaty of\ntion to 107 members, second only in size to the\nVersailles, to which the nationalists attributed\nSocial Democrats. The Communists, more-\nall the ills afficting Germany. This situa-\nover, assisted the Nazis in provoking disorders\ntion was fully exploited by the Right, which\nto hamper the government's efforts at recov-\nincluded the landowners, the industrialists,\nery. As conditions grew steadily worse, the\nand the militarists, who were attempting to\nNazis swept the 1932 elections and emerged\nregain their old mastery over the state.\nas the strongest party in the Reichstag.\nAlthough the Weimar Government was\nAfter an interval of palace intrigue, the aged\nstrong enough to suppress the various\nPresident von Hindenburg was induced to ap-\nputsches instigated by its enemies, including\npoint Hitler Chancellor in January 1933.\nthe abortive attempt by Hitler in 1923, it was\nHitler lost no time in converting Germany\nforced to compromise with reactionary ele-\ninto a totalitarian state. The Reichstag fire of\nments in order to survive. Powerful indus-\nFebruary 28 furnished a pretext for liquidat-\ntrial combines multiplied with direct assist-\ning the opposition. A month later the Reich-\nance from the state; liberal subsidies were\nstag surrendered its powers through the \"En-\ngranted to the big landowners; no effort was\nabling Act\" which conferred supreme power on\nmade to suppress the many para-military or-\nthe Cabinet; henceforward Hitler ruled by de-\nganizations which were rapidly rehabilitating\ncree and the Reichstag was merely summoned\nthe Reichswehr system in violation of the\nwith the rest of the populace as an audience for\nterms of the Treaty of Versailles. Relative\nhis harangues. In 1934 Hitler succeeded"
}