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The '''Weimar Republic''' is the name of the administration which governed [[Germany]] from 1919 to 1933 after its defeat in [[World War I]] and the stepping down of [[Kaiser Wilhelm II]].  The name Weimar Republic is given because the constitution had been drafted in the city of Weimar as the capital, Berlin, was considered too dangerous the period immediately following the end of World War I. The republic experienced many problems.

The '''Weimar Republic''' is the name of the administration which governed [[Germany]] from 1919 to 1933 after its defeat in [[World War I]] and the stepping down of [[Kaiser Wilhelm II]].  The name Weimar Republic is given because the constitution had been drafted in the city of Weimar as the capital, Berlin, was considered too dangerous the period immediately following the end of World War I. The republic experienced many problems.

This government was already disliked by the German people for having signed the humiliating [[Treaty of Versailles]]. (In truth Germany had no choice.  They were not allowed to give input, and were only told to sign.)  The huge reparations required by that Treaty caused an even bigger problem.  Germany simply could not pay.

This government was already disliked by the German people for having signed the humiliating [[Treaty of Versailles]], and this was especially humiliating because most German civilians were taken by surprise by their nation's surrender in the war, seeing as they had no idea that they were losing the war. (In truth Germany had no choice.  They were not allowed to give input, and were only told to sign.)  The huge reparations required by that Treaty caused an even bigger problem.  Germany simply could not pay. In fact, the original plan was that Germany would not be able to have its war debts paid off until 1988; 70 years after the signing of the treaty.

So Germany began printing money, and lots of it.  This made it easier for Germany to pay its reparations but resulted in domestic hyper-inflation.  The people were outraged at the depreciation of their savings and suffered great hardship. The currency became so debased that people used wheelbarrows to move their money around.  The value of the German mark went from 4 to the dollar to over 1 trillion to the dollar at the peak of the inflation in 1923.  The German people disapproved even more of their own government.  The setting was ripe for a new figure to rise who claimed to have the cure for Germany's economic problems and could restore German [[nationalism]], [[Hitler|Adolf Hitler]].

So Germany began printing money, and lots of it.  This made it easier for Germany to pay its reparations but resulted in domestic hyper-inflation.  The people were outraged at the depreciation of their savings and suffered great hardship. The currency became so debased that people used wheelbarrows to move their money around.  The value of the German mark went from 4 to the dollar to over 1 trillion to the dollar at the peak of the inflation in 1923.  The German people disapproved even more of their own government.  The setting was ripe for a new figure to rise who claimed to have the cure for Germany's economic problems and could restore German [[nationalism]], [[Hitler|Adolf Hitler]].