“The Weimar Republic was able to overcome threats to its survival between 1918 and 1923 because it had the support of the German people.” Discuss.

The question requires that candidates offer a considered and balanced review of the reasons why the Weimar Republic survived the crises of its first five years. Candidates may argue that the republic did not have popular support, as many Germans disliked the Treaty of Versailles, and that the crises were attempts to destroy the republic (the Spartacist Revolt, Kapp Putsch and Munich Putsch). These crises should be discussed with reference to how they were survived for indications of support. For example, the army was willing to protect the republic from left-wing revolution (and the Freikorps were used to crush the Spartacists). To agree with the statement, candidates may argue that electoral support for moderate Weimar parties was greater than support for left and right parties that wanted to destroy the republic. Other evidence of popular support could be the general strike in Berlin that ended the Kapp Putsch. Candidates may also argue that the Weimar Republic could ultimately rely on backing from the Allies who did not want either a left-wing revolution or a possible restoration of the monarchy. Candidate’s opinions or conclusions will be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.

The question required that candidates offer a considered and balanced review of the statement that the Weimar Republic was able to overcome threats to its survival between 1918 and 1923 because it had the support of the German people. This was a relatively popular question. There were some good responses. However, some candidates did not seem to have enough of a knowledge base for the period 1918-1923 to answer the question successfully. Instead, they provided material on the later years of the Weimar Republic including the Depression of 1929 and Hitler's rise to power in 1933.