Customer Reviews

The Rise and Fall of Weimar Democracy

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This book is not for the general reader. It was written for scholars of German history and is a dense analysis of politics from the foundation of the Weimar Republic to its fall under the Nazi onslaught. The focus is on politics with a detailed discussion of political history. Social history, economic history, and diplomatic history figure prominently but primarily in the context of how they affected the politics of Weimar. Mommsen's mastery of detail and ability to integrate these different aspects of Weimar's history are impressive. While the descriptions of political manuvering can be a chore to read, ths level of detail is necessary to achieve a complete picture of the history of Weimar and are the foundation for the often masterly analyses that dot this book. This book is never less than complete and many sections, for example, the descriptions of the collapse of the Imperial state or the rise of the Nazi party, are outstanding. More than anything else, Mommsen provides a vivid picture of the huge obstacles faced by the Weimar Republic. From its inception, the Republic and its commitment to a democratic state faced opposition from several important segments of German society, including the Army, much of the civil service, much of industry, the traditional aristocracy, much of the juidiciary, and most of the professioriate. Coupled with a very unfavorable international situation and the enormous stresses of the Great Depression, it is remarkable that the Republic survived as long as it did.

This book is not necessarily and easy read, but if you are truly interested in the dynamics in Germany leading up to WWII this is the one for you.