Roots of failure: What the Weimar Republic teaches us today

Roots of failure: What the Weimar Republic teaches us today

The challenges of the Weimar Republic and the teachings for the present are the focus of the discussion about Volker Ullrich's new book "Fate hours of a democracy". In his work, the historian illuminates the crisis phases of the first German democracy between 1918 and 1933 and analyzes how structured political mistakes led to the rise of the National Socialists. This raises important questions about today's democracy and their fragility.

The fragility of democracy today

Ullrich draws parallels between the political landscape at the time and the current situation in many western countries and warns of the global fragility of democratic systems. He sees the Weimar conditions not only in Germany, but also internationally. The book asks the readers to actively deal with the defense of democratic values.

teaching from history

One of the core arguments of Ullrich is the danger of naivety in dealing with extremists. He emphasizes that captivity in the illusion that radicalism could be moderate is dangerous. Historical setbacks, such as the Kapp-Lüttwitz-Putsch, show that false trust in extremist forces can have fatal consequences. Ullrich advocates a stronger and more consistent defense of the basic democratic values.

political wrong decisions of the Weimar Republic

In "Fate hours of a democracy", Ullrich addresses serious political wrong decisions, which led to the radicalization of parties and the general weakening of the democratic system. In particular, the right pressure and the election of Paul von Hindenburg are considered crucial turning points that could have been prevented, the left would have been worked together more. We obtain this insight through Ullrich's critical analysis of the political currents of that time.

establishment of a stable political center

Ullrich argues that the center of society - consisting of the political parties, the economy and the unions - has to keep together more to ward off democracy. Responsible action and the agreement on shared values are essential for the survival of democracy. Here, Ullrich also calls for the moderate forces to overlook their own interests and to stand up for the well -being of the democratic system.

important historical-critical considerations

Ullrich's book is less a comprehensive overall representation of the Weimar Republic, rather than an in -depth analysis of selected critical events that are understood as culmination points. It becomes clear that the events of that time cannot be viewed in isolation; Their effects can be felt into today's political structures. Ullrich emphasizes that many of the decisions at that time were avoidable mistakes, the consequences of which influenced the entire society.

Finally, it can be said that "hours of fate of a democracy" is of great relevance for both historians and the general public. The work asks us to learn from history and actively work on the stabilization of our democratic systems in order to avoid repeated mistakes of the past.

- Nag