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Germany 1923: Hyperinflation, Hitler's Putsch, and Democracy in Crisis
The great Austrian writer Stefan Zweig confided in his autobiography: “I have a pretty thorough knowledge of history, but never, to my recollection, has it produced such madness in such gigantic proportions.” He was referring to Germany in 1923, a “year of lunacy,” defined by hyperinflation, violence, a political system on the verge of collapse, the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party, and separatist movements threatening to rip apart the German nation. Most observers found it miraculous that the Weimar Republic—the first German democracy—was able to survive, though some of the more astute realized that the feral undercurrents unleashed that year could lead to much worse. Now, a century later, best-selling author Volker Ullrich draws on letters, memoirs, newspaper articles, and other sources to present a riveting chronicle of one of the most difficult years any modern democracy has ever faced—one with haunting parallels to our own political moment.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published September 15, 2022
174 people are currently reading
3970 people want to read
About the author
Volker Ullrich
31 books233 followersVolker Ullrich was born in Celle. He studied history, literature, philosophy and education at the University of Hamburg. From 1966 to 1969 he was assistant to the Hamburg’s Egmont Zechlin Chair. He graduated in 1975 after a dissertation on the Hamburg labour movement of the early 20th Century, after which he worked as a Hamburg school teacher. He was, for a time, a lecturer in politics at the Lüneburg University, and in 1988 he became a research fellow at Hamburg’s Foundation for 20th-century Social History. Since 1990 Ullrich has been the head of the political section of the weekly newspaper Die Zeit.
Ullrich has published articles and books on 19th- and 20th-century history. In 1996 he reviewed the thesis postulated in Daniel Goldhagen’s book Hitler's Willing Executioners that provoked fresh debate among historians.
In 1992 he was awarded the Alfred Kerr Prize for literary criticism, and, in 2008, received an honorary doctorate from the University of Jena.
Ullrich has published articles and books on 19th- and 20th-century history. In 1996 he reviewed the thesis postulated in Daniel Goldhagen’s book Hitler's Willing Executioners that provoked fresh debate among historians.
In 1992 he was awarded the Alfred Kerr Prize for literary criticism, and, in 2008, received an honorary doctorate from the University of Jena.
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October 24, 2023
A most detailed account of a year which shook the foundations of the Weimer Republic. The Author aims at explaining how the events of this year brought the end of the democracy in Germany closer and he does this in an engaging way although for myself, being interested morein social history, the political turmoil was at time hard to follow. On the other hand, the description of the hyperinflation is one of the most interesting I have ever read. I would say this book is a perfect choice for those readers who already have some knowledge of the events of the early twenties in Germany, gained through both fiction and non-fiction and it will be appreciated by those who want to deepen their understanding of the paths which led to the collapse of the Republic.
*Many thanks to Volker Ullrich, HighBridge Audio, and NetGalley for a free audiobook in exchange for my honest review.*
*Many thanks to Volker Ullrich, HighBridge Audio, and NetGalley for a free audiobook in exchange for my honest review.*
July 27, 2023
Germany’s ‘Year of Lunacy’
At this point in his career, Volker Ullrich is widely respected by his peers in the global community of leading historians focused on the origins, impact and aftermath of World War II. When his publisher asked me to review an advanced copy of his upcoming book, I was honored to accept. I already have four of his other books on my library shelf. I am a lifelong journalist who has specialized for 50 years in covering religious and cultural diversity in the U.S. and around the world, and I know that this entire period is a crucial era—a cataclysm—in which religious, ethnic and racial hatred arose in horrific ways. Throughout my career, I’ve reported 100s of stories that connect in some way with this era.
Because my work continues, I am always looking for reliable, authentically researched books that will deepen my understanding of what went wrong in those years. This book, which focuses solely on 1923 in Germany, is a watershed for those of us trying to learn from that entire era.
So, the first thing I will warn other readers is this: You have to really want to know what happened in 1923 in Germany to find this book compelling. It’s easy to list the infamous highlights of 1923, among them: hyperinflation at staggering rates until German money became useless and Hitler’s abortive attempt at a revolution started in a beer hall. But what’s much harder to understand is how these events were able to explode in the heart of Europe. That’s where Ullrich’s book is both valuable and may be slow reading for folks who don’t want to understand the almost daily machinations.
There was a bewildering array of twists and turns in German political coalitions that year—and Ullrich takes us through an astonishing number of political alliances, betrayals, collaborations, and attacks. I have read a lot about 1923 in other books, but I always came away confused by how so much turbulence unfolded. Now, in this book, I’ve found a historian taking the time to detail for me as a reader how 1923 became so explosive. That chronicle takes nearly 400 pages! Some of the German leaders, opportunists and emerging activists were fighting on one side one week—and on another side, in another coalition, the next week. That personal fragmentation and constant changing of alliances across Germany was what let things get so far out of control.
Anyone who cares about the history of WWII has seen in documentaries or read in books about the period when money became meaningless in Germany and the government had to print paper money in the “billions” simply to keep up with the surreal price increases. In some cases, the price of a meal in a restaurant could rise while people were still sitting at their tables finishing their food! And that’s just one of the crises in 1923.
That year also is when Hitler first tried to become Germany’s dictator through a beer hall declaration that was ill conceived and led to his imprisonment. Vollker describes that attempted coup in the context of what had unfolded earlier in 1923 and in detail as the “putsch” quickly went off the rails.
And there is so much more to this story! I recently watched a TV documentary about the seeds of World War II that mentioned contested territory between Germany and France, but that completely skipped over France’s move in 1923 to occupy the Ruhr with its armed forces. A German veteran of WWI, Albert Schlagerer, a pro-German terrorist, went into the Ruhr and plotted several anti-French bombings. When the French caught and quickly executed him, he became a famous martyr and one Nazi writer romanticized him as “the first soldier of the Third Reich.” That’s a major turning point in that era that I was largely unaware of before reading Vollker’s detailed account of what happened in the Ruhr that year. Among the other milestones that year that I had not seen in the context of 1923, before Vollker’s book were a dramatic influx of Russian immigrants fleeing the Communist regime in Russia, the beginning of regular radio broadcasts even though only a relative handful of Germans owned radios and the influential First Bauhaus Exhibit as well.
Seeing all of these events in context is like assembling a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle until a vivid panorama of the transformations in Germany finally emerges before us.
I have written this review so that other Goodreads friends who enjoy reading about history, and specifically are drawn to books on World War II, will be able to decide whether they want to invest the money and the time in this new book. While I am rating it as 5-star-fascinating for me, it’s also a deep dive into the granular details of who did what to whom as these events turned German life, at times, into what Vollker calls “lunacy.”
At this point in his career, Volker Ullrich is widely respected by his peers in the global community of leading historians focused on the origins, impact and aftermath of World War II. When his publisher asked me to review an advanced copy of his upcoming book, I was honored to accept. I already have four of his other books on my library shelf. I am a lifelong journalist who has specialized for 50 years in covering religious and cultural diversity in the U.S. and around the world, and I know that this entire period is a crucial era—a cataclysm—in which religious, ethnic and racial hatred arose in horrific ways. Throughout my career, I’ve reported 100s of stories that connect in some way with this era.
Because my work continues, I am always looking for reliable, authentically researched books that will deepen my understanding of what went wrong in those years. This book, which focuses solely on 1923 in Germany, is a watershed for those of us trying to learn from that entire era.
So, the first thing I will warn other readers is this: You have to really want to know what happened in 1923 in Germany to find this book compelling. It’s easy to list the infamous highlights of 1923, among them: hyperinflation at staggering rates until German money became useless and Hitler’s abortive attempt at a revolution started in a beer hall. But what’s much harder to understand is how these events were able to explode in the heart of Europe. That’s where Ullrich’s book is both valuable and may be slow reading for folks who don’t want to understand the almost daily machinations.
There was a bewildering array of twists and turns in German political coalitions that year—and Ullrich takes us through an astonishing number of political alliances, betrayals, collaborations, and attacks. I have read a lot about 1923 in other books, but I always came away confused by how so much turbulence unfolded. Now, in this book, I’ve found a historian taking the time to detail for me as a reader how 1923 became so explosive. That chronicle takes nearly 400 pages! Some of the German leaders, opportunists and emerging activists were fighting on one side one week—and on another side, in another coalition, the next week. That personal fragmentation and constant changing of alliances across Germany was what let things get so far out of control.
Anyone who cares about the history of WWII has seen in documentaries or read in books about the period when money became meaningless in Germany and the government had to print paper money in the “billions” simply to keep up with the surreal price increases. In some cases, the price of a meal in a restaurant could rise while people were still sitting at their tables finishing their food! And that’s just one of the crises in 1923.
That year also is when Hitler first tried to become Germany’s dictator through a beer hall declaration that was ill conceived and led to his imprisonment. Vollker describes that attempted coup in the context of what had unfolded earlier in 1923 and in detail as the “putsch” quickly went off the rails.
And there is so much more to this story! I recently watched a TV documentary about the seeds of World War II that mentioned contested territory between Germany and France, but that completely skipped over France’s move in 1923 to occupy the Ruhr with its armed forces. A German veteran of WWI, Albert Schlagerer, a pro-German terrorist, went into the Ruhr and plotted several anti-French bombings. When the French caught and quickly executed him, he became a famous martyr and one Nazi writer romanticized him as “the first soldier of the Third Reich.” That’s a major turning point in that era that I was largely unaware of before reading Vollker’s detailed account of what happened in the Ruhr that year. Among the other milestones that year that I had not seen in the context of 1923, before Vollker’s book were a dramatic influx of Russian immigrants fleeing the Communist regime in Russia, the beginning of regular radio broadcasts even though only a relative handful of Germans owned radios and the influential First Bauhaus Exhibit as well.
Seeing all of these events in context is like assembling a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle until a vivid panorama of the transformations in Germany finally emerges before us.
I have written this review so that other Goodreads friends who enjoy reading about history, and specifically are drawn to books on World War II, will be able to decide whether they want to invest the money and the time in this new book. While I am rating it as 5-star-fascinating for me, it’s also a deep dive into the granular details of who did what to whom as these events turned German life, at times, into what Vollker calls “lunacy.”
December 30, 2023
"The German people began to awake and to recuperate from a nightmare that had been inflicted upon them, violently upsetting their moral standards and their bank accounts. They had no kaiser anymore, no fleet, no army, no generals, no decorations, no titles, no colonies, no illusions. But they had a future."
- Klaus Mann (either written in 1924 or looking back at 1924)
I doubt that anyone who's read a lot about Weimar will find a great deal here that's new, but for me (rusty on a lot of this since German History in my last year of college) it was a helpful encapsulation of the year that began with the French occupation of the Ruhr, saw inflation become hyperinflation, and ended with (checks notes) the first German public radio broadcast, Hitler's putsch, and the introduction of the Rentenmark to stabilize the economy. The chapter on the attempted coup in Munich was a highlight, but Ullrich keeps even all of the dissolving and reconstituting of parliament and the warring of irritatingly similar acronyms (we've got the DNVP, DVFP and the DVP, seriously?) fairly interesting by relying on a variety of primary sources (who helpfully testify to the effect all the political machinations had on the thinking of real people), including a few I was familiar with such as Victor Klemperer and Klaus Mann. Even Goebbels chimes in occasionally. I almost didn't lead with that quote from Klaus because I didn't want anyone to think he was expressing regret for the phasing-out of Wilhelmine-era morality- I doubt he would've been from what little I know of him anyway, and "moral standards" is a phrase that I don't think I've heard used by anyone in modern English outside of maybe my years of Catholic school or those congressional hearings in the 90s when conservatives would try to ban rock music. But I appreciated the parallel he draws, which could be taken in a couple of different ways. To suggest on one hand, as explored in an early chapter here, that there was something creatively inspiring about going through such dire economic times, that they helped hold the door open for, say, dancing orgiastically to jazz, as well as all the other fun people were getting up to along the Kurfurstendamm. It could also be taken, on the other hand, to suggest that any ideas people possess about right and wrong, democracy and dictatorship- no matter how passionately held or philosophically rigorous- turn out to be highly dependent on being paid in a currency that's worth something and having enough to eat. That our sense of ourselves and our morality is largely an illusion enabled by good fortune. Never mind that when you're used to monarchy, and when your first experiment with democracy is so chaotic and painful, it's not surprising that a certain number of people would want to go back to some incarnation of the former. Obvious points, maybe, yet they make what would happen ten years later in Germany seem less mysterious to me than it used to.
To suggest that we're sleepwalking, both in my home country and elsewhere, through some kind of Weimar period ourselves has gone pretty quickly (it feels quick to me, anyway) from being a provocative idea to an article of mainstream faith- it's hard to say we're sleepwalking when you can't spend five seconds on the Guardian or the Atlantic's website without accidentally clicking on an article about it- and since I at least do my best to remain skeptical of articles of faith, I initially figured that I'd leave it for someone else to comment on. Ullrich if not his publisher's marketing department seemed to have the same instinct, which I appreciated, except that in the book's very last chapter, "After 1923", I inevitably found a few quotes, including one from a man by the name of Ossietzky, writing in a newspaper on the tenth anniversary of the Weimar Constitution in 1929, that gave me pause. Ossietzky described a "...state of dissatisfaction that undermines people's belief in the Republic's potential, surrounds the arena of politics with an atmosphere of cool, somewhat contemptuous skepticism, and makes the sad impression, particularly on today's twenty-year-olds, of a system that can't possibly work." I'm almost double the age of 20 now, but those thoughts admittedly sound very familiar anyway. Maybe we're just naturally inclined to hear echoes of our own lives in primary sources, no matter what. But it's one thing to tune out the finger-wagging of The Atlantic's boilerplate, another when the words come from 1929 Germany.
February 23, 2023
Sehr lesenswert, stark im Detail, gegliedert nach Themen mit einem Ausblick bis zum Ende des Jahrzehnts.
January 27, 2024
Volker Ullrich is one of my favorite historians, dealing as he does with what I view to be one of the most interesting periods in history — the origins and aftermath of World War II in Germany.
We likely all know something about Germany in 1923 — usually some combination of rampant inflation and Hitler's beer hall putsch (or maybe just the putsch). But here Ullrich takes a magnifying glass to the year 1923, diving deep into the political instability, the attempts at rebellion from forces on both the left and the right, and France's occupation of the Ruhr Valley — Germany's industrial heartland.
It's more than you may have wanted to know, but it's never boring, and it echoes in eerie ways the current political maelstrom roiling much of the western world, particularly in the terrifying ascendancy of the political right.
It's the chapter on the hyperinflation that really got me. Before the outbreak of World War I, approximately 4.2 German marks equaled 1 U.S. dollar. In 1923, it was 4.2 trillion to 1.
4.2 trillion marks to the dollar!
I can't even comprehend such a thing, and indeed, the Germans of the time couldn't comprehend it either. Entire life savings were wiped out in one fell swoop. Visitors to Germany could spend weeks living like royalty for essentially nothing.
Ullrich draws a direct line from the insane hyperinflation Germans faced to all that came about in the years after. When the price of coffee literally doubles as you're standing in line for it, when you need to rush to spend your paycheck the moment you receive it because in a few short hours it'll be worth nothing, when wheelbarrows full of paper money are exchanged for a mere loaf of bread ... how could things possibly get any worse?
Spoiler alert: they do.
Ullrich also devotes a chapter here to examining the, curiously invigorating, effect that all of Germany's political and economic woes had on the culture. Germans were constantly reeling from the events playing out every day in the streets, and this resulted in furious risk-taking and experimentation in film, theater, and the other arts.
Surprisingly, things appear to turn around at the end of 1923 and into 1924. The German government, against all odds, comes to an agreement with the Entente powers regarding reparation payments that sees France agree to leave the territories they'd occupied. The introduction of the Rentenmark stabilizes the currency. And Hitler and the right wing putschists are arrested and the Nazi Party banned.
Everything is looking up!
Until it isn't.
We likely all know something about Germany in 1923 — usually some combination of rampant inflation and Hitler's beer hall putsch (or maybe just the putsch). But here Ullrich takes a magnifying glass to the year 1923, diving deep into the political instability, the attempts at rebellion from forces on both the left and the right, and France's occupation of the Ruhr Valley — Germany's industrial heartland.
It's more than you may have wanted to know, but it's never boring, and it echoes in eerie ways the current political maelstrom roiling much of the western world, particularly in the terrifying ascendancy of the political right.
It's the chapter on the hyperinflation that really got me. Before the outbreak of World War I, approximately 4.2 German marks equaled 1 U.S. dollar. In 1923, it was 4.2 trillion to 1.
4.2 trillion marks to the dollar!
I can't even comprehend such a thing, and indeed, the Germans of the time couldn't comprehend it either. Entire life savings were wiped out in one fell swoop. Visitors to Germany could spend weeks living like royalty for essentially nothing.
Ullrich draws a direct line from the insane hyperinflation Germans faced to all that came about in the years after. When the price of coffee literally doubles as you're standing in line for it, when you need to rush to spend your paycheck the moment you receive it because in a few short hours it'll be worth nothing, when wheelbarrows full of paper money are exchanged for a mere loaf of bread ... how could things possibly get any worse?
Spoiler alert: they do.
Ullrich also devotes a chapter here to examining the, curiously invigorating, effect that all of Germany's political and economic woes had on the culture. Germans were constantly reeling from the events playing out every day in the streets, and this resulted in furious risk-taking and experimentation in film, theater, and the other arts.
Surprisingly, things appear to turn around at the end of 1923 and into 1924. The German government, against all odds, comes to an agreement with the Entente powers regarding reparation payments that sees France agree to leave the territories they'd occupied. The introduction of the Rentenmark stabilizes the currency. And Hitler and the right wing putschists are arrested and the Nazi Party banned.
Everything is looking up!
Until it isn't.
September 23, 2023
As the title suggests, this book focuses on what happened in Germany in 1923. I would certainly recommend this book to anyone interested in German history or in the period between the end of WWI and the rise of Hitler. In this book, Ullrich goes into great depth on the politics in the Weimar government, the economic instability and it's impact on the citizens, developments in culture, international affairs, and the efforts of extremist attempts to seize power.
Rather than being told chronologically, the main themes are generally covered thematically. While still informative, it did make it somewhat difficult to piece together exactly how everything for together that said, it was well written and informative.
Although the author strictly discusses the history of Germany during this period, it was easy to see concerning parallels from more contemporary events.
I did wish the book had included a timeline and maps. Because the books events are not presented in an entirely chronological order, an outline could help readers line up events. Maps would be helpful since it discusses events in various regions in Germany that I was not always familiar with, I was able to look things up, but having visual references in the book would have been appreciated.
Rather than being told chronologically, the main themes are generally covered thematically. While still informative, it did make it somewhat difficult to piece together exactly how everything for together that said, it was well written and informative.
Although the author strictly discusses the history of Germany during this period, it was easy to see concerning parallels from more contemporary events.
I did wish the book had included a timeline and maps. Because the books events are not presented in an entirely chronological order, an outline could help readers line up events. Maps would be helpful since it discusses events in various regions in Germany that I was not always familiar with, I was able to look things up, but having visual references in the book would have been appreciated.
January 24, 2024
in looking around the current social and political scene in the US, one is tempted to note that: 1) it appears as if everything is going to heck around us, and 2) but wait, can it really be that bad? Politics always looks messy and very untidy. Anyway, things get straightened out, so what could happen? How bad could it really be?
Fairly recent history, however, suggests that it is really possible for a year to be really bad. In addition, a really bad year can be the occasion for later even worse years until disaster is reached. Yes, it really can get worse!
Volker Ullrich is a distinguished historian of 20th century Germany and the Nazis, including a really good two volume biography of Hitler. His new boook - Germany 1923 - is an accounting of all that was going bad in Germany in the fifth year following the end of the “Great War”. First, Germany had not really recognized its defeat and its reparations obligations and ended up suffering a French invasion for nonpayment of reparations. Then there was the hyperinflation. Yes, we have had some inflation in the US from time to time and yes it is disruptive, especially in energy and housing prices, but … image the currency becoming worthless (really worthless) and the middle class being reduced to paupers. This was Bismarck’s Germany and the inflation paid off Germany’s war debts on the back of its middle and lower classses. (The rich did OK.). This was a trauma that continues to affect the German population up to the present and its effects are unlikely to go away. When government bond holders lose everything, it is unsurprising that extremist parties will start to do better. Then there is other serious political conflict as extremist groups in a nation where everyone owns guns coming off of a world war start thinking about coups and revolution. Welcome to the Beer Hall putsch - and the courts treat the putschists fairly well! Then there is the need to get the economy going and encourage foreign investment. …hey but at least the culture of Weimar was thriving!
It is not surprising that the Third Reich is right around then corner. It is like life in the Babylon Berlin novels or the world of Cabaret - everything seems more chaotic but more and more Nazis crowd into each scene.
The history in Ulrich’s book is not new but it is put together well within a one year frame. Looked at altogether, it was quite a year and its clear things could and did get much worse. It seems familiar.
Fairly recent history, however, suggests that it is really possible for a year to be really bad. In addition, a really bad year can be the occasion for later even worse years until disaster is reached. Yes, it really can get worse!
Volker Ullrich is a distinguished historian of 20th century Germany and the Nazis, including a really good two volume biography of Hitler. His new boook - Germany 1923 - is an accounting of all that was going bad in Germany in the fifth year following the end of the “Great War”. First, Germany had not really recognized its defeat and its reparations obligations and ended up suffering a French invasion for nonpayment of reparations. Then there was the hyperinflation. Yes, we have had some inflation in the US from time to time and yes it is disruptive, especially in energy and housing prices, but … image the currency becoming worthless (really worthless) and the middle class being reduced to paupers. This was Bismarck’s Germany and the inflation paid off Germany’s war debts on the back of its middle and lower classses. (The rich did OK.). This was a trauma that continues to affect the German population up to the present and its effects are unlikely to go away. When government bond holders lose everything, it is unsurprising that extremist parties will start to do better. Then there is other serious political conflict as extremist groups in a nation where everyone owns guns coming off of a world war start thinking about coups and revolution. Welcome to the Beer Hall putsch - and the courts treat the putschists fairly well! Then there is the need to get the economy going and encourage foreign investment. …hey but at least the culture of Weimar was thriving!
It is not surprising that the Third Reich is right around then corner. It is like life in the Babylon Berlin novels or the world of Cabaret - everything seems more chaotic but more and more Nazis crowd into each scene.
The history in Ulrich’s book is not new but it is put together well within a one year frame. Looked at altogether, it was quite a year and its clear things could and did get much worse. It seems familiar.
November 16, 2023
Interesting read, 100 years after the impactful events of 1923 in Germany. It is fascinating to think of what could have been had 1923 not happened the way it did for post-Great War Germany. It was a fragile state of democracy during the brief experiment of the Weimar Republic, with the immense economic burden placed upon the German people by the terms of the Treaty of Versailles and their enforcement by the Entente powers. Compared to the relative stability of the fairly established two-party system in the U.S., Germany's many vying parties created a period of destabilization and ever-shifting powers, amidst the backdrop of hyperinflation as the German Mark rose to nearly 2T to one U.S. Dollar at its worst. While I am grateful for the comparatively benign tug-of-war between current Republicans and Democrats when held next to the extreme rocking of the boat of the left and right factions of the Weimar Republic, it is a sobering reminder of the fragility of our wonderful democratic republic we enjoy in America, something not to be taken for granted in the least. The extreme social Marxism we are seeing on the left under the guise of evolved morals and the warped, rabid neo-nationalism of the right under the guise of traditionalism should cause all Americans to take pause and try to move towards a moderate, centrist idealism grounded in reality, unity, and not tearing the other side apart (pick your poison: CRT, gender ideology, cancel culture, Trumpism, isolationism, and the list goes on). We live in precarious times, and just like a Stalin or Hitler can rise out of the chaos of the past as a messianic wolf in sheep's clothing, we must be wary 100 years later that we do not repeat the societal mistakes of our past.
September 23, 2025
It is hardly necessary to repeat what this fascinating book is about, it is there in the subtitle, but it is so much more and, I can't help thinking that its great strength for English language readers, is that it is a written by a German historian. There have been plenty of accounts the major events Ullrich deals with, the occupation Ruhr, Germany's hyperinflation, the creation of the Rentenmark, Hitler's attempted putsch, but it is by placing them within the context of the complex federal and regional politics of Germany that the story truly comes alive.
It is good to see the story of the intense pressure for areas of the republic to split placed back in the story of those years - just because they didn't happen doesn't mean that they couldn't have or didn't play a prominent role in the politics of the time. All too often the policies introduced under President Ebert and Chancellor Stresseman are presented as inevitable - nothing was inevitable in that traumatic year and but although, as people like Stefan Zweig said, it was hyperinflation that made Hitler possible it was a a lot more than that. The refusal of the conservative elements to accept the Republic, no matter what concessions or compromises were made with them, is equally important. Indeed reading this book only deepens our understanding of how long and assiduously the Conservatives groups in Germany worked to undermine the Republic (see my review of 'The Hohenzollern's and the Nazis: A History of Collaboration' by Stephan Malinowski). The story of Hitler's assumption of power related in works like 'The Gravediggers: 1932, The Last Winter of the Weimar Republic' by Rüdiger Barth & Hauke Friederichs (1918) begins back in 1923, indeed long before anyone even knew his name.
If your knowledge of 1923 in Weimar is based only on the reading of excellent but older books like 'When Money Dies: The Nightmare of the Weimar Hyper-inflation' by Adam Fergusson, published 1975, you must read Volker Ullrich's splendid book.
It is good to see the story of the intense pressure for areas of the republic to split placed back in the story of those years - just because they didn't happen doesn't mean that they couldn't have or didn't play a prominent role in the politics of the time. All too often the policies introduced under President Ebert and Chancellor Stresseman are presented as inevitable - nothing was inevitable in that traumatic year and but although, as people like Stefan Zweig said, it was hyperinflation that made Hitler possible it was a a lot more than that. The refusal of the conservative elements to accept the Republic, no matter what concessions or compromises were made with them, is equally important. Indeed reading this book only deepens our understanding of how long and assiduously the Conservatives groups in Germany worked to undermine the Republic (see my review of 'The Hohenzollern's and the Nazis: A History of Collaboration' by Stephan Malinowski). The story of Hitler's assumption of power related in works like 'The Gravediggers: 1932, The Last Winter of the Weimar Republic' by Rüdiger Barth & Hauke Friederichs (1918) begins back in 1923, indeed long before anyone even knew his name.
If your knowledge of 1923 in Weimar is based only on the reading of excellent but older books like 'When Money Dies: The Nightmare of the Weimar Hyper-inflation' by Adam Fergusson, published 1975, you must read Volker Ullrich's splendid book.
March 18, 2023
Een goed te lezen, maar soms ook vrij droog verhaal over een unieke periode in de Duitse geschiedenis. Met kan er niet aan ontkomen om soms enkele dwarsverbanden te zien met het hier en nu. Maar daar leren we dan weer van.
March 7, 2023
Der Autor – Historiker und Publizist – skizziert die Ereignisse, die das Jahr 1923 zu einem ganz besonderen Jahr für Deutschland machen.
Er bedient sich umfangreicher Quellen von Zeitzeugen, Tagebuchaufzeichnungen, Reden, Zeitungskommentare und dergleichen. Dadurch entsteht ein mitunter detailreiches Stimmungsbild der Zeit, das nicht gefärbt ist vom weiteren Lauf der Geschichte.
1923 war ein Schlüsseljahr mit zahlreichen Krisen: Besetzung des Ruhrgebiets und passiver Widerstand, Hyperinflation und Währungsreform, Radikalisierung am rechten und linken Rand des politischen Spektrums, separatistische Bewegungen im Rheinland und der Pfalz. Aber auch ein Jahr mit kultureller Blüte und dem Aufkommen der neuen Medien Rundfunk und Film.
Am Ende des Jahres 1923 scheint es, als habe sich die Weimarer Republik stabilisiert und trotzdem sind es die Ereignisse dieses Jahres, die den Nationalsozialisten den Weg bereiten und es ermöglichen, dass sie ein Jahrzehnt später die Macht übernehmen. Wie Volker Ullrich im Schlusskapitel analysiert.
Es ist ein ausgesprochen lesenswertes Buch.
Er bedient sich umfangreicher Quellen von Zeitzeugen, Tagebuchaufzeichnungen, Reden, Zeitungskommentare und dergleichen. Dadurch entsteht ein mitunter detailreiches Stimmungsbild der Zeit, das nicht gefärbt ist vom weiteren Lauf der Geschichte.
1923 war ein Schlüsseljahr mit zahlreichen Krisen: Besetzung des Ruhrgebiets und passiver Widerstand, Hyperinflation und Währungsreform, Radikalisierung am rechten und linken Rand des politischen Spektrums, separatistische Bewegungen im Rheinland und der Pfalz. Aber auch ein Jahr mit kultureller Blüte und dem Aufkommen der neuen Medien Rundfunk und Film.
Am Ende des Jahres 1923 scheint es, als habe sich die Weimarer Republik stabilisiert und trotzdem sind es die Ereignisse dieses Jahres, die den Nationalsozialisten den Weg bereiten und es ermöglichen, dass sie ein Jahrzehnt später die Macht übernehmen. Wie Volker Ullrich im Schlusskapitel analysiert.
Es ist ein ausgesprochen lesenswertes Buch.
November 13, 2025
well yes!!! great work honestly. the writing is good (and unobtrusive - i did not detect any annoying old white man-isms), the arrangement of the individual sections make perfect sense, the research is obviously very diligently done, what more could you possibly want?
1923 germany is an "easy" subject in the sense that there's so much happening it's not a great challenge to craft an engaging narrative, but presenting it in a logical order and choosing what matters and what doesn't certainly IS and i really like what the author did here.
reading this book is kind of like being relieved thinking "wow look at that, it could always be worse!!" and then 5 seconds later thinking "oh god it could always be worse........" like holy mother of impending doom.
if there's one thing to take away from this book it's that the so called "bürgerliche parteien" (center-right-ish parties) have literally always preferred to bend over for right wing extremists instead of fighting to preserve the liberal democracy that also protects THEIR jobs (and their asses). joy!! maybe certain german chancellors should try reading this book.
safe to say that the ending does nothing to reassure u either bc like WE know what happens 10 years after this. all of this to say: this book is both informative and an engaging read, so: jackpot! congrats volker ullrich
1923 germany is an "easy" subject in the sense that there's so much happening it's not a great challenge to craft an engaging narrative, but presenting it in a logical order and choosing what matters and what doesn't certainly IS and i really like what the author did here.
reading this book is kind of like being relieved thinking "wow look at that, it could always be worse!!" and then 5 seconds later thinking "oh god it could always be worse........" like holy mother of impending doom.
if there's one thing to take away from this book it's that the so called "bürgerliche parteien" (center-right-ish parties) have literally always preferred to bend over for right wing extremists instead of fighting to preserve the liberal democracy that also protects THEIR jobs (and their asses). joy!! maybe certain german chancellors should try reading this book.
safe to say that the ending does nothing to reassure u either bc like WE know what happens 10 years after this. all of this to say: this book is both informative and an engaging read, so: jackpot! congrats volker ullrich
May 6, 2024
This very readable history of the most critical year of the Weimar Republic will change your perspective on this short-lived inter-war years German experiment with democracy.
July 13, 2024
To understand the 20th century one has to understand Weimar Germany and the Interwar Period in Europe. To understand this period, one has to understand and have knowledge about Germany in 1923.
Ullrich tackles the inflation, the coups, the separatist movements, the politics, the occupation of the Rhineland by France and Belgium, and everything that happened in a chaotic 365 days in a democracy that was not even five years old at the time. The fact that the Republic survived 1923 is a feat in itself for the Weimar Republic.
1923 is far too confusing and with too many moving parts to be written as it happened. Like Ullrich's other work, I am a big fan of how he writes each chapter by a theme rather than presenting the book chronologically.
Ullrich starts with the occupation of the Ruhr Valley, which feeds into inflation and hyperinflation, before explaining the perils of coalition democracy and governance. Then we see what the German Left is doing and how the national government deals with the Left before we see what the Right is doing and the government's response, as well as the speartist movements that pop up. Finally, we see how hyperinflation comes to an end and how this era of hyperinflation sparked the advanced and unique culture the Weimar Republic was known for, before Ullrich explains how all of this explains, or does not, what happened to Germany in the decade after 1923.
Ullrich tackles the inflation, the coups, the separatist movements, the politics, the occupation of the Rhineland by France and Belgium, and everything that happened in a chaotic 365 days in a democracy that was not even five years old at the time. The fact that the Republic survived 1923 is a feat in itself for the Weimar Republic.
1923 is far too confusing and with too many moving parts to be written as it happened. Like Ullrich's other work, I am a big fan of how he writes each chapter by a theme rather than presenting the book chronologically.
Ullrich starts with the occupation of the Ruhr Valley, which feeds into inflation and hyperinflation, before explaining the perils of coalition democracy and governance. Then we see what the German Left is doing and how the national government deals with the Left before we see what the Right is doing and the government's response, as well as the speartist movements that pop up. Finally, we see how hyperinflation comes to an end and how this era of hyperinflation sparked the advanced and unique culture the Weimar Republic was known for, before Ullrich explains how all of this explains, or does not, what happened to Germany in the decade after 1923.
February 24, 2025
This book took way longer to finish than it should. I got stuck on the second to last chapter on the culture of 1923 Germany. Ullrich does a great job of citing and quoting key players and eyewitnesses to events. This gives authenticity but also slows down the pacing of the reading.
Overall, this book is highly informative about a hugely important time in Germany history. Inflation and parliamentary government woes (amongst many other things) set the scene for the rise of a powerful leader.
Reading this makes you question how things really could have been avoided. Was Germany punished too harshly? Was France to blame for occupation? Was the Weimar Republic set up to fail with its insanely diverse party system?
Germany remains a fascinating topic of study. If only the French knew how to play nice.
3.8/5
Overall, this book is highly informative about a hugely important time in Germany history. Inflation and parliamentary government woes (amongst many other things) set the scene for the rise of a powerful leader.
Reading this makes you question how things really could have been avoided. Was Germany punished too harshly? Was France to blame for occupation? Was the Weimar Republic set up to fail with its insanely diverse party system?
Germany remains a fascinating topic of study. If only the French knew how to play nice.
3.8/5
December 9, 2024
A very good book, well organized and thoroughly researched and presented. The author is very clear how this period in German history was impacted by previous periods and how it impacted subsequent periods. I really appreciated the insight and honestly. Since this was originally a German book, the locations and references can get a bit confusing to those of us not as familiar with the country. The same can be said for the discussion of the various, and many, political parties. Adding some tables and maps to the book would be of great help. Overall, recommended for those interested in the very odd and traumatic period of German history.
July 12, 2025
A very interesting account of the political and economic turmoil in Germany in 1923. This was a period where hyper-inflation took hold, and the right wing rapidly gained ground.
I found out a lot of fascinating information I didn't know about before, and I especially enjoyed the chapter about the effect on culture at the time.
The writing was very accessible and it felt like a perfect introduction to the period immediately before Hitler's rise (although the seeds are definitely sown for this in the 1920s).
I found out a lot of fascinating information I didn't know about before, and I especially enjoyed the chapter about the effect on culture at the time.
The writing was very accessible and it felt like a perfect introduction to the period immediately before Hitler's rise (although the seeds are definitely sown for this in the 1920s).
November 19, 2023
I listened to this excellent account about Germany in 1923! Not only does the narrative cover the political situation of the country, but also the social, cultural movements which characterize this period. The narrator, though with a strong American accent, kept my attention all through his narrative. I would highly recommend to buy the physical book as well.
I received a complimentary digital audio version of this book from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review.
I received a complimentary digital audio version of this book from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review.
October 19, 2023
3.5 stars. A critical year, ten years out from the Nazi seizure of power. A series of selected topics from hyperinflation to the right wing threat to the arts. Just a bit too scattershot - also a few too many lists from cabinet members to films.
March 1, 2024
A brilliant, fast moving account of one of the most important years in Germany’s history. The consequences of runaway inflation are scary to read, as is the account of Hitler’s putsch and subsequent trial.
May 10, 2024
Asta Nielsen.
June 9, 2025
Whole lotta dickheads in post-WWI Europe.
November 27, 2025
Interessant en duidelijk geschreven, met veel inzicht in de chaos van 1923. Het blijft wel wat droog, waardoor het boek soms niet heel meeslepend is, maar als geheel wel leerzaam.
March 1, 2023
Volker Ullrich bietet einen sehr lesenswerten Einblick in das Deutschland von vor 100 Jahren. Was dieses Buch besonders macht ist, dass es sich nicht nur an Jahresdaten und Schlüsseltagen abarbeitet sondern die Emotion und das Gefühl der Zeit greifbar macht. Um dies zu ermöglichen bedient sich der Autor bei Tagebucheinträgen und Zeitungskommentaren aus der Zeit. So wird immer wieder ersichtlich wie aus verschiedenen politischen Richtungen und gesellschaftlichen Schichten auf die Tagesgeschehnisse geblickt wurde.
October 3, 2023
This was an interesting book. A little bit dry at times, and not for everyone. But it’s interesting to see how this year in particular impacted history as we know it.
March 8, 2024
I found this to be a worthwhile read. The sections on the devastating impact of hyperinflation are excellent. However the sections on the political machinations within the Reichstag are overly detailed and become tedious. The book needs a list of the many acronyms and a map of the regions as they were in 1923.
January 29, 2023
Zoals alle boeken van Ullrich die ik las is ook Deutschland 1923 een zeer helder en boeiend werk. De hyperinflatie als kern en doorn die later het morele deficit van de Weimarrepubliek inluidde. Verhelderend vind ik het verband dat Ullrich laat zien tussen de afhankelijkheid van Duitsland, vanaf 1924 (Dawes-plan), van Amerikaans geld en de mate waarin het land vanaf 1929 getroffen werd door de - in Amerika - ontstane financiële crisis. Ook de belangrijke rol die Gustav Stresemann speelde bij het weer respectabel worden van Duitsland in internationale ogen wordt glashelder. Bovendien maakt Ullrich impliciet helder waar de schurkenrol van Frankrijk toe geleid heeft. Mede veroorzaker van de Eerste Wereldoorlog (door partnerschap met Rusland, inclusief levensgevaarlijke mobilisatie in 1914) en vervolgens alle schuld voor die oorlog op Duitsland afschuiven, waanzinnige herstelbetalingen eisen, daarmee mede de hyperinflatie veroorzakend - en zich daarvan op geen enkel moment rekenschap van geven. Wonderlijk. Ullrich toont het alles, zonder prekerigheid of rancune.
October 7, 2023
Hallelujah I finally finished this book today.
This was the driest, most boring book on pre-Nazi Germany I've ever read. I COULD NOT stay focused on it at all. The narrator wasn't just terrible, but he wasn't great either, and the material was ugh.
I didn't expect it to be action packed and full of drama. It's basically a history book, after all. But my goodness!
Despite everything else it was, that period in history should not have been boring. It was the rise of the most destructive and devastating party in the country's history. I expected at least a few looks into the machinations and plots and plans of Hitler and his cronies.
I thought the book was finally turning around about halfway through when it spoke of Hitler's first real coup. But first of all, that didn't happen until about halfway through the VERY LONG and book, and B. It quickly went right back to being boring.
This absolutely was not the book for me.
This was the driest, most boring book on pre-Nazi Germany I've ever read. I COULD NOT stay focused on it at all. The narrator wasn't just terrible, but he wasn't great either, and the material was ugh.
I didn't expect it to be action packed and full of drama. It's basically a history book, after all. But my goodness!
Despite everything else it was, that period in history should not have been boring. It was the rise of the most destructive and devastating party in the country's history. I expected at least a few looks into the machinations and plots and plans of Hitler and his cronies.
I thought the book was finally turning around about halfway through when it spoke of Hitler's first real coup. But first of all, that didn't happen until about halfway through the VERY LONG and book, and B. It quickly went right back to being boring.
This absolutely was not the book for me.
June 8, 2024
A look at perhaps the most fateful year in the history of Germany. So much transpired and so much was avoided and so much could have prevented later tragedies.
Hyperinflation dominates the year. It is completely unimaginable levels of inflation. From near parity of the Mark to the Dollar to trillion to one exchange in less than a year. Unimaginable! Then with the introduction of the Rentemark, inflation completely disappeared, as if overnight. He doesn’t explore much of the economic factors behind the hyperinflation, that would be a book in itself.
How the Weimar government survived the instability of the various coalition and the ever changing government and chancellor is surprising.
The reparation demanded by the Versailles Treaty and the subsequent French occupation of the Ruhr and Rheinland was a trigger to much of the instability and inflation. Germany of course had no way to pay the demanded reparation.
The number of attempted putsches in this year alone is also striking. Both on the left and the right. Hitler was waiting spherically for a Communist Putsch so that he would have an excuse to seize government and restore order. Without that, he thought it wouldn’t work. He thought Germans too deferential to authority to support a coup. But events forced his hand and he attempted a poorly planned and even worse executed putsch. The resulting trial and laughably lean sentence set the stage for ten years later.
After 1923, one would assume the Weimar Republic could withstand any stress. No amount of crises could tear apart the regime. If the young democracy can withstand 1923, it is surely unassailable. And to some extent that is true. If was legally transformed from within using legal power. Emergency powers that were deployed often in 1923.
A remarkable account of a remarkable year.
Hyperinflation dominates the year. It is completely unimaginable levels of inflation. From near parity of the Mark to the Dollar to trillion to one exchange in less than a year. Unimaginable! Then with the introduction of the Rentemark, inflation completely disappeared, as if overnight. He doesn’t explore much of the economic factors behind the hyperinflation, that would be a book in itself.
How the Weimar government survived the instability of the various coalition and the ever changing government and chancellor is surprising.
The reparation demanded by the Versailles Treaty and the subsequent French occupation of the Ruhr and Rheinland was a trigger to much of the instability and inflation. Germany of course had no way to pay the demanded reparation.
The number of attempted putsches in this year alone is also striking. Both on the left and the right. Hitler was waiting spherically for a Communist Putsch so that he would have an excuse to seize government and restore order. Without that, he thought it wouldn’t work. He thought Germans too deferential to authority to support a coup. But events forced his hand and he attempted a poorly planned and even worse executed putsch. The resulting trial and laughably lean sentence set the stage for ten years later.
After 1923, one would assume the Weimar Republic could withstand any stress. No amount of crises could tear apart the regime. If the young democracy can withstand 1923, it is surely unassailable. And to some extent that is true. If was legally transformed from within using legal power. Emergency powers that were deployed often in 1923.
A remarkable account of a remarkable year.
November 27, 2023
Germany, 1923
By: Volker Ullrich
Narrated By: Christopher Douyard
Review Score: 3 Stars
Boogie’s Bulletpoints
•It’s amazing to see how much can happen in the course of a year.
•I really got a sense for so many of the things that caused Hitler’s rise and World War 2.
•This book is a bit verbose at times. There were points where there was so much data that I had to re-wind the audiobook and listen again.
•This book is not for everyone, but if you enjoy history, you will like this one.
——
Germany, 1923 was kindly provided as an ARC by Netgalley and High Bridge Audio. Thank you for allowing me to read this wonderful book!
Release Date: Out Now!
Germany, 1923 takes you through the tumultuous year of 1923. The world itself was in chaos at this time, but Germany in particular was struggling with reparations from World War 1, inflation, the stock market crash, and an overall dislike of the current government setup. These things eventually brought about the rise of Fascism and allowed Hitler to become the terrible dictator he was.
This book was a bit dry at times, and therefore, I do not think it is for everyone. However, as a lover of history, I enjoyed learning about this particular year, and how it impacted the years to come.
Do you read history books? I know some people only gravitate toward historical fiction, but I like learning the bits and pieces of history itself.
#bookstagram #books #readingnow #boogiereadsbooks #fivekeyfeels #audiobooks #audiobook #arcreview #nonfiction #netgalley #boogiesbulletpoints #germany1923 #volkerullrich #christopherdouyard #highbridgeaudio
By: Volker Ullrich
Narrated By: Christopher Douyard
Review Score: 3 Stars
Boogie’s Bulletpoints
•It’s amazing to see how much can happen in the course of a year.
•I really got a sense for so many of the things that caused Hitler’s rise and World War 2.
•This book is a bit verbose at times. There were points where there was so much data that I had to re-wind the audiobook and listen again.
•This book is not for everyone, but if you enjoy history, you will like this one.
——
Germany, 1923 was kindly provided as an ARC by Netgalley and High Bridge Audio. Thank you for allowing me to read this wonderful book!
Release Date: Out Now!
Germany, 1923 takes you through the tumultuous year of 1923. The world itself was in chaos at this time, but Germany in particular was struggling with reparations from World War 1, inflation, the stock market crash, and an overall dislike of the current government setup. These things eventually brought about the rise of Fascism and allowed Hitler to become the terrible dictator he was.
This book was a bit dry at times, and therefore, I do not think it is for everyone. However, as a lover of history, I enjoyed learning about this particular year, and how it impacted the years to come.
Do you read history books? I know some people only gravitate toward historical fiction, but I like learning the bits and pieces of history itself.
#bookstagram #books #readingnow #boogiereadsbooks #fivekeyfeels #audiobooks #audiobook #arcreview #nonfiction #netgalley #boogiesbulletpoints #germany1923 #volkerullrich #christopherdouyard #highbridgeaudio
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