Status Updates From Weimar and the Rise of Hitl...

Discussion of the tumultuous beginnings of the republic, the army driven kapp putsch (partly due to treaty requirements limiting troop numbers, so many would be out of the job) and how the police and civil servants didn’t do much to resist. Additional counter putsch by left wing groups in the Ruhr, which was crushed. Economic issues related to reparations and status relative to other powers

Discussion of the bias of the civil service and judiciary against revolutions, and how the Versailles treaty was framed in a way to humiliate Germany, and deny national self determination and not allow it to join with Austria. The treaty’s main damage was the demoralization of the people, and how it disillusioned moderate men against the republic. War guilt and “stab-in-the-back” myths also discussed

The level of detail this book goes into is exactly what I was looking for. Describes how more precisely how deputies were chosen with proportional voting. And makes the argument that it is less to blame for the political issues of the republic than the vestiges of the imperial government.

Revolution breaking out, leading to the eventual forced abdication of the Kaiser. The SPD had not wanted a republic, b/c their aims could have been achieved in a constitutional monarchy (e.g. a really democratic National Assembly). Now differences between SPD and USPD in forming a new government.

Covering the end of WWI and what led to calls for abdication and armistice. I understand better now why that occurred (b/c the reichstag didn’t deject the government and couldn’t be blamed for the war). The military leadership tried to saddle the blame on the civilian government (e.g. stab in the back legend). Eventually the mutiny at Kiel sparked a full on revolution