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Sorry everyone, I've been away with work (in Berlin, ironically!) Update on its way.

A camarilla is a group of cronies who surround a ruler. In German history, "the camarilla" is normally the group of men who sat around Hindenburg, including his own son and von Schleicher.

The 8th November 1932 was a momentous date in American history, as Franklin D. Roosevelt ended decades of Republican near-dominance by winning a crushing vote against Herbert Hoover. For the next decade or so, Roosevelt would dominate the political scene, and see off enemies both within his...

Thanks for all the words of encouragement, everyone- been rather busy recently, update shortly.

There are all sorts of other problems too: 1. As Urban Fox says, cultural sterility. Which in time can lead to political revolt when cultural revolt takes off. 2. Nazism was fundamentally based on fear of enemies and the need to crush them- once they are settled as masters of Europe, they...

The Severing government had a great deal on its plate, and various elements understandably trying to pull it in different directions. Coping with the Depression was the toughest part, with maintaining order a close second- but as the cabinet knew, the two went hand in hand. They were helped by...

@Wendell, MerryPrankster- thanks for the suggestions and encouragement. I'm working on some scenarios for the East- including some interesting developments in the Soviet Union, and trying to work out what will become of Trotsky. There will be no Third Reich, and I plan for Weimar to settle...

A good point, I shall do so shortly!

The streets were still in turmoil. Only a few days before the election, a street fight between the SA and Rotkaempferbund had left 18 dead in Altona in Hamburg, although in the news this had been overshadowed by the dispersal of the Bonus Army in Washington D.C. Severing and Noske in...

Most of them are assorted party top brass and ex-ministers (although most of the Weimar population was probably an ex-minister by the early 30s!) Stegarwald in particular was an interesting character who probably never wielded the political power to match his influence.

Severing managed to pull together a new Cabinet with some difficulty, but with the backing of an increasingly senile but nonetheless influential Hindenburg, and the support of the camarilla. That seemed odd- but there was respect for Severing, and a darker assumption that one more collapsed...

I'd forgotten about Ossietzky- I think I'll have to find a role for him. Thanks!

Yep, there had been an attempt by Hindenburg to get Severing to replace Mueller in 1930 (I think) as Chancellor but with full emergency powers- Severing said no.

Absolutely, watch this space!

Maybe not the right country, but Coluche the French comedian nearly ran against Mitterrand and Giscard in the 80s. Poll numbers suggested he might win!

General Election Schleicher and Hindenburg decided that now was the time to press home the advantage- well, Schleicher did, as the president was slipping in and out of lucidity. Hindenburg dissolved the Reichstag in late June for a snap legislative election to be held on 31st July 1932, and at...

Pretty much what I've been thinking! (although Goebbels has died in this, in the crash) I think that two of the most overlooked points of the era were that a) Goering was more of an old-school Wilhelmine Imperialist and that b) splitter parties were everywhere and had an impact. For example...

The first round of the presidential election took place on 13th March 1932 amidst continuing street violence, which almost certainly contributed to the NSDAP retreating in the poll. And it proved to be both the first and final round. Hindenburg got just over half of the vote and therefore...

Sorry for the lack of update- been away for a wedding. Update soon!

The week running up to the election on 13th March was one of the oddest and most brutal seen in German electoral history, even by the standards of such a tumultuous time. Although the SPD and Zentrum talked of running candidates now that Hitler was dead, certain senior figures such as Gustav...