WI: The Weimar Republic survived until the modern day

Alot of people on here seem to suggest that without the Economic Crash/Great Depression that the Weimar republic could have survived.

What would modern Germany be like if Weimar survived? What would the world be like? Does WW2 ever happen?
 
Well, the obvious answer would be that if there is no Weimar Republic, then there would be no WW2 as we know it. That being said, an axis formed between just Italy and Japan might cause a minor war in the era. But I think the only big war would be between the Allies of OTL and the USSR. They would probably be the equivalent of Nazi Germany TTL, and would end up losing a multi front war against the Allies. This would most likely result in a new government there, with Stalin either executed or arrested. All in all, vastly different political landscape in the 20th century. Democracy reigns supreme, and society sort of stagnates due to lack of any sort of great enemy for the people to rally against.
 
WW2 hardly is going happen. Stalin was many things but he wasn't stupid. He is not going start WW2 at least not alone. He might try take something in Eastern Europe if just thinks that being possible but he is not going march to Rhein.
 
You need allot of POD to accomplish survival of the Weimar republic

Biggest is to deal with little annoying Austrian and his friends from the Nazi party
Like he and others get killed in Munich beerhall putsch.

You need a Democrat who respects the Weimar republic constitution
Konrad Adenauer would be perfect for that role in 1930s either as Chancellor or Reichs President.

But that is not the Weimar republic of peace, joy and happiness
There will be social unrest and external dispute
on long term Weimar and France could get into conflict
because that German demands there former territory and there colonies back
Issues like:

Belgium want to sell there Germans parts to Weimar
The Sudeten Germans crisis were ethics german from the First Czechoslovak Republic, want to join the Weimar republic.
The Status of city Danzig and struggle of Poland and Weimar Republic about strip coast that was former German Empire
("Anschluss" of Austrian would be unlikely and Dollfuss would transform the nation into "Fascist" Kingdom)

Ironic is, that Chamberlain Appeasement politic would actual work here...
 
There was a far famed TL about this, Weimar world I think it was, and also a good one about Gustav Streseman. Cant remember the authors but Im sure you can find it if you look.
 
Although such an idea is somewhat popular, but the problems of the Weimar Republic can not be solved simply by a living Rathenau or Stresemann.

Weimar had deeper problems that threatened democracy at the time:
The state administration, ie judges, administrators and the Reichswehr, was full of people who rejected democracy and wanted a right-wing dictatorship. Right-wing rebels were often punished very leniently, while left-wingers were also sentenced to death. The conservatives of the Weimar Republic had never accepted a liberal democracy, but longed for an authoritarian presidential dictatorship.

With the Great Depression, the time of stable governments was over. This was partly because the parties in the center and also the SPD had to suffer dramatic losses, while the anti-Weimar forces were gaining. This was mainly because the SPD, Center and DDP saw no alternative but an unconditional austerity policy known as deflationary. There were plans for investment and stimulus programs, e.g. from the unions, but the SPD did not dare to accept them because, firstly, they did not want to be doctors on the deathbed of capitalism, and second, because they saw no way to implement those plans.

The only parties that found a comprehensible answer to the crisis for most people was the KPD, especially for workers. And on the other side it was just the NSDAP, which could promise all people "work and bread" with Gregor Strasser's "immediate program" of 1932.

Quite apart from the fact that at the head of the Weimar Republic was a man who thought nothing of democracy and was willing to eliminate it at the first crisis phenomenon. As early as 1930, Weimar was no longer a functioning democracy, and von von Hindenburg was explicitly intent on doing so.

So I think that would you need a few PODs to save Weimar:

At first, prevent the win of von Hindenburg in 1925. Let's say the KPD follows orders from the Comintern and helps electing Wilhelm Marx in the second run-off.

Then, you would have to need a KPD that, while not supporting Weimar, doesn't destabilize it. Without the KPD supporting the referendum against the Young Plan it may doesn't become so dangerous to government.

At last, you would have to need democratic center-left governments who try to actively combat the depression. They need to give the economy a stimulus package and jobs to the workers or otherwise the NSDAP will still gain a lot of votes.
 
Although such an idea is somewhat popular, but the problems of the Weimar Republic can not be solved simply by a living Rathenau or Stresemann.

Weimar had deeper problems that threatened democracy at the time:
The state administration, ie judges, administrators and the Reichswehr, was full of people who rejected democracy and wanted a right-wing dictatorship. Right-wing rebels were often punished very leniently, while left-wingers were also sentenced to death. The conservatives of the Weimar Republic had never accepted a liberal democracy, but longed for an authoritarian presidential dictatorship.

With the Great Depression, the time of stable governments was over. This was partly because the parties in the center and also the SPD had to suffer dramatic losses, while the anti-Weimar forces were gaining. This was mainly because the SPD, Center and DDP saw no alternative but an unconditional austerity policy known as deflationary. There were plans for investment and stimulus programs, e.g. from the unions, but the SPD did not dare to accept them because, firstly, they did not want to be doctors on the deathbed of capitalism, and second, because they saw no way to implement those plans.

The only parties that found a comprehensible answer to the crisis for most people was the KPD, especially for workers. And on the other side it was just the NSDAP, which could promise all people "work and bread" with Gregor Strasser's "immediate program" of 1932.

Quite apart from the fact that at the head of the Weimar Republic was a man who thought nothing of democracy and was willing to eliminate it at the first crisis phenomenon. As early as 1930, Weimar was no longer a functioning democracy, and von von Hindenburg was explicitly intent on doing so.

So I think that would you need a few PODs to save Weimar:

At first, prevent the win of von Hindenburg in 1925. Let's say the KPD follows orders from the Comintern and helps electing Wilhelm Marx in the second run-off.

Then, you would have to need a KPD that, while not supporting Weimar, doesn't destabilize it. Without the KPD supporting the referendum against the Young Plan it may doesn't become so dangerous to government.

At last, you would have to need democratic center-left governments who try to actively combat the depression. They need to give the economy a stimulus package and jobs to the workers or otherwise the NSDAP will still gain a lot of votes.

Just wanted to point out the following: the nazis gained votes from the other right parties. Not from the SPD or the centrum parties. See the election results during the great depression. If you check this intead of individual parties you will see that the percentage of left/center/right does barely change. What the nazis did was taking over the right which has been very divided before them.
 
Just wanted to point out the following: the nazis gained votes from the other right parties. Not from the SPD or the centrum parties. See the election results during the great depression. If you check this intead of individual parties you will see that the percentage of left/center/right does barely change. What the nazis did was taking over the right which has been very divided before them.

You're right. The SPD lost almost exclusively votes to th KPD. The NSDAP was more or less able to unite the center-right and right wing votes.
 
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