'Death of a Democracy': Exploring the rise and fall of Weimar Germany – review

Victor Sebestyen's book, "Weimar Germany: Death of a Democracy," chronicles the tumultuous period in Germany from the end of World War I to Hitler's rise to power. The book describes a republic grappling with hyperinflation, antisemitism, and political extremism, despite a flourishing cultural scene and initial stability during the "golden years." Key figures like Jewish physician Magnus Hirschfeld, who founded the first LGBT organization, and Jewish academic Hugo Preuss, who drafted the constitution, are highlighted. The author argues that Hitler's ascent was not inevitable, but rather a result of "unprecedented circumstances, moral weakness, political opportunism, and bad luck." The book details the military's blame of Jews for Germany's defeat, the violent suppression of left-wing uprisings by the Freikorps, and the assassination of Jewish Foreign Minister Walter Rathenau. Ultimately, the Wall Street crash of 1929 exacerbated Germany's economic woes, paving the way for Hitler's electoral breakthrough amid widespread unemployment, with political elites mistakenly believing they could control him.