Paul Von Hindenburg's Impact on the Weimar Republic

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Paul Von Hindenburg was a renowned military and political leader for Germany; he is most notable for being a distinguished Field Marshal for the Imperial German Army during WWI, and being the second president of the Weimar republic. His military hero status was essential for his ability to garner support from the German public. His monarchistic views were highly influential in shaping the government while he was reigning as president, and as a result of his seat of presidency, he was a major determining factor in the eventual fate of the republic.

Born 1847, as Paul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg in Prussia to an aristocrat father; Robert von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg, and his wife; Luise Schwickart, Hindenburg grew up a proud aristocrat, although shameful of his mother's non-aristocratic background. His upbringing as an aristocrat played a vital role in his political views, and grew up to become a staunch monarchist and conservative. It was these views which would dominate Hindenburg's agenda during his tenure as president of the Weimar Republic.

As is common in aristocracy; Hindenburg was involved in the military from a young age, joining the cadets at age 11. Hindenburg is renowned for his long and successful career in the military, and earned a status as a war hero among the German people. Prior to WWI, Hindenburg gained a reputation for himself by fighting in the Austro-Prussian war and the Franco-Prussian war. He was decorated for bravery in battle, and was chosen to represent his regiment for a variety of prestigious events; such as at the palace of Versailles in 1871 when the German Empire was proclaimed, and as an honour guard for Emperor William I's military funeral in 1888. He was...

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... resulted in a “presidential government”, where the president ended up having nearly ultimate power over the government. With the power out of the parliament and into the presidency, the democratic Weimar republic was seeing the end of its existence. With the fall of Hermann Muller's government in March of 1930, and Hindenburg's subsequent appointing of Heinrich Bruning's as chancellor, the Weimar republic was now heavily focused on presidential power of parliamentary.

During Bruning's stint as chancellor, he lacked the support of the Reichstag, and so instead relied on the power of article 48, passing emergency bills on his own and Hindenburg's powers. Bruning had to dissolve parliament, which resulted in considerable gains to the extremist right and left wings for seats in the Reichstag; an example being Hitler's Nazi party increased its seats from 12 to 107.

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