The Weimar Republic's Rocky Start
After Germany's crushing defeat in WWI, the country was absolutely knackered. The Kaiser abdicated on 9th November 1918, and suddenly Germany became a republic under Friedrich Ebert from the SPD. But this new Weimar Republic was fragile from day one, struggling with too much democracy and the dangerous Article 48 that gave emergency powers.
The Treaty of Versailles in June 1919 was like kicking Germany while it was down. Article 231 forced Germany to accept full blame for the war, which Germans found humiliating. The treaty slashed their army to just 100,000 men, banned submarines and aircraft, and demanded massive reparations of ยฃ6.6 billion.
Things got worse when Germany couldn't pay up in 1923. France marched into the Ruhr industrial area and basically stole German goods. German workers went on strike in protest, but the government kept printing money to pay them, causing hyperinflation that made German currency completely worthless.
Key Point: Multiple uprisings threatened the republic, including the Spartacist Revolt (communist), Kapp Putsch rightโwing, and Munich Putsch where Hitler tried to seize power but failed spectacularly.