Parallels to the Weimar Republic

Over the past two or three years in Germany, some folks (journalists mostly) have picked up the topic of discussing the current state of affairs, the Merkel-coalition, and the old Weimar Republic (existing from 1918 to 1933). 

This topic got brought up this week with the German President (Gauck) in an interview, and he did his best to downplay this comparison.

The Weimar Republic is something that isn't really discussed that much in public forums, and in public circles.  Some people might remember Paul von Hindenburg as President (1925-1933), but no one remembers the Chancellors or the various efforts to stabilize the government.

The Republic ran through various problems (reparations from the war, negativism from the veterans of the war, civil war in Bavaria after WW I, hyperinflation, continued threats from the Communists, constant political chaos for an entire decade, etc). 

The comparison in this modern era?  On the economy, there is no comparison.  There's no hyperinflation.  The recession from 2008....marginally lasted 18 months.  Unemployment a decade ago was around seven to eight percent....presently, it's near 3.1-percent. 

Threats?  None. 

Destabilization?  One can admit that once the AfD Party 'arrived'....they siphoned off around 15-percent of the national voting, and presented serious problems for the CDU and SPD parties.  But it's not the kind of threat that you saw in the 1920s.

So is there anything that is worth mentioning?  Politics has now become a daily topic and fairly hyped by the public TV media.  It's safe to say.....every success and failure is carefully discussed at length, and the public is often frustrated. 

From the historical prospective, the Weimar Republic is a dismal failure, and opened up the door to the Nazi Party being a 'viable' solution.  One might counter that point, by asking what the problem was.....requiring such a solution.  In the end, the public felt so negative about the accomplishments of the Republic, that it didn't take that much effort to settle upon the Nazis. 

In this modern era, I'd point at three key positives....unemployment being so low, the economy in a fairly robust position, and the German middle-class being 'happy' (well, as happy as a German might present themselves).  I might agree that the welfare issues are amply present, and the whole migration and immigration business is far from being settled.  I might also agree that state-by-state issues exist and everyone reading off some national agenda page is failing to some degree. 

The public prepared to see Chancellor Merkel exit the scene?  If you asked around, I think more than two-thirds of the nation is ready for a new Chancellor, and slightly new direction.