To what extent did the foundation of the Weimar Republic in 1919 achieve a new unity for the German nation based on democratic values?

19 January 1919 - election do decide the parties that would decide on the new constitution

This was during the crackdown on the attempted Communist revolution in Berlin and was significant in allowing women to vote for the first time

The SPD, Centre Party and German Democratic Party (DDP) won 76% of the vote

DDP was a centre party:

• promoted democracy
• against any form of extremism
• supported by educated middle-classes and the wealthy Jewish population
• promised to promote democratic values and minorites such as Jews and Poles

SPD only won 37.9% of the vote:

• many Germans turned against socialism due to the violent Spartacus uprising
• women voters tended to favour centre right parties

SPD, DDP and Centre Party became the Weimar Coalition as they shared a similar view on the type of political system Germany should become

The first assembly met in Weimar, as it was too dangerous to meet in Berlin

There were still critical divisions within society that would hamper the new republic 

A large number of Germans still felt loyalty to the old Kasierreich system and viewed the new government as illegitimate

In the Reichstag, the German National People's Party (DNVP) and the German People's Party (DVP) represented those opposed to the new system

The DVP:

• represented industrailists and upper middle class
• members believed the rebirth of Germany had to be based on a strong economic basis that was free of trade union interference
• campaigned for a return of the monarchy

The DNVP:

• strongest anti-Weimar party
• asserted that socialists and Jews had been responsible for Germany's defeat due to the 'stab in the back'
• January 1919 election - won 10.3% of the vote

10 February - Ebert's opening speech at the assembly; divisions between the parties were clear as he was interrupted by right-wing parties but cheered by the Weimar Coalition

12 February - the assembly was granted powers to decide on the new constitution and new laws; Ebert was elected Reich President by the National Assembly and tasked with appointing a cabinet to govern the country; Hugo Preuss was given the job of designing the new constitution

The new republic faces severe economic and social problems:

• Germany had financed the war through war bonds and printing money but this caused high inflation as they recieved no reparations that they thought they were going to 
• There were food shortages caused by the ongoing British naval blockade
• Socially, it faced the impact of millions of returning soliders who needed to be integrated back into society 

The armistice negotiations with the Allies undermined the Weimar Republic from its creation

The Treaty of Versailles:

• imposed territorial losses
• limited the German army
• humiliated Germany by forcing it to accept Article 231, which declared Germany as solely responsible for starting WWI

Scheidemann resigned rather than sign the treaty

However, there was little choice for the Weimar Republic as the British held the blockade…