Joejack.

After Germany lost the First World War, the Kaiser fled and a new democratic government of Germany was declared in February 1919 at the small town of Weimar. It was too dangerous to make a declaration in Berlin where there had just been a revolt by a Communist group called the Spartacists. The Weimar Republic was a genuine attempt to create a perfect democratic country.

On February 11th, 1919, the new parliament elected Ebert as president on the new German Republic. Ebert's problems did not end with the crushing of the Spartacists.

In March 1919, what was left of the German Communists attempted another takeover. The Free Corps was called in to crush them and within a few days had killed over 1000 people. Ebert had ordered that anybody seen carrying a weapon was to be shot dead. The Free Corps had once again saved the government and restored order. 

February 1919 and the socialists and communists there fell out on how Bavaria should be governed after Eisner's death. The Communists won out and a Soviet Republic of Bavaria came into being. This was a clear challenge to the authority of Ebert.  The army and the Free Corps was asked to deal with the problem. The main city in Bavaria - Munich -  was put under siege and by April food in the city was in very short supply. 

On May 1st, 1919, soldiers from the army assisted by the Free Corps took over Munich killing at least 600 people - including children.

The Weimar Republic faced many problems.  Perhaps the greatest danger was 'the weakness within' - the constitution gave the President, the states and the army too much power, whilst proportional voting meant that the Reichstag was divided and weak.  In 1919-23, extremists on both the Left (especially the Spartacist revolt) and the Right (especially the Kapp Putsch) tried to overthrow the government.

      The worst crisis occurred in 1923, when the French invaded to try to force Germany to pay reparations.  This led to hyperinflation and a number of rebellions (particularly Hitler's Munich Putsch).