THE DECISION – Germany 1929 to 1934

In October 1929, the death of successful foreign minister Gustav Stresemann raised questions about the future of the republic. A fascist coalition was forming and took power in 1933. Farmers threw bombs, public finances faced growing deficits, and the parliamentary system seemed paralyzed. By summer 1930, the choice was between a democratic republic or a fascist state. What followed was the rise of radical forces, the disintegration of bourgeois circles, middle-class unrest, the arrogance of conservatives and nationalists who thought they could control Hitler, and fear of civil war. This led to the most criminal dictatorship of the 20th century.

Jens Bisky tells the story of how the Weimar Republic was destroyed in a whirlwind of hardship and anger, using the perspectives of the time's politicians, journalists, writers, lawyers, and officers. How did they view the situation, and what options did they have? This is a sweeping look at an extreme time that still affects the present.

"The historical dynamics are reflected in the narrative dynamics ... clever and vivid." DIE ZEIT