Heinrich Bruning and the Dissolution of the Weimar Republic

by William L. Patch, Jr Jr

Overview

This is the first scholarly biography of Heinrich Brüning, chancellor of Germany from 1930 to 1932, and the last politican with a real chance to prevent the Nazi seizure of power. This book analyzes Brüning's cabinet's economic and fiscal policies for coping with the Great Depression, the diplomatic campaign to redress Germany's grievances against the Treaty of Versailles, and his thoughtful strategy for creating a broad anti-fascist political coalition. Finally it seeks to explain why President Hindenburg and his reactionary advisers decided to topple Brüning, with disastrous consequences.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521025416
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	03/30/2006
Pages:	372
Product dimensions:	6.02(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.79(d)

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments; Introduction: Brüning and the Prussian tradition; 1. Brüning's political apprenticeship; 2. The establishment of semi-parlimentary government; 3. Foreign policy and the 'National Opposition'; 4. Economics and politics in the shadow of the bank crisis; 5. Brüning's fall; 6. The destruction of the rule of law; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"...Patch has written a thoughtful biographical study that dispels many of the misconceptions, some fostered in later years by Brüning himself, surrounding Weimar's ‘last democratic Chancellor.'" Choice

"...Patch's sifting of both primary materials and secondary accounts is remarkably sensible, fair and balanced. As a reliable compendium of the evidence that adds new levels of subtlety and complexity to our knowledge of an important figure, this fine book should serve as the standard account for some time." Canadian Journal of History

"As a work of empirical history, Patch's book leaves the reader with yet another impression, namely, that Weimar politics had become chaotic and meandering in the early 1930s. One is almost overwhelmed by the detailed descriptions of political moves and countermoves, of schemes and counterschemes, of intrigues and counterintrigues. It is in this maze of tactical maneuvering by many other individuals that not only Brüningbut also larger strategic questions become miniaturized. Maybe some day historians will go back to the bold structuralism of Bracher or - dare I mention the name? - of David Abraham. Until then Patch's important book stands as an impressive achievement in political history of the most meticulous kind." Journal of Modern History

From the Publisher