Revolution and Representation: Germany, 1917 - 1923

Friday, November 11, 2011 to Saturday, November 12, 2011

The Weimar Republic has long been regarded, historically as well as theoretically, as a test case for the possibilities and limits of constitutional democracy. While most assessments of the Weimar Republic have understandably focused on the disintegration of democratic structures in Germany and the rise of the Nazi Party, the proposed workshop addresses the early phase of the Weimar Republic, examining the transition from an authoritarian nation-state to what has been one of the most liberal democracies in twentieth-century Europe. Bringing together experts from the U.S., Germany, the UK, and Ireland, the workshop investigates the political and cultural effects of this transition as well as the legal framework within which this transition occurred. This conference was organized by Peter Caldwell (history) and Christian Emden (German studies).