Weimar Berlin

Overview

In 1929 Berlin was a city of contradictions: avant-garde theatre and cabaret, scientific innovation, but also rising political extremism. The Wall Street Crash that year would push Germany into a depression that broke the Weimar Republic.

Historical Context

The Weimar Republic was Germany's first attempt at parliamentary democracy. Its collapse in the early 1930s opened the way for the Nazi seizure of power.

What to Notice

• Neon cabaret signs and jazz bands.
• Women in flapper dresses and cloche hats.
• Newspaper hawkers shouting headlines.