The politics of a German town during the Weimar Republic : Coburg 1918-1929.

Although a great volume of literature is available on inter-war Germany for the periods of the Weimar Republic and the Third Reich, there is a dearth of literature on politics at the local level. This means that there have been no analytical studies of the politics of local government in inter-war Germany despite the importance attached to local politics as the grass roots of national political patterns. This study appraises the general situation in Germany at the end of the First World War and the impact of the subsequent 'revolution' on Coburg. After analysing the political issues involved in Coburg's decision to sever all links with its former partner in Thuringia, Gotha, and unite with Bavaria, the thesis examines the roots of radicalism in Coburg via a study of the political activity of the Left and Right. Parallels are drawn to political activity in the broader context of Bavaria and the Reich, and the significance of the first public appearance of Hitler outside his Munich 'power-base' is considered as the events surrounding the 'Third German Day' in Coburg in 1922 are examined. Attention is paid to the development of the hostile relations between the Republican central government in Berlin and the right-wing Nationalist state government in Munich as Bavaria becomes the haven for all shades of nationalist, anti-republican opinion. The effects on this relationship of events like the Hitler Putsch, the occupation of the Ruhr and the Allies' reparations demands are considered,as is the position of Coburg as it becomes enmeshed in the arguments between Berlin and Munich. Finally, the thesis examines the significance of events in Coburg in 1929 to the National Socialist movement locally, and nationally as Coburg becomes the first National Socialist administration in Germany.