Weimar Republic: New exhibition highlights German democracy!

Weimar Republic: New exhibition highlights German democracy!

From October 1, 2025, an exciting special exhibition on the Weimar Republic will be on display in the Butzbach City Museum. The event is dedicated to the first German democracy and aims to focus on the foundations and defense of democracy. As the city of Butzbach reports on its website, the exhibition will contain multimedia elements that will give visitors lively access to the history of the Weimar years.

A special highlight will be a multimedia tool that will offer various film formats. This modern narrative offers interesting insights into the challenges and achievements of the Weimar Republic. Current connections to the present are also discussed in the exhibition, which underlines the relevance of the topic. A total of 16 exhibition panels illuminate different aspects of this turbulent time, from political and cultural issues to social and economic topics.

Central questions of the exhibition

The exhibition will address key issues of the Weimar Republic, including:

• Die Ursachen für den Zusammenbruch des Kaiserreichs und die Gründung der Republik
• Die progressiven Elemente der Verfassung der Weimarer Republik
• Die verheerenden Auswirkungen der Hyperinflation von 1923 auf den Alltag der Menschen
• Der Mythos der „Goldenen Zwanziger“ und die dabei verantwortlichen Umstände und Personen

A particular focus is on hyperinflation, which was perceived as a trauma by the population. People counted in bundles of banknotes, and cash was sometimes transported in wheelbarrows. People use the crumpled bundles not only as a means of payment, but also as heating material or scratch paper, as Planet Wissen clearly explains. Savings were devalued overnight and many people were left with nothing.

The legacy of the Weimar Republic

The exhibition uses contemporary photographs, posters and drawings to illustrate the debates and issues of the time. The influence of the Weimar period on today's society is made tangible through these depictions. In particular, the fact that the government's war bonds were practically worthless and that many private debtors became debt-free overnight due to inflation still causes discussions about social responsibility to this day.

On November 15, 1923, the Rentenmark was introduced and ultimately replaced with the Reichsmark from October 1924. This was done with support, including from the American side, to stabilize the economy, which shows that a strong Germany was also able to pay reparations. These developments are a reminder of the enormous economic challenges that the young state faced.

This exhibition not only takes a look into the past, but also initiates a discourse about the values ​​and foundations of democracy. The city of Butzbach cordially invites everyone who is interested to engage with this important era and to reflect on what democracy means for our society and how we can defend it together.