This book takes a good long look at that chaotic brand of democracy that characterized the Weimar Republic. It opens with a chapter on Bismarck's empire of 1871-1914, when Wagner was glorifying everything German, Nietzche was developing the German power complex, and depressions were already being blamed on the Jews. From that point there is a play-by-play description of the political happenings: the formation of innumerable parties; the influence of dozens of leaders from the right, the left, and the center; the making of the peace; the dictates of Wilson; the establishing of the Republic;...