In the early twenties, the new Weimar democracy is unstable and threatened by political extremism. In the years up to 1922, over 350 murders are committed by right wing extremists.

In 1921, the former Finance Minister, Matthias Erzberger, is shot by members of the Consul organization, formerly the Freikorps, and an assassination attempt is made on the former Chancellor, Philipp Scheidemann. In 1922, an assassination attempt is also made on Maximilian Harden, a theater critic and editor of the "Zukunft" newspaper, and he dies in 1927 as a consequence.

On 24 June 1922, the Foreign Minister, Walther Rathenau, is shot in a public street by members of the Consul organization.

The murder of Rathenau shocks the Republic. The next day, over 250,000 people gather for a spontaneous demonstration at the Berlin Lustgarten.