The hyperinflation of the Weimar Republic was one of the most catastrophic monetary crises in history, reaching its peak in 1923 when the German mark became virtually worthless. The crisis was triggered by the government's decision to print money to pay war reparations and strike debts, leading to prices that doubled every few days and savings that were wiped out overnight. The hyperinflation devastated the German middle class, fueled social and political extremism, and became a defining trauma of the interwar period.

The hyperinflation left an indelible mark on German literature, inspiring works by authors like Erich Kästner, Bertolt Brecht, and Thomas Mann, who depicted the chaos and moral disintegration of the era. In poetry, the crisis appeared as a metaphor for the loss of meaning and stability, influencing the dark, cynical tone of the Neue Sachlichkeit (New Objectivity) movement.