1.3 Weimar Democracy Flashcards
What was the job title of the head of the Weimar Republic?
The President.
In the Weimar Republic, how often was a new president elected?
Every 7 years.
What did the President of the Weimar Republic have the power to do?
Choose key ministers, such as the Chancellor.
What Article could the Weimar Republic President use to overrule his government and make laws by decree.
Article 48
Who was beneath the President in the Weimar Republic hierarchy?
The government.
What did the Cabinet do in the Weimar Republic and who led them?
The Cabinet made political decisions, they were led by the Chancellor.
Who was beneath the Government in the Weimar Republic hierarchy?
Parliament.
What did the Parliament in the Weimar Republic consist of?
The Reichstag and the Reichsrat.
In the Weimar Republic Parliament, parties were given proportional…
Representation
What does proportional representation mean in terms of the Weimar Republic’s Parliament?
It meant that the party’s seats reflected the number of votes it received.
How often were the Reichstag and the Reichsrat elected in the Weimar Republic?
Every 4 years.
What did the Reichstag control in the Weimar Republic?
The Reichstag controlled tax
What did the Reichsrat in the Weimar Republic represent?
It represented each region of Germany.
What was beneath the Parliament in the Weimar Republic hierarchy?
The Electorate.
According to the constitution, in the Weimar Republic, all men and women over the age of … were eligible to vote in elections.
20
Who created the Weimar Constitution?
A Jewish man called Hugo Preuss
Why was the Weimar Republic considered to be a genuine democracy?
Because all Germans over 20 could vote.
What made the German Constitution so strong?
The fact that no one person or group could hold too much power.
Name one negative of proportional representation in the Weimar Constitution.
It meant that weak coalitions were the only way to gain power and lead Germany.
Why could Article 48 be a negative of the Weimar Constitution?
As the President could bypass democracy.
The Weimar Constitution was weak because strong German states, like Prussia, still held power through the …
Reichsrat
Who were the Spartacists?
A communist group supported by the Soviet Union.
When did the Spartacists stage a revolt in Berlin to overthrow the Weimar Republic?
January 1919
How did Ebert stop the January 1919 Spartacist Uprising?
He used a right wing group of oldies called the Freikorps.