The Weimar constitution Flashcards
What is a constitution?
A set of rules and principles that set out how a country is organised and run
Who elected the President of the Weimar Republic, and how often?
The people
Every seven years
Give one example of the President’s political powers
They chose the Chancellor
Who was the head of government in the Weimar Republic?
The chancellor
What was the name given to the most important ministers in the Weimar government?
The cabinet
What was the name given to the two houses in the Weimar Parliament?
Reichstag, Reichsrat
Which of the two houses in the Weimar Parliament was more powerful and controlled taxation?
Reichstag
Which of the two houses in the Weimar Parliament represented the regions of Germany according to their size?
The Reichsrat
How often was the Reichstag elected (by the people)?
Every four years
Who had the right to vote and stand for election for the first time in the Weimar Republic?
Women
How old did you have to be to vote in the Weimar Republic?
20 or older
What did Article 1 of the Weimar Constitution state?
Germany was now a democracy
What was the name of the voting system used to elect the Reichstag? Explain how this worked
Proportional representation
Every party was allocated one representative for every 60,000 votes it received
Explain one advantage of the proportional representation system
It ensured the smaller parties had a fair share of seats in the Reichstag
Explain one disadvantage of the proportional representation system
There were 29 parties in the Reichstag, and no single party had a clear majority, resulting in weak coalition government
In what scenarios did the lack of strong, single-party governments cause particular problems?
In times of crisis
Describe the system of checks and balances as part of the Constitution
No one person or group could have too much power. The electorate could change the President every seven years if they were not happy with their decisions
How were laws made and passed in the Weimar Republic?
The Chancellor decided which laws should be voted on
They became law if the majority of the Reichstag and Reichsrat voted for them
What did Article 48 of the Weimar Constitution state?
In a crisis, the Chancellor could ask the President to pass a necessary law without the support of the Reichstag
How did Article 48 weaken the Weimar Republic?
It made people think that a single, all-powerful leader was better than an elected Parliament
How could the Reichstag get around its laws being overruled by the Reichsrat?
By voting with a two-thirds majority
Why was the election of nationalists and communists to the Reichstag a problem for the Weimar Republic?
They were opposed to democracy and despised the new constitution
What was the name given to each parliament of the 18 regions of Germany, which controlled key public services?
A Land
What was included in Part Two of the Weimar Constitution?
“Fundamental Rights and Duties of Germans” including freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and the right to form a trade union
When were elections held for the first Reichstag in the Weimar Republic?
January 1919
What was the turnout in the first Reichstag election? How does this compare to elections in the UK in the 21st century?
80%
Much higher
Which party achieved 40% of the vote in the first Reichstag election?
The SPD (Social Democratic Party)
Who became the first President of the Weimar Republic?
Friedrich Ebert
Why could the SPD not rule Germany alone after the first Reichstag elections?
They did not achieve 50% or more of the votes, so had to make a coalition with the Centre Party and the German Democratic Party
