The Weimer republic 1918 - 1929 The Weimer republic

Question 1

The Weimer republic

Answer 1

To set up the new republic away from the unrest in Berlin, politicians moved to the small town of Weimar, where a new government was created.

Question 2

The structure of the Weimar Republic - president

Answer 2

At the head of the Republic was the President.
The President was elected every 7 years.
The President had the power to choose key ministers, such as the Chancellor.
Using Article 48, the President could overrule his government and make laws by decree. ( also in emergencies )

Question 3

The structure of the Weimar Republic - government

Answer 3

Beneath the President was the government.
The Cabinet made political decisions. The Chancellor led the Cabinet.

• chancellor chosen by president and member of Reichstag

Question 4

The structure of the Weimar Republic - parliament

Answer 4

Beneath the government was parliament. This was formed from the Reichstag and the Reichsrat.
In parliament, parties were given ‘proportional representation’.
This meant that the party’s seats reflected the number of votes it received.
The Reichstag and Reichsrat were elected every 4 years.
The Reichstag was more powerful and controlled tax.
The Reichsrat represented each region of Germany.

Question 5

The structure of the Weimar Republic - electorate

Answer 5

Beneath the parliament was the electorate.
According to the constitution, all men and women over 20 were eligible (had the right) to vote in elections.

Question 6

Strength of Weimer republic

Answer 6

The Weimar Republic was a genuine democracy. This was because all Germans over 20 could vote.
The constitution was strong because no one person or group could hold too much power.

A Bill of Rights - This guaranteed every German citizen freedom of speech and religion, and equality under the law.

Question 7

Weaknesses of of Weimer republic

Answer 7

weaknesses outweighed (were greater than) its strengths.
Proportional representation meant that weak coalitions were the only way to gain power and lead Germany.

Article 48 was a weakness because it meant that the President could bypass (avoid and go around) democracy. This gave the president the power to act without parliament’s approval in an emergency. However, it did not clearly define what an ‘emergency’ was, so the power was overused, which weakened Germans’ confidence in democracy.

The Constitution was weak because strong German states, such as Prussia, still held power through the Reichsrat.