Weimar Constitution Flashcards
How were President’s elected?
Every 7 years there is an election which decides who becomes President of Germany.
Who decides who becomes Chancellor?
The President would pick a minister from the government to becom Chancellor of Germany.
How did elections work?
- Happened every 4 years
- Anyone over the age of 20 could vote
- Used the system of proportional representation which allowed for greater representation for the smaller parties
What powers did the President have?
- power to dissolve the Reichstag
- appoints the Chancellor
- was Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces
- had emergancy powers to make own laws (Article 48)
What was the Reichstag?
It was the main law-making body of the parliament. Consisted of deputies elected every 4 years.
What was the Reichsrat?
Made up of members chosen frome each of the 17 states
- only had the power to initiate or delay proposals
What was the Bill of Rights?
Outlined the freedoms of the German people (such as religion and free speech) as well as social rights (such as welfare and pensions).
Why did the Reichstag have so many political parties?
Only needed 60,000 votes to get a seat
Why did having so many political parties create a problem?
It became harder to run the Reichstag and for it to work effectively
Why was proportional representation a problem for the Weimar Constitution?
Proportional representation meant that you were only voting for a party NOT a person. You would vote the party and the party would select a candidate from a list.
When a rep died, the next person on the list took over. People felt detached from the politics.
Why was it difficult to win a majority under the Weimar constitution?
Every Weimar Chancellor had to form a government from a coalition of parties. When coalitions would fail, the Chancellor would request the use of Article 48 from the President and then rule by decree.
How many coalition parties between 1919 and 1923?
9
What was Article 48 and why was it a problem for the Weimar Constitution?
It was very undemocratic. It allowed the Chancellor to suspend the Reichstag and rule by decree which held almost dictator like powers. It was only to be used in emergencies but was used anyway when Chancellors could not pass a law through the Reichstag.
Why was Stresemann vital in overcoming the challenges of the Weimar constitution?
He was the leader of the DVP. He urged other parties to work together instead of fighting with eachother. He believed that economic progress and increased foreign relations were key to Germany getting through the shame of the Treaty of Versailles.
What roles did Stresemann hold?
Chancellor in 1923
Foreign Minister 1923-29
Died in 1929
