Weimar Republic Political structure Flashcards
What was the most popular party in 1919 elections
SPD, 38% vote
who was the president of Weimar 1919-25
Ebert
Who was the president 1925-34
Paul von Hindenburg
What was the role of the president
Supreme commander of army, power to select + dismiss chancellor
Use of Article 25 + 48
What was Article 25
President can call new Reichstag elections
what was Article 48
Dissolve Reichstag, temporary dictator
What was the role of the Reichstag
Elect every 4 years, conducted by proportional Representation (60,000 votes = 1 seat)
oversaw Gov and made laws
what was the role of the Chancellor
leader of Reichstag (basically PM)
What did the bill of rights guarantee
-freedom of Speech
-Welfare rights
-Worker protection
Why could no-one become to powerful in Weimar
President could dismiss Reichstag, but president needs Reichstag support to get gov agenda in law
what were Key successes of Weimar constitution (PUCNA)
- President was elected (no monarchy)
- Universal Suffrage, women enfranchised
- Constitution contained Checks and balances (enhanced democratic credentials)
- No one became too powerful
- Article 48
Failures of the Weimar constitution
- Too much power to president with Article 25 (but contained limits)
- Proportional Rep (60,000 to 1 seat)
- People objected to socialist element
what was the issue of Proportional Representation
fragmented party system
- Allowed more smaller parties (1920 election 29 different parties)
- parties had to form coalitions
which three parties won majority in 1919
SPD
DDP (German workers party)
Zentrum
who opposed the Weimar
DNVP (Pre 1925, after 1929)
industrialists + Business owners
when was the Ebert-Groener pact
10 November 1918
what was the Ebert Groener pact
Army support for Gov in exchange for suppressing LW ideas
what role did allies allow Germany in Treaty negotiations post-WW1
None
How many political murders by RW extremists 1919-1922
356
When was KPD set up
Dec 1918
what was reaction to KPD setting up
Fear of Communism - “Red Plague”
KPD meeting attacked by Private armies
who were Sozi
SPD private army
who were the freikorps
private army,
est. Dec 1918
units in East to fight Communist
how many political murders were there 1919-1922
376
how many times did Ebert use Article 48 + why
136, coalitions often broke down, Chancellor had to step in
