The Weimar Constitution

Summary

At the end of the First World War, the Kaiser was kicked out of Germany, and in 1919 the Weimar Republic was set up. Before 1914, the government of Germany had been a military autocracy; after 1919, it was a parliamentary democracy.

The question is: was the new government doomed from the start?

Links

HistoryLearning on the Constitution - excellent

Professor Rempel's site

Schoolshistory site - AS level

Wikipedia - encyclopaedia site

AS level notes - see relevant section

Constitution - original document (selected clauses)

At the end of October 1918, the German navy mutinied. Rebellion spread throughout the country. In November Germany was forced to drop out of the First World War. Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated and fled the country.

A new Republic was declared. In January 1919, elections were held for a new Reichstag and in February 1919, in the town of Weimar, a new government was agreed.

Freidrich Ebert was elected President of the new Republic.

Germany did not just get a new government. The Allies made sure that Germany got a different kind of government. Before 1914, the government of Germany was almost a military autocracy; after 1919, it was a parliamentary democracy.

Source A

This British cartoon from 1919 shows the Kaiser booted out of Germany.

Source B

The new government inherited a difficult situation, but to say it was doomed is unfair.

Written by a modern historian.

Source C

The German Weimar Republic was doomed from the start.

Written by a modern historian.

Germany 1919–1933

The history of Germany 1919–1933 falls into three phases:

1919–1923

At first the Weimar Republic had great difficulties:

Left wing rebellions

All people were angry with it

Right-wing rebellions and terrorism

Invasion and inflation

Munich Putsch

1923–1929

But the Republic survived and (after Gustav Stresemann became Chancellor in 1923) did well:

Economic Prosperity

Foreign Policy successes

Cultural flowering

1929–1933

After the Wall Street Crash of 1929, however, the Republic collapsed:

Unemployment

Nazi Party grew more powerful

In 1933, Adolf Hitler became Chancellor

New Words

Republic: a country without a king or queen.

Reichstag: the German parliament.

Democracy: where the government is elected.

Constitution: the way a government is set up

Proportional voting: parties got Reichstag seats, not by winning constituencies, but in proportional to the number of votes they got nation-wide.

Germany’s Constitution in 1914

	Kaiser Wilhelm II (hereditary monarch)
appoints ê	calls/dismisses ê	controls ê
Government Chancellor Ministers	Reichstag (elected) which can stop laws proposed by the government, but cannot make laws.	The Army
	á
	Electors Men over 25 can vote

Source D

There is only one master in this country. That am I. Who opposes me I shall crush to pieces.

Kaiser Wilhelm II, speaking before 1914.

Source E

The old Reichstag was a useless parliament. It could speak but it had no power.

A German politician speaking in 1926.

The Weimar Constitution of 1919

Bill of Rights promises all Germans equality before the law and political and religious freedom.		Electors All men and women over the age of 20 can vote.
safeguards î	elect ê
	Freidrich Ebert (elected president)		Reichstag (elected)
	controls â		from which is selected ê
	The Army		Government Chancellor Ministers must have a majority in the Reichstag, and do as the Reichstag says.

Source F

The German Commonwealth is a Republic. Political authority is derived from the People.

The Weimar Constitution,

6 February 1919.

Source G

The Constitution was a brave attempt to set up a democratic government… All Germans had equal rights, including the vote. Political parties were given seats in proportion to the number of votes they got. This was fair.

A modern textbook.

Extra:

Discuss with a friend how the Weimar settlement changed Germany's constitution in the following areas:

a. The head of State

b. The government

c. The Reichstag

d. The electorate

e. Civil Liberties.