Weimar Constitution 1919

Question 1

What is the problem with a new flag?

Answer 1

Nationalists may feel betrayed because they fought for the previous flag

Question 2

Why is the Republic establised in Weimar?

Answer 2

Quiet and safe to meet there

Question 3

Who is the President of the Weimar republic?

Answer 3

Ebert goes quickly from Chancellor to President (now republic)
First SPD president
Impressive as he came from a working class background (a saddler)

Question 4

Why is there a high voter turnout?

Answer 4

• People want to use their vote, take part

Question 5

What are weaknesses of the Weimar Democracy?

Answer 5

means lots of weird coalition
- Still small amount of votes not for democracy (10% supporting nationalism), usually Junkers-> Still in important jobs, they have power + significant positions in the Weimar republic, chance of revolution

Question 6

What happens to the USPD?

Answer 6

disappears (members either go back to SPD or go to KPD (more socialist))-> both want Weimar republic destroyed

Question 7

What happened on the 19th January 1919?

Answer 7

First elections for a National Constituent assembly held.

Question 8

What happened on the 6th of February 1919?

Answer 8

National Constituent Assembly met at Weimar

Question 9

What happened on the 31st of July 1919?

Answer 9

Weimar Constitution adopted by National Assembly

Question 10

What happened on the 11th August 1919?

Answer 10

Weimar Constitution signed by President Ebert

Question 11

Who are all the parties post WW1?

Answer 11

SPD
USPD
DDP
DVP
DNVP
Zentrum
KPD
NSDAP

Question 12

Who are the SPD?

Answer 12

Social Democratic Party
- Socialist, pro Weimar
Founded 1863
Leaders- Friedrich Ebert, Phillip Schiedemann, Hermann Muller

Question 13

Who are the USPD?

Answer 13

Independent Socialists
- More left that SPD
Founded 1917
Leader- Hugo Hasse

Question 14

Who are the DDP?

Answer 14

German Democratic Party
- Centre left, liberal, pro weimar
Founded Nov 1918
Leaders- Hugo Pruess, Walther Rathenau

Question 15

Who are the DVP?

Answer 15

German People’s Party
- Centre Right, became pro Weimar under Stresemann
Founded Dec 1918
Leader- Gustav Stresemann

Question 16

Who are the DNVP?

Answer 16

German National People’s Party
- Nationalist, Monarchist, Anti Weimar
Founded 1918
Leaders- Karl Helfferich, Alfred Hugenberg

Question 17

Who is the Zentrum Party?

Answer 17

Centre Party
- Catholic, centre, Pro Weimar
Founded 1870
Leaders- Matthais Erzberger. Heinrich Bruning, Franz Von Papen

Question 18

Who are the KPD?

Answer 18

German Communist Party
- Communist, Anti Weimar
Founded Dec 1918
Leaders- Paul Levi, Ernst Thalmann

Question 19

Who are the NSDAP?

Answer 19

National Socialist German Worker’s Party
- Extreme right wing, Anti Weimar
Founded 1919-1920
Leader- Adolf Hitler

Question 20

What does Hugo Pruess propose as a constitutional change?

Answer 20

set on creating constitution in 1919 for New Germany with other government ministers

Question 21

What are problems with setting up a constitution?

Answer 21

• Autocracy to democracy = significant change
  
  • Background of revolution (many attempts 1918-19) so need stability
  • Power shift from the executive to the reichstag over the summer of 1918- should the constitution reflect this?
  • January 1919 elections left a compromise government, combining moderate socialist change with liberal democracy. Constitution should also reflect this
  • How much power should the President be given? How much power should Reichstag be given
  • Unitary or federal state? If federal, what should the balance of power between Reich and Lander be?

Question 22

When was the Weimar Constitution formally codified and adopted?

Answer 22

11th August 1919

Question 23

What were the results for the 19th of January 1919 election?

Answer 23

• 85% turnout
• 76% vote for parties supporting parliamentary democracy
• Ebert elected President of Germany
• Coalition government formed (SPD-DDP-Centre) led by Schiedemann as Chancellor.

Question 24

Which parties formed a coalition according to the results of the 19th January 1919 election?

Answer 24

1st election leads to coalition between German Democratic Party, SPD, Zentrum Party

Question 25

What percent of the votes and seats did the SPD get in the 19th January 1919 election?

Answer 25

38% 165 seats

Question 26

What percent of the votes and seats did the Zentrum Party get in the 19th January 1919 election?

Answer 26

19.7% 91 seats

Question 27

What percent of the votes and seats did the DDP get in the 19th January 1919 election?

Answer 27

18.5% 75 seats

Question 28

Who were the 2 presidents of Weimar?

Answer 28

Ebertz (left, dies after 7 years) Hindenburg (1925) (right)

Question 29

Who took over after Hindenburg died as leader?

Answer 29

Hitler- chancellor, combines President + Chancellor role, becomes Furer of German people

Question 30

What is the role of the President?

Answer 30

(Head of State) - Appoints Chancellor (head of government) - Commandeer in chief of Armed Forces - Elected by the people- have legitimacy + gives them authority - Elected directly by people over 20 years old, every 7 years Take no part in day to day government

Question 31

Who does the Chancellor need the support of?

Answer 31

needs support of Reichstag (to get things done

Question 32

What is the Parliament made up of?

Answer 32

Reichstag + Reichsrat (new name for the upper house) Reichsrat is indirectly elected

Question 33

Who head the government?

Answer 33

All chancellors of Weimar head the government (coalition)

Question 34

What age could women vote at and why?

Answer 34

Women could only vote at 30- scared their vote would go to SPD (for equality) + Sexism

Question 35

Why is the President powerful constitutionally?

Answer 35

- Chose the Chancellor (usually leader of largest party) can dismiss the Chancellor - Can dissolve/dismiss parliament (Reichstag) and call new elections - Commander in Chief of armed forces + can use them to suppress revolts - According to Article 48, he can rule by emergency decree ○ States that in the event of public order and security being seriously disturbed or endangered, Reich President may take measures for restoration, intervening + with aid of the armed forces if necessary

Question 36

What is the role of the Chancellor?

Answer 36

Head of Government - Appointed by President - Usually leader of party with most seats in Reichstag (resulted from party achieving most votes in GE) - Chose ministers to help him run the country - Could pass laws but needed the support of majority in Reichstag

Question 37

What is the Reichstag?

Answer 37

lower but dominant house of new German Parliament

Question 38

What is the role of the Reichstag?

Answer 38

- Controlled taxation

Question 39

How many deputies does the Reichstag have?

Answer 39

Average 528 deputies

Question 40

How are deputies elected into the Reichstag?

Answer 40

- One deputy elected for every 60,000 votes cast so Reichstag size changes each election - All members elected every 4 years by universal suffrage (all men and omen over 20) using secret ballot - Used Proportional Representation- parties received seats depending on the percentage of votes they received

Question 41

What is the Reichsrat?

Answer 41

upper but less dominant house of new German Parliament

Question 42

What are the powers of the members of the Reichsrat?

Answer 42

- These individuals in the Reichsrat had the power to delay new laws unless overruled by a 2/3 majority in the Reichstag

Question 43

How are members of the Reichsrat appointed?

Answer 43

- Members appointed by local governments (18 local governments ie Bavaria, Prussia) - Numbers of members sent from each region depended upon its size ie Prussia being the largest sent the most