Weimar Republic: Challenges 1919-1923

• How well did the Weimar Republic deal with its problems between 1919-1923?

The Weimar Republic

• Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated in November 1918
• A Council of People’s Representatives took control of Germany in 1918
• Elections for a new democracy were held on January 19, 1919
• Voter turnout was high, with 82% of eligible Germans participating
• Moderate parties gained the most seats
• Friedrich Ebert won the election in 1919 and became president as part of the Social Democrat Party
• The new democracy was nicknamed the "Weimar Republic" after the location where it first convened

Key Terms

• Republic: A nation governed by elected representatives and a leader, instead of a monarch

Immediate Actions

• The Assembly faced a number of challenges
• Ebert spent nine months establishing the new Government, seeking support
• Ebert promised the Army that it would not be reformed

More Promises

• Trade Unions were promised an 8-hour working day
• Industry leaders were assured they would not have their land or factories confiscated
• Businesses and the economy continued to operate because of these assurances

Problems

• Some political parties remained unsatisfied
• Demonstrations and riots were common
• Ebert appointed ministers to roles within the new cabinet

Constitution

• A new constitution, outlining Germany’s governing rules, needed to be written
• The Weimar Republic was a democracy

The Weimar Constitution Structure

Head of State: The President

• Leader of the Weimar Republic
• Elected by the people every 7 years
• A non-involved role in day-to-day governing
• The power to choose the Chancellor
• Article 48: The power to suspend the constitution and enable laws in emergency situations without agreement
• Supreme commander of the army

The Government: Chancellor

• Head of the government
• Selected all the government ministers
• To pass laws, a majority in the Reichstag was necessary

The Government: Cabinet

• Helped the Chancellor with key decision making

The Parliament

• Parliament was made up of two houses: The Reichstag and the Reichsrat

Reichstag

• The Reichstag was the more powerful of the two houses
• Controlled taxation
• Directly elected by the people every 4 years
• Voted on government proposed laws

Reichsrat

• Elected every 4 years
• Represented the regions of Germany
• Each region sent a certain number of representatives based on its size
• Couldn't make laws but provided advice, and could delay laws unless overruled by a two-thirds majority of the Reichstag

Electorate

• All men and women over 20 were able to vote
• Proportional Representation: % of votes received = % of seats obtained

Details of the Constitution

• Men and women aged 20 and over could vote, resulting in the widest electorate in Europe
• Germany was the most democratic country in Europe
• The electorate voted for political parties to represent them in the Reichstag
• Proportional representation was used
• The electorate voted for President.
• The Reichstag was the most powerful of the two houses
• It voted on laws proposed by the Government
• Made up of representatives from the regions of Germany
• The bigger the region, the more deputies (421 in 1919)
• It could advise and delay new laws unless overruled by a two-thirds majority of the Reichstag
• Parliament was chosen from members of both houses
• The chancellor was normally chosen from the Reichstag
• The President chose the Chancellor, but had to choose someone with the majority support

Chancellor Powers

• The chancellor chose the cabinet ministers and carried out the day-to-day running of the country
• The chancellor needed the support of the Reichstag to pass laws

President Powers

• Elected by the people every 7 years
• A non-involved role in day-to-day running of the country
• The power to chose the Chancellor
• Supreme commander of the army
• The power to suspend the constitution and pass laws without the agreement of the Reichstag in an emergency

Strengths of the Weimar Republic

• The constitution was democratic, as men and women over 20 could vote
• The right to vote in Britain was 21 for men and 30 for women
• Free speech and freedom of religious beliefs
• Proportional representation ensured small parties had government seats
• A strong president was necessary to take control and protect the country
• The system was designed to end dictatorships and prevent too much power, requiring Reichstag approval and Reichsrat regulation
• Presidential elections every 7 years

Weaknesses of the Weimar Republic

• Some historians argue that there were weaknesses in the constitution
• One issue was Proportional Representation

Proportional Representation Weakness

• Seats were awarded by percentage of votes gained, for example, 10% of votes = 10% of seats
• Lots of smaller parties were encouraged, as there were 29 different political parties in the 1920s
• Winning a majority was difficult (Ebert's Party, the SPD, only got 40% of the vote in 1919.)
• Parties had to form coalitions

Coalition Difficulties

• Coalitions found it hard to agree, and they often collapsed
• Several short-term governments were not able to deal with Germany’s problems
• From 1923 to 1930, there were ten new Governments due to coalition breakdowns
• Politicians were seen as weak and self-interested, and caused resentment
• Proportional representation meant small parties had influence, but some hated the government

Article 48 Weakness

• In an emergency, the President did not need the agreement of the Reichstag and could issue a decree
• This was good if the President supported democracy
• The definition of an 'emergency' was unclear, weakening German confidence in democracy
• An undemocratic President could be problematic
• This could have lead to a dictatorship

Opposition From Within

• Many senior figures, like army leaders and judges, did not support democracy, posing a threat.
• Judges may be lenient on people who challenge democracy
• The army may not agree to protect democracy

Other Problems

• Germany was politically divided and economically damaged
• Politicians and leaders needed to work together, but this was difficult

Final Thoughts

• The democracy and proportional representation resulted in coalition governments. This system requires co-operation and compromise, but Germany had no experience of it

Germany in 1918

• Germany has lost the war, and the Kaiser has fled
• Germany is now run by a democratic government, called the Weimar Republic, led by President Ebert.
• Many felt the government had been forced by the USA/Britain
• People in Germany have never been run by a democratic government
• There is a lack of knowledge of how democracy works.
• A negative view of democracy is widely held, especially by the army and the rich.
• Shame because Germany signed the Armistice
• People in Germany had been told for 4 years that they were winning
• Germany people didn't believe it, and blamed the new leaders
• Loss of empire, military strength and trade during WW1
• Germany lost land, had to return Alsace and Lorraine, and all of its overseas colonies
• Germany is in massive debt
• National income is 1/3 of what it had been in 1914
• Germany owes 150 billion marks because of the war
• The government cannot afford to pay the 600,000 families a pension for losing fathers/sons
• Food is scarce in Germany
• Food is expensive
• Possibly 300,000 Germans have suffered with malnutrition
• There are huge divides between rich and poor

Challenges what Ebert faced

• Now governed by a democratic government called the Weimar Republic, led by President Ebert
• People felt democracy had been forced by the USA/Britain
• People had no idea of how democracy works
• Many don't like democracy, especially the army and the rich
• Shame because the new leaders signed the Armistice
• German people blamed the new leaders for the loss
• Food scarcity and Expensive

'Stab in the Back' Theory

• Philipp Scheidemann, the German Social Democratic politician, proclaimed the Weimar Republic
• Matthias Erzberger, an anti-war politician who ended WW1
• 'The stab in the back' theory was based on the idea that Germany had never been defeated in The Great War
• The responsibility for the humiliation of the armistice was laid solely at the feet of the new democratic government of Germany
• People that were labelled as, "November criminals", signed the armistice and betrayed the German Army
• Historian John D Clare claimed the term 'stab in the back' was used to beat the newly created Weimar Republic