weimar constitution

The Weimar Republic Learning Objectives: • To explain how the

Weimar Republic was formed.

• To evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the Weimar Republic’s Constitution.

25 Oct 1918 Russian Revolution

June 1918 Ebert took over as Chancellor

9 Nov 1918 Kiel Mutiny11 Nov 1918 Ludendorff Offensive

Oct 1917 Armistice Signed

Recap: KeywordsMatch the dates with the event

What was the Weimar Republic?

LO: To explain how the Weimar Republic was formed.

Following the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm at the end of the First World War, Germany’s biggest political party the Social Democrat Party (SPD) set up a new democratic government which soon became known as the Weimar Republic.

A perfect democracy?

What features would you expect to see in the perfect democracy? Make a list.

• .............................................• .............................................• .............................................• .............................................• .............................................


The Weimar Constitution

LO: To explain what the Weimar Republic was.

• A Bill of Rights based on social justice guaranteed every German citizen freedom of speech and religion, and equality under the law.

• All men and women over the age of 20 were given the vote. This was even better than Britain where only women over 30 could vote.

• There was an elected president and an elected Reichstag (parliament).

• The Reichstag made the laws and appointed the government, which had to do what the Reichstag wanted.

The Weimar Constitution included...

Democracy? LO: To explain what the Weimar Republic was.

Does the W.R. sound like a good democracy?

What did the old system look like?

Kaiser(hereditary for life)

appoints summons commands

Government Imperial Parliament

Bundesrat Reichstag

A debating chamberwith some control over finance, can only approve laws

Made up of States’representatives. Supported the Kaiser. Made the laws’

ChancellorMinisters

Elected by all men over 25Members chosen by state governments

Army

The President(elected every seven years)

The ChancellorChosen by the PresidentMember of the Reichstag

Needed support from majority of Reichstag

The German PeopleEveryone over the age of twenty can vote for the Reichstag, and

vote for the President every seven years

Houses of ParliamentReichstag (Lower

House)Voted for by the German public,

using proportional representation

Reichsrat (Upper House)

Each German state (eg. Prussia) sent

representatives.

Makes laws

How did the Weimar Republic work?

Controls Armed Forces

Article 48In an

emergency the

President could make

laws without

going first to the

Reichstag

Votes for with help

of Reichstag

Votes for

Selects

Needs support

of

Democracy? Review the two system of Governance,

what are the differences?


Memory Test!

• I will give you 2 minutes to learn the constitution of the Weimar Republic.

• Close your books/laptops and put your pens down!

Memory Tip:

Perhaps you could use a pneumonic?

A pneumonic is when you make a word using the

first letters of the things you wanted to remember.











representatives.

Makes laws



Article 48In an

emergency the


laws without

going first to the

Reichstag

Votes for with help

of Reichstag

Votes for

Selects

Needs support

of

Now write it down.











representatives.

Makes laws



Article 48In an

emergency the


laws without

going first to the

Reichstag

Votes for with help

of Reichstag

Votes for

Selects

Needs support

of

• After the abdication of the Kaiser, there was unrest all around Germany.

• Armed groups with extreme political views clashed with the army and even claimed control.

• Ebert slowly began to take control and a temporary government was formed – ‘Council of People’s Representatives’.


Forming a new Govt.

http://www.google.com.hk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=the+weimar+republic%23&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=O3xP68FMxdlxAM&tbnid=533aMjJNffVz9M:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://historymike.blogspot.com/2007/07/fall-of-weimar-republic.html&ei=HH8IUcWdGqqYiAejlIAI&psig=AFQjCNHYM9JvZD5QP4GjlRERvZAseA8-rQ&ust=1359597716523407

http://www.google.com.hk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=abdication+of+the+kaiser&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=P-fF6TrkUNuRMM&tbnid=rHfG4UMNpm-O9M:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.globalnews.ca/daysofremembrance/index.html&ei=1QoOUavhC6LymAX04oGACQ&psig=AFQjCNEEAaqlJZo5dvYMgJYJmXl3z4lJcw&ust=1359961162095282

• This temporary government organised elections for a National Assembly on 19th January 1919. The winners met on 6th February 1919 to create a new constitution.

• Due to unrest in Berlin, the Assembly met in Weimar. The new constitution was signed into law by the Assembly on 11th August 1919 – thus the Weimar Republic was born.


Forming a new Govt.

http://www.google.com.hk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=the+weimar+constitution+diagram&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=VmwBzR17Q-YIPM&tbnid=LLE3zGk-bkIdAM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.johndclare.net/Weimar2.htm&ei=u3kIUe_gDubniAfOs4GADQ&psig=AFQjCNHgQMcaW3Wj6PtSl1VsJDz8-2ZpwQ&ust=1359596333125633

The PresidentHe would be elected directly by the people

over 20 years of age every 7 years He would take no part in day-to-day

government However, the President was a powerful figure because:He chose the Chancellor (usually the

leader of the largest party) & he could dismiss the Chancellor

He could dissolve/dismiss parliament (the Reichstag) & call new elections

He was Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces & could use them to suppress revolts.

Friedrich Ebert


The PresidentAccording to Article 48 he could rule by EMERGENCY DECREE? Article 48 of the Weimar constitution stated that in the event that the public order & security are seriously disturbed or endangered, the Reich President may take the measures necessary for restoration, intervening, if necessary, with the aid of the armed forces.Used 136 times by Ebert!!

Friedrich Ebert


The ChancellorHe was appointed by the President

He was usually the leader of the party with the most seats in the Reichstag (which had resulted from his party having achieved the most votes in the general election)

He chose ministers to help him run the country

He could pass laws but needed the support of the majority in the Reichstag.

Phillip Scheidemann


The voting system

In the UK, they use a system called ‘first past the post’

UK is made up of 83 counties. If we imagine that the UK only has 3. e.g. Kent, Essex and Sussex.

There are three seats in Parliament, one for each county.


Kent

100 voters

1 seat in Parliament

Essex

100 voters


Sussex

100 voters


First Past the Post (what is used in UK):

Kent

Nationalists: 51

Socialists 49

Essex

Nationalists:1

Socialist 99

Sussex

Nationalists: 51

Socialists 49

Nationalists Win! Socialists Win Nationalists Win!

First Past the Post (what is used in UK):

Nationalist ParliamentKent

Nationalist MP

Essex

Socialist MP

Sussex

Nationalist MP

Proportional voting:

All counties are merged into one and a PERCENTAGE (%) of votes determines who gets the seats.

Kent

Nationalists: 51

Socialists 49

Essex

Nationalists:1

Socialist 99

Sussex

Nationalists: 51

Socialists 49

Proportional Representation

ADD THEM ALL UP AND TAKE A PERCENTAGE

Proportional voting:

300 voters

197 vote Socialist103 vote Nationalist

Socialist’s Win – A Socialist Parliament

Parliament:

Nationalists seats 34% (1 seat)Socialist seats 66% (2 seats)

Same number of votes –

completely different result!

In reality by using a percentage you end up with lots of different parties in the Parliament – e.g.

Parliament with a 100 seats:

Nationalists: 30% 30 seatsSocialists: 45% 45 seats

Green Party 25% 20 seatsMonster Raving Looney Party 4% 4 seats

Mr Burrough to rule the world Party1% 1 seat

Socialist are the biggest party but can’t rule with a MAJOIRTY so must rely on winning over other parties to pass laws

The two biggest problems were:Proportional representation - Meant there was no party strong enough to get a majority, and, therefore, very difficult to get laws passed in the Reichstag. This was a major weakness of the Republic.

Article 48 - The president could rule without consulting the Reichstag in an Emergency. The problem with this was that it did not say what an emergency was and this paved the way toward dictatorship.


What problems might the Weimar Republic have?

I= INSTABILITY C= CHANGEI= INACTIONP= PUBLIC OPINION

LO: Outline the strengths & weaknesses of the constitution


Instability: Due to coalitions; parties could very rarely agree, and even if they could agree and formed a coalition, they would often fall out quickly.

Change: With coalitions constantly changing, it was hard to come up with a consistent government policy on anything

Inaction: Constantly changing coalitions and lack of consistent policies meant that the government rarely got much done!

Public Opinion: People were suspicious of all the change and inaction. They did not trust the new government.


Bun - Point

Salad - Evidence

Meat - Explanation

Bun - Link

*History Skills Builder* Burger/PEEL Paragraphs

Learn to write a PEEL paragraph*History Skills Builder*LO: To practice

writing PEEL paragraphs

Point: What you want to say – the answer to your question.

Evidence: Your reason, your proof – give an example.

Explanation:

Explain your evidence. How does this evidence show that your point is correct?

Link: Summary sentence that links back to the question

Write a PEEL paragraphP: There were both strengths and weaknesses with the new constitution of the Weimar Republic.E: Outline what these strengths and weaknesses are. E: Explain why they are strengths or weaknesses and the possible outcome they could lead to.L: While the constitution is an improvement on the countries previous governance, there are areas where improvements should be made to make it a fully democratic society.

Explain the strengths and weaknesses of the Weimar

Republic’s Constitution



Was the Weimar Republic doomed from the start?

Explain the strengths and weaknesses of the Weimar

Republic’s Constitution(8 marks)

What are the main strengths and why they are strengths?

What are the major weaknesses and why are they weaknesses?


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Weimar_Constitution.jpg

Explain the strengths and weaknesses of the Weimar Republic’s Constitution?

(8 Marks)Structure• Remember PEEL• At least two, preferably three paragraphs focusing on

causation.• Ensure you refer to how the cause lead to an outcome

for German.Full Marks• Link each reason together to show how these combined

lead to an outcome.



weimar constitution

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