Weaknesses in Weimar constitution

• The Reichstag had the power to dismiss the Chancellor, but this was rarely used.
• The President could dissolve the Reichstag if it failed to pass a budget or vote on the government's programme within six weeks.
• The President also had the power to appoint the Chancellor without consulting the Reichstag.
• The President also had the power to appoint ministers without consulting with the Reichstag.
• The President could veto laws passed by the Reichstag, which required a two-thirds majority to override.
• The President appointed the Chancellor, who then formed their own cabinet.
• The President had the power to declare war and make peace treaties.
• The President appointed members of the Cabinet with the advice of the Chancellor.
• The President had the power to issue decrees that were binding on all Germans.
• The President could call for new elections at any time.
• The President could declare a state of emergency, giving him/her additional powers during times of crisis.
• The President could make treaties and negotiate international agreements without approval from the Reichstag.
• The President had the power to call referendums on important issues.
• Germany was called the Weimar Republic because after the Kaiser abdicated, Germany became a republic
• Ebert took control of Germany as the leader of the largest political campaign, the social democrats
• Ebert ended the war and Germany surrendered, leading citizens to blame the new government
• The Treaty of Versailles was published in 1919, worsening the situation for the new government
• Other groups tried to rule Germany, but they were not democratic
• Communists took control of Bavaria, Munich, and declared it an independent communist state
• The chaos was so severe that the new government didn't feel safe in Berlin and moved to Weimar to set up the Weimar Republic in the 1920s
• What is proportional representation 


  Each party gets the same proportion of seats in the Reichstag to match the propo of people who voted for them. Problem, no single party can form a gov, instead its lots of coalitions, harder to pass laws, gov would collapse more easily
• What was Article 48

  The president could use emergency powers if there was a crisis and rule by his own decree (risk dictatorship and abuse of power)
• Who were the Spartacists?

  Germany Communist party (dec 1919) backed by Soviet Union, well funded. (had 33 daily newspapers and 400,000 members), supported by Spartactist League (extreme socialist, from the USPD, named after Spartacus) Spartacists were led by Luxemburg and Liebknecht, wanted to undermine gov, achieve communism/ dictatorshi and better working rights
• How did the Spartacists threaten the Weimar governmen?

  in Jan 1919, tried to take over gov using force: fought in the streets of Berlin, seized important buildings, wanted to undermine gov, called for uprising after sacking of Einhorn 4/jan/1919. Ebert dealt with them by sending in Freikorps (ex soldiers- Reichswehr gathered around 250,000 by march 1919), who hated the Spartacists, brutally ending the revolt. Luxemburg and Liebknecht bodies dumped in canal
• Who were the Kapp Putsch, how were they a threat?

  Kapp Putsch developed from Freikorps, decided they wanted change after beating Spartacists, led by Wolfgang Kapp. Hated gov for signing ToV, invited Kaiser to return, became more violent, Allies insisted they return their weapons. March 1920, Freikorps teamed up with police and some army to take over Berlin. Ebert appealed to workers of Berlin and everything grinded to a halt, no gas or electricity etc. After around 100 hrs Kapp gave up and fled abroad