Establishment of Weimar constitution in 1919

• What undemocratic groups survived the Weimar development?

  Army, Civil service and the judiciary
• Who was the first president of the Weimar Republic?

  Friedrich Ebert
• Strengths of the Weimar constitution

  • Wider right to vote than in GB and France and women were allowed to vote
  • Proportional representation allowed smaller parties to win seats in Reichstag
  • Set out the rights of individuals through the Fundamental Rights and Duties of German citizens which were guaranteed in the second part of the constitution
• Weaknesses of the Weimar

  • Proliferation of smaller parties meant they only used the system to gain publicity
  • Due to the proliferation of smaller parties none of the larger parties were able to gain the majority therefore many of them were coalitions
• The abuse of presidential decree

  Ebert used it on 136 occasions where some were genuine uses others were to override Reichstag opposition
• How did the Army survive the development of the Weimar

  They were free from political control and they used their power against the left whilst the right wing were supported
• What did General von Seeckt think of the Timeless Reich?

  He believed the army only owed loyalty to the Timeless Reich and that they could get involved with politics at anytime
• The Civil Service under the Weimar Republic

  • They were given a guarantee of their rights and their freedom of political opinion as long as it didn't conflict with their loyalty to the State
  • Top civil servants still chosen under the aristocracy
• The Judiciary under the Weimar Republic

  • Article 102 guaranteed the independence of judges
  • Judges were monarchists and anti-democratic men who showed their bias in their legal judgement
  • Left wing groups punished severely whereas right wing treated with leniency