The Weimar Constitution - Weimar and Nazi Germany GCSE

Summary

This video offers a comprehensive review of the Weimar and Nazi Germany from the GCSE Edexcel 9-1 curriculum. It delves into the establishment of the Weimar Republic, its constitution's strengths and weaknesses, and the political structure including the President, Chancellor, and Parliament. The video highlights the democratic nature of the constitution, the challenges of coalition governments, and the reliance on Article 48, which contributed to the perception of a failing democracy and the eventual rise of a strong leader.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Weimar Republic was established after the abdication of the Kaiser, with the first National Assembly meeting in Weimar due to unrest in Berlin.
• 🏛️ The Weimar Constitution, agreed upon in July 1919, outlined the structure of the government, including the roles of the President, Chancellor, Parliament, and the electorate.
• 🗳️ Universal suffrage was a key feature of the Weimar Republic, with all men and women over 20 having the right to vote, contrasting with other countries' restrictions.
• 🎖️ The President, elected every seven years, was the head of state with control over the army and the power to appoint the Chancellor.
• 🌐 The Chancellor, chosen by the President, was the head of government, responsible for selecting ministers and leading the Reichstag.
• 🏛️ The Parliament consisted of two houses, the Reichstag, responsible for taxation and policy decisions, and the Reichsrat, representing German regions.
• 📊 Proportional representation in the Reichstag was a strength of the Weimar Constitution, ensuring fair representation based on the number of votes received.
• ⚖️ The constitution aimed to provide a balance of power among the President, Chancellor, and Parliament to prevent any single entity from dominating.
• 🔄 A major weakness was the fragmentation of political power, leading to frequent coalitions and instability, with nine coalitions in the first four years.
• 🚑 Article 48 of the constitution allowed the President to delegate emergency powers to the Chancellor, which the Weimar Republic increasingly relied upon, contributing to perceptions of democratic ineffectiveness.
• 🗳️ The spread of votes among numerous parties meant that no single party felt truly represented, and the presence of extremist parties in the Reichstag undermined the democratic process.

Q & A

What was the purpose of the Council of People’s Representatives after the Kaiser's abdication?

The Council of People’s Representatives was set up temporarily in the immediate aftermath of the Kaiser's abdication, with the intention of holding elections as soon as possible to choose a new national assembly to represent the people and draft a constitution for the new republic.

Who was the new Chancellor of the Reichstag and what was his announcement?

The new Chancellor of the Reichstag was Fredrich Ebert, who announced that there would be elections held to choose a new national assembly to represent the people.

When was the first election held after the establishment of the Weimar Republic?

The first election was held on the 19th January 1919.

What was the voter turnout for the first election of the Weimar Republic?

The voter turnout for the first election was 83% of those eligible to vote.

Which political parties won the majority of the votes in the first election of the Weimar Republic?

The Socialist Democratic Party won 40% of the vote, the Centre party won 20%, and the rest was shared between mostly moderate, non-extreme, parties.

Why did the first National Assembly meet in Weimar instead of Berlin?

The first National Assembly met in Weimar because there were still protests and unrest in Berlin, forcing the assembly to meet in a small town about 300 kilometers away.

What was the structure of the new German political system as outlined by the Weimar Constitution?

The structure included a president, a chancellor, the parliament, and the electorate. The president was the head of state, the chancellor was the head of the government, the parliament was made up of two houses (the Reichstag and the Reichsrat), and the electorate consisted of all men and women over the age of 20.

What was the term of office for the President under the Weimar Constitution?

The President was elected every seven years.

What were the strengths of the Weimar Constitution?

The strengths included its democratic nature, with universal suffrage and proportional representation in the Reichstag, and a balanced distribution of powers between the president, chancellor, and parliament.

What were the weaknesses of the Weimar Constitution?

The weaknesses included the difficulty in forming single-party control leading to frequent coalitions, slow reaction in crises, over-reliance on Article 48, and the lack of a strong representational feeling among the electorate due to the spread of votes among many parties.

How did the Weimar Constitution provide for a balance of power?

The constitution provided for a balance of power by allowing the president to choose the chancellor, dismissing parliament if necessary, and being in charge of the army. The chancellor decided which laws should pass, but these had to be voted on in the Reichstag and the Reichsrat could delay laws if they were deemed unfair.