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Coming to Terms with Democracy Lecture 7 13 March 2012

HIST2133. The Weimar Republic through Documents, 1918-1933. Coming to Terms with Democracy Lecture 7 13 March 2012. Weimar Constitution. ☺Created parliamentary democratic republic ☺ Reichstag (people’s representation) with much more power than in Empire

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Coming to Terms with Democracy Lecture 7 13 March 2012

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  1. HIST2133. The Weimar Republic through Documents, 1918-1933 Coming to Terms with Democracy Lecture 7 13 March 2012

  2. Weimar Constitution ☺Created parliamentary democratic republic ☺ Reichstag (people’s representation) with much more power than in Empire ☺ Reichsrat as federal element (member states) ☻President with extensive powers (esp. Art. 48 ‘emergency decree power’) ☻Many splinter parties due to proportional representation ☻ Plebiscites ☻ Limitation of federal states’ rights

  3. ‘Relative’ Stabilisation 1924-29/30 • ‘Republic of instability’ (R. Morsey) • ‘Story of failure’ (M. Stürmer) ☺ Achievements in domestic, economic, and foreign politics ☻ Incapability of stabilizing political & socioeconomic system = Diminishing room for finding general agreeable solutions = Increasing political conflict potentials

  4. May 1924 Reichstag Elections • Huge losses of government parties SPD + DVP + DDP • Large wins of extreme leftist KPD & rightist DNVP + NSDAP = Clear sign of severe political & economic crisis of 1923 = SPD opposed to joining new government coalition of Centre Party + DDP + DVP = DNVP undecided about Dawes Plan and joining coalition ► Dissolution of Reichstag + new elections

  5. Government coalitions • No coalitions possible with both SPD and DNVP a continuous dilemma → Only 3 options for coalitions: 1) Coalition of Centre Party + DVP + DNVP: ☺ domestic ☻ foreign politics 2) Great coalition of SPD + Centre Party + DVP: ☺ foreign☻ economic & social politics 3) Minority coalition of Centre Party + DVP depending on instable temporary support of SPD or DNVP

  6. Consequences = No parliamentary majority for long-term cooperation in both foreign AND domestic politics = All-time shifting majorities de-stabilizing in long run political system = Inability of parties to form stable government coalitions partly result of Empire’s political system = New role of parties in Republic only hesitantly accepted ► General dislike of parties to carry responsibility, to make compromises and eventually disappoint own members & voters stronger than interest in stability ► “A Republic without Republicans”

  7. President von Hindenburg • Death of President Ebert (28 Feb 1925) • Former General Field Marshall von Hindenburg (77) elected by small majority of voters (26 Apr 1925) = Clear defeat of democratic Republic = Hindenburg formally loyal to constitution but paving way to ‘silent constitutional changes’ = Increasing political power of President due to instable governments = Strong preference of Hindenburg for DNVP + authoritarian governments but not for SPD + democratic governments

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