1. 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.

2. Match the dates with the event
Recap: Keywords
Match the dates with the event
25 Oct 1918
Russian Revolution
June 1918
Ebert took over as Chancellor
9 Nov 1918
Kiel Mutiny
11 Nov 1918
Ludendorff Offensive
Oct 1917
Armistice Signed

3. What was the Weimar Republic?
LO: To explain how the Weimar Republic was formed.
What was the Weimar Republic?
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.

4. LO: To explain how the Weimar Republic was formed.
A perfect democracy?
What features would you expect to see in the perfect democracy? Make a list.
What is a constitution? - drawn up after a change from one political system to another (USA – Colonialism to Federal Republic. France – Monarchy to Republic, Wiemar Republic – Monarchy (Kaiser – Weimar Republic)

5. The Weimar Constitution
LO: To explain what the Weimar Republic was.
The Weimar Constitution
The Weimar Constitution included...
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.

6. Does the W.R. sound like a good democracy?
LO: To explain what the Weimar Republic was.
Democracy?
Does the W.R. sound like a good democracy?

7. What did the old system look like?
Kaiser
(hereditary for life)
appoints
summons
commands
Government
Imperial Parliament
Bundesrat
Reichstag
A debating chamber
with some control
over finance, can
only approve
laws
Made up of States’
representatives.
Supported the
Kaiser. Made
the laws’
Chancellor
Ministers
Elected by all men over 25
Members chosen by
state governments
Army

8. How did the Weimar Republic work?
Selects
The President
(elected every seven years)
The Chancellor
Chosen by the President
Member of the Reichstag
Needed support from majority of Reichstag
The German People
Everyone over the age of twenty can vote for the Reichstag, and vote for the President every seven years
Houses of Parliament
Reichstag (Lower House)
Voted for by the German public, using proportional representation
Reichsrat (Upper House)
Each German state (eg. Prussia) sent representatives.
Makes laws
Needs support of
Controls Armed Forces
Article 48
In an emergency the President could make laws without going first to the Reichstag
Votes for with help of Reichstag
Votes for

9. Review the two system of Governance, what are the differences?
LO: To explain how the Weimar Republic was formed.
Democracy?
Review the two system of Governance, what are the differences?

10. Perhaps you could use a pneumonic?
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.

11. THREE

12. TWO

13. ONE

14. How did the Weimar Republic work?
Selects
The President
(elected every seven years)
The Chancellor
Chosen by the President
Member of the Reichstag
Needed support from majority of Reichstag
The German People
Everyone over the age of twenty can vote for the Reichstag, and vote for the President every seven years
Houses of Parliament
Reichstag (Lower House)
Voted for by the German public, using proportional representation
Reichsrat (Upper House)
Each German state (eg. Prussia) sent representatives.
Makes laws
Needs support of
Controls Armed Forces
Article 48
In an emergency the President could make laws without going first to the Reichstag
Votes for with help of Reichstag
Votes for

15. Now write it down.

16. How did the Weimar Republic work?
Selects
The President
(elected every seven years)
The Chancellor
Chosen by the President
Member of the Reichstag
Needed support from majority of Reichstag
The German People
Everyone over the age of twenty can vote for the Reichstag, and vote for the President every seven years
Houses of Parliament
Reichstag (Lower House)
Voted for by the German public, using proportional representation
Reichsrat (Upper House)
Each German state (eg. Prussia) sent representatives.
Makes laws
Needs support of
Controls Armed Forces
Article 48
In an emergency the President could make laws without going first to the Reichstag
Votes for with help of Reichstag
Votes for

17. LO: To explain how the Weimar Republic was formed.
Forming a new Govt.
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’.

18. LO: To explain how the Weimar Republic was formed.
Forming a new Govt.
This temporary government organised elections for a National Assembly on 19th January 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.

19. The President Friedrich Ebert
LO: To explain how the Weimar Republic was formed.
The President
He 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

20. LO: To explain how the Weimar Republic was formed.
The President
According 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

21. The Chancellor Phillip Scheidemann He was appointed by the President
LO: To explain how the Weimar Republic was formed.
The Chancellor
He 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

22. LO: To explain how the Weimar Republic was formed.
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.

23. First Past the Post (what is used in UK):
Kent
100 voters
1 seat in Parliament
Essex
100 voters
1 seat in Parliament
Sussex
100 voters
1 seat in Parliament

24. 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!

25. Nationalist Parliament
Kent
Nationalist MP
Essex
Socialist MP
Sussex
Nationalist MP

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

27. Proportional Representation
Kent
Nationalists: 51
Socialists 49
Essex
Nationalists: 1
Socialist 99
Sussex
Nationalists: 51
Socialists 49
ADD THEM ALL UP AND TAKE A PERCENTAGE

28. Proportional voting: 300 voters 197 vote Socialist
103 vote Nationalist

29. Socialist’s Win – A Socialist Parliament
Nationalists seats  34% (1 seat)
Socialist seats  66% (2 seats)

30. Same number of votes – completely different result!

31. 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 seats
Socialists: 45%  45 seats
Green Party 25%  20 seats
Monster 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

32. 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.

33. The Weimar Constitution
LO: Outline the strengths & weaknesses of the constitution
The Weimar Constitution
What problems might the Weimar Republic have?
I= INSTABILITY
C= CHANGE
I= INACTION
P= PUBLIC OPINION

34. The Weimar Constitution
LO: Outline the strengths & weaknesses of the constitution
The Weimar 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.

35. Burger/PEEL Paragraphs
*History Skills Builder*
Burger/PEEL Paragraphs
Bun - Point
Salad - Evidence
Meat - Explanation
Bun - Link

36. Learn to write a PEEL paragraph
LO: To practice writing PEEL paragraphs
*History Skills Builder*
Learn to write a PEEL paragraph
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

37. LO: Outline the strengths & weaknesses of the constitution
Explain the strengths and weaknesses of the Weimar Republic’s Constitution
Write a PEEL paragraph
P: 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.

38. The Weimar Constitution
LO: Outline the strengths & weaknesses of the constitution
The Weimar 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?

39. The Weimar Constitution
LO: Outline the strengths & weaknesses of the constitution
The Weimar Constitution
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.