The German Revolution of

Grandson of Queen Victoria… Had a slightly disabled right arm following birth complications… Favourite meal was Currywurst… Drank 4 pints of Coca Cola a day… Loved fart jokes… T T F F T

The rule of the Kaiser (Emperor) until 1918 Wilhelm II

German Constitution (System of Government) 1914 Kaiser Wilhelm II (hereditary monarch) Government (Chancellor; Ministers) Reichstag (Parliament) (elected) Can stop laws proposed by the Government but can not make laws Electors Men over 25 can vote The Army AppointsCalls/DismissesControls Copy the diagram of the 1914 Constitution

Question Look at the diagram and the sources: Where does power lie in the German Constitution in 1914? SOURCE A There is only one master in this country. That am I. Who opposes me I shall crush to pieces. Kaiser Wilhelm II, speaking before SOURCE B The old Reichstag was a useless parliament. It could speak but it had no voice. A German politician speaking in End

Weimar Republic The name of the new government set up in Germany after WWI

The Weimar Republic At the end of the First World War, the Kaiser abdicated (stepped down)… In 1919, elections were held and the “Weimar Republic” was set up…. Before 1914, the government of Germany had been an autocracy After 1919, it was a parliamentary democracy – a republic. Definitions – match these up to the terms in red … Government elected by the people … power in the hands of a few people … democracy with no monarch

German Constitution (system of Government) 1919 Voters All men and women over the age of 20 can vote PRESIDENT The Army Reichstag (Parliament) Government CHANCELLOR & Ministers Must have a majority in the Reichstag, and do as the Reichstag says Controls Appoints from which is elected Copy the diagram they elect…

Question Look at the diagram and the sources Where does power lie in the German Constitution in 1919? SOURCE C The German Commonwealth is a Republic. Political authority is derived from the People – The Weimar Constitution, 1919 SOURCE D The Constitution was a brave attempt to set up a domestic government...All Germans had equal rights, including the vote. Political parties were given seats in proportion to the number of votes they got. This was fair. – A modern textbook End

60 seconds – draw a quick cartoon / picture of Ebert so you remember what he looks like Friedrich Ebert – President of Germany :001:591:581:571:561:551:541:531:521:511:501:491:481:471:461:451:441:431:421:411:401:391:381:371:361:351:341:331:321:311:301:291:281:271:261:251:241:231:221:211:201:191:181:171:161:151:141:131:121:111:101:091:081:071:061:051:041:031:021:011:000:590:580:570:560:550:540:530:520:510:500:490:480:470:460:450:440:430:420:410:400:390:380:370:360:350:340:330:320:310:300:290:280:270:260:250:240:230:220:210:200:190:180:170:160:150:140:130:120:110:100:090:080:070:060:050:040:030:020:01End

The Weimar Constitution The President Elected every 7 years - First Pres. was Friedrich Ebert… The Chancellor (Prime Minister) Appointed by the President from the Reichstag (Parliament). The Chancellor had to have a majority of seats (over 50%) in the Reichstag. Article 48 In an emergency the President could make laws without the Reichstag. The Reichstag – Parliament It contained 2 “chambers” the Reichstag … each member was elected by the German people 2. the Reichsrat – each province in Germany (e.g. Bavaria or Prussia) would send representatives.

Task You’re a soldier who has just returned from the war back to Germany I want you to create a diary entry about the state of the country you have just found - how do you feel about what the Treaty of Versailles has done to Germany? What do you think of the Weimar Republic? Will it help to get Germany back to full strength? Or has it been weakened by other nations? 10 minutes End