States of the Weimar Republic#Constituent states

{{See also|Federalism in Germany|Kleinstaaterei|Territorial evolution of Germany#Treaty of Versailles}}

The German Empire (1871–1918) was a federal monarchy made up in 1918 of 25 constituent states (4 kingdoms, 6 grand duchies, 5 duchies, 7 principalities, 3 free cities) and one imperial territory. Its federal structure reflected its formation in 1871 under the leadership of the Kingdom of Prussia from the combination of the loosely federal North German Confederation with Saxony, Bavaria, Württemberg, Baden and a number of smaller states.{{Cite web |date=21 May 2024 |title=German Empire |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/German-Empire |access-date=9 August 2024 |website=Encyclopedia Britannica}}

Following the German Empire's defeat in World War I, the victorious Allied powers in the Treaty of Versailles reduced Germany's size by 65,000 sq km (25,000 sq mi), or about 13% of its former territory. The areas that were lost had about 7 million inhabitants, or 12% of imperial Germany's population.{{Cite web |last=O'Neill |first=Aaron |date=21 June 2022 |title=Approximate German territorial losses, and related loss of resources, following the Treaty of Versailles, June 28, 1919 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/1086370/territorial-resource-loss-treaty-of-versailles/ |access-date=31 July 2024 |website=statista}} The affected regions, with the exception of Danzig{{Cite web |title=Die Freie Stadt Danzig: Überblick |trans-title=The Free City of Danzig: Overview |url=https://gonschior.de/weimar/Danzig/index.htm |access-date=1 August 2024 |website=gonschior.de |language=de}} and the Saar, all had significant non-German speaking populations (primarily Polish, French and Danish).

The Saar Basin was occupied and governed jointly by the United Kingdom and France from 1920 to 1935 under a League of Nations mandate.Article 45–50 with Annex, Treaty of Versailles After a plebiscite was held in January 1935, the region was returned to Germany.{{cite web |author= |first= |title=Under the Auspices of the League, Saar Plebiscite |url=https://www.loc.gov/item/2021670571/ |access-date=8 August 2024 |website=Library of Congress |publisher=}}

In accordance with the Treaty of Versailles, the city of Danzig (now Gdańsk, Poland) was detached from Germany on 15 November 1920 and turned into a semi-autonomous city-state under the protection of the League of Nations.{{cite book |last1=Loew |first1=Peter Oliver |author-link1=Peter Oliver Loew |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9ifeo6zdSMcC |title=Danzig – Biographie einer Stadt |publisher=C.H. Beck |year=2011 |isbn=978-3-406-60587-1 |location=Munich |page=189 |language=de |trans-title=Danzig – Biography of a City}}{{cite book |last1=Samerski |first1=Stefan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VMvgZQrdkxcC |title=Das Bistum Danzig in Lebensbildern |publisher=LIT Verlag |year=2003 |isbn=978-3-825-86284-8 |location=Vienna |page=8 |language=de |trans-title=The Bishopric of Gdansk in Biographical Portraits}} The Treaty stated that it was to remain separate from both Germany and the newly independent Poland, but it was not a sovereign state.{{cite book |last1=Kaczorowska |first1=Alina |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zd5nwF7o3_8C |title=Public International Law |publisher=Routledge |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-203-84847-0 |location=Milton Park, UK |page=199}}

The 22 ruling dynasties of Germany's constituent states (excluding the city-states, which had no monarchs) were driven out during the German revolution of 1918–1919 and all royalty abolished by the new Weimar Constitution (Article 109). The states themselves nevertheless initially all survived into the Weimar Republic. The only exception was Alsace–Lorraine, an imperial territory ({{Lang|de|Reichsland}}) rather than a formal state, which was returned to France from which it had been taken following Prussia's victory in the 1870–1871 Franco-Prussian War.{{Cite web |date=31 May 2024 |title=Alsace–Lorraine |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Alsace-Lorraine |access-date=9 August 2024 |website=Encyclopedia Britannica}}

File:Deutsches Reich Preuss.svg as part of the discussions on a new constitution. The 14th state, not shown here, was German-Austria.]]

The Council of the People's Deputies, Germany's immediate post-war revolutionary government, commissioned the liberal political theorist and legal expert Hugo Preuss to draft a new constitution for Germany.{{Cite web |date=2 April 2024 |title=Hugo Preuss |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hugo-Preuss |access-date=2 August 2024 |website=Encyclopedia Britannica}} Since there was considerable concern about the dominating size of Prussia, which had two-thirds of Germany's area and three-fifths of its population,{{Cite web |title=Prussia |url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100351753 |access-date=3 August 2024 |website=Oxford Reference}} Preuss suggested that Germany be restructured into 14 constituent states of more equal sizes (one of which was German-Austria, which wished to become part of Germany after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire{{Cite web |title=Austrian attempts to unite with Germany from the founding of the republic to the referendums in Tyrol and Salzburg in 1921 |url=https://ww1.habsburger.net/en/chapters/austrian-attempts-unite-germany-founding-republic-referendums-tyrol-and-salzburg-1921 |access-date=3 August 2024 |website=The World of the Habsburgs}}). All would have had at least two million inhabitants, and only Baden would have remained completely unchanged. Preuss' reform proposal failed in the Weimar National Assembly, which adopted the Weimar Constitution. Objections came primarily from the states that would have been renamed. Many Germans still felt strong ties to their home states.{{Cite web |last=Gelberg |first=Karl-Ulrich |date=23 September 2021 |title=Neugliederung des Reiches (1919–1945) |trans-title=Restructuring of the Reich (1919–1945) |url=https://www.historisches-lexikon-bayerns.de/Lexikon/Neugliederung_des_Reiches_(1919-1945) |access-date=3 August 2024 |website=Historisches Lexikon Bayerns |language=de}}

Two additional reform proposals were discussed and rejected during constitutional deliberations. One would have done away with the states altogether – in Preuss' words it would create a "decentralised unitary state with strengthened self-governing bodies". The other reform proposed that the Bundesrat, the Empire's parliamentary body with members appointed by the state governments to represent their interests, be modified to have popularly elected representatives on the model of the U.S. Senate.{{Cite web |last=John |first=Anke |date=19 April 2021 |title=Reichsreform (Weimarer Republik) |trans-title=Reich Reform (Weimar Republic) |url=https://www.historisches-lexikon-bayerns.de/Lexikon/Reichsreform_(Weimarer_Republik) |access-date=3 August 2024 |website=Historisches Lexikon Bayerns |language=de}} After that proposal also failed to pass the National Assembly, it decided that the members of the Weimar Republic's Reichsrat would continue to be appointed by the state governments, although the body had fewer powers overall than the imperial Bundesrat.{{Cite web |last=Lilla |first=Joachim |date=13 November 2006 |title=Reichsrat, 1919–1934 |url=https://www.historisches-lexikon-bayerns.de/Lexikon/Reichsrat,_1919-1934#Der_Reichsrat_1919-1934 |access-date=3 August 2024 |website=Historisches Lexikon Bayerns |language=de}}

For the text of the constitutional articles, see {{Cite wikisource|title=Weimar_constitution}}

The Weimar Constitution indirectly fixed the boundaries of the states in their unchanged locations through the statement in Article 2 that "the territory of the Reich consists of the territories of the German states". The article also allowed for new states to be incorporated into Germany – providing an opening for German-Austria – "by virtue of the right of self-determination". Article 18 set the conditions for changes to state boundaries. If such a change was made by means of a law passed altering the constitution (which required a two-thirds majority vote in the Reichstag), it could be accomplished without the consent of the affected state governments or populations. If the state governments involved agreed to a boundary change, it could become effective by the passage of an ordinary national law (i.e. with a simple majority vote in the Reichstag). Alternatively, a popular referendum could change state boundaries if it was approved by three-fifths of the votes cast and at least half of those eligible to vote, The high bar for changing the configuration of the states reflected the level of resistance to such alterations. Article 18 was suspended for two years after the constitution was approved and came into force only on 10 July 1922.

Every state was required to have a republican constitution (Article 17) with a representative body "elected by universal, equal, direct, and secret suffrage of all German citizens of either sex, according to the principles of proportional representation". As at the national level, the state ministry had to have the confidence of the representative body.File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1989-072-16, Matthias Erzberger.jpgArticle 12 granted the states the power of legislation in all areas in which the federal government did not make use of its own powers. Within that limitation, national laws took precedence over state laws (Article 13). The seven areas in which the federal government had sole power of legislation (such as national defence and foreign relations) were enumerated in Article 6, while Article 7 listed twenty additional areas in which it could legislate (including civil and criminal law, judicial procedure, the press, the right of assembly, commerce and a number of social issues such as "poor relief" and public health). The federal government could also legislate on taxes and revenue "in so far as they are claimed in whole or in part for its purposes" (Article 8). In July 1919, however, Finance Minister Matthias Erzberger pushed through a financial reform package that permanently strengthened the federal government at the expense of the states by giving it exclusive financial sovereignty and thus freeing it from dependence on the states as had been the case under the Empire.{{Cite web |last1=Altmann |first1=Gerhard |last2=Scriba |first2=Arnulf |date=13 September 2014 |title=Die Erzbergersche Reichsfinanzreform |trans-title=The Erzberger Reich Finance Reform |url=https://www.dhm.de/lemo/kapitel/weimarer-republik/innenpolitik/die-erzbergersche-reichsfinanzreform.html |website=Deutsches Historisches Museum |language=de}}

A Supreme Judicial Court would handle constitutional disagreements between the national and state governments and between individual state governments (Articles 13 and 19).

The Reichsrat, the upper house of the German parliament, represented the interests of the states at the federal level. It could introduce legislation, and its agreement was required on laws passed by the Reichstag. Members of the Reichsrat were appointed by the state government and when they voted were bound by its instructions (imperative mandate). The number of representatives that a state had in the Reichsrat was determined by population, with every state having at least one representative but none more than 40% of the total. The latter clause limited Prussia's influence, since over 60% of the German population lived in Prussia.{{Cite web |last=Schröder |first=Valentin |date=25 July 2014 |title=Weimarer Republik 1918–1933. Reichsrat, Aufgaben und Zusammensetzung |trans-title=Weimar Republic 1918–1933: Reichsrat, Functions and Composition |url=https://www.wahlen-in-deutschland.de/wReichsrat.htm |access-date=6 August 2024 |website=Wahlen in Deutschland |language=de}}

{{Main|Article 48 (Weimar Constitution)}}

In the controversial Article 48 of the Weimar Constitution, the president of Germany was given broad emergency powers, including the ability to call in the military against a state in breach of federal laws:

§1 In the event of a State not fulfilling the obligations imposed upon it by the Reich Constitution or by the laws of the Reich, the president of the Reich may make use of the armed forces to compel it to do so.

• in March 1920 against various radical left governments in the region that became Thuringia in May 1920{{Cite book |last=Wallner |first=Florian |url={{Google books|C8HGEAAAQBAJ|page=60|plainurl=yes}} |title=Der Artikel 48 der Weimarer Reichsverfassung und seine Anwendung unter der Reichspräsidentschaft Friedrich Eberts im Vergleich zur Reichspräsidentschaft Paul von Hindenburgs |publisher=Books on Demand |year=2023 |isbn=978-3-757-84964-1 |location=Norderstedt, Germany |pages=60–61 |language=de |trans-title=Article 48 of the Weimar Constitution and its application under the presidency of Friedrich Ebert in comparison to the presidency of Paul von Hindenburg}}
• in April 1920 against Gotha (part of the future Thuringia) when it persisted in its attempts to set up a council republic instead of a parliamentary republic as required by the Constitution{{Cite web |last=Raßloff |first=Steffen |date=2016 |title=Novemberrevolution und Landesgründung 1918/20 |trans-title=November Revolution 1918 and Formation of the State 1918/20 |url=https://erfurt-web.de/Novemberrevolution_1918_und_Landesgruendung_1920_Thueringen |access-date=5 August 2024 |website=Erfurt web |language=de}}
• in March 1923 against Saxony, where there was a plan in place to foment a communist revolution in Germany (the German October){{Cite web |last=Scriba |first=Arnulf |date=3 November 2023 |title=Der "deutsche Oktober" 1923 |trans-title=The "German October" 1923 |url=https://www.dhm.de/lemo/kapitel/weimarer-republik/innenpolitik/deutscher-oktober-1923.html |access-date=5 August 2023 |website=Deutsches Historisches Museum |language=de}}
• in July 1932 against Prussia, when Chancellor Franz von Papen used the excuse of outbreaks of violence in Prussia to have the national government take control of the state (the Prussian coup d'état){{Cite web |last=Scheuermann-Peilicke |first=Wolfgang |date=14 September 2014 |title=Der "Preußenschlag" 1932 |trans-title=The "Prussian coup d'état" 1932 |url=https://www.dhm.de/lemo/kapitel/weimarer-republik/innenpolitik/preussenschlag-1932.html |access-date=5 August 2024 |website=Deutsches Historisches Museum |language=de}}

File:Thuringia 1910 - en.svg

Four changes in state boundaries occurred following the implementation of the Weimar Constitution on 14 August 1919:

• The Free State of Thuringia was created on 1 May 1920 from Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Saxe-Meiningen, Saxe-Altenburg, Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, Gotha and Reuss. Erfurt, today the capital of Thuringia, remained part of the Free State of Prussia.
• Saxe-Coburg, historically closely tied to Gotha, became part of the Free State of Bavaria on 1 May 1920.
• Pyrmont, formerly part of the Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, joined Prussia on 1 April 1922.
• Waldeck followed Pyrmont to become part of Prussia on 1 April 1929.

The Weimar Republic also saw three popular referendums that would have changed state boundaries. All of them failed:

• Upper Silesia, after the 1921 plebiscite required by the Treaty of Versailles that split the region between Germany and Poland, held a referendum to separate Upper Silesia from Prussia. It failed with 72% no votes on 3 September 1922.
• Hanover's attempt to separate from Prussia and form an independent state failed on 18 May 1924 due to insufficient voter turnout.
• Schaumburg-Lippe's residents voted in favour of joining Prussia 6 June 1926, but since the yes votes did not reach the required three-fifths majority, the referendum failed.

In addition, Hamburg's government made several unsuccessful attempts in the 1920s to expand the growing city-state by incorporating immediately surrounding areas that were part of Prussia. It was not until the Greater Hamburg Act of 1937, under the Nazi regime, that Hamburg was expanded to encompass the full urbanized area.{{Cite web |title=Groß-Hamburg-Gesetz |trans-title=Greater Hamburg Act |url=https://geschichte-s-h.de/sh-von-a-bis-z/g/gross-hamburg-gesetz/ |access-date=7 August 2024 |website=Gesellschaft für Schleswig-Holsteinische Geschichte |language=de}}

File:Notgeldschein Freistaat Flaschenhals 01.JPG with a map of the region. The text reads: "Nowhere is it more beautiful than in the Free State of Bottleneck".]]

During the turbulent early years of the Weimar Republic, there were a number of short-lived attempts to set up soviet-style republics:

• People's State of Bavaria (8 November 1918 – 6 April 1919)
• Bremen Soviet Republic (10 January – 4 February 1919)
• Bavarian Soviet Republic (6 April 1919 – 3 May 1919)
• Würzburg Soviet Republic (7–9 April 1919)

Separatist movements in the Rhine Province of Prussia led to two short-lived republics during the Occupation of the Ruhr. Both received material and propaganda support from France:{{Cite web |last=Wulfert |first=Anja |date=14 September 2014 |title=Separatistenbewegung |trans-title=Separatist Movements |url=https://www.dhm.de/lemo/kapitel/weimarer-republik/innenpolitik/separatistenbewegung.html |access-date=7 August 2024 |website=Deutsches Historisches Museum |language=de}}

• Rhenish Republic (21 October 1923 – 16 November 1923)
• Palatinate Republic (12 November 1923 – 17 February 1924){{Cite web |last=Cahoon |first=Ben |title=States of Germany since 1918 |url=https://www.worldstatesmen.org/German_States1918.htm |access-date=7 August 2024 |website=World Statesmen.org}}

Finally, there was the Free State of Bottleneck (10 January 1919 – 25 February 1923), a bottleneck-shaped area formed during the Occupation of the Rhineland by the near convergence of the semi-circular bridgeheads east of the Rhine around Koblenz and Mainz.[http://www.hr-online.de/website/fernsehen/sendungen/index.jsp?rubrik=3036&key=standard_document_1908900 Lebendige Geschichte: Vor 80 Jahren: der Freistaat Flaschenhals] Living History: 80 Years Ago: The Free State of Bottleneck {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20060305173144/http://www.hr-online.de/website/fernsehen/sendungen/index.jsp?rubrik=3036&key=standard_document_1908900|date=2006-03-05}} Hessischer Rundfunk {{in lang|de}}

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Source: [https://gonschior.de/weimar/Deutschland/index.htm gonschior.de]{{table alignment}}

{{Notelist}}

The states of the Weimar Republic were effectively abolished after the establishment of Nazi Germany in 1933 by a series of laws and decrees between 1933 and 1935, and autonomy was replaced by direct rule of the National Socialist German Workers' Party in the Gleichschaltung process. The states continued to formally exist as de jure bodies but from 1934 were superseded by de facto Nazi Party administrative units called Gaue. Many of the states were formally dissolved at the end of World War II by the Allies, and ultimately re-organised into the modern states of Germany.

• Provinces of Prussia
• States of the German Confederation
• States of the German Empire
• Administrative divisions of Nazi Germany
• Administrative divisions of East Germany
• States of Germany

{{reflist}}

{{States of the Weimar Republic}}

Weimar Germany