Chapter 8: The Versailles Treaty:
After the proclamation of Germany as a republic continued revolutionary socialist unrest in Germany. The Spartakusbund, a revolutionary socialist movement in Germany led by Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxembourg, led the revolutionary socialist unrest in Germany. But the Freikorps, right-wing paramilitary units in Germany, repressed the Spartakusbund. On January 2 1919 (January 15 1919) were Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxembourg killed by a Freikorps.
On January 6 1919 (January 19 1919) were an election of the Constituent National Assembly of Germany held. SPD (Social Democratic Party) got 37,8 % of the votes, USPD (Independent Social Democratic Party), a socialist party to the left of SPD) got 7,6 % of the votes, Zentrum, a Catholic non-socialist party, got 19,6 % of the votes, the DDP (German Democratic Party), a social liberal party got 18,5 % of the votes, the DNVP (German National People’s Party), a national conservative party, got 10,2 % of the votes and the DVP (German People’s Party), a national liberal party, got 4,4 % of the votes. The Spartakusbund boycotted the election. After the election, a coalition government consisting of SPD, DDP and Zentrum was formed. Friedrich Ebert was elected President of Germany on January 29 1919 (February 11 1919) and Philipp Scheidemann (SPD) was elected Chancellor of Germany on January 31 1919 (February 13 1919).
On June 15 1919 (June 28 1919) concluded Germany and its enemies in the Great War the Versail-les Treaty. The Versailles Treaty decided, that Germany should give back Alsace-Lorraine (Elsass-Lothringen) to France, that Germany should cede its majority Polish-populated regions to Poland, that Germany should cede the Klaipeda region (Memelgebiet) to Lithuania, that Belgium should cede Eupen, Sankt Vith and Malmedy to Belgium and that North Schleswig (the part of Schleswig north of a line south of Tønder (Tondern) and north of Flensburg (Flensborg)) should decide in a referendum between returning to Denmark and remaining part of Germany. In addition, Germany should cede all its overseas colonies, pay large reparations to its enemies in the Great War, reduce the size of its armed forces signifycantly and demilitarize the Rheinland. The Saarland should be placed under the League of Nations until 1935, when Saarland would return to Germany if a majority of its inhabitants vote for it in a referendum. Danzig (Gdansk) should be a free city under the League of Nations indefinitely. Among the ceded territories of Germany, Eupen and Sankt Vith were majority German-populated, Alsace were German-speaking but of French national sentiment, Lorraine were French-speaking, Malmedy were French-speaking and Klaipeda region had a narrow Lithuanian majority but a German minority of above 40 % of the population. Saarland and Danzig had large German majorities.
On August 28 1919 (September 10 1919) concluded Austria and its enemies in the Great War the Treaty of St.Germain-en-Laye. The Treaty of St.Germain-en-Laye decided, that Austria should cede majority Italian Trentino and majority German-Speaking South Tyrol to Italy and that Czechia would keep its historic borders, which included large areas with German-speaking majorities. The Treaty of St.Germain-en-Laye prohibited Austria from uniting with Germany without the consent of the League of Nations.
On July 29 1919 (August 11 1919) enacted Germany the Weimar Constitution. The Weimar Consti-tution made Germany a republic with a president elected directly by the people for a 7-year term. The President of Germany could be reelected indefinitely. The President of Germany would be elected by universal and equal suffrage for both men and women, and both men and women could be elected President of Germany. The President of Germany should represent Germany in foreign states, should conclude treaties with foreign states with the consent of the Reichstag, should appoint and dismiss the Chancellor of Germany, should be the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Germany, could pardon criminals and would gain special powers during an emergency in order to keep the German state functioning.
The Chancellor of Germany could be deposed by the Reichstag with a vote of no confidence.
The Reichstag would be elected by universal and equal suffrage for both men and women, and both men and women could be elected member of the Reichstag. The Reichstag would be elected for a 4-year term and the members of the Reichstag could be reelected indefinitely.
The Weimar Constitution made Germany a federation composed of Länder with significant autonomy.
The Weimar Constitution abolished all privileges of nobility in Germany, but recognized titles of nobility as part of the legal name.
The Weimar Constitution separated state and church in Germany, but decided, that the state should still raise taxes for the Catholic and Protestant churches of Germany.
On January 28 1919 (February 10 1919) voted 74,9 % of the population of North Schleswig for Denmark and 25,1 % of the population of North Schleswig for Germany. Afterwards North Schleswig was reunified with Denmark.
