Editing President of Germany (section)

== History ==
The modern-day position of German president is significantly different from the [[President of Germany (1919–1945)|Reich President]] of the Weimar Republic – a position which held considerable power and was regarded as an important figure in political life.<ref>{{cite book |author=Zentner, Christian ''Ed''|author2=Bedürftig, Friedemann ''Ed''|title=Das große Lexikon des Dritten Reiches |publisher=Südwest Verlag |location=München |year=1985 |page=686 |language=de |isbn=978-3-517-00834-9 }}</ref>

=== Weimar Republic ===
{{Main|President of Germany (1919–1945)}}
The position of president of Germany was first established by the [[Weimar Constitution]], which was drafted in the aftermath of [[World War I]] and the abdication of Emperor [[Wilhelm II]] in 1918. In Germany the new head of state was called the {{Lang|de|Reichspräsident}}.

[[Friedrich Ebert]] served as Germany's first president, followed by [[Paul von Hindenburg]]. The office effectively came to an end upon Hindenburg's death in 1934 when its powers were merged with those of the chancellor. [[Adolf Hitler]] ruled Germany as "[[Führer|''Führer und Reichskanzler'']]", combining his previous positions in the party and government. However, he did officially become president;<ref>{{Cite web |title=documentArchiv.de – Gesetz über das Staatsoberhaupt des Deutschen Reichs (01.08.1934) |url=http://www.documentarchiv.de/ns/stobrhpt.html |website=www.documentarchiv.de}}</ref> the office was not abolished (though the constitutionally mandated presidential elections every seven years did not take place in the Nazi era) and briefly revived at the end of [[World War II]] when Hitler appointed Grand Admiral [[Karl Dönitz]] as his successor as "President of Germany". Dönitz agreed to the surrender to the Allies and was arrested a few days later.<ref>{{cite periodical
  |title=Gesetz über das Staatsoberhaupt des Deutschen Reiches |title-link=:de:Bild:RGBL I 1934 S 0747.png
  |periodical=Reichgesetzblatt
  |date=2 August 1934
|number=89
  |page=747
  }}</ref>

The Weimar Constitution created a [[Semi-presidential republic|semi-presidential system]] in which power was divided between the president, a cabinet, and a parliament. The president enjoyed far greater power than the current president and had an active political role rather than a largely ceremonial one. The influence of the president increased greatly as a result of the instability of the Weimar period. The president appointed the chancellor and, at his recommendation, appointed and dismissed members of the cabinet as well. It was also necessary for the cabinet to have the confidence of the [[Reichstag (Weimar Republic)|Reichstag]] (parliament) because it could be removed by a [[Motion of no confidence|vote of no confidence]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Poll |first=Robert |date=May 2020 |title=The Weimar Constitution |url=https://www.kas.de/documents/265308/265357/The+Weimar+Constitution.pdf/a6021d8d-82d2-47cf-7e37-0a314be02d9e?version=1.1&t=1590565540705 |access-date=6 November 2024 |website=Konrad Adenauer Stiftung}}</ref> All bills had to receive the signature of the president to become law and, although he did not have an absolute veto on legislation, he could insist that a law be submitted for the approval of voters in a [[referendum]]. The president had the authority to dissolve the Reichstag, conduct foreign affairs, and had command the armed forces. [[Article 48 (Weimar Constitution)|Article 48]] of the constitution provided the president sweeping powers in the event of a crisis. If there was a threat to "public order and security", he could, with the co-signature of the chancellor (per article 50), suspend civil rights and legislate by decree.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Article 48 |url=https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/article-48 |access-date=6 November 2024 |website=Holocaust Encyclopedia}}</ref>

The Weimar constitution provided that the president be directly elected and serve a seven-year term. The election involved a form of the [[two-round system]]. The first president was elected by the [[Weimar National Assembly|National Assembly]] and subsequently only two direct presidential elections took place. They were the election of Paul von Hindenburg in [[1925 German presidential election|1925]] and his re-election in [[1932 German presidential election|1932.]]

The system created by the Weimar Constitution led to a number of problems. The use of a [[Proportional representation|proportional electoral system]] without [[Election threshold|thresholds]] allowed the rise of a multitude of political parties which made it difficult for any of them to establish stable coalitions. This factionalism contributed to frequent changes in government.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Weimar Republic |url=https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/the-weimar-republic |access-date=24 October 2024 |website=Holocaust Encyclopedia}}</ref> In March 1930, when no workable majority could be formed after the resignation of the [[second Müller cabinet]], President Hindenburg appointed [[Heinrich Brüning]] chancellor "with the note that his cabinet was to be put together without regard to coalition ties".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mann |first=Golo |title=Deutsche Geschichte des 19. und 20. Jahrhunderts |publisher=Fischer Taschenbuch |year=2001 |isbn=9783596113309 |location=Berlin |pages=755 |language=de |trans-title=19th and 20th Century German History}}</ref> Brüning's term in office was the beginning of the rule by decree which marked the three [[Presidential cabinets of the Weimar Republic|presidential cabinets]] that preceded [[Hitler cabinet|Adolf Hitler's chancellorship]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Scriba |first=Arnulf |date=6 September 2014 |title=The Weimar Republic. Radicalization and the End of the Weimar Republic |url=https://www.dhm.de/lemo/en/kapitel/weimar-republic |access-date=6 November 2024 |website=Deutsches Historisches Museum}}</ref>

=== German Democratic Republic ("East Germany") ===
{{main|President of East Germany}}
The [[East Germany|German Democratic Republic]] established the office of a head of state with the title of President of the Republic (German: ''Präsident der Republik'') in 1949, but abandoned the office with the death of the first president, [[Wilhelm Pieck]], in 1960 in favour of a [[State Council of East Germany|collective head of state]] closely [[Sovietization|modelled]] on [[Presidium of the Supreme Soviet|its Soviet counterpart]]. All government positions of the country, including the presidency, were appointed by the ruling [[Socialist Unity Party of Germany]] on the approval of the [[Communist Party of the Soviet Union]]. Following the end of communist rule due to the [[Peaceful Revolution]], the head of state became the [[Volkskammer|parliamentary speaker]] with [[1990 East German general election|new, fair elections]]. Later that year, a draft constitution was written that would have restored the presidency, but ultimately this never materialised.

===Federal Republic of Germany ("West Germany", 1949–1990)===
With the promulgation of the [[Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany|''Grundgesetz'']]  in 1949, the office of President of the Federal Republic (in German: ''Bundespräsident'') was created in [[West Germany]]. Partly due to the misuse of presidential powers in the Weimar Republic, the office's powers were significantly reduced. Not only are they indirectly elected, but most of the real power was transferred to the chancellor.

Because the reunification of Germany in 1990 was accomplished by the five East German states joining the Federal Republic, the president became the president of all German states without the establishment of a new presidential office.