Reich President

The Reich President (German: Reichspräsident) was the president (head of state) of the German Reich during the Weimar Republic (1919-1933) and Nazi Germany (1933-1945).

The Reich President was the successor of the German emperor. He had more power than the current Federal President (Bundespräsident).

The Reich President was elected for a seven-year term by the German people, and could be re-elected. He was the head of the army, appointed and relieved the Reich Chancellor (Reichskanzler), and could also send away the Reichstag.

The Reich President was supposed to exercise the legislative power with the Reichstag but due to the instable situation of the Weimar Republic, he was often bypassing the Reichstag by using special legislation. This was the case during the early years of the Reich Presidency and especially in the early 1930s. During the Hitler period the Reichstag was just show.

Presidents

Weimar Republic:

Friedrich Ebert (1919-1925, SPD, died in office)
Hans Luther (1925, no political party, acting)
Walter Simons (1925, no political party, acting)
Paul von Hindenburg (1925-1933, no political party, re-elected in 1932)

Nazi Germany:

Paul von Hindenburg (1933-1934, no political party, died in office)
Adolf Hitler (1934-1945, NSDAP, killed himself) ^[1]
Karl Dönitz (1945, NSDAP, imprisoned)

Presidential Standards

1919–1921
1921–1926
1926–1933
1933–1934
1934–1945
1945

Reich President Media

Chart to illustrate the Constitution of the German Reich 1919-1933 (Verfassung des Deutschen Reiches), August 11st, 1919. English version.
Friedrich Ebert, the first president of Germany
Campaigning for Paul von Hindenburg, right-wing candidate in the second round of 1925
Paul von Hindenburg in 1933
Adolf Hitler, who combined the offices of president and chancellor

References

Presidents and Assemblies, Chapter 4. Matthew Soberg Shugart, John M. Carey. Cambridge University Press. 1992.

↑ Hitler hardly used the title of Reich President. During his dictatorship the office of Reich President and of Reich Chancellor had been united. He preferred to call himself Führer and Reichskanzler ("leader and Reich Chancellor").

[1] Hitler hardly used the title of Reich President. During his dictatorship the office of Reich President and of Reich Chancellor had been united. He preferred to call himself Führer and Reichskanzler ("leader and Reich Chancellor").

[1]