Republic Protection Ordinance

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In the Weimar Republic there were several ordinances to protect the republic . They were issued by President Friedrich Ebert after attacks on democratic politicians . The ordinances were emergency ordinances according to Art. 48 WRV , ie measures to “restore public safety and order”.

The first of these measures date from August 29 and September 28, 1921. This was preceded by the assassination of the USPD leader and Bavarian state parliament member Karl Gareis (June 9) and the assassination of the former Reich Finance Minister Matthias Erzberger (August 26). The regulations were countersigned by the Reich government. They were directed against anti-republican assemblies, printed matter and associations. But as early as December 16, the Reichstag demanded that the decree of September 28 be repealed.

Right-wing extremists murdered Reich Foreign Minister Walther Rathenau on June 24, 1922 . The Reich President again issued two ordinances, which for the first time bore the title "Ordinance for the Protection of the Republic". The first of June 26th repeated the provisions of the previous one and set up a separate state court for the protection of the republic . A second regulation listed new criminal offenses. A dispute arose in the cabinet because Reich Justice Minister Gustav Radbruch and Reich Chancellor Joseph Wirth interpreted the ordinance to mean that it was only directed against right-wing radicalism. There was also protest against this interpretation in the Reichstag , but subsequently the measures were only used against organizations from the right.

The ordinances were followed by a formal law on July 21, 1922, the Republic Protection Act .

supporting documents

  1. ↑ The September regulation repealed the regulation of August 29th (§ 10).
  2. ^ Ernst Rudolf Huber: German constitutional history since 1789. Volume VI: The Weimar Imperial Constitution . W. Kohlhammer, Stuttgart [u. a.] 1981, p. 660.
  3. ↑ VO v. June 26, 1922 (RGBl. I p. 521) and v. June 29, 1922 (RGBl. I p. 532).
  4. ^ Ernst Rudolf Huber: German constitutional history since 1789. Volume VI: The Weimar Imperial Constitution . W. Kohlhammer, Stuttgart [u. a.] 1981, p. 661.