THE WEIMAR CONSTITUTION: IMPORTANT ARTICLES. (bold added)
CHAPTER ONE: ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS OF THE REICH
SECTION I: THE REICH AND THE STATES
Article 1. The German Reich is a republic. The political power emanates from the people.
Article 2. The territory of the Reich consists of the territories of the German states. Other
territories may be incorporated in the Reich by a national law, if their populations so desire by
the right of self-determination.
Article 3. The national colors are black, red, and gold. The commercial flag is black, red, and
white, with the national colors in the upper-inside corner. [the former colors were of the
Frankfurt Parliament of 1848; the latter of the Second Empire of 1871-1918.]
Article 4. The universally recognized rules of international law are accepted as integral and
obligatory parts of the law of the German Reich.
[Articles 6 to 11 were long lists of the broad categories and specific items of legislation that the
Reich government was empowered to enact. The power of taxation was given in detail, and
the relationship between national and state powers of taxation described.]
Article 12. As long as, and in so far as, the Reich does not make use of its powers of legislation,
the states shall retain the power of legislation. . . .
Article 13. National laws are superior to the laws of the states. . . . [in case of a conflict the
matter will be decided by “a superior judicial court of the Reich.”]
Article 17. Every state must have a republican constitution. . . . . [i.e. none of the traditional
monarchies of the länder survived.]
[Article 18 described in great detail how the alteration of state boundaries and the creation of
new states were to be done.]
SECTION II: THE REICHSTAG
Article 22. The deputies [of the Reichstag] shall be elected by the universal, equal, direct, and
secret suffrage of all men and women over 20 years of age, according to the principles of
proportional representation. Election day must be a Sunday or public holiday. . . .
