How a republic tried to dismantle the power of its own states

Ideas & Philosophy · Published 20 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: After World War I, Germany faced a dilemma: how to build a democracy without letting one massive state—Prussia—dominate the entire nation. The Weimar Republic attempted to balance local identity with central authority, creating a federal system where the central government held the ultimate power of the sword.

The Weimar Republic was born from the ruins of the German Empire, which had been a federal monarchy of 25 constituent states. Following the 1918–1919 revolution, the new republic abolished all 22 ruling dynasties and established a federal structure. However, this transition was complicated by the sheer size of Prussia, which contained two-thirds of Germany's land and three-fifths of its population. To curb this influence, the republic explored radical geographic reforms, including a proposal by Hugo Preuss to restructure Germany into 14 states of more equal size. These plans failed because many Germans maintained deep emotional and historical ties to their specific home states.

The resulting Weimar Constitution created a delicate power balance. While states retained significant legislative autonomy, the federal government was granted exclusive control over core areas like national defense and foreign relations. A pivotal shift occurred in July 1919, when Finance Minister Matthias Erzberger pushed through a reform that gave the federal government exclusive financial sovereignty. This effectively ended the states' economic independence that had existed under the Empire. Furthermore, the Reichsrat—the upper house representing state interests—was capped so that no single state could hold more than 40% of the total seats, a direct move to limit Prussian dominance.

The ultimate tool of central authority was Article 48, which allowed the president to use the military to compel states to follow federal laws. This power, known as a 'Reich execution,' was used four times during the Republic's life. During 1920, it was utilised to oppose radical left-wing regimes within the area later known as Thuringia, while also targeting Saxe-Gotha for its council republic efforts, Saxony in 1923 to halt a communist uprising, and Prussia during the 1932 'Prussian coup d'état.' Such moves underscore the Republic's persistent efforts to preserve cohesion amidst internal radicalism and division.

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