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{{Short description|none}}
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox election
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1920 German federal election
| country = Weimar Republic
| country = Weimar Republic
| type = parliamentary
| type = parliamentary
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1919 German federal election
| previous_election = 1919 German federal election
| previous_year = 1919
| previous_year = 1919
Line 13: Line 11:
| seats_for_election = All 459 seats in the [[Reichstag (Weimar Republic)|Reichstag]]
| seats_for_election = All 459 seats in the [[Reichstag (Weimar Republic)|Reichstag]]
| majority_seats = 230
| majority_seats = 230
| registered = 35,949,774 {{decrease}} 2.3%
| registered = 35,949,774 ({{decrease}} 2.3%)
| turnout = 28,463,581 (79.2%) {{decrease}} 3.8[[percentage point|pp]]
| turnout = 79.2% ({{decrease}} 3.8[[percentage point|pp]])

<!-- SPD -->
| image1 = {{CSS image crop|Image =SPD 1920 leadership.jpg|bSize = 120|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| image1 = {{CSS image crop|Image =SPD 1920 leadership.jpg|bSize = 120|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| leader1 = {{ubl|[[Otto Wels]]|[[Hermann Müller (politician)|Hermann Müller]]}}
| leader1 = {{ubl|[[Otto Wels]]|[[Hermann Müller (politician, born 1876)|Hermann Müller]]}}
| party1 = Social Democratic Party of Germany
| party1 = Social Democratic Party of Germany
| leader_since1 = 1919
| last_election1 = 37.9%, 165 seats
| last_election1 = 37.9%, 165 seats
| seats1 = '''103'''
| seats1 = '''103'''
Line 26: Line 21:
| popular_vote1 = '''6,179,991'''
| popular_vote1 = '''6,179,991'''
| percentage1 = '''21.9%'''
| percentage1 = '''21.9%'''
| swing1 = {{decrease}} 16.0pp
| swing1 = {{decrease}} 16.0 [[Percentage point|pp]]
| image2 = {{CSS image crop|Image =Crispien and Däumig Composite.jpg|bSize = 120|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}

| leader2 = {{ubl|[[Arthur Crispien]]|[[Ernst Däumig]]}}
<!-- USPD -->
| image2 = {{CSS image crop|Image =Arthur Crispien on the street.jpg|bSize = 150|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 15}}
| leader2 = [[Arthur Crispien]]
| party2 = Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany
| party2 = Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany
| leader_since2 = 1919
| last_election2 = 7.6%, 22 seats
| last_election2 = 7.6%, 22 seats
| seats2 = 83
| seats2 = 83
Line 38: Line 30:
| popular_vote2 = 4,971,220
| popular_vote2 = 4,971,220
| percentage2 = 17.6%
| percentage2 = 17.6%
| swing2 = {{increase}} 10.0pp
| swing2 = {{increase}} 10.0 [[Percentage point|pp]]
| image3 = {{CSS image crop|Image =Oskar Hergt.jpg|bSize = 150|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 12}}

<!-- DNVP -->
| image3 = {{CSS image crop|Image =Oskar Hergt.jpg|bSize = 130|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 7}}
| leader3 = [[Oskar Hergt]]
| leader3 = [[Oskar Hergt]]
| party3 = German National People's Party
| party3 = German National People's Party
| leader_since3 = 1920
| last_election3 = 10.3%, 44 seats
| last_election3 = 10.3%, 44 seats
| seats3 = 71
| seats3 = 71
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| popular_vote3 = 4,249,100
| popular_vote3 = 4,249,100
| percentage3 = 15.1%
| percentage3 = 15.1%
| swing3 = {{increase}} 4.8pp
| swing3 = {{increase}} 4.8 [[Percentage point|pp]]

<!-- DVP -->
| image4 = {{CSS image crop|Image =Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1982-092-11, Gustav Stresemann.jpg|bSize = 120|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| image4 = {{CSS image crop|Image =Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1982-092-11, Gustav Stresemann.jpg|bSize = 120|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| leader4 = {{nowrap|[[Gustav Stresemann]]}}
| leader4 = {{nowrap|[[Gustav Stresemann]]}}
| party4 = German People's Party
| party4 = German People's Party
| leader_since4 = 1919
| last_election4 = 4.4%, 19 seats
| last_election4 = 4.4%, 19 seats
| seats4 = 65
| seats4 = 65
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| popular_vote4 = 3,919,446
| popular_vote4 = 3,919,446
| percentage4 = 13.9%
| percentage4 = 13.9%
| swing4 = {{increase}} 9.5pp
| swing4 = {{increase}} 9.5 [[Percentage point|pp]]
| image5 = {{CSS image crop|Image =Karl Trimborn circa 1915 3x4.jpg|bSize = 120|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}

<!-- Zentrum -->
| image5 = {{CSS image crop|Image =Karl Trimborn circa 1915 (cropped).jpg|bSize = 120|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| leader5 = [[:de:Karl Trimborn|Karl Trimborn]]
| leader5 = [[:de:Karl Trimborn|Karl Trimborn]]
| party5 = Centre Party (Germany)
| party5 = Centre Party (Germany)
| leader_since5 = 1919
| last_election5 = 19.7%, 91 seats
| last_election5 = 19.7%, 91 seats
| seats5 = 64
| seats5 = 64
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| popular_vote5 = 3,845,001
| popular_vote5 = 3,845,001
| percentage5 = 13.6%
| percentage5 = 13.6%
| swing5 = {{decrease}} 6.1pp
| swing5 = {{decrease}} 6.1 [[Percentage point|pp]]
| image6 = [[File:PetersenCarlWilhelm.jpg|160x160px]]

<!-- DDP -->
| image6 = <div style="width:115px;"><span style="line-height:150px; vertical-align:center; text-align:center; color:{{party color|German Democratic Party}}; font-size:38px;"> '''DDP''' </span></div>
| leader6 = {{nowrap|[[Carl Wilhelm Petersen]]}}
| leader6 = {{nowrap|[[Carl Wilhelm Petersen]]}}
| party6 = German Democratic Party
| party6 = German Democratic Party
| leader_since6 = 1919
| last_election6 = 18.6%, 75 seats
| last_election6 = 18.6%, 75 seats
| seats6 = 39
| seats6 = 39
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| popular_vote6 = 2,333,741
| popular_vote6 = 2,333,741
| percentage6 = 8.3%
| percentage6 = 8.3%
| swing6 = {{decrease}} 10.3pp
| swing6 = {{decrease}} 10.3 [[Percentage point|pp]]
| map_image = {{Switcher

| [[File:1920 German federal election - Charts.svg|450px]]
<!-- map -->
| Results by electoral constituency
| map_image = German Federal Election, 1920.svg
| [[File:1920 German federal election by District.svg|450px]]
| map_size = 400px
| Results by [[Districts of Germany|district and independent city]]
| map_caption = Winning party by electoral constituency.
| map2_image = 1920 German federal election by District.svg
| [[File:1920 German federal election - Choropleth.svg|450px]]
| Results for each party
| map2_size = 400px
}}
| map2_caption = Results by [[Districts of Germany|district and independent city]]. Black lines delineate [[States of the Weimar Republic|states]] and [[Provinces of Prussia|Prussian provinces]].

<!-- bottom -->
| title = Government
| title = Government
| before_election = [[First Müller cabinet]]
| before_election = [[First Müller cabinet]]
Line 104: Line 82:
| after_party = [[Centre Party (Germany)|Z]]–[[German Democratic Party|DDP]]–[[German People's Party|DVP]]
| after_party = [[Centre Party (Germany)|Z]]–[[German Democratic Party|DDP]]–[[German People's Party|DVP]]
}}{{politics of Germany}}
}}{{politics of Germany}}

[[Elections in Germany#German elections from 1871 to 1945|Federal elections]] were held in [[Weimar Republic|Germany]] on 6 June 1920. Territorial disputes meant that voting was delayed in [[East Prussia]] and [[Schleswig-Holstein]] until 20 February 1921, and until 19 November 1922 in [[Opole|Oppeln]].<ref name=NS>[[Dieter Nohlen|Nohlen, D]] & Stöver, P (2010) ''Elections in Europe: A data handbook'', p762 {{ISBN|978-3-8329-5609-7}}</ref> The [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] remained the largest party in the [[Reichstag (Weimar Republic)|Reichstag]] although it lost over a third of its seats.<ref>Nohlen & Stöver, p790</ref> Voter turnout was about 79.2%.<ref>Nohlen & Stöver, p776</ref>
The '''1920 German federal election''' was held on 6 June 1920 to elect the first [[Reichstag (Weimar Republic)|Reichstag]] of the [[Weimar Republic]]. It succeeded the [[Weimar National Assembly]] elected in [[1919 German federal election|January 1919]], which had drafted and ratified the [[Weimar Constitution|republican constitution]]. The election was delayed in three electoral districts – [[1920 Schleswig plebiscites|Schleswig-Holstein]] and [[1920 East Prussian plebiscite|East Prussia]] until 20 February 1921, and [[1921 Upper Silesia plebiscite|Upper Silesia]] (Oppeln) until 19 November 1922 – due to territorial plebiscites.<ref name=NS>{{cite book|last1=Nohlen|first1=Dieter|last2=Stöver|first2=Philip|date=2010|title=Elections in Europe: A Data Handbook|publisher=Nomos|page=762|isbn=978-3-8329-5609-7}}</ref>{{rp|762}}<ref name=100Jahr>{{cite web|url=https://www.bundestag.de/dokumente/textarchiv/2020/kw22-kalenderblatt-weimarer-republik-698558|title=100 years ago: First election to the Reichstag of the Weimar Republic|date=29 May 2020|access-date=23 May 2024|language=de|website=[[Bundestag]]}}</ref>

The parties of the [[Weimar Coalition]], the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] (SPD), [[Centre Party (Germany)|Catholic Centre Party]] (Centre), and [[German Democratic Party]] (DDP), had won the last election in a landslide and were largely responsible for drafting the new constitution. This coalition suffered major losses to opposing parties on the left and right and won just 44% of the vote between them. The [[Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany|Independent Social Democrats]], rejecting compromise with the moderate and conservative parties, emerged as the second-largest party behind the SPD. The right-wing nationalist [[German National People's Party]] (DNVP) and conservative [[German People's Party]] (DVP) placed third and fourth, ahead of the Centre and DDP. A total of ten parties won seats, including the [[Bavarian People's Party]] (BVP), which had split from the Centre and took a more right-wing course, and the [[Communist Party of Germany]] (KPD), which remained marginal with 2% of the vote and 4 seats. Voter turnout was about 79.2%, down about four [[percentage points]] since January 1919.<ref name=NS>{{cite book|last1=Nohlen|first1=Dieter|last2=Stöver|first2=Philip|date=2010|title=Elections in Europe: A Data Handbook|publisher=Nomos|page=762|isbn=978-3-8329-5609-7}}</ref>{{rp|776}}<ref name=100Jahr/>

The election was held ahead of schedule in the aftermath of the attempted [[Kapp Putsch]], which had been defeated by a combination of civil disobedience and a general strike after the ''[[Reichswehr]]'' refused to intervene. This event radicalised large sections of both the left, who were alarmed at the disloyalty of the military, and the middle classes, who feared further unrest and violence. Also playing a major part in the national mood was the deeply unpopular [[Treaty of Versailles]], which the Weimar Coalition parties were blamed for accepting.

The Reichstag was divided between left, centre, and right, none of whom commanded a majority. After negotiations, a centre-right minority government of the Centre, DDP, and DVP, led by [[Constantin Fehrenbach]], took office with external support from the SPD.<ref name=100Jahr/>


== Electoral system ==
== Electoral system ==
The members of the [[Reichstag (Weimar Republic)|Reichstag]] were elected by two methods. A total of 35 multi-member [[:de:Liste der Wahlkreise und Wahlkreisverbände der Weimarer Republik|constituencies]] were to have representatives elected via [[party-list proportional representation]]. A party was entitled to a seat via this method for every 60,000 votes they obtained in a constituency. At the second level, the 35 constituencies were combined into 17 constituency associations. A party could claim an additional seat if its vote remainder in the electoral district after distribution of seats by the first method was more than 30,000. As seats were allocated based on vote count, there was not a set number of seats in the chamber.<ref>Aleskerov, F., Holler, M.J. & Kamalova, R. Power distribution in the Weimar Reichstag in 1919–1933. ''Ann Oper Res'' '''215''', 25–37 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-013-1325-4</ref>
The Reichstag was elected via [[party list]] [[proportional representation]]. For this purpose, the country was divided into 35 multi-member [[:de:Liste der Wahlkreise und Wahlkreisverbände der Weimarer Republik|electoral districts]]. A party was entitled to a seat for every 60,000 votes won. This was calculated via a three-step process on the constituency level, an intermediary level which combined multiple constituencies, and finally nationwide, where all parties' excess votes were combined. In the third nationwide step, parties could not be awarded more seats than they had already won on the two lower constituency levels. Due to the fixed number of votes per seat, the size of the Reichstag fluctuated between elections based on the number of voters and turnout.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Aleskerov|first1=F.|last2=Holler|first2=M.J.|last3=Kamalova|first3=R.|date=21 February 2013|title=Power distribution in the Weimar Reichstag in 1919–1933|url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10479-013-1325-4|journal=[[Annals of Operations Research]]|volume=215|issue=April 2014|pages=25–37|doi=10.1007/s10479-013-1325-4}}</ref>


People who were under the age of 25, incapacitated according to the Civil Code, who were under guardianship or provisional guardianship, or who had lost their civil rights of honour after a criminal court ruling were not eligible to vote.
The [[voting age]] was 25 years. People who were incapacitated according to the Civil Code, who were under guardianship or provisional guardianship, or who had lost their civil rights of honour after a criminal court ruling were also not eligible to vote.


==Results==
==Results==
צחייייייי
{{Election results
{{Election results
|image=[[File:Germany_Reichstag_1920.svg]]
|image={{Parliament diagram |background=#F8F9FA
|n1 = 4 | p1 = Communist Party of Germany
|n2 = 83 | p2 = Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany
|n3 = 103 | p3 = Social Democratic Party of Germany
|n4 = 39 | p4 = German Democratic Party
|n5 = 4 | p5 = Bavarian Peasants' League
|n6 = 64 | p6 = Centre Party (Germany)
|n7 = 20 | p7 = Bavarian People's Party
|n8 = 1 | p8 = Christian People's Party (Germany)
|n9 = 5 | p9 = German-Hanoverian Party
|n10 = 65 | p10 = German People's Party
|n11 = 71 | p11 = German National People's Party
}}
|party1=[[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]]|votes1=6179991|sw1=−15.94|seats1=103|sc1=−62
|party1=[[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]]|votes1=6179991|sw1=−15.94|seats1=103|sc1=−62
|party2=[[Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany|Independent Social Democratic Party]]|votes2=4971220|sw2=+10.01|seats2=83|sc2=+61
|party2=[[Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany|Independent Social Democratic Party]]|votes2=4971220|sw2=+10.01|seats2=83|sc2=+61
Line 139: Line 111:
|party11=[[National Democracy (Poland)|Poland Party]]|votes11=89228|sw11=New|seats11=0|sc11=New
|party11=[[National Democracy (Poland)|Poland Party]]|votes11=89228|sw11=New|seats11=0|sc11=New
|party12=German Economic League for City and Country|votes12=88800|sw12=New|seats12=0|sc12=New
|party12=German Economic League for City and Country|votes12=88800|sw12=New|seats12=0|sc12=New
|party13=[[Christian People's Party (Germany)|Christian People's Party]]|votes13=65260|sw13=New|seats13=1|sc13=New|color13=#0080FF
|party13=[[Christian People's Party (Germany, 1920)|Christian People's Party]]|votes13=65260|sw13=New|seats13=1|sc13=New|color13=#0080FF
|party14=Polish Catholic Party of Upper Silesia|votes14=51437|sw14=New|seats14=0|sc14=New
|party14=Polish Catholic Party of Upper Silesia|votes14=51437|sw14=New|seats14=0|sc14=New
|party15=[[Schleswig-Holstein Farmers and Farmworkers Democracy|Schleswig-Holstein State Party]]|votes15=25907|sw15=New|seats15=0|sc15=New
|party15=[[Schleswig-Holstein Farmers and Farmworkers Democracy|Schleswig-Holstein State Party]]|votes15=25907|sw15=New|seats15=0|sc15=New
Line 158: Line 130:
|source=[http://www.gonschior.de/weimar/Deutschland/RT1.html Gonschior.de]
|source=[http://www.gonschior.de/weimar/Deutschland/RT1.html Gonschior.de]
}}
}}

===East Prussia and Schleswig-Holstein===
The election result was amended by voting in the East Prussia and Schleswig-Holstein constituencies on 20 February 1921.

{| class=wikitable style="font-size:90%; text-align:right;"
! rowspan=2 colspan=2| Party
! colspan=2| East Prussia
! colspan=2| Schleswig-Holstein
! rowspan=2| Seats
! rowspan=2| +/–
|-
! Votes
! %
! Votes
! %
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|
| align=left| [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]]
| 228,872
| 23.88
| 257,839
| 37.33
| 108
| –5
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|
| align=left| [[Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany|Independent Social Democratic Party]]
| 53,118
| 5.54
| 20,701
| 3.00
| 83
| +2
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|German National People's Party}}|
| align=left| [[German National People's Party]]
| 296,229
| 30.91
| 141,410
| 20.48
| 65
| +5
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|German People's Party}}|
| align=left| [[German People's Party]]
| 144,254
| 15.05
| 127,346
| 18.44
| 65
| +5
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Centre Party (Germany)}}|
| align=left| [[Centre Party (Germany)|Centre Party]]
| 91,439
| 9.54
| 5,572
| 0.81
| 68
| +1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|German Democratic Party}}|
| align=left| [[German Democratic Party]]
| 53,861
| 5.62
| 65,062
| 9.42
| 40
| –4
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Communist Party of Germany}}|
| align=left| [[Communist Party of Germany|Communist Party]]
| 68,450
| 7.14
| 41,839
| 6.06
| 4
| +2
|-
|
| align=left| Polish People's Party
| 12,663
| 1.32
| colspan=2| –
| 0
| –
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Schleswig-Holstein Farmers and Farmworkers Democracy}}|
| align=left| [[Schleswig-Holstein Farmers and Farmworkers Democracy|Schleswig-Holstein State Party]]
| colspan=2| –
| 25,907
| 3.75
| 0
| –
|-
|
| align=left| German Middle-Class Party
| 9,346
| 0.98
| colspan=2| –
| 0
| –
|-
|
| align=left| Schleswig Club
| colspan=2| –
| 4,966
| 0.72
| 0
| –
|-
| align=left colspan=2| '''Total'''
| '''958,232'''
| '''100.00'''
| '''690,642'''
| '''100.00'''
| '''469'''
| '''+3'''
|-
| align=left colspan=2| Blank/invalid
| 31,078
| 3.14
| 38,687
| 5.30
| rowspan=3 colspan=2|
|-
| align=left colspan=2| '''Total votes'''
| '''989,310'''
| '''100.00'''
| '''729,329'''
| '''100.00'''
|-
| align=left colspan=2| Registered voters/turnout
| 1,251,161
| 79.07
| 931,787
| 78.27
|}

===Upper Silesia===
The election result was amended by voting in the Oppeln constituency on 19 November 1922.

{| class=wikitable style="font-size:90%; text-align:right;"
! colspan=2| Party
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! +/–
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}|
| align=left| [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]]
| 75,593
| 14.78
| 103
| –5
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|German National People's Party}}|
| align=left| [[German National People's Party]]
| 70,841
| 13.85
| 65
| 0
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|German People's Party}}|
| align=left| [[German People's Party]]
| 36,560
| 7.15
| 65
| 0
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Centre Party (Germany)}}|
| align=left| [[Centre Party (Germany)|Centre Party]]
| 205,237
| 40.12
| 64
| –4
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|German Democratic Party}}|
| align=left| [[German Democratic Party]]
| 11,874
| 2.32
| 39
| –1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Communist Party of Germany}}|
| align=left| [[Communist Party of Germany|Communist Party]]
| 37,120
| 7.26
| 4
| 0
|-
|
| align=left| Polish Catholic Party of Upper Silesia
| 51,437
| 10.05
| 0
| –
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|German Social Party (Weimar Republic)}}|
| align=left| [[German Social Party (Weimar Republic)|German Social Party]]
| 22,958
| 4.49
| 0
| –
|-
| align=left colspan=2| '''Total'''
| '''511,620'''
| '''100.00'''
| '''459'''
| '''–10'''
|-
| align=left colspan=2| Blank/invalid
| 3,493
| 0.68
| rowspan=3 colspan=2|
|-
| align=left colspan=2| '''Total votes'''
| '''515,113'''
| '''100.00'''
|-
| align=left colspan=2| Registered voters/turnout
| 742,071
| 69.42
|}


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 17:35, 3 December 2024

1920 German federal election
← 1919 6 June 1920 (1920-06-06) May 1924 →
All 459 seats in the Reichstag
230 seats needed for a majority
Registered35,949,774 (Decrease 2.3%)
Turnout79.2% (Decrease 3.8pp)
  First party Second party Third party
 
SPD 1920 leadership.jpg
Crispien and Däumig Composite.jpg
Oskar Hergt.jpg
Leader
Oskar Hergt
Party SPD USPD DNVP
Last election 37.9%, 165 seats 7.6%, 22 seats 10.3%, 44 seats
Seats won 103 83 71
Seat change Decrease 62 Increase 61 Increase 27
Popular vote 6,179,991 4,971,220 4,249,100
Percentage 21.9% 17.6% 15.1%
Swing Decrease 16.0 pp Increase 10.0 pp Increase 4.8 pp
  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1982-092-11, Gustav Stresemann.jpg
Karl Trimborn circa 1915 3x4.jpg
Leader Gustav Stresemann Karl Trimborn Carl Wilhelm Petersen
Party DVP Centre DDP
Last election 4.4%, 19 seats 19.7%, 91 seats 18.6%, 75 seats
Seats won 65 64 39
Seat change Increase 46 Decrease 27 Decrease 36
Popular vote 3,919,446 3,845,001 2,333,741
Percentage 13.9% 13.6% 8.3%
Swing Increase 9.5 pp Decrease 6.1 pp Decrease 10.3 pp
Government before election

First Müller cabinet
SPD–DDP–Z

Government after election

Fehrenbach cabinet
Z–DDP–DVP

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The 1920 German federal election was held on 6 June 1920 to elect the first Reichstag of the Weimar Republic. It succeeded the Weimar National Assembly elected in January 1919, which had drafted and ratified the republican constitution. The election was delayed in three electoral districts – Schleswig-Holstein and East Prussia until 20 February 1921, and Upper Silesia (Oppeln) until 19 November 1922 – due to territorial plebiscites.[1]: 762 [2]

The parties of the Weimar Coalition, the Social Democratic Party (SPD), Catholic Centre Party (Centre), and German Democratic Party (DDP), had won the last election in a landslide and were largely responsible for drafting the new constitution. This coalition suffered major losses to opposing parties on the left and right and won just 44% of the vote between them. The Independent Social Democrats, rejecting compromise with the moderate and conservative parties, emerged as the second-largest party behind the SPD. The right-wing nationalist German National People's Party (DNVP) and conservative German People's Party (DVP) placed third and fourth, ahead of the Centre and DDP. A total of ten parties won seats, including the Bavarian People's Party (BVP), which had split from the Centre and took a more right-wing course, and the Communist Party of Germany (KPD), which remained marginal with 2% of the vote and 4 seats. Voter turnout was about 79.2%, down about four percentage points since January 1919.[1]: 776 [2]

The election was held ahead of schedule in the aftermath of the attempted Kapp Putsch, which had been defeated by a combination of civil disobedience and a general strike after the Reichswehr refused to intervene. This event radicalised large sections of both the left, who were alarmed at the disloyalty of the military, and the middle classes, who feared further unrest and violence. Also playing a major part in the national mood was the deeply unpopular Treaty of Versailles, which the Weimar Coalition parties were blamed for accepting.

The Reichstag was divided between left, centre, and right, none of whom commanded a majority. After negotiations, a centre-right minority government of the Centre, DDP, and DVP, led by Constantin Fehrenbach, took office with external support from the SPD.[2]

Electoral system

[edit]

The Reichstag was elected via party list proportional representation. For this purpose, the country was divided into 35 multi-member electoral districts. A party was entitled to a seat for every 60,000 votes won. This was calculated via a three-step process on the constituency level, an intermediary level which combined multiple constituencies, and finally nationwide, where all parties' excess votes were combined. In the third nationwide step, parties could not be awarded more seats than they had already won on the two lower constituency levels. Due to the fixed number of votes per seat, the size of the Reichstag fluctuated between elections based on the number of voters and turnout.[3]

The voting age was 25 years. People who were incapacitated according to the Civil Code, who were under guardianship or provisional guardianship, or who had lost their civil rights of honour after a criminal court ruling were also not eligible to vote.

Results

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PartyVotes%+/–Seats+/–
Social Democratic Party6,179,99121.92−15.94103−62
Independent Social Democratic Party4,971,22017.63+10.0183+61
German National People's Party4,249,10015.07+4.8071+27
German People's Party3,919,44613.90+9.4765+46
Centre Party3,845,00113.64−6.0364−27
German Democratic Party2,333,7418.28−10.2839−36
Bavarian People's Party1,173,3444.16New20New
Communist Party of Germany589,4542.09New4New
German-Hanoverian Party319,1081.13+0.885+4
Bavarian Peasants' League218,5960.78−0.1340
Poland Party89,2280.32New0New
German Economic League for City and Country88,8000.31New0New
Christian People's Party65,2600.23New1New
Polish Catholic Party of Upper Silesia51,4370.18New0New
Schleswig-Holstein State Party25,9070.09New0New
German Social Party22,9580.08New0New
German Middle Class Party21,2550.08New0New
Wendish People's Party8,0500.03New0New
German Socialist Party7,1860.03New0New
Reform Group6,8320.02New0New
Schleswig Club4,9660.02New0New
National Democratic People's Party4,0150.01New0New
Christian Social People's Party1,2190.00New0New
Independent Party1690.00New0New
German Economy and Labour Party430.00New0New
Upper Silesian Catholic People's Party60.00New0New
Total28,196,332100.00–459+36
Valid votes28,196,33299.06
Invalid/blank votes267,2490.94
Total votes28,463,581100.00
Registered voters/turnout35,949,77479.18
Source: Gonschior.de

East Prussia and Schleswig-Holstein

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The election result was amended by voting in the East Prussia and Schleswig-Holstein constituencies on 20 February 1921.

Party East Prussia Schleswig-Holstein Seats +/–
Votes % Votes %
Social Democratic Party 228,872 23.88 257,839 37.33 108 –5
Independent Social Democratic Party 53,118 5.54 20,701 3.00 83 +2
German National People's Party 296,229 30.91 141,410 20.48 65 +5
German People's Party 144,254 15.05 127,346 18.44 65 +5
Centre Party 91,439 9.54 5,572 0.81 68 +1
German Democratic Party 53,861 5.62 65,062 9.42 40 –4
Communist Party 68,450 7.14 41,839 6.06 4 +2
Polish People's Party 12,663 1.32 – 0 –
Schleswig-Holstein State Party – 25,907 3.75 0 –
German Middle-Class Party 9,346 0.98 – 0 –
Schleswig Club – 4,966 0.72 0 –
Total 958,232 100.00 690,642 100.00 469 +3
Blank/invalid 31,078 3.14 38,687 5.30
Total votes 989,310 100.00 729,329 100.00
Registered voters/turnout 1,251,161 79.07 931,787 78.27

Upper Silesia

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The election result was amended by voting in the Oppeln constituency on 19 November 1922.

Party Votes % Seats +/–
Social Democratic Party 75,593 14.78 103 –5
German National People's Party 70,841 13.85 65 0
German People's Party 36,560 7.15 65 0
Centre Party 205,237 40.12 64 –4
German Democratic Party 11,874 2.32 39 –1
Communist Party 37,120 7.26 4 0
Polish Catholic Party of Upper Silesia 51,437 10.05 0 –
German Social Party 22,958 4.49 0 –
Total 511,620 100.00 459 –10
Blank/invalid 3,493 0.68
Total votes 515,113 100.00
Registered voters/turnout 742,071 69.42

References

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  1. ^ a b Nohlen, Dieter; Stöver, Philip (2010). Elections in Europe: A Data Handbook. Nomos. p. 762. ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7.
  2. ^ a b c "100 years ago: First election to the Reichstag of the Weimar Republic". Bundestag (in German). 29 May 2020. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  3. ^ Aleskerov, F.; Holler, M.J.; Kamalova, R. (21 February 2013). "Power distribution in the Weimar Reichstag in 1919–1933". Annals of Operations Research. 215 (April 2014): 25–37. doi:10.1007/s10479-013-1325-4.
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