Harrison Karl Centner, Forest Hills Eastern High School

President Friedrich Ebert

The Cabinet of the Weimar Republic

The Reich is in a crucible. The masses starve; the Western Front crumbles; the enemy
Powers surround the motherland with troops and scalding anger. Yet, in this boiling atmosphere,
the possibilities of future Germany still gleam brightly. Unfortunately, the people of the Reich
are raising hell: the workers strike, the sailors mutiny, and tens of soviet councils depose of their
former (albeit ineffective) ​Länder​ governments. Kaiserism nears collapse. Nevertheless, this
cataclysm will be the impetus for something greater (Horne). A democracy—unparalleled
anywhere on Earth—arises in this inflamed nation. I intend to resurrect the Reich from the ashes.
Germany’s resources are stretched too far, and the continuing hunger blockade
exacerbates the populace’s desperation. Nearly ninety-five percent of industry in the Reich
produces for war (Buse). Ergo, agriculture shall be prioritized and output of all industries
maximized through improvements in working conditions and appeals to the patriotic duty of
every German citizen. The Riech’s economy teeters precariously: the papiermark becomes
increasingly volatile and workers distrust their employers. A series of experiments will be slowly
undertaken to transfer the means of production to workers in certain—extremely
suitable—industries, thereby appealing radicals and mitigating the revolutionary frustration
plaguing the Reich.
Ludendorff’s offensive humiliates all of Germany. The dictatorial general’s incessant
demands for ​Seigfriede​, rejections of my peace proposals, and asinine overconfidence derailed
the war, resulting in unquestionably pyrrhic battles. Over six hundred eighty thousand Germans
perished in Ludendorff’s fiasco this spring (Weitz). Undoubtedly, the Kaiser’s mistaken policies
and the militarist’s hubris plunged the Reich into this damned revolution.
“​Ich aber will sie ​[the social revolution]​ nicht, ja, ich hasse sie wie die Sünde.​” I detest
anarchy and bolshevism, and the social putsch will decidedly lead to one of the two. Therefore, I
see no other option but to quash it. The Kaiser must abdicate; Ludwig III’s resignation seemed to
quell some of the roars from Bavaria. Tomorrow, Prince Maximilian von Baden and I—barring
interruptions—will travel to Belgium to persuade Kaiser Wilhelm of the urgency of his
abdication from all of Germany and Prussia (Mommsen). Following our success, I will
assume—or if necessary demand—the Chancellorship from Prince Max.
Upon receiving the Chancellery, I will institute an interim government. Comprised of
select and trusted allies, the Council of People’s Representatives will (1) ameliorate the
economy, (2) represent the Reich in foreign affairs, and (3) reform German law (“Isaac”). The
council will end the devastating war and make peace with the enemy powers. This committee
will act until elections are held—with universal suffrage provided to those above twenty years of
age—that decide otherwise. I will petition my ​Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands​ (SPD)
colleagues to collaborate and draft a document detailing a new, ​Volksregierung​ free of the
monarchy.
The fracturing SPD worries me. My policy actions will make the SPD indispensable to
the German worker but will anger the industrialists and military officials. Consequently, I will
need to confer power and develop pacts with Hugo Stinnes and Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck to
better relations with these alienated groups.
I, Friedrich Ebert, vow to defend the Riech from forces who wish its destruction.
 Works Cited

Buse, D. K. “Ebert and the German Crisis, 1917–1920.” ​Central European History​, vol. 5, no. 3,

Sept. 1972, pp. 234–255. ​JSTOR,​ doi:10.1017/s0008938900015491.

Duffy, Michael. “Firstworldwar.com.” ​First World War.com - Primary Documents - President

Friedrich Ebert's Address to the German Assembly, 7 February 1919,​ 22 Aug. 2009,

https://www.firstworldwar.com/source/germanassembly_ebert1.htm​.

“German Constitution of 1919.” ​Wikisource, the Free Online Library,​ Wikimedia Foundation,

Inc., 18 Aug. 2019, https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Weimar_constitution.

Horne, Charles F., and Walter F. Austin. ​Source Records of World War I​. E. Mellen Press.

“Isaac Newton Academy.org.” ​Isaacnewtonacademy.org​, Isaac Newton Academy,

https://isaacnewtonacademy.org/sites/default/files/Germany pre learning booklet

p8-32.pdf.

Mommsen, Hans, et al. ​The Rise and Fall of Weimar Democracy​. University of North Carolina

Press, 1998.

Weitz, Eric D. “'Weimar Germany'.” ​The New York Times,​ The New York Times, 20 Oct. 2007,

https://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/20/books/1021-1st-weitz.html.