First Reichstag Elections

In the first Reichstag elections on 6 June 1920, the parties of the „Weimar Coalition“, the SPD, Centre, and German Democratic Party (DDP), must accept damaging losses. The German National People’s Party (DNVP), the German People’s Party (DVP), and the Independent Social Democrats (USPD) are able to post considerable electoral gains. Reich Chancellor Hermann Müller (SPD) resigns his office. The Centre, the DVP, and the DDP form a minority cabinet under the Centrist politician Konstantin Fehrenbach. The outcome of this and following elections starts a fateful political trend for the Weimar Republic: The bourgeois parties and the social democrats are both blamed for negative political and economic developments; they lose more and more votes to the radical left and right, who are united in one objective only – to abolish democracy in Germany.

© AdsD Spartakus League placard for the election campaign 1920: „Whom do you vote for, worker? Parlementary Apes or do you ratten the elections and fight with us for the republic of councils?“		© AdsD Centrum placard for the election campaign 1920: „The only embankment against the red flood is the christian people's party Centrum“ (Writings on the wall: duty, charity, civic freedom, social rights, religion, morality, christian school, labor, freedom of conscience)