Federal Republic of Germany

“ On October 3,1990, we accomplished the unity and liberty of Germany in free self-determination. Thus all Germans now live under a constitution which protects the dignity and basic rights of man, regulates public life and facilitates peaceful change. ”

“ On assuming office, the Federal President shall take the following oath in the presence of the assembled members of the Bundestag and the Bundesrat:
"I swear that I shall dedicate my strength to the well-being of the German people, enhance what is to its advantage, ward off what might harm it, uphold and defend the Basic Law and the laws of the Federation, fulfil my duties conscientiously and do justice to every man. So help me God." ”

“ The North German Bund of 1866 was a federation of semi-sovereigns, or Bundes Staat. The present German Republic is still a Federal State, but sovereignty is inherent in the people, not in the constituent governments. ”

“ The constitutional order in the Länder must conform to the principles of republican, democratic, and social government based on the rule of law, within the meaning of this Basic Law. In each of the Länder, counties and communities, the people must be represented by a body chosen in universal, direct, free, equal and secret elections- In the communities the assembly of the community may take the place of an elected body. ”

“ Subject to all rights and objections of the interested parties, the State treaties concluded by the German Reich concerning matters for which, under this Basic Law, Land legislation is Competent remain in force, if they are and continue to be valid in accordance with general principles of law, until new State treaties are concluded by the agencies competent under this Basic Law, or until they are in any other way terminated pursuant to their provisions.
Article 124. Law affecting matters within the exclusive power to legislate of the Federation becomes Federal law wherever it is applicable. ”

“ In addition, autonomous federal higher authorities as well as new federal corporations and institutions under public law may be established by a federal law for matters on which the Federation has legislative power. When the Federation is confronted with new responsibilities with respect to matters on which it has legislative power, federal authorities at intermediate and lower levels may be established, with the consent of the Bundesrat and of a majority of the Members of the Bundestag, in cases of urgent need. ”

“ Article 50 (Functions) . The Länder participate through the Bundesrat in the legislation and administration of the Federation.
Article 51 (Composition) . (1) The Bundesrat consists of members of the Länder governments which appoint and recall them. Other members of such governments may act as substitutes.
(2) Each Land has at least three votes; Länder with more than two million inhabitants have four, Länder with more than seven million inhabitants, six votes (amended Unification Treaty of 31 August 1990) .
(3) Each Land may delegate as many members as it has votes. ”

“ The associations of communities also have the right of self- government in accordance with the law within the limits of the functions given them by law.
(3) The Federation guarantees that the constitutional order of the Länder conforms to the basic rights and to the provisions of paragraphs (1) and (2) .
Article 29 (New delimitation of Länder boundaries amended 19 August 1969 and 23 August 1976) . (1) A new delimitation of federal territory may be made to ensure that the Länder by the size and capacity are able effectively to fulfill the functions incumbent upon them. ”

“ The legislature shall be bound by the constitutional order, the executive and the judiciary by law and justice.
(4) All Germans shall have the right to resist any person seeking to abolish this constitutional order, if no other remedy is available. ”

“ The division of the territory comprising Berlin and Brandenburg into Länder may be revised, without regard to the provisions of Article 29, by agreement between the two Länder with the participation of their inhabitants who are entitled to vote. ”

“ We believe it right to declare before all—not only before Prussia, but before Germany, if such be the will of God, and before the whole united nation, what are the propositions which we have resolved to make to our German confederates. Above all, we demand that Germany be transformed from a confederation of states into a federal state. We admit that this implies a recognisation of the federal constitution, which cannot be carried into effect save by the union of the princes with the people. ”

“ In the constitution of the new empire two legislative bodies were provided for, the Bundesrath or Federal Council, whose members are annually appointed by the respective state governments, and the Reichstag or Representative body, whose members are elected by universal suffrage for a period of three years, an annual session being required. Germany, therefore, in its present organization, is practically a federal union of states, each with its own powers of internal government, and with a common legislature approximating to our Senate and House of Representatives. ”

“ Almost totally deprived of political spirit and personal judgment the German people had let themselves be convinced that it was only in the hands of the monarchy, the army, and the bureaucracy that the affairs of the nation were best and most safely conducted; and they naturally came to think that the prosperity in Germany in economic and in technical matters, as well as its development in social matters, was undeniable proof of the excellence of the monarchical system. No political party dreamed of incorporating in its program the establishment of a republic. ”

“ I recognized the advantages of a federal system for Germany, and I wanted to maintain it; but I always wished, even in 1932, that there should be joint agreement on the bigger political issues in Germany. That a federal country is governed on uniform principles is surely a matter of course. That was the only question, and it was also the basis of my intervention in Prussia on 20 July.
If one knows the history of Germany, one will be aware that Bismarck overcame that difficulty by combining the offices of the Reich Chancellor and the Prussian Prime Minister. ”

“ We demand a German federal tribunal, to settle all political differences between the princes and their estates, as also between the different German governments. We demand a common law of settlement for all natives of Germany, and perfect liberty for them to settle in any German country. We demand that, for the future, there shall be no barriers raised against commerce and industry in Germany. ”

“ These German-Americans, co-operating with some of the Americans in Berlin, kept informing the Foreign Office, the army and navy as well as influential Reichstag members that the real power behind the government over here was not the press and public opinion but the nine million Americans who were directly or indirectly related to Germany. ”

“ Ebert, Scheidemann and Landsberg, and three Independents, Haase, Dittmann and Barth. [5] In the evening there was held at the Busch Circus a plenary session of the Workers and Soldiers Councils of Berlin. This assembly passed a resolution which declared among other things the following: “Old Germany is no more. The dynasties are gone forever. The holders of thrones are stripped of their power. Germany is now a Republic, a Socialist Republic. The Workers and Soldiers Councils are now the holders of political power.” ”