Constitution of the German Empire (1670-1671..)

The Constitution of the German Empire (in German: Verfassung des Deutschen Reiches) was the basic law of the German Empire of 1871-1919. It has the same German title as its successor, the "Constitution of the German Reich" or "Weimar constitution" that replaced it in 1919. German historians often refer to it as Bismarck's imperial constitution.


The constitution was a treaty between the North German Confederation and four southern German states.
The German Empire was a state that was donated to the idea of the constitution by the federal princes of some German states (excluding Austria) and by the North German Confederation. His condition was leaning strongly to that of the North German Confederation, as it had emerged after the war German 1866th The form of government or the system of government that was established by the Constitution of 1871 is described in the literature as "limited monarchy ". On the one side was the monarchical principle, subject to a strong position, on the other side was secured to the people on the basis of a fairly advanced option of the Reichstag, for participation in the legislation.The Constitution makes it clear that it is not in the creation of the German Reich is a sovereign act of the German people. In this respect, the princes and cities understood as the constitutional sovereign.

Prussia was the strongest country with about two-thirds of the population. The provisions of the Constitution met three different tasks. On the one hand, the external relationship (ratio of state to state) the jurisdiction of the empire from the jurisdiction of member states after the federal principle, deferred ("Union competence" of the Empire). Here is the Constitution the principle of conferral. If not, the empire was in the Constitution expressly declares to be competent, the states were called ("in doubt for the states").
The jurisdiction of the kingdom was in the Constitution for the state functions (legislative, executive and judiciary) is regulated extremely different. On the other hand, the Constitution represents an organizational statute, which specifies the authorities of the empire, and their powers were fixed to each other (organ jurisdiction). Where provisions of the constitution govern the institution responsible, put the Constitution is a purely internal law dar. A third type of rules governs the relationship between citizens (subjects) and the Empire. This relationship has been in the Constitution only occasionally fed to a control (such as national treatment, military service). On a comprehensive bill of rights was omitted.

First, the powers of the kingdom shall ever described. Then an overview about the state bodies (Federal, Kaiser and Chancellor, the Reichstag), and their powers. Following is discussed on the relationship between citizens (subjects) and poor (basic rights) and described the practice of constitutional life.