The Game

Game Overview

The game unfolds across three years from late 1929 to the end of 1932; a game session is equivalent to roughly half a year.

How to Prepare

• The "Historical Background" provides the broad context for the issues.
• The "Core Texts" introduce the main ideological frameworks.
• The "Supplemental Documents" provide specifics to each issue.
• Faction-specific readings (provided by the GM) give a party perspective on each issue.
• Your role sheet details your particular stance and goal.
• The role sheet and bibliography suggest extra readings to round out your views.

Major Items for Debate

The debates fall into several broad categories, each subordinated to a cabinet member's portfolio (see Table 2). All "mandatory items" must occur on the agenda at the start of the corresponding session and cannot be avoided. All "discretionary items" must be fought for to be placed on the agenda. Victory conditions are tied to the mandatory and discretionary items.

Foreign Relations (Foreign Ministry)

Foreign policy debates revolve around how Germany should relate to the Versailles system.

Military Affairs (Defense Ministry)

Within the restrictions of Versailles, the Reichstag must grapple with the role of the largely autonomous Reichswehr, national security, and nongovernmental paramilitaries.

Sexuality and Eugenics (Justice Ministry)

Modernization has challenged every notion of gender, sexual norms, reproduction, and national health, eliciting visceral responses.

Race and Culture (Interior Ministry)

Germans disagree on who is rightfully German and thus entitled to citizenship with some proposing restrictions based on politics, religion, or even race. Others argue that the only way to unify Germany is to unify culture through censorship.

Industrial Relations (Economics Ministry)

In the growing economic crisis, scarce resources must be rationed against competing demands from the unemployed, agrarian constituents, big business, and the military.

Agricultural Affairs (Food Ministry)

The agrarian crisis has fractured the countryside, and calls for state intervention mount as rural foreclosures lead to violence and the specter of urban hunger.

Victory Objectives and Conditions

Your role sheet provides two sets of victory objectives (Factional—your party goals; and Personal—your individual goals). You should play to win the game in the same sense that politicians seek to get their agenda passed.

Compromises are often necessary, but so is holding to principle. Sometimes simply staying in the game is a victory in itself.

Stability Index

The Stability Index abstractly represents the sense of crisis. The Index also reflects the degree to which forces that support the Republic versus those opposed are dominating events. Various events and actions cause the Index to rise or fall. The GM will provide regular updates.

The Index Has Ramifications For:

• Reichstag elections (high favors pro-Republicans, low favors anti-Republicans)
• Presidential election (high favors pro-Republicans, low favors anti-Republicans)
• Chances for an insurrection's success
• Your character's victory conditions

Formal Structures of the Republic

The constitution states, "The German Commonwealth is a Republic. Political authority is derived from the People." However, the actual power hierarchy is a complicated semipresidential system in which power is divided between the president, cabinet, and Reichstag, as expressed in the flowchart of the Republic's basic power arrangement (Figure 6).

Figure 6: Flowchart of Republican Institutions - Solid arrows indicate direct authority, dashed lines indicate indirect influence. Notice how the President stands above both the Reichstag and the Cabinet, with the power to dissolve parliament and rule by emergency decree.

Reich President (Head of State)

Paul von Hindenburg has been the Reich president since 1925. His popularity is immense, in part because of his reputation as the greatest German general of the war. Even many socialists and National Socialists find him appealing as a symbol of German pride.

The president does not directly shape legislation or exercise executive authority; these are left to the Reichstag and chancellor, respectively. However, the president does have a considerable amount of power, including:

Presidential Government—The 25/48/53 Formula

There is the constitutional possibility of a constitutional but antidemocratic "presidential government" based on the so-called 25/48/53 formula, which refers to the three articles of the constitution that could make a presidential government possible:

• Article 53 allows the Reich president to appoint the chancellor
• Article 48 allows the Reich president to sign into law emergency bills without the consent of the Reichstag; the chancellor must simply countersign them
• Article 25 allows the president to dissolve the Reichstag if it overturns an emergency decree

Figure 7: Flowchart of a Presidential Government - Under the 25/48/53 formula, the President can appoint a Chancellor without Reichstag support, rule by emergency decree (Article 48), and dissolve the Reichstag if it objects (Article 25). Democracy becomes a formality.

Presidential Election

The president is elected separately from the Reichstag and directly by all German citizens to a seven-year term. A regular presidential election must be held in April 1932 (the penultimate game session) unless a presidential recall has occurred.

A presidential candidate must be a German citizen and may not be a member of the Reichstag. If a member of the Reichstag is elected, that member must resign from the Reichstag, but their party does not lose any votes.

Presidential Election Procedure

Presidential Recall

A presidential recall has three steps:

The Camarilla

The Camarilla are the unofficial advisers around the Reich president:

• Kurt von Schleicher runs the political wing of the Reichswehr and is currently the defense minister
• Otto Meissner is the state secretary to the Office of the Reich President, a career bureaucrat who served loyally under the former president, the socialist Friedrich Ebert
• There may be other members

Though they wield tremendous personal influence, they have no formal constitutional role in their capacity as members of the Camarilla. The Camarilla and president sit together, apart from the parties.

The Government (the Chancellor and the Cabinet)

The Chancellor

As the head of the government, the chancellor directs the work of the cabinet. Hermann Müller (SPD) is currently the chancellor of the Grand Coalition forged by Stresemann (DVP).

Although the chancellor is the head of the government, many powers of the office exist only in relationship to the president, and the Reichstag holds the chancellor accountable with its ability to motion no confidence. The chancellor does, however, have certain prerogatives, including:

• Selecting cabinet members
• Meeting with the president at any time
• Choosing to present the cabinet's position to the Reichstag on any matter
• Countersigning presidential decrees, thus exercising an effective veto power on such decrees (Articles 48 and 50)
• Fulfilling presidential functions should the president be unavailable (Article 51) or subject to a successful recall vote by the Reichstag (Article 43)

The Cabinet

The government includes the entire cabinet, comprised of the six ministry positions (portfolios) and the chancellor; there is no requirement that all of these positions be filled, and one person may fill multiple positions (see Table 3). The cabinet decides government policy by majority vote.

Cabinet Responsibilities

The cabinet's primary role is to reach consensus and move legislation through the Reichstag by securing a majority in advance of any vote.

Protocol dictates that the minister with the relevant portfolio presents the government's position on any matter (unless the chancellor chooses to do so).

Members of the cabinet are expected to publicly support the cabinet's decisions, or at least refrain from public criticism—a position that may put them at odds with their party.

Ministerial Changes

A minister may resign at any time, or be voted out by a Reichstag vote of no confidence against the individual, or be kicked out by the chancellor. These will not necessarily bring down the government. The chancellor may replace the vacant seat as they please.

When the Government Collapses

Forming a New Government

When the government collapses, the president may:

• Call on someone (including the current chancellor) to form a new government
• Call for new elections and afterward call for someone (including the current chancellor) to form a new government
• Do nothing and allow a minority government

When forming a new government, the Reichstag works on a European parliamentary model:

Ministerial Reports and Questions for the Minister

Throughout the game, at the end of each session the GM will provide players with ministerial reports on important events requiring immediate action.

The Reichstag

The Reichstag is the German legislature. It operates according to parliamentary principles that differ from those in the United States, so make sure that you understand them. Every player (except those in the Camarilla) is a member of the Reichstag and sits with their party.

Speaker of the Reichstag

The Speaker is the presiding officer of the Reichstag, currently Paul Löbe (SPD). The largest party in the Reichstag selects the Speaker immediately after every Reichstag election. Except in small games, the Speaker may not be in the cabinet.

If the Reichstag becomes unruly, the Speaker may call on the president to use whatever means necessary to restore order as long as it does not violate the constitutional immunity of the members of the Reichstag. The Speaker may select a secretary to help keep order; this role may be filled by the GM.

Voting in the Reichstag: Mandates

Mandates (seats in the Reichstag, each with a vote) per party are based on the results of the 1928 Reichstag election. Each player controls an equal share of their party mandates (and thus votes). If there is a remainder after dividing equally, extra mandates go to the party leader (player #1).

The mandate distribution for Indeterminates depends on the number of Indeterminate players (the GM will provide these numbers—see Table 4).

If new elections occur, the total number of mandates and their distribution may change. Historical outcomes, the Stability Index, and your party's propaganda success determine these numbers.

Decorum

There is no protocol for behavior in the Reichstag. Heckling, interjecting, and voicing loud support may occur. The Speaker attempts to maintain order through the vigorous ringing of a bell to call the house to order, but members often ignore the Speaker. Members can enter or leave the meeting as they desire. Mass walkouts may occur.

Players must verbally identify themselves by name, party affiliation, and ministry portfolio (if applicable) when speaking.

When a member of the cabinet addresses the Reichstag to present the government's views, members of the Reichstag have the right to ask questions (see "Ministerial Reports and Questions for the Minister").

Varieties of Legislation

The members of the cabinet handle the day-to-day operations of the government, but they must secure the approval of the Reichstag whenever they take dramatic action.

Voting Procedures in the Reichstag

The Agenda

Mandatory Agenda Items

Every session except the last has at least one mandatory agenda item. Mandatory items cannot be altered for any reason (except by the GM). They must be resolved as the first agenda items of the session, in the order given, before any other action may be taken. Resolution requires full discussion though not necessarily a vote.

Discretionary Agenda Items

In the last five minutes of a session, the Speaker must determine two discretionary agenda items (A and B) for the next session. If time allows, these items will be debated in the next session in the order set by the Speaker after the mandatory items have been resolved.

Political Parties

Party Discipline

All parties operate with party discipline. If a party calls for party discipline (determined by majority vote of party members), all members must vote as a block, with the party leader casting the vote. Failure to abide by party discipline can lead to disciplinary action by the party. If party discipline is not invoked, members may vote as they see fit.

Disciplinary Actions

The game does not forbid public criticism. However, there should be consequences. It is up to the party to determine how to discipline members. The options may include:

• Expulsion from the party
• Removal from party posts
• A reprimand
• Reduction in party rank

A majority vote of all party members is required to discipline a member.

Only the GM may remove a member of the Reichstag from the legislature altogether.

In the event of a tie in an internal party vote, the party leader decides.

Coalitions, Alliances, Mergers, New Formations, and Bans

Coalitions

Coalitions are agreements between parties to form a government together. No single party has ever had an absolute majority of the Reichstag, so coalitions are the norm to achieve a working majority.

Alliances

• United Front (KPD, SPD): A Marxist front to fight the extreme Right
• National Block (DNVP, DVP, and other right-of-center parties): A conservative front to fight both the Marxists and the NSDAP

Mergers

Mergers occur when two or more parties agree to dissolve their parties and create a new united party. Such a merger means that future elections occur under the name of the new party. There is no guarantee that all mandates of the merging parties will go along, however. The GM will determine how successful the merger was.

If the merger ceases to be useful, players can unmerge. Again, the GM will determine how successful the de-merger was.

Party Dissolution

• Voluntarily dissolving themselves
• Merging
• Being banned
• Not receiving any mandates in a Reichstag election

Banning a Party

Banning a party is an extraordinary step. It requires a two-thirds vote since it alters the constitutional right to association (Article 124). If banned, a party may reform under another name.

Reichstag Elections

Scheduled Elections

If no Reichstag election is called prior to the penultimate game session, one must occur in that session (the four-year term would end in early 1932).

If the regularly scheduled presidential election also occurs in that session (i.e., it has not been preempted by a successful recall referendum), the Reichstag elections would occur after the GM announces the new president.

Calling Elections

The president may call for early Reichstag elections at any time and for any reason after the start of the second session (Article 25). No more than one election may occur per session.

Influencing Elections

• Campaigning successfully; as assessed in the quality of writing and speaking, the GM may adjust results
• Moving the Stability Index: the GM may adjust results so that a higher Index favors pro-Republican parties, and a lower Index favors anti-Republican parties

Election Results

1. The largest party selects the Speaker
2. The president calls on someone (usually but not necessarily the leader of largest party) to form a new government as the new chancellor; that person need not be a member of the Reichstag
3. The proposed chancellor consults with other parties, assembles a coalition, and proposes a cabinet to the president. If the president disapproves, they may ask for the same proposed chancellor to create a government more to their liking, or ask someone else to form a government to their liking
4. If the president approves the government, the new chancellor presents the members of the cabinet and the goals of the new government to the Reichstag
5. The new Speaker announces the agenda
6. The eldest Reichstag member (Zetkin, KPD) addresses the Reichstag as the first agenda item (if Zetkin is not in play, this step is ignored)

Extraparliamentary Forces

Assassination

Assassination by right-wing death squads was common in the early 1920s. But since 1924, assassination of leading politicians has all but ceased. Nonetheless, the threat still exists, and threats, often delivered in not-so-veiled homilies in the Reichstag, right-wing broadsheets, or in anonymous letters, should be taken seriously.

Foreign Intervention

Foreign powers may choose to intervene. The French intervened in the early 1920s and still occupy the Rhineland. The Comintern (the Moscow agency that coordinates international communism) has supported a variety of communist revolutions around the world. The Vatican regularly issues proclamations in support of Catholics. The United Kingdom has no desire to see the Versailles system unravel. Italy seeks to extend its influence into Austria and the Balkans. Poland and Czechoslovakia have significant tensions on their new borders with Germany.

Anyone may appeal to any foreign power for assistance (military, diplomatic, financial, or otherwise) by writing to the GM in their role as the relevant foreign counterpart. You will need to research who this counterpart might be.

Green Front

The Green Front is a nonparty block of often competing agrarian interests that was formed in 1929 with the hope of creating a single united organization that will ideally grow into a unified national agrarian party to strengthen farmers' voices. Its members include the CNBP, RLB, DBP, Centre, and NSDAP.

Paramilitaries

Several parties have affiliated but autonomous paramilitaries with military-like training. These are (usually) legal and often intervene directly in political affairs. They may engage in street fighting and insurrections, and include:

Reichswehr

Since Versailles restricts the Reichswehr to one hundred thousand men, it has limited combat abilities. However, it is a handpicked elite led by conservative officers with monarchist loyalties who defend its autonomy from Reichstag control.

It appears to be utterly devoted to von Hindenburg, but von Schleicher makes day-to-day decisions.

Character Death and Respawning

German politicians sometimes were assassinated, died unexpectedly, or lost all relevance. What happens if your character dies or your party is eliminated? Do you automatically lose?

Not to worry! You simply respawn, but as another character. The GM will inform you of your new character. Your victory objectives become those of your new character.

Basic Outline of the Game

Our game begins in late 1929, just after the U.S. stock market crash and as the German Reichstag begins deliberation on the Freedom Law and Naval Bill. You are part of the Reichstag, belonging to one of the various political parties. Beginning with the Young Plan, you must debate a variety of matters ranging from foreign affairs to cultural matters, all informed by primary sources.

Each session covers roughly six months of historical time, and you will have to confront unfolding events that directly impact Germany while also dealing with domestic elections and unrest. You face a series of events where you, not the dead hand of history, decide what will happen. Thus, within the parameters of the historical reality of the Republic, you must consider all of the options actually available and confront the consequences of your choices.

Importantly, every decision made by you has an impact on the Stability Index, a measure of how volatile the German electorate has become: the greater the instability, the greater the radicalization of the German electorate. Thus you must decide how best to maneuver politically in the Reichstag, all the while considering the impact on the next election.

Typical Game Session Cycle

Initial Reichstag Agenda

Debriefing

After the game, the GM debriefs players, providing historical closure to determine the fate of German democracy and individual players. The debriefing also helps players to exit from the game, provides an opportunity for reflection, and gives the GM a chance to set the record straight by telling the players what really happened.

Assignments

Every player should engage the class through oral participation (speaking in the Reichstag sessions and caucusing), writing (your papers), and visual creativity (the campaign poster).

Quick Overview