{"id":31265,"date":"2026-05-06T10:53:14","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T10:53:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schoolshistory.org.uk\/topics\/?page_id=31265"},"modified":"2026-05-06T16:49:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T16:49:12","slug":"1925-german-presidential-election","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/schoolshistory.org.uk\/topics\/european-history\/nazi-germany\/1925-german-presidential-election\/","title":{"rendered":"1925 German Presidential Election"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 1925 Germany held its second Presidential election. The incumbent President, Friedrich Ebert, was expected to win the election by a landslide. However his untimely death shortly before the first round of voting left the issue of Presidency quite open.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Vote
Poster for the Reich President election Stengel and Co. Art Institute, Ltd. Dresden, 1925 89.5 x 60 cm Image credit: German Historical Museum, Berlin Inv. No.: P 62\/1491<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

1925 German Presidential Election<\/h2>\n

The election of a President had initially been scheduled to take place some time earlier, in 1922. However the constitution was amended to extend the term of office as a result of the troubles that the Weimar Republic was facing at that time. In 1925 Friedrich Ebert was not particularly loved by the German population, but was respected for the way in which he had handled the turmoil of the Republics early years. His death meant that a new President would be elected and provided opponents of the regime with an opportunity to exploit the situation.<\/p>\n

The Presidential Elections were conducted over two rounds, with less popular candidates dropping out after the first round.<\/p>\n

First round results<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Candidate<\/th>\nParty<\/th>\nVotes<\/th>\n%<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Karl Jarres<\/td>\nGerman People\u2019s Party,\u00a0German National People\u2019s Party<\/td>\n10,416,658<\/td>\n38.8<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Otto Braun<\/td>\nSocial Democratic Party<\/td>\n7,802,497<\/td>\n29.0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Wilhelm Marx<\/td>\nCentre Party<\/td>\n3,887,734<\/td>\n14.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ernst Th\u00e4lmann<\/td>\nCommunist Party<\/td>\n1,871,815<\/td>\n7.0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Willy Hellpach<\/td>\nGerman Democratic Party<\/td>\n1,568,398<\/td>\n5.8<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Heinrich Held<\/td>\nBavarian People\u2019s Party<\/td>\n1,007,450<\/td>\n3.7<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Erich Ludendorff<\/td>\nGerman V\u00f6lkisch Freedom Party<\/td>\n285,793<\/td>\n1.1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Other candidates<\/td>\n25,761<\/td>\n0.1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Invalid\/blank votes<\/td>\n<\/td>\n\u2013<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Total<\/b><\/td>\n26,866,106<\/b><\/td>\n100<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Registered voters\/turnout<\/td>\n39,226,138<\/td>\n68.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Source: Nohlen & St\u00f6ver (Quoted on\u00a0Wikipedia<\/a>)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Following the first round of votes the most popular of the candidates, Karl Jarres, withdrew. It may seem odd that the leading candidate would withdraw. He did so to provide a platform for the popular former General, Paul von Hindenburg. Hindenburg was not only a popular figure throughout Germany but he was also a committed monarchist. Jarres decision to withdraw in his favour was done quite probably in the hope that not only would Hindenburg win but that as President he would ensure a more conservative and traditional form of Government.<\/p>\n

The Second round of voting saw three candidates. Hindenburg represented the conservative, monarchist and right wing parties. Voters wanting a more left wing President had two options: Wilhelm Marx, of the Centre Party was one, and Ernst Thalmann of the KDP (Communist Party) was the other. The participation of Thalmann was a decisive factor in the result. Had he not stood it is quite possible that people who voted for him would have cast their vote for Marx \u2013 which would have resulted in a different outcome.<\/p>\n

Second Round results<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Candidate<\/th>\nParty<\/th>\nSupported by<\/th>\nVotes<\/th>\n%<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Paul von Hindenburg<\/td>\nIndependent<\/td>\nDVP,\u00a0DNVP,\u00a0BVP<\/td>\n14,655,641<\/td>\n48.3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Wilhelm Marx<\/td>\nCentre Party<\/td>\nSPD,\u00a0DDP<\/td>\n13,751,605<\/td>\n45.3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ernst Th\u00e4lmann<\/td>\nCommunist Party<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1,931,151<\/td>\n6.4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Other candidates<\/td>\n13,416<\/td>\n0.0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Invalid\/blank votes<\/td>\n<\/td>\n\u2013<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Total<\/b><\/td>\n30,351,813<\/b><\/td>\n100<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Registered voters\/turnout<\/td>\n39,414,316<\/td>\n77.0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Source: Nohlen & St\u00f6ver\u00a0(Quoted on\u00a0Wikipedia<\/a>)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

As a result, Paul von Hindenburg was elected as the second President of the Weimar Republic.<\/p>\n

Germany 1919 – 1945 Links<\/h2>\n

The Second Reich<\/h3>\n

Unification of Germany<\/a> – Political systems within the Second Reich<\/a> – German Society during the Second Reich<\/a> – Collapse of the Second Reich<\/a><\/p>\n

Weimar Republic<\/h3>\n

Interim Government<\/a> –\u00a0Founding of the Weimar Republic<\/a> –\u00a0Impact of the First World War on Germany<\/a> –\u00a0The Treaty of Versailles and its impact on Germany<\/a> –\u00a0Weimar Constitution<\/a> –\u00a01919-1923: Years of Crisis?<\/a> –\u00a0Spartacist Uprising<\/a> –\u00a0Kapp Putsch<\/a> – Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold<\/a> – Reparations<\/a> –\u00a0Hyperinflation in Germany, 1923<\/a> –\u00a01924-1928: A Golden Era?<\/a> – 1925 Presidential Election<\/a> – Gustav Stresemann<\/a> –\u00a0German Foreign Relations 1919-1932<\/a> –\u00a0Germany in the Great Depression<\/a> \u00a0–\u00a0Failings of the Weimar Republic<\/a> – Dada Movement<\/a><\/p>\n

Rise of the Nazi Party<\/h3>\n

The Munich Putsch<\/a> –\u00a0Did the Economic Crisis of 1923 help the Nazi’s?<\/a> –\u00a0Origins of the Nazi Party<\/a> –\u00a0Rise of the Nazi Party<\/a><\/p>\n

Nazi Germany<\/h3>\n

Totalitarian Regime in Nazi Germany<\/a> –\u00a0How did Hitler consolidate power?<\/a> –\u00a0Mein Kampf<\/a> –\u00a0Nazi methods of control<\/a> –\u00a0Opposition to the Nazi Regime<\/a> –\u00a0Organisation of the Nazi Party<\/a> –\u00a0Fuhrerprinzip<\/a> –\u00a0Kristallnacht<\/a> –\u00a0Youth and Education<\/a> –\u00a0Goering and the 2nd 4 Year Plan<\/a> –\u00a0Anti-Jewish Boycott, 1933<\/a> –\u00a0Nazi Anti-Semitism<\/a> –\u00a0DAF (The German Labour Front)<\/a> –\u00a0Propaganda in Germany 1919-39<\/a> –\u00a0Economic Policy of the Nazi Party<\/a> – Kreisau Circle<\/a> – The Confessing Church<\/a> – Catholic Church<\/a> – Edelweiss Pirates<\/a><\/p>\n

Biographies<\/h3>\n

Ludwig Beck<\/a> – Dietrich Bonhoeffer<\/a> – Bishop Clemens von Galen<\/a> – Carl Goerdeler<\/a> – Robert Ley<\/a> – Helmuth von Moltke<\/a> – Martin Niemoller<\/a> – Erwin Rommel<\/a>\u00a0– Hjalmar Schacht<\/a> – Sophie Scholl<\/a> – Albert Speer<\/a> – Claus von Stauffenberg<\/a> –\u00a0Fritz Todt<\/a> –<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In 1925 Germany held its second Presidential election. The incumbent President, Friedrich Ebert, was expected to win the election by a landslide. However his untimely death shortly before the first round of voting left the issue of Presidency quite open. 1925 German Presidential Election The election of a President had initially been scheduled to take… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":789,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"off","neve_meta_content_width":100,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-31265","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t