History
The German Bundesrat was first founded, together with the German Empire, in 1871, replacing a body of the same name and with the same functions in the North German Confederation. Under the Weimar Constitution, 1919, it was replaced by the Reichsrat (1919–1934).
Whilst appointed by state governments just as today, the delegates of the original Bundesrat — as those of the Reichsrat — were usually high-ranking civil servants, not cabinet members. The original Bundesrat was very powerful; every bill needed its consent, equaling it to the popularly elected Reichstag. It could also, with the Emperor's agreement, dissolve the Reichstag.
The Reichsrat of the Weimar Republic had considerably less influence, since it could only veto bills – and even then be overruled by the Reichstag. However, overruling the Reichsrat needed a majority of two-thirds in the Reichstag, which consisted of many parties differing in opinion. So, in most cases, bills vetoed by the Reichsrat failed due to the lack of unity among the Reichstag's constituent parties.
The composition of the Bundesrat, 1871–1919, was as follows:
| State | Notes | Votes |
| Prussia | (including states annexed in 1866) | 17 |
| Bavaria | 6 | |
| Saxony | 4 | |
| Württemberg | 4 | |
| Baden | 3 | |
| Hesse | 3 | |
| Mecklenburg-Schwerin | 2 | |
| Brunswick | 2 | |
| 17 other small states | each with 1 vote | 17 |
| Alsace-Lorraine | after 1911 | 3 |
| Total | 61 |
Read more about this topic: Bundesrat Of Germany
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