GHDI logo

Elections to the Reichstag (1890-1912)

page 3 of 3    print version    return to list previous document      next document


III. 13. Reichstag 1912

13. Reichstag 1912
a) Eligible voters a) b) c) d)
b) Votes cast Millions Millions % %
c) Turnout
d) Eligible voters as %
of population (1)
14.442 12.261 84.9 22.2
a) Number of votes a) b) c) d)
b) Percentage of votes Millions % %
c) Number of parliamentary seats
d) Percentage of parliamentary seats
Conservatives 1.126 9.2 43 10.8
Reich Party 0.367 3.0 14 3.5
National Liberals 1.663 13.6 45 11.3
Liberals - - - -
Liberal Union (2) 1.497 12.3 42 10.6
German Progressive Party (3)
German People's Party
Center 1.997 16.4 91 22.8
Guelphs 0.085 0.7 5 1.3
Social Democrats 4.250 34.8 110 27.7
Poles 0.442 3.6 18 4.5
Danes (4) 0.017 0.1 1 0.3
Alsace-Lorrainers (5) 0.162 1.3 9 2.3
Antisemites,
Economic Association (6)
0.300 2.5 10 2.5
Others 0.301 2.5 9 2.3
Total
12.207
397


1 According to the last census. One must bear in mind that in these elections, which took place a considerable time after the previous census (e.g., the elections of 1890, which were based not on the census of 1890 but on that of 1885), the percentage of eligible voters relative to the overall population seems slightly higher than it was in actual fact. The low percentage in 1871 is attributable in part to poorly kept voter lists.

2 After 1893 Liberal Association [Freisinnige Vereinigung], after 1910 absorbed into the Progressive People's Party [Fortschrittliche Volkspartei].

3 After 1884 German-Liberal Party [Deutsch-Freisinnige Partei], after 1893 Liberal People's Party [Freisinnige Volkspartei], after 1910 absorbed into the Progressive People's Party [Fortschrittliche Volkspartei].

4 The votes cast in Schleswig-Holstein for both the Particularists and the Protest Party are here added to the Danes to the extent that no further information is provided in the official statistics.

5 Here, as was usual, the votes cast in Alsace-Lorraine for the Center [Zentrum] were included among the Alsace-Lorrainers until 1878, likewise the deputies allocated to the Center [Zentrum] in the official statistics 1874-78, who were labeled as “not belonging to the parliamentary group.

6 Antisemites participated in the Reichstag elections from 1887 to 1903 as splinter groups under the party names Christian-Social Party [Christlich-Soziale Partei], German Reform Party [Deutsche Reformpartei], German-Social Reform Party [Deutsch-Soziale Reformpartei], and German-Social Party [Deutsch-Soziale Partei]. After 1907 this heading also includes the Economic Association [Wirtschaftliche Vereinigung], into which the Antisemites were absorbed as the dominant group.



Source: These statistics were taken in part from: Statistik des Deutschen Reichs [Statistics of the German Reich], Bd. 250, 1912-1913, Appendix o.S. “Compilation of the Basis of the Figures for Table 2.” The figures for the following parties: Guelphs, Danes, and Alsace-Lorrainers, as well as the breakdown of the Liberal Parties were calculated according to: Vierteljahreshefte zur Statistik des Deutschen Reichs [Quarterly Journal of Statistics of the German Reich], first series, 3 Jg. 1875, pp. 2-51; Monatshefte zur Statistik des Deutschen Reichs [Monthly Journal of Statistics of the German Reich], 1879, June edition, pp. 4-35, 40-71; 1882, Heft III, pp. 2-33; 1884, Heft IV, pp. 2-33; 1885, Heft I, pp. 106-37; 1890, Heft IV, pp. 24-59; Vierteljahreshefte zur Statistik des Deutschen Reichs [Quarterly Journal of Statistics of the German Reich], new series, 2. Jg., 1893, Heft IV, pp. 4-55; 12. Jg., 1903, Heft III, pp. 100-07; Supplement for the year 1903, Heft IV, pp. 6-7; Supplement for the year 1907, Heft I, pp. 62-69; Heft III, pp. 8-9; Statistik des Deutschen Reichs [Statistics of the German Reich], vol. 250, 1912-1913, Heft II, S. 4-9.

Tables reproduced in Gerhard A. Ritter, Wahlgeschichtliches Arbeitsbuch [Election History Data Book]. Munich, 1980, pp. 40-42.

Translation: Thomas Dunlap

first page < previous   |   next > last page