When the German Empire replaced the German Confederation in 1871, the Reichstag or German Parliament was established in Berlin. A few years later the Parliament building itself was built. One can say this was the birth of German democracy. Women were even given the vote and serve in the German Parliament in 1919. Furthermore, The Parliament could force the chancellor to resign by a no-confidence vote, resulting in new elections.
Many people believe Adolf Hitler circumvented this process with a destructive fire in the Reichtag building that was blamed on communists. Within a month after the Reichtag fire, the German Parliment gave all of its powers to the then Federal Government Chancellor Adolf Hitler passing a new law, the Enabling Act of 1933.
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