Article+48

The article 48 of the constitution of the Weimar Republic of Germany ('19 ~ '33) allowed the President, under certain circumstances, to take emergency measures without the prior consent of the Reichstag, the parliament of Weimar republic during '18 ~ '33. This power was understood to include the promulgation of "emergency decrees (Notverordnungen)" However the article 48 required the President to notify the Reichstag immediately of the issuance of the emergency decree, and it permitted the Reichstag to nullify the emergency decree by simple majority action, but the upper house of the Reichstag wasn't involved in this process at all.

This article was used by Adolf Hitler in rising of his power. On February 27th, 6 days before the election of March 5th, the Reichstag was burned. The Nazis used the fire as a pretext to get President von Hindenburg to sign the Reichstag Fire Decree. Under the decree, the government was given the authority to curtail constitutional rights including habeas corpus, free expression of opinion, freedom of the press, rights of assembly, and the privacy of postal, telegraphic and telephonic communications.

By the article 48 and the Reichstag Fire Decree, Nazis took the first steps toward the establishment of a single-party dictatorship in Germany legally.